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Oregon

As of the 2007-2008 school year, Oregon's schools were home to more than 65,000 English language learners (ELLs), which marks a 112% from the 1997-1998 school year (NCELA, 2010). The top five languages or language groups spoken by ELLs in Oregon are Spanish, Russian, Vietnamese, Korean, and Chinese (EPE, 2009).

State ELL Resources

State Agency: Oregon Department of Education

ELL Website: Limited English and Immigrant — Title III Information

Laws & Regulations

The following documents offer additional information about statewide ELL regulations:

Oregon State Mandates* (PDF)

ELL Identification

Home Language Survey: As part of its information regarding ELL identification, Oregon links to The Use and Validity of Home Language Surveys in State English Language Proficiency Assessment Systems: A Review and Issues Perspective,* which states: "Oregon's policy is characterized by … allowing each school district to maintain its independence and create its own HLS for the local context." (Page 8)

Placement Exam: Districts determine the placement exam that they will use to screen ELLs.

ELP Standards & Assessment

ELP Standards: English Language Proficiency Standards, Assessing English Language Development

ELP Assessment: English Language Proficiency Assessment (ELPA)

ELL Instruction

While Oregon does not restrict instruction programs, the ODE offers extensive information on Sheltered English Instruction in their ELP Resources and Title III Resources.

Statewide Standards-Based Assessment

Assessment: Oregon Assessment of Knowledge and Skills (OAKS)

See also Essential Skills for ELLs.

ELL Accommodations: Accommodations Tables

Additional Information

NCELA: Title III Information

Common Core State Standards: Yes

AFT Oregon

AFT Oregon is the State Affiliate of the American Federation of Teachers.

Multicultural Resource Directory from the Oregon Department of Education

This is a downloadable file that lists many wonderful multicultural websites focusing on different ethnic groups, professional and student organizations, and multimedia resources.

Oregon Education Association

Oregon Education Association is a National Education Association State Affiliate that regularly lobbies legislators for the resources schools need, campaigns for higher professional standards for the teaching profession, and files legal actions to protect academic freedom and the rights of school employees.

Oregon State Parent Information Resource Centers

Oregon State PIRC provides resources, information, and skills to parents and educators throughout Oregon to strengthen school-family partnerships that create success for all of Oregon&s children and youth.

Oregon TESOL

ORTESOL is an affiliate of TESOL serving teachers, administrators, researchers, and students of the ESL profession in the state of Oregon.

References

Editorial Projects in Education (EPE). "Most Common Non-English Languages Spoken by ELL Youths, by State." Perspectives on a Population: English-Language Learners in American Schools (Education Week's Quality Counts 2009 Report). Pg. 13. Retrieved from http://www.edweek.org/ew/toc/2009/01/08/index.html. January 2009.

Office of English Language Acquisition, Language Enhancement, and Academic Achievement for Limited English Proficient Students. Oregon Rate of EL Growth (1997/98-2007/08). Compiled July 2010 and retrieved from http://www.ncela.gwu.edu/t3sis/state/oregon/data.