A 2018 Oregon statute requires agencies to submit key performance measure data to the Legislative Fiscal Office on a regular basis, in addition to sharing reports publicly to indicate Oregon’s progress toward identified measures. Oregon also has a Key Performance Measures system in which agencies report regular progress on identified measures to the legislature and the Governor’s Office. With the development of Oregon’s Racial Justice Council, the state is in the process of establishing a centralized vision for racial justice and equity that includes guidance for agencies on identifying strategic objectives and measures to support racial equity and in evaluating services from a community-focused standpoint, as released as part of Oregon’s Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Action Plan in August 2021. Progress of the vision in terms of budget accomplishment and legislative support are summarized in a Racial Justice Council April 2022 presentation.
A 2017 Oregon law instituted a Chief Data Officer responsible for the state’s centralized data strategy, including an enterprise open data platform. The CDO is charged with creating open data standards, providing privacy guidance for state agencies, identifying opportunities for data sharing, and designing stakeholder engagement strategies, including an advisory committee. In 2021, the program was funded to grow from six to twelve staff members and procured a geospatial data-sharing and management platform. The CDO also released Oregon’s first data strategy in 2020 and data strategy website in February 2021. The state continues working toward the actions identified in the data strategy’s biennial action plan. Work includes listening sessions with a diverse range of organizations with the intent of seeking input on the Oregon Data Literacy Framework and implementation, additional resources to support open data and transparency within state agencies and hiring of critical roles related to data equity.
Oregon’s statewide data strategy, introduced in February 2021, outlines key principles for ethical data use, spanning collection, design, community engagement, and transparency. Aligned with a 2017 law, the state progresses on its biennial action plan stemming from this strategy. Additionally, the 2017 Open Data Program mandates agencies to list and share open datasets for transparency and internal collaboration. The Chief Data Officer facilitates data sharing among agencies via an enterprise memorandum. The State Longitudinal Data System, established in 2018, merges education and workforce data, while the Trauma-Informed Pilot Project addresses equity gaps. A 2021 law creates a “system of care advisory council” to integrate data for holistic support services. This council introduces a system of care dashboard to monitor youth engagement in Oregon’s care systems, enhancing overall data integration efforts statewide.
In 2021, the Oregon Office of Workforce Investments used a tiered evidence framework from the Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS) to both define and prioritize evidence, as well as allocate funds through its AmeriCorps Oregon State Grant Program. Criteria from the CNCS assigned preference to evidence-based interventions assessed as ‘Moderate’ or ‘Strong’. To do this, the grant assigned points within the Evidence Base section (up to 20), with Evidence Tier allotted 12 points and Evidence Quality 8 points. The RFP prioritized evidence by stating that “all applicants must propose program designs that are either evidence-based or evidence-informed. Applicants assessed as lower than the Preliminary evidence tier (i.e., Pre-Preliminary) must provide adequate responses to the Evidence Quality review criteria in order to be considered for funding.” Applicants were encouraged to consider interventions through the AmeriCorps Mandatory Supplemental Guidance that further defined evidence tiers.
A 2003 Oregon law defines evidence-based program as a program that “incorporates significant and relevant practices based on scientifically based research; and is cost effective” and states that the Oregon Department of Corrections, Oregon Youth Authority, Oregon Youth Development Division, and “the part of the Oregon Health Authority that deals with mental health and addiction issues” shall (1) spend at least 75% of state moneys that the agency receives for programs on evidence-based programs; (2) perform cost-benefit analyses; and (3) compile a biennial program inventory with results from funded programs. As of 2022, the Oregon Youth Authority spent 88% of General Funds ($59.6 million) and 91% of total funds ($88.5 million) subject to Oregon’s Senate Bill 267 (SB267) on evidence-based programming. In a 2022 report to the legislature, the Oregon Department of Education Youth Development Division indicated 94% ($2,420,087) of reported expenditures support local programs that meet evidence-based practice criteria.
A 2003 Oregon law provides a definition of evidence-based program as a program that “incorporates significant and relevant practices based on scientifically based research; and is cost effective” and states that the Oregon Department of Corrections, the Oregon Youth Authority, the Oregon Youth Development Division, and “the part of the Oregon Health Authority that deals with mental health and addiction issues” shall (1) spend at least 75% of state moneys that the agency receives for programs on evidence-based programs; (2) perform cost-benefit analyses; and (3) compile a biennial program inventory with results from funded programs.
Budget and Legislative Concepts Instructions for the 2023-25 budget incorporated a racial equity toolkit (Appendix B).
One of the Oregon Agency Expectations is requiring all state agencies to have a Diversity, Inclusion, and Equity (DEI) Plan; each plan requires meaningful community engagement. The previous administration established a road map, the DEI Action Plan, for agencies so they would have a resource to lean on, which includes a strategy to strengthen community engagement. When SIEA surveyed agencies in April 2023, 52% of agencies had a DEI plan in place. Like Governor Kotek outlined in her letter of agency expectations, Oregon state agencies were required to submit their DEI plans or an outline for a future plan by June 1, 2023. The goal is for all state agencies to have DEI plans adopted and established by June 2024.
The Oregon Governor’s Office published a series of strategic initiatives that include a 10-point action plan for economic recovery, informed in partnership with the Governor’s Racial Justice Council, as well as a strategic direction for guiding Oregon’s recovery from COVID-19 within a framework of racial equity and social justice. The 10-point action plan includes concrete priorities and critical investments related to fostering economic growth and recovery in a post-pandemic Oregon. Tracking outcomes and progress is a decentralized process managed by agencies, the Office of SIEA is tracking agency strategic plans and DEI plans that are often intertwined. Progress Report on Oregon Agency Expectations published June 1, 2023 reports on the status of agency strategic plans and DEI plans. Additionally, the Racial Justice Council worked with communities to establish Future Ready Oregon, a $200 million dollar investment in job training with a focus on health care, technology and manufacturing, and construction.