2015 Oregon Revised Statutes
Volume : 09 - Education and Culture
Chapter 326 - State Administration of Education
Section 326.425 - Early Learning Council; purpose; members; rules.

(1) The Early Learning Council is established.

(2) The council is established to oversee a unified system of early learning services for the purpose of ensuring that children enter school ready to learn. The Early Learning Council shall ensure that children enter school ready to learn by:

(a) Serving as the state advisory council for purposes of the federal Head Start Act, as provided by ORS 417.796.

(b) Implementing and overseeing a system that coordinates the delivery of early learning services.

(c) Overseeing the Oregon Early Learning System created by ORS 417.727.

(3) The council consists of members appointed as provided by subsections (4) and (5) of this section.

(4)(a) The Governor shall appoint nine voting members who are appointed for a term of four years and serve at the pleasure of the Governor. A person appointed under this subsection may not be appointed to serve more than two consecutive full terms as a council member.

(b) When determining whom to appoint to the council under this subsection, the Governor shall:

(A) Ensure that each congressional district of this state is represented;

(B) Ensure that each member meets the following qualifications:

(i) Demonstrates leadership skills in civics or the member’s profession;

(ii) To the greatest extent practicable, contributes to the council’s representation of the geographic, ethnic, gender, racial and economic diversity of this state; and

(iii) Contributes to the council’s expertise, knowledge and experience in early childhood development, early childhood care, early childhood education, family financial stability, populations disproportionately burdened by poor education outcomes and outcome-based best practices; and

(C) Solicit recommendations from the Speaker of the House of Representatives for at least two members and from the President of the Senate for at least two members.

(5) In addition to the members appointed under subsection (4) of this section, the Governor shall appoint voting, ex officio members who represent the state agencies and other entities that are required to be represented on a state advisory council for purposes of the federal Head Start Act and who represent the tribes of this state.

(6) The activities of the council shall be directed and supervised by the Early Learning System Director who is appointed by the Governor and serves at the pleasure of the Governor.

(7) In accordance with applicable provisions of ORS chapter 183, the council may adopt rules necessary for the administration of the laws that the council is charged with administering.

(8) The council shall coordinate and collaborate with the Chief Education Office as provided by section 1, chapter 519, Oregon Laws 2011.

[2011 c.519 §4; 2012 c.36 §§22a,22b; 2012 c.37 §3; 2015 c.774 §§14,14a]

Note: The amendments to 326.425 by section 44, chapter 774, 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 Early Learning Council is established.

(2) The council is established to oversee a unified system of early learning services for the purpose of ensuring that children enter school ready to learn. The Early Learning Council shall ensure that children enter school ready to learn by:

(a) Serving as the state advisory council for purposes of the federal Head Start Act, as provided by ORS 417.796.

(b) Implementing and overseeing a system that coordinates the delivery of early learning services.

(c) Overseeing the Oregon Early Learning System created by ORS 417.727.

(3) The council consists of members appointed as provided by subsections (4) and (5) of this section.

(4)(a) The Governor shall appoint nine voting members who are appointed for a term of four years and serve at the pleasure of the Governor. A person appointed under this subsection may not be appointed to serve more than two consecutive full terms as a council member.

(b) When determining whom to appoint to the council under this subsection, the Governor shall:

(A) Ensure that each congressional district of this state is represented;

(B) Ensure that each member meets the following qualifications:

(i) Demonstrates leadership skills in civics or the member’s profession;

(ii) To the greatest extent practicable, contributes to the council’s representation of the geographic, ethnic, gender, racial and economic diversity of this state; and

(iii) Contributes to the council’s expertise, knowledge and experience in early childhood development, early childhood care, early childhood education, family financial stability, populations disproportionately burdened by poor education outcomes and outcome-based best practices; and

(C) Solicit recommendations from the Speaker of the House of Representatives for at least two members and from the President of the Senate for at least two members.

(5) In addition to the members appointed under subsection (4) of this section, the Governor shall appoint voting, ex officio members who represent the state agencies and other entities that are required to be represented on a state advisory council for purposes of the federal Head Start Act and who represent the tribes of this state.

(6) The activities of the council shall be directed and supervised by the Early Learning System Director who is appointed by the Governor and serves at the pleasure of the Governor.

(7) In accordance with applicable provisions of ORS chapter 183, the council may adopt rules necessary for the administration of the laws that the council is charged with administering.

Note: Section 2, chapter 773, Oregon Laws 2015, provides:

Sec. 2. Evaluation of Early Learning Hubs. (1) The Early Learning Council shall conduct an evaluation of Early Learning Hubs that assesses the efficacy of the Early Learning Hubs with respect to:

(a) Creating an aligned, coordinated and family-centered system of early learning services;

(b) Increasing coordination and collaboration among entities involved in, and providers of services related to, early learning services, education and health and human services;

(c) Increasing focus on outcomes; and

(d) Improving outcomes, including but not limited to outcomes associated with school readiness, for populations defined by statute or rule as being at-risk.

(2) The evaluation performed under subsection (1) of this section must also assess, with respect to Early Learning Hubs:

(a) Governance structure;

(b) Funding mechanisms and metrics for providing funding; and

(c) Compilation and use of data.

(3) The council may contract with a third party to perform the evaluation required by this section.

(4) No later than February 1, 2019, the council shall submit a report to the interim legislative committees on education and early learning regarding the findings and recommendations made as a result of the evaluation performed under this section. The report shall include recommendations for legislative changes based upon the findings and recommendations made as a result of the evaluation.

[2015 c.773 §2]