2021 Oregon Revised Statutes
Chapter 329 - Oregon Educational Act for the 21st Century; Educational Improvement and Reform
Section 329.045 - Revision of Common Curriculum Goals, performance indicators, diploma requirements, Essential Learning Skills and academic content standards; instruction in academic content areas.

(b) The review and revision conducted under this section shall:
(A) Include Essential Learning Skills and rigorous academic content standards in mathematics, science, language arts, history, geography, economics, civics, physical education, health, the arts and world languages.
(B) Involve teachers and other educators, parents of students and other citizens and shall provide ample opportunity for public comment.
(C) Encourage increased learning time. As used in this subparagraph, "increased learning time" means a schedule that encompasses a longer school day, week or year for the purpose of increasing the total number of school hours available to provide:
(i) Students with instruction in core academic subjects, including mathematics, science, language arts, history, geography, economics, civics, the arts and world languages;
(ii) Students with instruction in subjects other than the subjects identified in sub-subparagraph (i) of this subparagraph, including health and physical education;
(iii) Students with the opportunity to participate in enrichment activities that contribute to a well-rounded education, including learning opportunities that may be based on service, experience or work and that may be provided through partnerships with other organizations; and
(iv) Teachers with the opportunity to collaborate, plan and engage in professional development within and across grades and subjects.
(c) Nothing in this subsection prevents a school district or public charter school from maintaining control over course content, format, materials and teaching methods.
(2) The State Board of Education shall continually review and revise all adopted academic content standards necessary for students to successfully transition to the next phase of their education.
(3)(a) School districts and public charter schools must offer students instruction in mathematics, science, language arts, history, geography, economics, civics, physical education, health, the arts and world languages.
(b) Instruction required under paragraph (a) of this subsection must:
(A) Meet the academic content standards adopted by the State Board of Education; and
(B) Meet the requirements adopted by the State Board of Education and the board of the school district or public charter school.
(4) School districts and public charter schools are encouraged to offer students courses or other educational opportunities in civics and financial literacy to allow every student who wants to receive instruction in civics and financial literacy to be able to receive the instruction. [Formerly 326.725; 1995 c.660 §6; 1999 c.200 §29; 1999 c.1029 §3; 2003 c.303 §5; 2007 c.858 §4; 2012 c.91 §17; 2013 c.15 §3; 2017 c.133 §1; 2017 c.263 §1a; 2021 c.178 §5]
Note: The amendments to 329.045 by section 1, chapter 202, Oregon Laws 2019, become operative September 30, 2026. See section 2, chapter 202, Oregon Laws 2019. The text that is operative on and after September 30, 2026, including amendments by section 6, chapter 178, Oregon Laws 2021, is set forth for the user’s convenience. (1)(a) In order to achieve the goals contained in ORS 329.025, the State Board of Education shall regularly and periodically review and revise its Common Curriculum Goals, performance indicators and diploma requirements.
(b) The review and revision conducted under this section shall:
(A) Include Essential Learning Skills and rigorous academic content standards in mathematics, science, language arts, history, geography, economics, civics, physical education, health, the arts and world languages.
(B) Ensure that the academic content standards for history, geography, economics and civics include sufficient instruction on the histories, contributions and perspectives of individuals who:
(i) Are Native American;
(ii) Are of African, Asian, Pacific Island, Chicano, Latino or Middle Eastern descent;
(iii) Are women;
(iv) Have disabilities;
(v) Are immigrants or refugees; or
(vi) Are lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender.
(C) Involve teachers and other educators, parents of students and other citizens and shall provide ample opportunity for public comment.
(D) Encourage increased learning time. As used in this subparagraph, "increased learning time" means a schedule that encompasses a longer school day, week or year for the purpose of increasing the total number of school hours available to provide:
(i) Students with instruction in core academic subjects, including mathematics, science, language arts, history, geography, economics, civics, the arts and world languages;
(ii) Students with instruction in subjects other than the subjects identified in sub-subparagraph (i) of this subparagraph, including health and physical education;
(iii) Students with the opportunity to participate in enrichment activities that contribute to a well-rounded education, including learning opportunities that may be based on service, experience or work and that may be provided through partnerships with other organizations; and
(iv) Teachers with the opportunity to collaborate, plan and engage in professional development within and across grades and subjects.
(c) Nothing in this subsection prevents a school district or public charter school from maintaining control over course content, format, materials and teaching methods.
(2) The State Board of Education shall continually review and revise all adopted academic content standards necessary for students to successfully transition to the next phase of their education.
(3)(a) School districts and public charter schools must offer students instruction in mathematics, science, language arts, history, geography, economics, civics, physical education, health, the arts and world languages.
(b) Instruction required under paragraph (a) of this subsection must:
(A) Meet the academic content standards adopted by the State Board of Education; and
(B) Meet the requirements adopted by the State Board of Education and the board of the school district or public charter school.
(4) School districts and public charter schools are encouraged to offer students courses or other educational opportunities in civics and financial literacy to allow every student who wants to receive instruction in civics and financial literacy to be able to receive the instruction.
