[{"_1":2,"_100":-5,"_101":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,88],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6609839,"mediaKeyId","2905311-c29cb64504cdcdd2fe42faaffabb240e","parentId",2905311,"title","School board approves two-year strategic/integrated plan “Climbing Together”; first readings on curriculum adoptions presented","audioSeconds",846,"startMs",4548000,"endMs",5394000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2905311-c29cb64504cdcdd2fe42faaffabb240e&start=4548&end=5394","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2905311-c29cb64504cdcdd2fe42faaffabb240e/thumbnail_4548000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6609839/Oregon/School-board-approves-two-year-strategicintegrated-plan-Climbing-Together-first-readings-on-curriculum-adoptions-presented","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6609839-fc9f311ec769fc55230de31ceec4ef71/orig.mp4?Expires=1770622997&Signature=YQ~OZFMh1ueJm1QYvgkxqUkcI-NH16IGHZQF8VrQqqomrQ3qJ12JWpWZA~W1-vOhrRqfBeJL9YMzJD~~boL0Hi~7003DLzUIt5CUCm~uqDF9FEna-dKM-JhxKT3wP5FYsX2rCgCh5tyEbuYGIgeBw0MWoxJ9FOpagMd06Ul~FZfhiSAKQ5-0Ch3P0ch~4U90TSUBZW-07oumFV-uVGY61rqg66sp7HyOv-4h03vzXyAk~FlAbF0EeOc0OLgwhPCrUarIMgs42e4rdpQwMgH5h7FLXrzpoFVXL9x~-z60tWL4XAKbCJW2kypaf9OZiQb~Gdd6f1-LfBf3ACNcPdmtIw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Salem-Keizer School Districts","date","2025-04-09T03:31:02.287Z","article","The Salem-Keizer School District 24J board on April 8 approved a two-year strategic and integrated plan titled “Climbing Together,” moving the district to a coordinated approach that ties the board’s goals, a theory of action and required state grant uses into one blueprint.

Deputy Superintendent Jonathan Neves and Superintendent Castaneda framed the plan as both the state-required integrated plan and a district strategic plan that aligns resources, initiatives and grant activities around three broad strategies: strengthening foundational conditions, student agency and well-being, and elevating academic excellence. Neves described the plan as a two-year product that consolidates multiple state funding streams, programs and district initiatives into a single set of activities intended to maximize staff time, money and coordination.

The board voted to approve the plan after a motion by Dr. Saria Chhandagiri and a second by Director Harnish. During a voice/hand-raise vote the chair recorded one dissent: Director Hudson registered a “nay.” No abstentions were recorded; the motion carried.

Neves said the district will convert the board-approved blueprint into a more user-friendly public-facing document and that monitoring reports and dashboards will let the public track implementation. Director Saria Chhandagiri urged that the district consider a transparent, public-facing data portal so families and community members can more easily access and interpret progress metrics.

The meeting also included a series of first readings on instructional-materials adoptions. District staff described a multi-year, multi-step adoption cycle and presented teacher committee recommendations for four areas under consideration this year:
- World languages (recommendations presented for Japanese, German, heritage Spanish, French and AP Spanish language and culture; Spanish and American Sign Language were deferred for additional work and will return in May or June).
- High school social science (committee recommended Teachers Curriculum Institute materials for secondary social science courses).
- Elementary science (committee recommended Twig Science after teacher pilots and rubric review).
- Middle school science (committee recommended Lab-Aids middle-school materials after pilot work; the committee considered Lab-Aids and Carolina/OpenSci materials).

Neves said each recommendation followed a rubric that emphasized Spanish-language availability, alignment to grade-level state standards, authentic representation of diverse perspectives, supports for academic language and evidence-based instructional practices with assessment and differentiation options. The board did not take an adoption vote at the April meeting; staff said the items will return as action items at a future meeting for final approval.

