Suggested TALKING POINTS: Welcome the group and make introductions, if necessary. Introduce the topic.

Why new requirements? Adopted by State Board in June 2008 Designed to: Better prepare students for transition to advanced learning, work and citizenship in today’s rapidly-changing world Increase rigor and relevance Suggested TALKING POINTS: Students today need different knowledge and skills than they did even a decade ago. 21st Century jobs and careers require more education and skills due to rapid advances in technology and communication and culture. After 18 months of study, the State Board of Education adopted the new Oregon Diploma requirements in June 2008 with the goal of better preparing Oregon’s high school graduates for the economy – and ever-changing world – of the future. At the same time, the State Board didn’t want to abandon the core ideals of the Education Act for the 21st Century, which sought increased rigor and relevance for Oregon students. Unfortunately, colleges and employers did not value the CIM and CAM certificates as originally hoped and, as a result, students and parents viewed CIM/CAM as separate from the diploma. The new diploma assimilates the best of CIM and CAM. Standards and assessments remain fundamental. Work samples and other local performance measures are still required. Essential skills for students continue to be … well … essential. And personalized learning (including student education plans and profiles, career-related learning experiences and standards, and extended application) remains integral. [INFORMATION for PRESENTERS: Over the following three slides, you may want to refer to the documents, OREGON DIPLOMA REQUIREMENTS and your “localized” version of DIPLOMA REQUIREMENTS TIMELINE AND PHASE-IN TOOL. The latter document will allow you to clearly compare local and state requirements, as well as outline changes involved in your school’s/district’s transition to the new Oregon Diploma.]

What’s different? Credit Requirements Transition begins with Class of 2010 More and/or higher levels of: English/Language Arts (4 credits) Math (3 credits at Algebra I and above) Science (3 credits of inquiry, including 2 lab) Plus: Social Science (3), Health (1), P.E. (1), Second Language/Arts/Career & Technical (3), and Electives (6) Suggested TALKING POINTS: From a credit-requirement standpoint, as we already know, the transition to the new diploma begins with increases in required English (4) and Math (3) credits beginning with the Class of 2010. Beginning with the Class of 2012, required Science credits increase from 2 to 3. All must be “inquiry-based” – meaning that they provide students with the opportunity to apply scientific reasoning and critical thinking to support conclusions or explanations with evidence from their investigations. And at least two must be “laboratory experiences” – meaning that they provide students with opportunities to interact directly with the material world (or data drawn from the material world), using the tools, data collection techniques, models and theories of science. Also beginning with the Class of 2012, students will be required to take 3 credits in Second Language, the Arts and/or Career & Technical Education. And their number of Oregon-Diploma-required Elective credits will be reduced from 9 to 6. Then, beginning with the Class of 2014, the rigor of the Math requirement increases, as students must earn three credits at Algebra 1 or higher. This can be accomplished through traditional math courses, such as Algebra I, Geometry and Algebra II – or through applied courses such as Electronics or Construction Math as long as those courses meet the same academic standards.

What’s different? Essential Skills Phased in starting with Class of 2012. The first 4: Read and comprehend a variety of text Write clearly and accurately Listen actively and speak clearly and coherently Apply mathematics in a variety of settings Already part of our standards and curriculum By 2012, CRLS merge with Essential Skills Multiple assessment options Suggested TALKING POINTS: To meet the requirements of the new Oregon Diploma, students must demonstrate that they are proficient in certain essential skills. Essential skills are process skills that enable students to learn content and apply their knowledge across disciplines. They are critical for success in college, the work place and civic life. Students in the Class of 2012 must demonstrate proficiency in the four Essential Skills – Reading, Writing, Speaking and Math – listed here. Additional Essential Skills – including Critical Thinking, Use of Technology, Civic and Community Engagement, Global Literacy, and Personal Management and Teamwork – will be phased in over time. These are not new or additional skills; they are embedded in existing content standards and are already infused throughout the curriculum. Like Career-Related Learning Standards (CRLS), which were adopted as a requirement for graduation in 2007, they are foundational skills that prepare students for post-high-school success. To prevent confusion and redundancy, the Essential Skills and CRLS will merge by 2012. Essential Skills can be demonstrated and assessed in a variety of courses, subjects, experiences and settings. Proficiency levels and assessments of Essential Skills are determined locally.

What’s different? Credit for Proficiency Personalized Learning Requirements Education Plan and Profile Career-Related Learning Experiences Extended Application Suggested TALKING POINTS: A key feature of the new Oregon Diploma will be wider use of proficiency. Credit for Proficiency means that a student is given credit for successful demonstration of knowledge and skills that meets or exceeds defined levels of performance. The State Board will have a detailed discussion about Credit for Proficiency this fall and winter, with resulting rules and guidelines expected to be adopted by spring. Until then, districts may continue to offer credit for proficiency, if they choose. However, offering credit for proficiency is expected be required – not optional – after the new rules are adopted. The timeline for districts to implement Credit for Proficiency has not yet been determined. Other Personalized Learning Requirements of the new Oregon Diploma include: An Education Plan and Profile for each student – which we are already doing. With the Education Plan and Profile, students develop a plan and profile to guide their learning and document academic achievement and progress toward their goals. Career-Related Learning Experiences – which we are already doing. With CRLEs, students participate in experiences that connect classroom learning with real-life experiences relevant to their Education Plan. Extended Application – which, again, we are already doing. With Extended Application, students apply and extend their knowledge in new and complex situations related to the student’s personal career interests and post-high-school goals.

What’s next? K-12 Responsibility Local and State Planning and Implementation Additional resources available at: http://www.ode.state.or.us/search/results/?id=368 Discussion Suggested TALKING POINTS: We all recognize that high schools can’t do this alone. In order to achieve the requirements of the new Oregon Diploma, our entire district, grades K-12, will need to take responsibility. For example, a foundation for success in the Essential Skills – from Teamwork and Personal Management to Reading and Writing – is laid at the elementary level. And preparing students to earn three Math credits at Algebra I or higher will require key contributions from our middle school(s). State and local planning and implementation continue to evolve. We will keep you informed and engaged as we move through this transition. Additional information – including toolkits for teachers and administrators, plus a continually-growing array of resources – is available at the Oregon Department of Education website. Questions? [SPEAKER: This is a good time to pass out the document, QUESTIONS TO INITIATE DISCUSSION ABOUT NEW GRADUATION REQUIREMENTS. It is designed to be a starting place for discussing some of the critical questions we all face in the transition to the new Oregon Diploma.