**Updates November 2021**

Oregon’s current diploma requirements were first adopted in 2007. In an effort to ensure equity and respond to changes in educational research, technology, society, and business and industry, Senate Bill 744 directs ODE to use a transparent process that is equitable, accessible, and inclusive to research other state graduation models and intentionally engage communities to put forward diploma requirement recommendations

Senate Bill 744 maintains Oregon’s stringent high school credit requirements for graduation. Students are required to have knowledge and skills in reading, writing, and math to graduate with a diploma in Oregon. Senate Bill 744 directs ODE to use a transparent process that is equitable, accessible, and inclusive to:

• Review existing state requirements for earning each of the diplomas and alternative certificates as prescribed by state law and rules adopted by the State Board of Education.

• Review equity and disparities that may exist including identification of the causes of disparities that have resulted from the requirements and whether the requirements have been applied inequitably to different student populations.

• Research other state graduation models, to compare requirements.

• Examine local implementation and the expectations of employers and post-secondary institutions by engaging with Oregon’s diverse communities, educators, and business and industry partners to hear what Oregonians value and expect of the Oregon Diploma.

• Temporarily suspend the requirement for students to demonstrate proficiency in the Essential Skills. The purpose is to research the current requirements to ensure that they are equitable, accessible, and inclusive.

• Produce a report to the Legislature and the State Board of Education by September 1, 2022 that includes a summary of the review and research conducted. The report will also make recommendations regarding graduation policy for legislative and State Board consideration.

Senate Bill 744 presents Oregonians with a unique opportunity to pause, review, and discuss the inequitable impacts of current graduation policy and make recommendations that incorporates equity, accessibility, and inclusion for all of Oregon’s students.

From Oregon Department of Education's Senate Bill 744 Overview and Explanation, November 2021. 

**Updates August 2021**

SB 744 was signed in July 2021 and suspends Essential Skills requirements for graduates through 2023-2024. The legislation also establishes a workgroup to study graduation requirements.  For more information, see the legislation: SB 744 . 

NOTE:  While Essential Skills requirements have been suspended, students who wish to earn the Oregon Seal of Biliteracy may still need to fulfill requirements demonstrating essential skills in reading and writing. Please see your counselor if you are pursuing the Seal of Biliteracy. 

**Updates April 2021**

Essential Skills requirements for graduation were eliminated for senior students during the 2020-21 school year.  As of April 2021, this year's juniors (those who will be seniors during the 2021-22 school year) are also exempted from the requirements.  See the April Assessment and Accountability Update Newsletter from ODE for more details.

Essential Skills Work Samples
Essential Skills Work Samples are one way in which students may demonstrate proficiency and fulfill graduation requirements in three Essential Skills: Reading, Writing and Mathematics.  The primary manner to demonstrate any Essential Skill is to meet the Smarter Balanced Assessment in the specified area. If students are not able to meet through the Smarter Balanced Assessment, then they can demonstrate their proficiency for an Essential Skill by completing work samples.

Overview of the Requirements

Math
Students must pass 2 work samples in 2 of 3 strands (Algebraic reasoning, Geometry, Statistics & Probability)
Writing
Students must pass two writing work samples, one expository/informative or argumentative and the other one of the approved modes (expository/informative, argumentative, narrative). Two narrative samples may not be used.
Reading
Students must pass two work samples; one informational and the other may either be informational or literary.
 
Additional Information: Outside Evidence and the Appeals Process

Request to Add Evidence 
For students who completed a requirement in another school district, Portland Public Schools may not have the data necessary to show this requirement as complete on the student’s transcript. To ensure students receive proper credit for work completed, a school counselor or administrator should complete and submit a request to add evidence. The form can be found here.

Essential Skills Appeals Process
If a student is denied a high school diploma solely based on not meeting the Essential Skills graduation requirement, the student may appeal the most recent work sample scores that were used to determine that the student was not proficient in that Essential Skill. The appeal must be filed within six months of the student being denied the diploma. Appeals are filed by filling out the PPS Essential Skills Appeals Form and submitting it to the student's high school counselor. It is important to note that students have the opportunity to revise and complete additional samples in summer school. For more information on the appeals process, talk to your high school counselor.

PPS Essential Skills Appeals Process Chart

Guides and Forms
Here are the essential guidance documents for ES:
 

• The PPS 2019-2020 Essential Skills Procedure Guide 
• Oregon Department of Education: Essential Skills webpage
• 2019-2020 Oregon Essential Skills and Local Performance Assessment Manual
• Request to Add Evidence of Demonstrating Proficiency in an Essential Skill
• PPS Essential Skills Appeals Process form