2015 Oregon Revised Statutes
Volume : 09 - Education and Culture
Chapter 342 - Teachers and Other School Personnel
Section 342.950 - Network of Quality Teaching and Learning; rules.

(1) The Network of Quality Teaching and Learning is established. The network consists of the Chief Education Office and public and private entities that receive funding as provided by this section to accomplish the purposes of the network described in subsection (2) of this section.

(2) The purposes of the network are the following:

(a) To enhance a culture of leadership and collaborative responsibility for advancing the profession of teaching among providers of early learning services, teachers and administrators in kindergarten through grade 12, education service districts and educator preparation providers.

(b) To strengthen and enhance existing evidence-based practices that improve student achievement, including practices advanced by or described in ORS 329.788 to 329.820, 329.824, 329.838, 342.433 to 342.449 and 342.805 to 342.937.

(c) To improve recruitment, preparation, induction, career advancement opportunities and support of educators.

(3) To accomplish the purposes of the network described in subsection (2) of this section, the Department of Education, subject to the direction and control of the Chief Education Officer, shall distribute funding as follows:

(a) To schools, school districts, education service districts, nonprofit organizations, post-secondary institutions and consortiums that are any combination of those entities for the purpose of supporting the implementation and delivery of common core state standards and other state standards that indicate whether a student is prepared for college.

(b) To school districts, education service districts and nonprofit organizations for the purpose of providing teacher and administrator evaluations and aligned professional development in a manner that complies with the core teaching standards adopted as provided by ORS 342.856 and with related standards prescribed by federal law.

(c) To school districts and nonprofit organizations for the purpose of providing teachers with opportunities for professional collaboration and professional development and for the pursuit of career pathways in a manner that is consistent with the School District Collaboration Grant Program described in ORS 329.838.

(d) To school districts, education service districts and nonprofit organizations for the purpose of providing beginning teachers and administrators with mentors in a manner that is consistent with the beginning teacher and administrator mentorship program described in ORS 329.788 to 329.820.

(e) To school districts, education service districts, nonprofit organizations, post-secondary institutions and the tribes of this state for the purpose of closing achievement gaps by providing and improving the effectiveness of instruction and professional development, implementing data-driven decision making, supporting practice communities and implementing culturally competent practices.

(f) To school districts, nonprofit organizations and post-secondary institutions for the purposes of:

(A) Strengthening educator programs for educators at all levels to improve educator preparation, recruitment and leadership.

(B) Supporting the development and sustainability of partnerships between providers of early learning services, public schools with any grades from kindergarten through grade 12 and post-secondary institutions.

(g) To school districts to ensure that a sufficient number of kindergarten through grade five teachers have received training to understand and recognize dyslexia and to implement appropriate instruction.

(4) The Chief Education Office shall provide strategic direction to the network by:

(a) Conducting and coordinating research to determine best practices and evidence-based models.

(b) Convening an advisory group to guide network activities and expand the implementation of effective practices.

(c) Working with educator programs to ensure ongoing collaboration with education providers.

(d) Supporting programs that help to achieve the purposes of the Educators Equity Act.

(e) Creating and supporting a statewide plan for increasing the successful recruitment of high-ability and culturally diverse candidates to work in high-need communities and fields.

(5) The Department of Education shall support the network by:

(a) Developing a system that ensures statewide dissemination of best practices and evidence-based models.

(b) Supporting the development and implementation of standards-based curriculum, high-leverage practices and assessments that promote student learning and improve student progress indicators for students who are enrolled in an English language learner program under ORS 336.079 and for students with disabilities.

(c) Administering the distribution of funding as described in subsection (3) of this section.

(6) The Chief Education Office shall develop processes to establish the network and ensure the accountability of the network. The processes must ensure that the network:

(a) Gives preference to entities that have demonstrated success in improving student progress indicators.

(b) Delivers services for the benefit of all regions of this state.

(c) Is accountable for improving student progress indicators identified by the Chief Education Office or set forth in ORS 350.014.

(d) Includes and connects education providers and leaders from pre-kindergarten through post-secondary education.

(7) No more than two percent of all moneys received for the purposes of this section may be expended by the Chief Education Office or the Department of Education for administrative costs incurred under this section. For the purpose of this subsection, the following are not considered administrative costs:

(a) Technical assistance and direct program services provided to school districts and nonprofit organizations; and

(b) Any administrative costs incurred under ORS 329.838 related to the administration of the School District Collaboration Grant Program.

(8) The State Board of Education may adopt any rules necessary for the Department of Education to support the network and perform any duties assigned to the department under this section or assigned to the department by the Chief Education Office. Any rules adopted by the State Board of Education must be consistent with this section and with actions taken by the Chief Education Office to implement this section.