On the consent calendar the board approved routine items; that motion passed with one opposed (Director Hudson). No other votes or amendments were recorded.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Salem-Keizer School Board Meeting - April 8, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","The board voted to approve the district’s two-year strategic and integrated plan, “Climbing Together,” after discussion. Staff also presented first readings and committee recommendations for a multi-year curriculum adoption cycle in world languages, high school social science, elementary science and middle school science.","taxTitle","Salem-Keizer SD 24J, School Districts, Oregon","taxId",14581,"location","Oregon","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6609841,"Salem-Keizer reports 80.1% ninth-grade on-track rate; board discusses racial gaps, attendance and credit recovery",194,1541000,1735000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2905311-c29cb64504cdcdd2fe42faaffabb240e&start=1541&end=1735","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2905311-c29cb64504cdcdd2fe42faaffabb240e/thumbnail_1541000.jpg","/articles/6609841/Oregon/Salem-Keizer-reports-801-ninth-grade-on-track-rate-board-discusses-racial-gaps-attendance-and-credit-recovery","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6609841-8431f5ca0498b18400099bfadea4c500/orig.mp4?Expires=1770622997&Signature=U-n9Iqq6jMljVs4V7NDKUrSR1hEN99mrLyIXcD0buCLXGHDGyejFWpQYd8E86omEL99BeB2k2iQSjVIEdnlHglGz20FKldkyqJEaQH8OQgcY94YQj051Du7ip~DnjO1kLtkTtCfBwzIpEoJm0WScIODbasIr1tBzlQJftigHufEtsdrHyf71oowYH4bRwY0Md4Z62knvgrGVqdiYjZNJv3A5vIwTRDrfQFXpkUAjgP3ocLv1S14L3PHA7RjXnLgmdDzoWEBOCiDSjTCTGbSIbczcoIkWV9RKMBR5DKJViC2du2KFEqtMYPJhvb1DR66tiGfRWOa-HekVQUWWUDpVcw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","District staff told the Salem-Keizer School District 24J board on April 8 that 80.1% of ninth graders in 2023–24 earned six or more credits — the district measure for being “on track” in the freshman year — and that 2,971 students were included in the cohort used for the calculation.

The figure exceeds the district’s current board target but falls short of the district’s 2025 goal of 82.1% on track, presenters said. High school director Larry Ramirez and members of the secondary team described strategies schools use to identify students who need help and the interventions they are using, including ninth-grade data teams, targeted smaller core-class sizes, in-day credit recovery “wheel” schedules, summer school, online credit-recovery options, and Saturday school sessions.

Board directors pressed district leaders on disparities among racial and language subgroups. Jonathan McElroy, the district’s director of data, told the board that subgroup sample sizes vary: Black/African American students numbered 50 in the cohort; Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander students numbered 70; and American Indian/Alaska Native students numbered 19. McElroy said small subgroup sizes can produce large year-to-year percentage swings and recommended the board consider both cohort trends and absolute counts when judging progress.

Directors asked about targeted efforts for specific groups. Staff highlighted outreach and partnership work with tribal partners and community organizations, including memoranda of understanding under development, and described school-based practices that have shown promise: mentor groups at South Salem High School, community partnerships tied to after-school activities, and pilot initiatives to reduce transportation barriers so students can get to school. “If there was one thing that I think could really shift these outcomes, it would be improving the conditions that make our students want to come to school every single day,” Deputy Superintendent Neves said.

Staff also described the district’s data tools: a school-specific dashboard that shows pass rates in the four core ninth-grade subjects (math, language arts, science and social studies) and lets teachers and counselors identify which students are behind and which credits are missing. Ramirez said schools use the dashboard in ninth-grade data-team meetings to plan timely interventions and to schedule credit recovery without forcing students to retake an entire semester course.

On communication and family engagement, board members and staff said the district uses ParentSquare messages, teacher outreach, and school notifications for Saturday school and other catch-up opportunities. Directors asked whether families receive clearer, earlier signals before middle-to-high-school transition; staff said middle school summer programs and spring cohort handoffs aim to provide warm transitions and to identify students who may need early intervention.