Note: Sections 2 and 5, chapter 202, Oregon Laws 2019, provide:
Sec. 2. (1) The amendments to ORS 329.045 by section 1 of this 2019 Act become operative on September 30, 2026.
(2) Notwithstanding the operative date set forth in subsection (1) of this section, the State Board of Education, no later than September 30, 2024, shall:
(a) Review existing academic content standards to determine if the academic content standards comply with the requirements of ORS 329.045 (1)(b)(B), as amended by section 1 of this 2019 Act; and
(b) If applicable, adopt or revise any academic content standards as necessary to ensure compliance with the requirements of ORS 329.045 (1)(b)(B), as amended by section 1 of this 2019 Act.
(3)(a) A school district must first offer instruction that meets the academic content standards of ORS 329.045 (1)(b)(B), as amended by section 1 of this 2019 Act, no later than the 2026-2027 school year.
(b) Nothing in paragraph (a) of this subsection prevents a school district from first offering instruction that meets the academic content standards of ORS 329.045, as amended by section 1 of this 2019 Act, at any time from the beginning of the social sciences instructional materials cycle adopted by the State Board of Education until the school year set forth in paragraph (a) of this subsection. [2019 c.202 §2]
Sec. 5. During the 2026-2027 and 2027-2028 school years, the Department of Education shall provide professional development to teachers and administrators relating to academic content standards adopted pursuant to ORS 329.045 (1)(b)(B), as amended by section 1 of this 2019 Act, and to the selection of textbooks under ORS 337.260, as amended by section 3 of this 2019 Act. The department may contract for the provision of professional development required by this section. [2019 c.202 §5]
Note: Sections 4 to 6, chapter 518, Oregon Laws 2021, provide:
Sec. 4. Social emotional learning standards and statewide social emotional framework; advisory group. (1) The Department of Education, in consultation with the Early Learning Division and the Teacher Standards and Practices Commission, shall convene an advisory group to propose for adoption by the State Board of Education:
(a) Social emotional learning standards for public school students in kindergarten through grade 12; and
(b) A statewide social emotional framework for public school students in kindergarten through grade 12.
(2) The standards and framework proposed by the advisory group must:
(a) Be developmentally appropriate;
(b) Align with other models and practices of the department related to mental health;
(c) Include racial equity and trauma-informed principles and practices within strengths-based multitiered systems of support;
(d) Increase public school students’ social emotional development;
(e) Promote self-awareness, awareness of others, critical thinking and understanding regarding the interaction between systemic social structures and histories, contributions and perspectives of individuals who:
(A) Are Alaska Native, Native American, Black, African American, Asian, Native Hawaiian, Pacific Islander, Latinx or Middle Eastern;
(B) Are women;
(C) Have disabilities;
(D) Are immigrants or refugees;
(E) Are lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, two-spirit, intersex, asexual, nonbinary or another minority gender identity or sexual orientation; or
(F) Have experienced disproportionate results in education due to historical practices; and
(f) Promote the creation of school cultures that support kindness, care, connection, equity, diversity and inclusion.
(3) The advisory group shall submit a report to the board that describes the proposed standards and framework. The board shall consider the report when adopting the standards and framework.
(4) Subject to the direction from the board, the department shall determine the number and frequency of meetings to be held by the advisory group prior to the submission of the report required under subsection (3) of this section. [2021 c.518 §4]
Sec. 5. Timelines for standards and framework. (1) The Department of Education shall convene the advisory group required by section 4 of this 2021 Act no later than September 1, 2021.
(2) The report required under section 4 of this 2021 Act must be submitted to the State Board of Education no later than September 15, 2022.
(3) The board shall adopt social emotional learning standards and the social emotional framework described in section 4 of this 2021 Act no later than September 15, 2023.
(4) The board shall require school districts to implement the standards and framework no later than July 1, 2024. [2021 c.518 §5]
Sec. 6. Sunset. Sections 4 and 5 of this 2021 Act are repealed on January 2, 2025. [2021 c.518 §6]
Note: The name of the Early Learning Division is being changed to the Department of Early Learning and Care. The name change becomes operative on January 1, 2023. See sections 64 and 71, chapter 631, Oregon Laws 2021. Editorial adjustment for the name change has not yet been made.
Note: Section 1, chapter 406, Oregon Laws 2021, provides:
Sec. 1. Review of social studies standards. (1) No later than December 31, 2025, the State Board of Education shall review the social studies standards for kindergarten through grade 12.
(2) As part of the review required under subsection (1) of this section, the board shall consult with any combination of the following but must include at least one person who is:
(a) A public school student in any grade from grade 9 through 12;
(b) The parent of a public school student in any grade;
(c) A person who graduated from a public high school in 2015 or any subsequent year;
(d) A public school teacher in any grade from grade 9 through 12;
(e) An education advocate;
(f) A voting rights advocate;
(g) A representative of a culturally specific organization; and
(h) A representative of the Department of Education.
(3) When conducting the review, the board shall consider emphasizing civics education and making more accessible instruction related to:
(a) Voting rights and how to vote;
(b) Current and historical social movements;
(c) The roles of local governments and tribal governments; and
(d) The United States Constitution, the Oregon Constitution and the constitutional form of government in this country.
[2021 c.406 §1]