[2013 c.661 §§1,2; 2015 c.27 §§36,37; 2015 c.188 §§13,14; 2015 c.245 §§27,28; 2015 c.487 §§1,2; 2015 c.604 §§17,18; 2015 c.647 §§29,30; 2015 c.774 §25; 2015 c.790 §8b]

Note: The amendments to 342.950 by section 57, chapter 774, Oregon Laws 2015, and section 8c, chapter 790, Oregon Laws 2015, become operative June 30, 2019. See section 72, chapter 774, Oregon Laws 2015, as amended by section 14, chapter 682, Oregon Laws 2015, and section 20, chapter 763, Oregon Laws 2015. The text that is operative on and after June 30, 2019, is set forth for the user’s convenience.
(1) The Network of Quality Teaching and Learning is established. The network consists of the Department of Education and public and private entities that receive funding as provided by this section to accomplish the purposes of the network described in subsection (2) of this section.

(2) The purposes of the network are the following:

(a) To enhance a culture of leadership and collaborative responsibility for advancing the profession of teaching among providers of early learning services, teachers and administrators in kindergarten through grade 12, education service districts and educator preparation providers.

(b) To strengthen and enhance existing evidence-based practices that improve student achievement, including practices advanced by or described in ORS 329.788 to 329.820, 329.824, 329.838, 342.433 to 342.449 and 342.805 to 342.937.

(c) To improve recruitment, preparation, induction, career advancement opportunities and support of educators.

(3) To accomplish the purposes of the network described in subsection (2) of this section, the Department of Education, subject to the direction and control of the Superintendent of Public Instruction, shall distribute funding as follows:

(a) To schools, school districts, education service districts, nonprofit organizations, post-secondary institutions and consortiums that are any combination of those entities for the purpose of supporting the implementation and delivery of common core state standards and other state standards that indicate whether a student is prepared for college.

(b) To school districts, education service districts and nonprofit organizations for the purpose of providing teacher and administrator evaluations and aligned professional development in a manner that complies with the core teaching standards adopted as provided by ORS 342.856 and with related standards prescribed by federal law.

(c) To school districts and nonprofit organizations for the purpose of providing teachers with opportunities for professional collaboration and professional development and for the pursuit of career pathways in a manner that is consistent with the School District Collaboration Grant Program described in ORS 329.838.

(d) To school districts, education service districts and nonprofit organizations for the purpose of providing beginning teachers and administrators with mentors in a manner that is consistent with the beginning teacher and administrator mentorship program described in ORS 329.788 to 329.820.

(e) To school districts, education service districts, nonprofit organizations, post-secondary institutions and the tribes of this state for the purpose of closing achievement gaps by providing and improving the effectiveness of instruction and professional development, implementing data-driven decision making, supporting practice communities and implementing culturally competent practices.

(f) To school districts, nonprofit organizations and post-secondary institutions for the purposes of:

(A) Strengthening educator programs for educators at all levels to improve educator preparation, recruitment and leadership.

(B) Supporting the development and sustainability of partnerships between providers of early learning services, public schools with any grades from kindergarten through grade 12 and post-secondary institutions.

(g) To school districts to ensure that a sufficient number of kindergarten through grade five teachers have received training to understand and recognize dyslexia and to implement appropriate instruction.

(4) The Department of Education shall provide strategic direction to the network by:

(a) Conducting and coordinating research to determine best practices and evidence-based models.

(b) Convening an advisory group to guide network activities and expand the implementation of effective practices.

(c) Working with educator programs to ensure ongoing collaboration with education providers.

(d) Supporting programs that help to achieve the purposes of the Educators Equity Act.

(e) Creating and supporting a statewide plan for increasing the successful recruitment of high-ability and culturally diverse candidates to work in high-need communities and fields.

(f) Developing a system that ensures statewide dissemination of best practices and evidence-based models.

(g) Supporting the development and implementation of standards-based curriculum, high-leverage practices and assessments that promote student learning and improve student progress indicators for students who are enrolled in an English language learner program under ORS 336.079 and for students with disabilities.

(h) Administering the distribution of funding as described in subsection (3) of this section.

(5) The State Board of Education shall develop processes to establish the network and ensure the accountability of the network. The processes must ensure that the network:

(a) Gives preference to entities that have demonstrated success in improving student progress indicators.

(b) Delivers services for the benefit of all regions of this state.

(c) Is accountable for improving student progress indicators identified by the State Board of Education or set forth in ORS 350.014.

(d) Includes and connects education providers and leaders from pre-kindergarten through post-secondary education.

(6) No more than two percent of all moneys received for the purposes of this section may be expended by the Department of Education for administrative costs incurred under this section. For the purpose of this subsection, the following are not considered administrative costs:

(a) Technical assistance and direct program services provided to school districts and nonprofit organizations; and

(b) Any administrative costs incurred under ORS 329.838 related to the administration of the School District Collaboration Grant Program.

(7) The State Board of Education may adopt any rules necessary for the Department of Education to support the network and perform any duties assigned to the department under this section. Any rules adopted by the State Board of Education must be consistent with this section.

Note: 342.950 and 342.953 were enacted into law by the Legislative Assembly but were not added to or made a part of ORS chapter 342 or any series therein by legislative action. See Preface to Oregon Revised Statutes for further explanation.