The Department of Education of the U.S. state

U.S. state

A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...

 of Oregon

Oregon

Oregon is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It is located on the Pacific coast, with Washington to the north, California to the south, Nevada on the southeast and Idaho to the east. The Columbia and Snake rivers delineate much of Oregon's northern and eastern...

 is responsible for implementation of state policies with respect to public education at the kindergarten through community college level, including academic standards and testing, credentials, and other matters not reserved to the local districts and boards. The department is overseen by the state Board of Education acting through the Superintendent of Public Instruction

Oregon Superintendent of Public Instruction

The Superintendent of Public Instruction, sometimes referred to as the State Superintendent of Schools, is a constitutional office within the executive branch of the Oregon state government, and acts as administrative officer of the State Board of Education and executive head of the Department of...

 as chief administrator, and carries out the state policies set by the board and by the Oregon State Legislature

Oregon Legislative Assembly

The Oregon Legislative Assembly is the state legislature for the U.S. state of Oregon. The Legislative Assembly is bicameral, consisting of an upper and lower house: the Senate, whose 30 members are elected to serve four-year terms; and the House of Representatives, with 60 members elected to...

.

The department serves 199 elementary and secondary school districts and 20 education service districts, which serve over 500,000 students.

The department also manages several educational institutions and programs directly, including the Oregon School for the Blind

Oregon School for the Blind

The Oregon School for the Blind , was a state-run public school in Salem, Oregon, United States, serving blind and vision impaired students of kindergarten through high school grades through residential, day school, and part-time enrollment programs. Opened in 1873, the school was operated by the...

 and the Oregon School for the Deaf

Oregon School for the Deaf

Oregon School for the Deaf , is a public school in Salem, Oregon, United States that serves deaf and hard of hearing students from kindergarten through high school and up to 18 years of age.-History:...

, coordinates educational programs for juvenile offenders

Juvenile delinquency

Juvenile delinquency is participation in illegal behavior by minors who fall under a statutory age limit. Most legal systems prescribe specific procedures for dealing with juveniles, such as juvenile detention centers. There are a multitude of different theories on the causes of crime, most if not...

, and assists local districts and boards with statutory and regulatory compliance.