Hillsboro School District 1J equity advisory committee reviews year of work, sets priorities for 2025–26

The Hillsboro School District 1J Educational Equity Advisory Committee reported to the board on June 17, detailing the committee20242025 work, partnerships and priorities for 202526 2026.

The committee told the board it advised the superintendent and the board on equity-related policy and school-level issues, and that a priority of its work this year was bringing both problems and concrete solutions from the lived experiences of students, families and staff. Committee members said that effort included focused monthly topics, community and agency partnerships and staff collaboration to translate recommendations into district practice.

EEAC members described a year of monthly focus topics and activities: onboarding and relationship-building early in the school year; election-related safety concerns and a November discussion of immigration status and sanctuary-city issues and school resource officer roles; a January focus on LGBTQ+ supports in partnership with Westside Queer Center; March story circles on racialized trauma with Northwest Regional ESD; and April work on bias and microaggressions. Members said those discussions informed the committeerecommendations and their outreach plans for the coming school year.

Committee members listed partnerships they said were central to the work: the districtCoordinator of Behavioral and Mental Health (Jenny Carey), the Westside Queer Center, the county/district attorneyoffice, the City of Hillsboro, the Northwest Regional Educational Service District and other district and community supports. Members said those relationships made possible activities such as story circles and helped them synthesize student and staff experiences into proposed actions.

EEAC members noted specific outcomes and next steps. They said the boardpassed a district "Safe Schools" resolution in response to immigrant-family safety concerns raised during the committeediscussions earlier in the year; members said that resolution provided comfort to affected families. The committee also described its role as a sounding board that led to the "Not at My School" campaign (the committee said a prior "hate words" task force evolved into that campaign) and recommended continuing and strengthening that work.

Presenters described membership and turnover: this yearEEAC included six family members/caregivers, two classified staff, four students, two administrators, two community members, three licensed staff and three district support staff. Members said they plan to expand recruitment for 202526 2026 because multiple current members will rotate off and the committee has struggled at times to reach quorum.

EEAC members also highlighted an anticipated change from recent state legislation. Presenters reported that House Bill 2453 passed the legislature and that the district is awaiting Oregon Department of Education guidance on how the bill will clarify committee roles and reporting lines; the presenters said they expect HB 2453 to specify more clearly how advisory committees will interface with district leadership and that guidance will arrive later in June.

Board members asked procedural and practical questions about how EEAC has handled specific incidents and how the committee coordinates with internal staff equity groups. Presenters said much of the committeework this year focused on listening to students and families, relaying their concerns to district leadership and helping design follow-up supports.

The committee asked the board whether the committee should report annually; presenters said they are willing to present once a year and will continue to provide materials to cabinet and schools throughout the year.

Board members and staff praised the committee for sustained engagement and for translating student and family input into district actions and partnerships as the group prepares priorities for the coming school year.