Board approves submission of district integrated guidance plan to Oregon Department of Education

The Corvallis School District Board of Education voted unanimously to approve submission of the district’s 2025 Integrated Guidance Application to the Oregon Department of Education, board member Chris said when making the motion. The vote, taken after a presentation and extended discussion about priorities and metrics, passed 6-0 (Judah — aye; Sammie — aye; Chris — aye; Bernie — aye; Therese — aye; Chair — aye).

The plan bundles multiple federal and state funding streams into a single biennial application intended to coordinate investments in early literacy, high school success and career-connected learning, the Student Investment Account (SIA), and other targeted programs. “Integrated guidance is multiple streams of federal and state funds and initiatives that all come together in one plan,” Melissa Harter said during the board presentation, describing the document the board approved for submission.

Why it matters: the integrated guidance determines how the district allocates federal and state program dollars that support after-school interventions, high-dosage tutoring, bilingual coaching, career and technical education (CTE) equipment and staffing, mental-health therapists, and districtwide health and nursing services. The application also sets the district’s longitudinal performance growth targets (LPGTs) for measures such as third-grade reading, ninth-grade on-track attendance, graduation rates, and a local optional metric — algebra I completion by ninth grade.

Board discussion and priorities: district staff said the plan reflects community and student input gathered through listening sessions, youth surveys and targeted school meetings. Presenters described several planned investments highlighted in the application: restroom and common-area refreshes at high-usage sites, modernization of CTE spaces (including a new health science lab and flooring work at Crescent Valley High School), stipends for CTE machine maintenance, continued funding for bilingual reading coaches and MTSS specialists, free athletics through the district athletics fund, and continued district-paid AP exam fees.

Staff emphasized the centrality of early literacy and instructional coaching. Nikki and colleagues described targeted uses of early-literacy funds for high-dose tutoring, curriculum purchases aligned with the science of reading, and training for kindergarten through third-grade teachers. Melissa and others said the district is combining early-literacy funds with a 21st Century Community Learning Centers after-school program (Paiges) to expand intervention time and enrichment for priority students.

Board members and staff also discussed fiscal uncertainty at the state and federal level. Presenters noted the state co-chairs’ budget figure reported in Ways and Means and flagged the risk that special-education funding changes or federal program reductions could force the district to reallocate local funds. The board discussed the need to gather stories and advocacy materials to present to legislators should appropriations for special education or federal grants not materialize.

Next steps: staff will submit the application to ODE by the April 30 deadline. ODE will review the plan, confer with district staff to set LPGTs and return grant award notices; the district will report back to the board with final award amounts and specific targets.

Votes at a glance: • Motion: “I move to approve the Corvallis School District’s integrated guidance application for submission to ODE.” — Mover: Chris; Second: Bernie. Vote: 6-0 (Judah, Sammie, Chris, Bernie, Therese, Chair — all aye). Outcome: Approved.

Sources: presentation to the board and staff remarks during the March meeting; motion and roll-call vote recorded on the public record.