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African American Black Student Success Plan. 2026 Biennial Report to the Oregon Legislature

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Bibliographic Details
Title: African American Black Student Success Plan. 2026 Biennial Report to the Oregon Legislature
Language: English
Authors: Oregon Department of Education, Office of Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (OEDI)
Source: Oregon Department of Education. 2026.
Availability: Oregon Department of Education. 255 Capitol Street NE, Salem, OR 97310-0203. Tel: 503-947-5600; Fax: 503-378-5156; Web site: https://www.oregon.gov/ode/reports-and-data/Pages/default.aspx
Peer Reviewed: N
Page Count: 38
Publication Date: 2026
Document Type: Reports - Evaluative
Education Level: Elementary Secondary Education
Descriptors: African American Students, Academic Achievement, State Programs, Improvement Programs, State Legislation, Educational Legislation, Elementary Secondary Education, School Districts, Educational Needs, Student Needs, Investment, Equal Education, Sense of Belonging, Diversity Equity and Inclusion, Program Development, Program Implementation, Program Improvement, Grants, Educational Finance, Retrenchment, Culturally Relevant Education, Resources
Geographic Terms: Oregon
Abstract: In 2015, the Oregon Legislature enacted House Bill 2016--codified as ORS 329.841--to begin to address these systemic barriers and improve academic outcomes. The legislation directed the Oregon Department of Education (ODE) to develop and implement a statewide education plan for African American/Black students in early childhood through postsecondary education programs to address the disparities experienced by African American/Black students; the historical practices leading to disproportionate outcomes for African American/Black students; and the educational needs of African American/Black students. The first African American/Black Student Success (AABSS) Plan (the Plan) was finalized in 2017. Implementation of the Plan is supported through grants to Early Learning Hubs, providers of early learning services, school districts, education service districts, post-secondary institutions of education, and community-based organizations. During the 2023-25 biennium, AABSS grantees collectively served 9,562 students across 79 school districts, with 74% of participants identifying as Black or African American. Students represented rich linguistic diversity, speaking 110 unique home languages. While this linguistic diversity should in theory support student achievement, AABSS program participants were more likely to experience obstacles to academic success. While statewide assessment data indicate continued academic gaps in English Language Arts and Mathematics, African American/Black AABSS program students have shown encouraging progress, particularly among 11th graders, who outperformed their peers in both subjects in 2023-24 (32.1% vs. 29.1% in ELA and 13.4% vs. 8.8% in Math). Although this trend did not continue in 2024-25, the 2024-25 grantee cohort represented a new group of grantees that started late in the year, which may explain variations in performance. The significant reduction in funding to the AABSS program for the 2025-2027 biennium (66.2% reduction compared to AY25 funding) has already had devastating impacts on AABSS grantee programming. Long-time AABSS grantees who are key service providers with expertise in culturally-specific interventions--representing a significant statewide infrastructure investment--are experiencing loss of investment by other funders as well, compounding the impact on African American and Black students statewide. Regardless of the reduction in resources, the authors remain optimistic about the capacity for the AABSS Plan to continue making improvements to student outcomes. As African American and Black students continue to be more likely than their peers to be the victims of racially-motivated bias crimes, and concomitantly experience elevated rates of suicide, continued investment in the African American/Black Student Success Plan (and other programs that support the objectives of the AABSS Plan, such as the EAC's Grow Your Own program) is an opportunity for Oregon to show its commitment to ensure that every child feels a sense of safety and belonging in our education system, and can reach their greatest potential. Every dollar dedicated to the AABSS Plan is an investment in that potential.
Abstractor: ERIC
Entry Date: 2026
Accession Number: ED680632
Database: ERIC
Description
Abstract:In 2015, the Oregon Legislature enacted House Bill 2016--codified as ORS 329.841--to begin to address these systemic barriers and improve academic outcomes. The legislation directed the Oregon Department of Education (ODE) to develop and implement a statewide education plan for African American/Black students in early childhood through postsecondary education programs to address the disparities experienced by African American/Black students; the historical practices leading to disproportionate outcomes for African American/Black students; and the educational needs of African American/Black students. The first African American/Black Student Success (AABSS) Plan (the Plan) was finalized in 2017. Implementation of the Plan is supported through grants to Early Learning Hubs, providers of early learning services, school districts, education service districts, post-secondary institutions of education, and community-based organizations. During the 2023-25 biennium, AABSS grantees collectively served 9,562 students across 79 school districts, with 74% of participants identifying as Black or African American. Students represented rich linguistic diversity, speaking 110 unique home languages. While this linguistic diversity should in theory support student achievement, AABSS program participants were more likely to experience obstacles to academic success. While statewide assessment data indicate continued academic gaps in English Language Arts and Mathematics, African American/Black AABSS program students have shown encouraging progress, particularly among 11th graders, who outperformed their peers in both subjects in 2023-24 (32.1% vs. 29.1% in ELA and 13.4% vs. 8.8% in Math). Although this trend did not continue in 2024-25, the 2024-25 grantee cohort represented a new group of grantees that started late in the year, which may explain variations in performance. The significant reduction in funding to the AABSS program for the 2025-2027 biennium (66.2% reduction compared to AY25 funding) has already had devastating impacts on AABSS grantee programming. Long-time AABSS grantees who are key service providers with expertise in culturally-specific interventions--representing a significant statewide infrastructure investment--are experiencing loss of investment by other funders as well, compounding the impact on African American and Black students statewide. Regardless of the reduction in resources, the authors remain optimistic about the capacity for the AABSS Plan to continue making improvements to student outcomes. As African American and Black students continue to be more likely than their peers to be the victims of racially-motivated bias crimes, and concomitantly experience elevated rates of suicide, continued investment in the African American/Black Student Success Plan (and other programs that support the objectives of the AABSS Plan, such as the EAC's Grow Your Own program) is an opportunity for Oregon to show its commitment to ensure that every child feels a sense of safety and belonging in our education system, and can reach their greatest potential. Every dollar dedicated to the AABSS Plan is an investment in that potential.