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Oregon Rolls Out New School Rating System, But ODE May Be Too Short-Staffed To Make Them Work Education By Lucille McNamara On Dec 14, 2025 Corvallis High School | Courtesy: Oregon Secretary of State The Oregon State Board of Education (OSBE) has begun the process of implementing Senate Bill 141 to create a new education accountability system . The OSBE has approved a set of rules introducing statewide metrics that all 197 school districts, charter schools, and other educational agencies must follow. Senate Bill 141 was passed by the legislature earlier this year and is one of Governor Tina Kotek’s projects to improve school attendance and the standard of education throughout the state. Five Metrics Will Be Introduced Early Next Year The five metrics are: School attendance rates Proficiency of third-grade reading tests on English Language Arts Ninth-grade track rates Graduation rates Five-year completion rates Metric What it measures Primary source How it is used Attendance rates Regular attendance and chronic absence patterns ODE attendance reporting and report cards Progress tracking and district support focus Grade 3 reading ELA proficiency signals early literacy momentum Statewide assessments and report cards Public transparency and improvement planning Ninth grade on track Credit progress toward graduation after year 1 of high school ODE on track reporting and report cards Early warning indicator for graduation outcomes Graduation rates Four year completion of diploma requirements ODE cohort graduation reporting Core accountability outcome for supports Five year completion Extended time completion rate for cohorts ODE cohort completion reporting Tracks recovery and re engagement progress The OSBE will set percentage targets for each metric early next year, but schools will be given leeway until the 2029-30 school year to meet the new standards. Tidings Data Snapshot Where Oregon Stands On The New Metrics 63.9% Students who attend regularly statewide 40% Grade 3 ELA at Level 3 or 4 statewide 86.6% Ninth grade on track to graduate statewide 81.8% Four year graduation rate (latest cohort charted) 86.7% Five year completion rate (latest cohort charted) Source: Oregon Statewide Report Card 2024 25 statewide attendance, assessment, on track, graduation and completion metrics Dailytidings.com The new metrics require schools to concentrate on interim assessments – tests used multiple times throughout the year to measure student growth. School districts will have the choice of selecting one of four state-approved interim assessments. The Oregon Department of Education (ODE) will release guidance to school districts in February. This will pave the way for them to implement an education accountability plan. Education Leaders Are Concerned About a Lack of Sufficient Resources and Expertise to Support the New System However, school leaders are already questioning whether the ODE has the resources and the expertise to support district improvement under the new system. The real threat of state budget restraints is also of major concern. School Districts are already drowning in paperwork and have repeatedly told the Legislature that hundreds of reports and compliance certifications they already must file have added tremendous pressure to their workload. The aim of the 2025 Education Accountability Act (Senate Bill 141) is to strengthen and expand Oregon’s education accountability system. This will be achieved through shared responsibility, public transparency, streamlined state processes, and oversight for school districts that drives change to improve student outcomes. The ODE’s accountability implementation action plan with timelines, responsibilities, and a planned shift toward a regional support model will become the benchmark to watch. Share Twitter Facebook ReddIt WhatsApp Pinterest Email