[{"_1":2,"_88":-5,"_89":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6556182,"mediaKeyId","3321959-aa7e87e539d1ffc9dc78a533481e94c0","parentId",3321959,"title","Hillsboro reports gains in first-grade phonics; board warned funding limits could slow progress","audioSeconds",2744,"startMs",3016000,"endMs",5760000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3321959-aa7e87e539d1ffc9dc78a533481e94c0&start=3016&end=5760","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3321959-aa7e87e539d1ffc9dc78a533481e94c0/thumbnail_3016000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6556182/Oregon/Hillsboro-reports-gains-in-first-grade-phonics-board-warned-funding-limits-could-slow-progress","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6556182-fb39f8ff61ef26c8f3480788e419ac5b/orig.mp4?Expires=1771014062&Signature=Lp2ysFMDiqkGEoRyBSXLLKuq7p3bHzoD5UVtqD1zWeMVISTPfo-cvrDeUedPaJOK~BvEM8tzfGCjs1-19cGwJJPcEl9VydQ2MegA7s4ZXpcrAte9ndt5CFliMgu09vuIbb9Wf0iPSNwhcvNwsa6gTD1MmrNDw2BHSVPFVMk45sc2PpXMiW5gETREfYr7R6oL3~96cH-gK2mEoXGByCDBUEyXK6o2y5uo0R1BGrXPemM2k0cNpnA140Nku9QUh6VbKMpIiEngrU82IyhmEg1KYu8Rc6MBDq6t7d1fmozmCC7qcSUAg7IJTewmW0JZ0Lz8fzY3wazXcToLLV1dx6XeEA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Hillsboro School Districts Oregon","date","2025-05-15T16:22:21.34Z","article","Hillsboro School District 1J staff reported measurable gains in first‑grade phonics and foundational reading skills on Monday and described the instructional steps and grants that officials say helped produce the improvement.

At a board meeting update, staff compared winter 2024 and winter 2025 phonics survey results and said the share of first graders meeting key foundational reading skills rose across most categories. \"We have made a lot of growth from last year to this year,\" Gina McClain, the district's director of teaching and learning, said as she presented the results.

Why it matters: The board has prioritized third‑grade literacy as a strategic goal, and staff said gains in early grades (preK–2) are essential to meeting third‑grade targets. Board members applauded the progress but cautioned that continuing gains depend on sustained funding for curriculum, assessments and staffing.

Key findings and supports reported
- Assessment results: Staff reported increases across multiple phonics tasks. For example, items described as \"digraphs\" showed a roughly 26 percentage‑point increase year over year; the district's Hispanic/Latinx subgroup showed double‑digit gains (about +26.3% in several categories); students receiving special education showed gains in later categories (noted as up 43% in one slide). Staff noted that smaller first‑grade enrollment this year affects absolute counts.
- Curriculum and instruction: The district cited use of the Wonders/Maravillas core curriculum, a supplemental phonics program (UFLI or similar supplemental materials) funded by an early literacy grant, 90‑minute literacy blocks, targeted intervention materials, PLCs (professional learning communities) and professional development including a \"science of the bilingual reading brain\" training for staff in dual‑language schools.
- Targeted supports: Students not proficient by spring screening are invited to a targeted early‑literacy summer program; staff said the district will use spring assessment results to finalize invitations.

Budget and capacity concerns
- Staff and board members warned that continued progress depends on funding. The district identified special education absorption costs of about $8,300,000 per year and said the share of students accessing special education is roughly 14.9% of enrollment. Board members said reduced resources could limit the district's ability to maintain interventions and curriculum purchases.
- Staff noted that the district received a summer school grant of approximately $1,000,000 to support high-dose tutoring and summer learning programs.

Questions from the board and community
- Board members asked about class size and teacher capacity; staff said average first‑grade class size is about 42.1 students and described efforts to keep instruction targeted via small groups and interventions.
- Board members and student representatives praised the bilingual instruction approach and asked staff to continue sharing assessment details with PACs so families understand what is being taught and how to support practice at home.

Context and next steps
- Staff said they will continue grade‑level collaboration, PLCs and professional development in foundational skills and bilingual reading, and will use assessment cycles (fall, winter, spring) to adjust instruction. The board was urged to continue supporting strategic investments in early literacy and bilingual instruction.

