“We are not changing anything”: Salem-Keizer superintendent on federal education shifts

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This story was updated with additional information.

The Salem-Keizer School District will not change any programs, policies or its budget in response to recent directives from the U.S. Department of Education intended to eliminate diversity, equity and inclusion programs or tie federal funding to compliance with Trump administration policies.

Superintendent Andrea Castañeda posted a video statement to Instagram Saturday explaining how she and other education leaders are navigating an array of policy changes, orders and sometimes nebulous plans coming from President Donald Trump’s administration. She explained why she’s not planning to make any changes.

“The demands right now that are coming are very legally unclear. They’re procedurally vague, and taking action now would in effect be guessing, trying to comply in advance with something that is not yet actionable,” she said.

Castañeda told Salem Reporter she acted after talking to both school employees and community members last week and hearing from them that silence was making anxiety about impending changes worse.

In the video, she also addressed the challenge facing many leaders who want to address community concerns about impact without drawing more scrutiny and potential blow back.

“How do we lead with our values and be clear about things that we believe matter greatly and at the same time, not act irresponsibly and in a way that puts our institution at risk, that maybe puts us in the cross hairs of federal attention and scrutiny and consequence?” she said.

Trump has pledged to eliminate the U.S. Department of Education entirely, which would cut federal money that currently helps schools with a large share of low-income students, as well as programs for homeless students, migrant students and those who receive special education services.

A Feb. 14 letter from federal Department of Education leaders also threatened to pull federal funds from any school that uses race, directly or indirectly, as a criteria for decisions or programming as part of a wider push from the Trump administration to eliminate diversity, equity and inclusion programs.

Trump issued an executive order Feb. 5 that said his administration would cut federal funding for any educational program that “deprive women and girls of fair athletic opportunities” by allowing transgender girls to compete in girls and women’s sports.

Those orders have been subject to multiple legal challenges and their status and enforcement remains unclear. But collectively, they could reshape much about public education in Oregon and Salem-Keizer.

Transgender students in Oregon can compete in sports and school activities under the gender they live as under a policy set by the Oregon School Activities Association that’s been in effect since 2019. Several state Republican lawmakers have sought to change that rule this year to bar transgender girls from girls sports.

The district has a number of programs and positions intended to address disparities in academic performance and graduation rates among groups of students who have historically been marginalized or struggled in school. Those efforts include graduation coaches and mentors who work with students from specific cultural or racial backgrounds. 

Salem-Keizer maintains an Office of Equity, Access and Advancement which among other work, reviews district data on state tests, graduation and other indicators and works to address gaps between groups of students.

Oregon legislators in 2021 passed a law requiring school districts to have equity committees “to help school leaders identify what helps or hinders the success of students who Oregon’s educational systems have historically excluded, impacted, marginalized, or underserved.”

Other district programs fall broadly under the category of “diversity, equity and inclusion,” including the popular Unified program, a nationwide Special Olympics program that helps schools develop activities and classes where students with and without disabilities can learn and play together.

“If you’re a member of the community that believes that public education is a precious and essential institution as, I believe, a great equalizer, a force for good, I want you to know we’re not changing anything,” Castañeda said. “We won’t until and if there is a clear legal demand that has been vetted, is operable and can be done in accordance with our fundamental values as a school system.”

She said that included changing the names of any district programs or positions.

It’s not the first time Castañeda has waded into federal policy. She and school board leaders in December and January put out statements and guidance reiterating a longstanding district policy of not collecting or sharing information about students’ or families’ immigration status.

State Department of Education leaders have said little publicly about the shifting policy for the nation’s public schools. In a Feb. 6 newsletter, the agency told school districts that there have so far been no changes to federal funding, and that districts should continue submitting expenses to get reimbursed by the federal government.

Charlene Williams, the state schools chief, wrote in a Feb. 21 message to school leaders and partners that the federal directive on equity policies does not change federal civil rights law, and that districts should continue to follow federal law.

“In Oregon, we are united by an unwavering belief that every child matters and deserves access to an excellent school where they can learn and thrive. Throughout our state’s history, public schools have been a powerful equalizer, providing the foundation for educating and supporting our diverse communities,” Williams wrote. “In moments like these, we must anchor ourselves in these values, reaffirming our commitment to fostering safety and belonging—ensuring that both students and staff can focus on the joy of learning.”

Contact reporter Rachel Alexander: [email protected] or 503-575-1241.

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