Corvallis School District reaffirms March as Developmental Disability Awareness Month

The Corvallis School District Board acknowledged March 2025 as Developmental Disability Awareness Month and read a proclamation recognizing the contributions of people with developmental disabilities and urging schools to highlight those contributions in age-appropriate ways.

The proclamation (identified by resolution number 220205 in the read text) traces national and state history cited by the district: it referred to the opening of the Fairhaven training center in Salem in 1907 as a state institution for people with developmental disabilities, the establishment of an Oregon Board of Eugenics in 1923 and the state’s historical policy of forced sterilization that continued until 1981 and was not abolished by the Oregon State Senate until 1983. The proclamation also noted National Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month was first proclaimed nationally in 1987.

The board’s read text concludes by proclaiming March — and March annually — as Developmental Disability Awareness Month in the district and “strongly encourage[s] students, families, staff, and community members to establish and participate in local celebrations and encourage all schools in the district to help highlight this month in grade appropriate ways.” The proclamation text recorded in the meeting packet lists the adoption language and resolution number as part of the document presented to the board.

No separate vote was recorded on the read proclamation during the meeting; the proclamation text presented to the board includes a line that reads, “Adopted by the board of directors of school district number 509J Corvallis of Benton and Linn Counties, Oregon at its regular meeting this day.”