Ending note: Board members celebrated the results and urged continued advocacy for funding to sustain gains and continue reducing disparities in reading outcomes across subgroups.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","School Board Meeting, May 13, 2025, Hillsboro School District","oneSentenceSummary","District staff reported year‑over‑year improvement on first‑grade phonics assessments in English and Spanish, highlighted interventions and curriculum changes credited with gains, and flagged budget pressures and special education costs that could constrain future work; the district also said it secured a $1,000,000 summer‑school grant.","taxTitle","Hillsboro SD 1J, School Districts, Oregon","taxId",13228,"location","Oregon","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6556188,"Hillsboro parent leaders press district for clearer, ongoing family-engagement communication",391,1052000,1443000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3321959-aa7e87e539d1ffc9dc78a533481e94c0&start=1052&end=1443","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3321959-aa7e87e539d1ffc9dc78a533481e94c0/thumbnail_1052000.jpg","/articles/6556188/Oregon/Hillsboro-parent-leaders-press-district-for-clearer-ongoing-family-engagement-communication","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6556188-93823ed80040d48188d84a1b253472b8/orig.mp4?Expires=1771014062&Signature=Ba3maugGHdIRgp~ijwqgDIapiWRyqltoMHpkKhcQO4v99FIEr60MhuRN040hKyP1obuYRjrDQhj92sIV~dmUNYO5CLEIGlZzinAoBz~DXTMsbZrmCmQl7oX-8o1a9KM6S0bJqqZZOARMm6Rly9FQcknvfTJ1qJBGGSGcRd8S8HaHp05J4A8RV~D-yX9aEE3Fwk~C0OeUtnlr6zP~mV2MYXTA2mMPGrekMLTmfdeE7rQYpD47~AReDvMzEuucTLi3w-HWu9d4d6Z~N99tOxQsgqDO3C4oKw8OIieUxsnmlTPLEkByhpHEjMgFa25y-B1B5PgHbHZXeK3ka6jy98s0Og__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Parent leaders from Hillsboro School District 1J urged the school board on Monday to strengthen ongoing communication between principals, Parent Advisory Councils (PACs), PTOs and district staff, saying outreach is inconsistent across schools and that parents are sometimes unaware of decisions that affect their children.

The comments came during a presentation by the district's family advisory group. Fernando Garcia Guerrero, the district's family engagement specialist, introduced the group and described its role in promoting family and community engagement across schools. \"Good evening. Everyone. I'm happy today to introduce you to our family advisory group,\" Garcia Guerrero said.

The parents said the group holds monthly meetings and provides leadership training intended to help parents represent their communities and bring concerns to school leaders. \"My name is Laura Gomez,\" said one presenter, who spoke about outreach, leadership training and efforts to involve Latino parents in school events and leadership roles.

Why it matters: Board members said inconsistent communication with families can leave families feeling excluded and reduce participation. Several board members asked staff to return with a more formal presentation on how the district defines and supports effective principal–PAC/PTO partnerships so successful practices can be replicated across schools.

What parents told the board
- Parents said PACs sometimes do not receive timely information about decisions affecting schools and recommended more frequent contact than the current annual or occasional outreach. They described successful events'including a community-wide event at \"Hill High\" that drew Univision coverage'as examples of what consistent collaboration can produce.
- Recommendations included expanded leadership training for parent leaders, carrying parent participation information to multiple conferences, and stronger, ongoing connections between PACs and the district's family outreach team.

Staff response and next steps
- District staff acknowledged the inconsistency and told the board they can present a formalized description of expected supports and engagement practices. A staff member said the topic could come back as a presentation at a public board meeting and that school improvement plans already include family engagement goals that can be used as examples.
- The board asked staff to surface examples of high-functioning principal–PAC partnerships and to outline practices the district can promote to make support more consistent across schools.

Context and constraints
- Speakers noted that relationships between PACs and PTOs sometimes feel competitive and that several schools have fewer Latino families in PTO meetings. Parents and staff also said political or community pressures can make some parents reluctant to attend school meetings.
- Parents and staff emphasized that normal school complaint protocols still apply; the PAC presentations are intended to add ongoing communication and to surface issues earlier, not to replace school-level problem reporting.

What the board can expect next
District staff committed to preparing a public presentation describing: (1) the district's expectations for principal engagement with PACs/PTOs as reflected in school improvement plans; (2) examples of high-functioning principal–PAC partnerships; and (3) opportunities for targeted leadership training and outreach to increase PAC participation.

Ending note: Parents said they would follow up with written recommendations and data from PAC meetings; board members said they will continue to press for clearer, routine communication to reach families across the district.","Parent advisory leaders told the Hillsboro School District 1J board that communication with principals and parent organizations is inconsistent and urged more regular, structured outreach; district staff agreed to present a formal plan to the board and to share written expectations for principal‑PAC/PTO partnerships.","actionData","errors"]

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Hillsboro reports gains in first-grade phonics; board warned funding limits could slow progress

Hillsboro parent leaders press district for clearer, ongoing family-engagement communication