What We Discovered
Oregon's Board of Education, in 2008, implemented the Essential Skills requirement and phased it in for the next few years. The Oregon Department of Education stated that the rule requires high school students to show certain skills in writing, reading, and math to get a diploma.
Various methods were put in place to implement this rule, but the most common method was the state-standardized tests. Submitting work samples assessed by a state scoring scheme also helped implement the rule.
Things changed during the pandemic when the Oregon Department of Education paused the basic skills requirement. In 2021, the Oregon Legislature passed a bill that ordered the department to review the state's graduation requirements.
The bill also ordered the department to create ideas to make them more equitable. It also prolonged the suspension of the Essential Skills requirement to 2024.
Why Was the Extension Necessary
The Assistant Superintendent of Research, Dan Farley, said in a presentation to the board of education that the extension was important for the same reason the first suspension was important. He stated that the requirements were adopted, but they did not work. So, it was necessary to extend the pause.
He explained further that the pause on basic skills requirements did not significantly affect students' performance during or after high school across all districts in the state. He also said that the ways students met the requirements were easily predictable by ethnicity, race, individual education status, or multi-lingual status.
Students who couldn't meet the requirement through standardized testing in 11th grade were shunted to work sample classes during their senior years. This reduced the time for elective courses and other activities that could help them with their college admissions.
What is the Essential Skills Requirement
Students have always had to show dexterity in nine essential skills to earn an Oregon Diploma. The essential skills were reading, writing, math, technology knowledge, civic and community engagement, and critical thinking.
Top Oregon Board of Education members were unhappy with the standardized tests used for testing these skills. They believed the tests did not help students in the outside world.
Some members also believed the tests were not an easy way to show proficiency for many students. They said students could know the answer to a math question but experienced difficulty in writing a step-by-step explanation. Hence, they had to be suspended.
Other Requirements are Still in Place
In a recent presentation, Dan Farley stated that the standardized tests are still available, so parents can check their children's results in grade 11 to see how well they did. However, he also noted that those results will not be used to assess graduation.
He added that this development aligns with the nationwide trend, where every district pauses using standardized assessment as a graduation requirement. Other graduation requirements before the Essential Skills requirements will still be in place.
For example, Students still have to get 24 class credits to receive a diploma in Oregon. Students also still have to finish a set of personalized learning requirements, which include:
- An education plan developed by students starting middle school.
- Career experiences such as job shadow or internship.
- An extended application project or activity.
Conclusion
The Oregon Board of Education's vote to retain the hold on the skills graduation requirement as mandatory through 2028 represents a significant divergence from Oregon's education policy. In placing its focus on equitable methods of assessment and the boundaries of testing under one model, Oregon aims to set up an open-minded and pragmatic system through which all students can earn their diplomas.
While the break may still be contentious, it's clear that the focus is on getting students ready for life after high school with more skills, experiences, and opportunities than test scores. As we move toward 2028, it will be interesting to see how this strategy impacts both students and education policy across the state.