No formal action was taken. Staff said they will continue to review subgroup data, strengthen attendance and targeted supports, and refine reporting formats to include subgroup N sizes alongside percentages so board members and the public can better interpret year-to-year changes.","District staff presented 2023–24 ninth-grade on-track data showing 80.1% of ninth graders earned six or more credits in their first high school year. Board members pressed for explanations of subgroup gaps, and staff outlined attendance efforts, credit-recovery options and targeted supports.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6609843,"Salem-Keizer superintendent warns federal \"assurance\" form could put $80 million at risk",384,1053000,1437000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2905311-c29cb64504cdcdd2fe42faaffabb240e&start=1053&end=1437","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2905311-c29cb64504cdcdd2fe42faaffabb240e/thumbnail_1053000.jpg","/articles/6609843/Oregon/Salem-Keizer-superintendent-warns-federal-assurance-form-could-put-80-million-at-risk","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6609843-61eab6a4424dadf82f6e2a117855cd51/orig.mp4?Expires=1770622997&Signature=bZOucDLiY-9hKqJkzdFofCpc9c7afYdUGBWP0U2dQDICyXqLRqZYeN91OjynJGi9vnzx9GM3-Nw8exrAzqNPFecb-IktUomPQdn6mFvl7Hp6~5EJVdJ41osWFFq65C4Y7Oaof0OHUJTj082B7yB~glACcZv2C1IOXqEu1NaOJuV9w1TphHZNY26u6VZDfpAoCENuxKBUHdHSLPvMLL43Rgv42InYZzT4WoGNLOu56551OPyXSxK5KjotXguWTiC4JnUYWhDsxrZJCTzH7ichIlLtmyoNIhq~8w4JRmLrH-DDxa0ZitzuLs0F~ffUj54v0CE8K37rVe~yyqE0AA5Cig__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Superintendent Castaneda told the Salem-Keizer School District 24J board on April 8 that a recent notice from the U.S. Department of Education asking districts to sign an assurance about compliance with the Civil Rights Act of 1964 has created a climate of uncertainty and fear among educators.

Castaneda said the notice asks districts to affirm compliance and refers to unspecified diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) activities that “may be considered illegal,” and that the lack of definition behind that phrase has raised the stakes because the notice ties noncompliance to the potential loss of federal funding. “The threat that sits behind that is a threat of loss of all federal funding,” Castaneda said, and he quantified the district’s federal funding at “around $80,000,000 a year.”

The superintendent said the district must await guidance and a decision from the Oregon Department of Education, the governor and the state attorney general before signing the form. He urged Oregon to take a common position so the responsibility does not fall to local boards. “I hope that Oregon finds in itself the courage to follow suit,” Castaneda said, adding that the district’s values and practices will remain unchanged regardless of the form.

Board members asked questions about next steps and about whether other states had already acted. Castaneda and other staff said roughly half a dozen states had signaled decisions and that those choices were both procedural and symbolic. He said the April 24 timeline for a decision is set by the state and that district staff have been consulting elected officials, community members and attorneys about the risks.

The board did not take action on the matter at the meeting; Castaneda framed the immediate need as state-level action and called for continued public conversation and clarity from state officials. He also reiterated the district’s stated commitment to serving all students and pursuing diversity and equity in programming while acknowledging the legal and funding uncertainty.

Public comment on this meeting included a written submission from Reverend Dr. R. Weldon Taylor, who attended and said he would file his prepared remarks later; in remarks he gave, Taylor urged the district to ensure students can “look to the front of the room and see myself,” saying representation in classrooms accelerates learning for students who have fallen behind.

District staff said they will continue to monitor state guidance and keep the board informed, but emphasized that the decision about signing the form rests with state authorities under the current timeline.","Superintendent Castaneda told the school board that a U.S. Department of Education notice asking districts to sign an assurance about compliance with the Civil Rights Act has created fear and uncertainty; he urged state officials to act before an April 24 deadline.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

School board approves two-year strategic/integrated plan “Climbing Together”; first readings on curriculum adoptions presented

Salem-Keizer reports 80.1% ninth-grade on-track rate; board discusses racial gaps, attendance and credit recovery

Salem-Keizer superintendent warns federal "assurance" form could put $80 million at risk