High quality mentorship programs for beginning teachers and administrators are known to support educator retention and student success.
Senate Bill 283 (2023) allocates $8 million for one-time, non-competitive grants to mentorship programs in Oregon during the 2024-2025 school year. The purpose of the grant is to provide eligible beginning teachers and administrators with a formally assigned mentor who will support their professional development and improve likelihood of their retention. Grant funding is intended to continue existing mentoring relationships, as well as prioritize mentoring support for:
Educators who hold an endorsement related to special education.
Educators serving school districts in rural areas.
Educators who are diverse, as defined in ORS 342.433.
Educators who hold an emergency teaching license.
Announcements and updates will be posted to this webpage throughout the grant application, awarding, and program period.
For questions regarding this grant, please email ode.retentiongrants@ode.oregon.gov
Updated answers to Frequently Asked Questions are now available (May 1)
Grant Program Informational Webinar Recording and Presentation (April 25)
Regional Educator Network mentoring services and opportunities information and contact list (April 25)
Review the Grant Guidance document at this link to learn about grant requirements and application instructions, as well as answers to Frequently Asked Questions.
The Grant Guidance will be updated and posted here as needed.
Eligible applicants should complete and submit the application form using this link.
Applications are due no later than 5pm on June 10, 2024.
Eligible applicants can review the application questions and draft their responses using this template. Note: Applications must be submitted using the online form; do not send the template in an email.
Prior to applying for the grant, district mentoring programs are encouraged to connect with their Regional Educator Network (REN) to coordinate and leverage these grant resources. RENs currently provide funding, staffing, and resources for mentoring services across the state and will be convening the Regional High Quality Mentoring (HQM) Teams required by this grant.
New! Use this link to view a summary of mentorship services and opportunities supported by each of the RENs. You will also find links and contact information.
Use the links below to find updates, contact information, and news on each of the ten RENs:
Columbia REN (Gilliam, Hood River, Sherman, Wasco, & Wheeler counties)
Eastern Oregon REN (Grant, Harney, Lake, Malheur, & Wallowa counties)
Northwest REN (Clatsop, Columbia, Tillamook, & Washington counties)
Oregon Trail REN (Baker, Morrow, Umatilla, & Union counties)
South Coast to Valley REN (Coos, Curry, Marion, Polk, & Yamhill counties)
Southern Oregon REN (Jackson, Josephine, & Klamath counties)
The Oregon Beginning Teacher and Administrator Mentorship Program was established in 2007 and continued until its sunset in 2019. ODE maintains a webpage with access to resources generated from the program. Additional resources and tools will be developed and made available throughout the 2024-2025 grant period. The following resources are currently available on ODE’s website:
