Ready Schools, Ready Learners Update

To learn what to expect for the 2021-22 Academic Year, please read this message from Oregon Department of Education Director Colt Gill:

To Oregon's School and District Leaders:

Looking to the 2021-22 school year, we see a brighter future.

A future with a continued emphasis on the value of community, caring for one another, and recognition of the essential role schools play in the lives of our students, schools and staff. 

Oregon’s schools serve as safe, reliable spaces where students can sustain connection with their peers and caring adults. Schools provide reliable nutrition, academic instruction, physical activity and support for developing social-emotional skills and well-being. 

At the heart of resiliency is the capacity to recover from difficulties. Together, it’s critical we acknowledge and take steps to address the health and well-being impacts of this past year. This means recognizing the inherent strengths, agency, voice, courage and determination of individuals, families, and communities, and asking what strategies they use to thrive in the face of difficult challenges, and how we can celebrate that resilience. 

Central to this effort is a commitment to reconnecting with one another after a year of separation through quality learning experiences and opportunities to reflect. ODE’s Integrated Model of Mental Health, Mental Health Toolkit, and Mental Health website were designed to assist districts, schools and ESDs in promoting the mental health and well-being of their school communities through connection. Safe, supportive, trusting relationships are at the heart of health, mental health and learning. These relationships take time and space to build, and require creativity, flexibility, and choice.

We are excited to announce Oregon will welcome back students to full-time, in person learning for the 2021-22 school year. 

In addition:

• The vast majority of health and safety protocols, including face coverings and physical distancing, will move to advisory next academic year. 
• Advisory guidance means school districts, public charter schools and private schools will establish their own processes for implementation, including requirements, policies and protocols for COVID-19 mitigation, in collaboration with Local Public Health Authorities. 
• Oregon’s schools will be places where the majority of people are not vaccinated. Advisory guidance prioritizes the importance of key mitigation strategies. The strategies listed are strongly advised by the CDC and OHA with the understanding that schools serve a mostly unvaccinated population. 
  • Vaccination
  • Face coverings
  • Physical distancing
  • Ventilation and airflow
  • Cohorting
  • Handwashing
  • COVID-19 testing
• Schools will be required to adhere to pre-pandemic requirements focused on prevention and mitigation of the spread of communicable diseases. These include: maintaining a communicable disease plan, maintaining an isolation space in schools and having a plan for administering the state assessments to students as required by state and federal law.
• Pre-pandemic instructional time requirements will be reinstituted.
• The Resiliency Framework reflects decisions made as a result of engagement with educators and community partners.
• The Resiliency Framework becomes effective on June 30, 2021. The Resiliency Framework replaces Ready Schools, Safe Learners version 7.5.2, previously issued May 28, 2021. The Resiliency Framework may be used for summer programs in Oregon. 

This announced return comes with a recognition that our communities will be living with the virus until there is widespread immunity. As COVID-19 continues to evolve with new variants, our knowledge of mitigation efforts also evolves. For these reasons the guidance for responding to COVID-19 will be updated as necessary.

Oregon’s educators and students are familiar with the COVID-19 health and safety protocols that protect students, staff and families, and vaccination rates continue to climb. Yet, it remains critical to maintain strong COVID-19 health and safety practices in our schools in the fall, and especially among our youngest students. 

Working together, we can harness this opportunity to rekindle joy and learning in the classrooms, auditoriums, athletic fields and playgrounds across Oregon. Oregon schools are ready to once again be safe and vibrant places for learners, staff, and their families.

Colt Gill,

Director

Oregon Department of Education