Copy

Oregon Charter School News Weekly

A bi-weekly newsletter of Charter School happenings
around Oregon and the Nation.
State Board of Education Student Advisor Opportunity

The Oregon State Board of Education welcomes upcoming high school seniors to apply for a one-year appointment as a student advisor to the Board. This appointment begins August 2022 and ends July 2023. To qualify, students must be a current high school junior (senior during the 2022-23 school year) in good academic standing. As a State Board Advisor, students are expected to attend board meetings beginning in August 2022 and assist the Board in analyzing the policies, proposals and requests before it.

Criteria for Advisor Selection

  • Interest in serving as an advisor for one year
  • Commitment to attend board meetings and any special board functions
  • Willingness to participate in policy discussions
  • Ability to deliberate policy issues
  • Demonstrated leadership qualities

Applications will be reviewed as submitted, and the application portal will remain open until the positions are filled. If you have any questions about this appointment or the application, please review the full announcement or contact State Board Administrator Corey Rosenberg by email.

Encourage your students to apply - we'd love to see the charter community represented!

Learn More and Apply
​​​Oregon Secretary of State Shemia Fagan is pleased to invite all Oregon elementary and middle school-​aged students to participate in the 2023-2024 Oregon Blue Book essay contest.
About the Contest

The Oregon Blue Book is a unique and special book because it captures snapshots in time of our state . Oregonians can go back to editions from decades ago and gain an understanding of our state during that era. Since early 2020, Oregonians have been faced with the COVID 19 pandemic. Students have been impacted in many ways, and we’d like to hear about those experiences. These essays will be a part of our mission to tell the story of Oregon during this snapshot of our state’s history.

Essay Topic: Oregon students share their pandemic experience

Students can approach the essay in the way that best describes their experience. Here are some essay prompts that might be helpful:

  • How did the COVID-19 pandemic affect your everyday life?
  • How did the COVID19 pandemic change the way you attend school and other activities?
  • What are some things you learned during the COVID-19 pandemic?
  • In what ways did the pandemic impact you and your friends?

​Students may submit a written or a video essay. Students who choose to submit a written essay will also provide a drawing/illustration they created to go with their essay.

Contest winners’ written essays/drawings and names of video essay winners will be included in the 2023-2024 Oregon Blue Book published version. Video essay winners will be prominently featured on the digital version of the Oregon Blue Book. All winners will be invited to the State Capitol for the official Oregon Blue Book release party and celebration in early 2023.

The deadline for submissions is Thursday, October 20, 2022.

Learn more
More Schools, Community Organizations Sought for Summer Food Service Program
 
The Oregon Department of Education (ODE) is seeking more schools, community organizations and tribes to participate in the Summer Food Service Program  (SFSP) this summer to ensure children 18 and younger, who benefit from meal programs during the school year, continue to have that same access to nutritious meals when schools are closed, or students are unable to attend school in person.

“Access to summer meals is an important way to ensure that children continue to receive the nutrition they need, to learn and grow, when school is not in session,” ODE Summer Meals Outreach Coordinator Cathy Brock said. "It is important to expand the program and close the hunger gap in all areas of the state, and ODE’s Child Nutrition Program is reaching out to ensure that children continue to receive meals throughout the summer."

For information about how to apply for the Summer Food Service Program, please contact ode.communitynutrition@ode.oregon.govThe deadline to submit an application to become a Summer Food Service Sponsor is May 13, 2022. 

ODE has state grant funds available up to $20,000 per sponsor to expand or start up summer meal programs.  For more information on grant funds, please email Kaitlin Skreen or call (503) 947-5901.

Learn more
School Opportunities and Resources

Recorded Webinars on Harnessing Digital Skills and Recruiting Teachers
The National Alliance presented two webinars for school leaders and operators to maximize their effectiveness in the classroom:
Harnessing the Power of Technology and Digital Skills to Drive Success - As part of the Charter School Leaders of Color Convening, Mashea Ashton, CEO/founder of Digital Pioneers Academy, shares how her school leverages technology-rich experiences to create digital pioneers. In addition, Google education leadership shares how they provide access to high-quality computer science and digital skills training for educators.
Why Teachers Ignore Your School - Schools across the country are struggling to find teachers. Addressing teacher recruitment and the subsequent high turnover rate is critical to stemming teacher shortages and increasing school effectiveness. This recorded webinar with leading experts from Selected can help you to discover what's missing in your recruitment process and shortcut the hiring process—all while building a pipeline of qualified, diverse educators aligned to your school's vision and mission.


