Redmond SD 2J presents integrated programs application, links priorities to roughly $9.5 million in funding

Redmond School District 2J staff reviewed a draft integrated programs application that consolidates multiple state and federal planning requirements and aligns roughly $9.5 million in preliminary allocations to district priorities including early literacy, student mental and behavioral health, career and technical education, and supports for focal populations.

The presentation explained that the integrated application brings together nine planning elements — including continuous improvement, Student Investment Account (SIA) priorities, early literacy efforts and federal school improvement requirements — to reduce duplication and tie investments to measurable outcomes. Staff said the district will submit the final application to the Oregon Department of Education after the board reviews the draft and votes on it at the April 23 meeting; the application is due April 30.

District staff described the planning process as made up of three linked elements: community engagement and a needs assessment, a four‑year plan with clear outcomes and strategies, and aligned investments that appear in the application budget. Engagement methods cited included annual surveys of students, families and staff; affinity-group listening sessions with students; parent and family events; and partnerships with community organizations and the district’s equity collaborative. Staff said those inputs produced themes such as the need for smaller early‑grade class sizes, more supports for English‑language learners and students with disabilities, expanded career pathways, and attention to social‑emotional and behavioral supports at the middle‑school level.

The application’s stated priorities are: strengthening mental and behavioral health supports; expanding college, career and graduation pathways; broadening well‑rounded learning opportunities; nurturing welcoming and inclusive school communities; and improving early literacy and English‑language proficiency. Staff described specific investments in the draft budget: additional K–1 teachers to achieve class sizes near a 20:1 target, three early‑literacy instructional coaches, funding for high‑dosage tutoring and extended‑learning programs, student success coordinators at elementary schools, community liaisons and translation/ParentSquare supports for Spanish‑speaking families, and continued funding for CTE (career and technical education) through the regional consortium.

Staff said preliminary allocations may change when final state amounts are released; they noted the district will maintain a list of pre‑approved, tiered investments to deploy if allocations increase after the application is submitted. The district also expects quarterly qualitative reporting and annual review against the state’s longitudinal performance growth targets. Staff told the board they have already set baseline, stretch and gap‑closing targets with ODE and reported they exceeded 2024 targets in four‑ and five‑year graduation rates, ninth‑grade on‑track and regular attendance metrics, while third‑grade reading proficiency remains an area for growth though gap‑closing progress was reported.

What’s next: the draft application and supporting materials remain available on ParentSquare and the district website for a month of review; staff will collect comments, revise the draft, and seek board approval on April 23 before final submission to ODE by April 30.