(2) The Educator Advancement Council shall be established and function under an intergovernmental agreement, pursuant to ORS 190.003 to 190.130. The purposes of the council are to provide resources related to educator professional learning and to provide other educator supports.
(3) Parties to the intergovernmental agreement establishing the council must include:
(a) The Department of Education;
(b) The Early Learning Division;
(c) The Teacher Standards and Practices Commission;
(d) The Higher Education Coordinating Commission;
(e) A school district; and
(f) An education service district.
(4) The intergovernmental agreement establishing the council shall outline the governance framework and the administrative details necessary for the efficient and effective implementation of the duties of the council, including:
(a) Designating the maximum number of members of the council.
(b) Identifying the process for the council to select the chairperson of the council. The chairperson must be one of the members of the council and shall be responsible for overseeing official council business.
(c) Identifying the process for the council to appoint the executive director of the council. Appointment of the executive director must be by written order, filed with the Secretary of State, and the executive director shall serve at the pleasure of the council. The executive director shall be responsible for the daily operations of the council, including the appointment of all subordinate officers and employees of the council. Officers and employees of the council shall be considered persons in state service for purposes of ORS chapter 240, and, subject to ORS chapter 240, the executive director shall prescribe their duties and fix their compensation.
(5)(a) The council shall consist of:
(A) Members who are representatives of the parties to the intergovernmental agreement establishing the council, as identified in subsection (3) of this section.
(B) No more than 10 members who are practicing educators, early learning providers and professionals and school district board members.
(C) No more than 10 members who are representatives of educator preparation providers, education-focused nonprofit organizations, education-focused philanthropic organizations, professional education associations, community-based education organizations that represent families and students, post-secondary institutions of education and federally recognized Indian tribes of this state.
(b) Subject to any limits designated as provided by the intergovernmental agreement establishing the council, the majority of the members of the council identified under paragraph (a) of this subsection may propose additional members of the council. The inclusion of additional members on the council shall be subject to the procedures established by the council under the intergovernmental agreement.
(6) The council shall:
(a) Establish a system of educator networks, as described in ORS 342.943, by which every educator in this state has access to professional learning opportunities;
(b) Coordinate the distribution of moneys to educator networks from the Educator Advancement Fund based on the needs of the educators identified by the networks;
(c) Connect educator networks and facilitate communications within and among the networks to improve teaching and learning; and
(d) Continuously assess the needs of educators in this state and coordinate priorities based on the moneys available for distribution from the Educator Advancement Fund.
(7) The Department of Education shall provide support to the strategic direction of the council by:
(a) Conducting and coordinating research to monitor:
(A) Teaching and learning conditions;
(B) Educator workforce supply and demand; and
(C) Common outcomes and measures anticipated to promote improvement in teaching and learning.
(b) Assisting the council in coordinating and connecting educator networks, supporting professional learning priorities, enabling access to professional learning and supports, leveraging funding sources and managing innovation funds.
(c) Recommending statutory and agency rule changes needed to support the purposes of the council.
(d) Supporting programs that help to achieve the purposes of the Educators Equity Act.
(e) Supporting a statewide plan for increasing:
(A) The supply of culturally diverse teacher candidates; and
(B) The successful recruitment of effective educators to work in high-need schools and in practice areas with a shortage of educators.
(f) Identifying high-leverage educator practices to be developed by educators throughout their careers.
(g) Providing accountability of the council by ensuring that the council:
(A) Gives preference, when making recommendations about funding distributions, to entities that have demonstrated success in improving student indicators.
(B) Considers the delivery of services for the benefit of all regions of this state when establishing the system of educator networks.
(C) Works toward improving student progress indicators identified by the Department of Education or set forth in ORS 350.014.
(D) Includes and connects education providers and leaders from prekindergarten through post-secondary education.
(h) Providing staff support for the administrative functions of the council.
(i) Developing a system that allows for the statewide dissemination of emerging practices and evidence-based models.
(j) Providing technical assistance to the council, including online systems for sharing professional learning resources and supporting educator networks.
(k) Administering the distribution of grant and contract funds for programs described in this section.
(L) Providing administrative support to the educator networks, including:
(A) Making recommendations to the council about the selection of the sponsors of educator networks;
(B) Providing technical assistance to educator networks; and
(C) Entering into grant agreements or contracts for the distribution of funds to educator networks.
(8)(a) The State Board of Education and the Teacher Standards and Practices Commission may adopt any rules necessary at the request of the council to support the council or to perform any duties assigned to the board or commission under this section.
(b) The council may adopt rules pursuant to ORS chapter 183 for the purpose of ORS 342.943.
(9) The council shall be considered a board for purposes of ORS chapter 180. [2017 c.639 §1; 2017 c.639 §§20,25; 2021 c.518 §14]
Note: The name of the Early Learning Division is being changed to the Department of Early Learning and Care. The name change becomes operative on January 1, 2023. See sections 64 and 71, chapter 631, Oregon Laws 2021. Editorial adjustment for the name change has not yet been made.
Note: 342.940 and 342.943 were enacted into law by the Legislative Assembly but were not added to or made a part of ORS chapter 342 or any series therein by legislative action. See Preface to Oregon Revised Statutes for further explanation.