VELA Education Fund Microgrant
VELA Education Fund announced their latest VELA Micro grant round is now live! VELA Micro grants support early-stage ideas for PK-12 education programs that redefine how, when, and where learning takes place, and that allow families to access options that better meet their needs, outside of the traditional school system. Micro grant applications will be accepted and reviewed on a rolling basis through the end of October. Learn more and apply today.
National Charter School Resource Center Funding Opportunity Database
The database includes one-time and ongoing grants, fellowships, prizes, and scholarships. Sponsors include the U.S. Federal Government and philanthropic organizations. The page is updated frequently as charter school funding opportunities are announced. Click here to view the database and search for funding opportunities.



Upcoming Events

Programs, Policy, and Research

Register Now: 2022 National Charter Schools Conference in Washington, DC
Registration launched last week for the 2022 National Charter Schools Conference in Washington, D.C., June 19-22. The National Alliance is committed to hosting a safe and rewarding event to make up for the time we’ve lost together, but space is limited. Join them where the movement meets. Click here to learn more.


Contact Congress: Secure Additional Funding for the Charter Schools Program
First, the U.S. Department of Education went after charter schools with proposed regulations that would make it more difficult for new schools to open. Now, we’re up against Congress and the threat of losing our federal funding.These attacks do not serve the needs of the millions of families awaiting a chance to send their children to charter schools. Take one minute to send an email to your representatives in Washington


The National Alliance's 2021 Year in Review
2021 was another challenging year for the education sector, but despite the challenges, charter schools played a more important role than ever in helping to create free, public school options for families. We are proud to serve as leading advocates, communicators, and conveners for charter schools nationwide! Check out our annual report to see how the National Alliance helped rally to protect funding for the federal Charter Schools Program, support the many victories at the state level, and lead research on charter school growth. 

National Alliance Sends Official Comments on U.S. Department of Education's Proposed Rules
The National Alliance submitted an official comment letter to the U.S. Department of Education’s Notice of Proposed Priorities, Requirements, Definitions, and Selection Criteria for three components of the Charter Schools Program. In the comment letter, the National Alliance outlines seven major issues we have with the proposed rules and regulations. We, along with the entire charter school movement, are strongly opposed to the package of proposals enumerated in the proposal.

A Case Study on Oklahoma's Facilities Funding for Charter Schools
In Oklahoma, the governor signed the Redbud School Funding Act into law in June of 2021. The Redbud Act dedicates $38.5 million in medical marijuana tax revenues to provide annual grants of $330 per student to school districts and to charter schools that receive less than the state average of local property tax revenues. Check out our case study to learn more about the efforts to pass the act and the financial benefits

 

Charter Schools in the News

Here are a few local headlines from the past few weeks:

Portland Trail Blazers Foundation awards grants to three Southern Oregon schools, KTVL

The school bond will be a big help, Portland Tribune

‘Those Kids Did Not Come Back’: Exclusive Enrollment Data Shows Students Continue to Flee Urban Districts as Boom Town Schools and Virtual Academies Thrive, The 74


Here are a few national headlines from the past few weeks:

New Biden Rules Would Slow Charter Growth, Education Next

Bipartisan pushback continues against Biden’s bid to hobble charter schools, Washington Examiner

The Biden Administration’s New Salvo Against Charter Schools, Wall Street Journal

Biden’s ‘Tawdry’ Anti–Charter School Plan (Op-Ed), National Review 

Federal bureaucrats ignore educators they honored (Op-Ed), Star News

How a New York charter school named for a Basketball Hall of Famer is fulfilling hoop dreams, USA Today

End the Federal Attack on Charter Schools (Op-Ed), Bloomberg

Biden’s Department of Education begins new war on charter schools (Op-Ed), The Hill

Charter Schools Lift Test Scores, Graduation Rates, Education Exchange
Is your school a member of ORC3S yet? 
 
We are a coalition of community-based, public charter schools representing all corners of our state. Although, we are all unique in our pedagogy and practice, what unites us is our commitment to educational innovation and to high-quality schools for all students. Our mission is to provide a voice and sustainable support and guidance for the members of our coalition.
Join us now!
Facebook
Twitter
Website
Oregon Coalition of Community Charter Schools
www.orc3s.org
13809 SE Division St Ste A
Portland, OR 97236


Want to change how you receive these emails?
You can update your preferences or unsubscribe from this list.






This email was sent to <<Email Address>>
why did I get this?    unsubscribe from this list    update subscription preferences
Oregon Coalition of Community Charter Schools · 13809 SE Division St Ste A · Portland, OR 97236-2843 · USA

Email Marketing Powered by Mailchimp