Forest Grove superintendent urges deep focus on professional learning as withdrawals and absences rise

Dr. West, superintendent of the Forest Grove School District, delivered a midyear reflection at the board’s Jan. 27 work session, saying the district needs “a real deep dive on professional learning in this district” to accelerate improvement in instruction districtwide.

She told the board the district is on track to exceed last year’s roughly 300 student withdrawals and has recorded higher absence rates, which she tied to immigration enforcement and the anxiety it has caused among families. “Immigration enforcement has significantly impacted us,” Dr. West said, and the district has begun providing resources and supports to school leaders to address psychological and physical safety needs.

Why it matters: Dr. West framed the midyear reflection as a data-driven call to action. She described new data visualizations produced by a recently hired data analyst that break withdrawals down by reason, grade, English-learner status and race, and said the visuals make it easier to infer where supports are needed. The superintendent warned the attendance and withdrawal trends will show up in state accountability metrics and said the district should plan for multi-year efforts to improve instructional consistency and to support leaders and teachers through that change.

Key details: Dr. West reviewed professional learning this year (preservice days, monthly instructional leadership sessions and targeted clinics) and said the district is experimenting with AI tools to visualize those efforts. She also described the district equity committee, a state-required body, which began by examining discipline data and found disparities—particularly among Latino students and students receiving special education services. The district has a small subgroup working with the superintendent and assistant superintendent to develop policy recommendations.

State policy and assessments: Dr. West warned that Senate Bill 141 has imposed new assessment and accountability requirements without corresponding resources, forcing the district to choose a new K–12 benchmark assessment and to possibly cover contract buyouts and staff training. “We will no longer be able to use mCLASS as our elementary benchmark assessment tool,” she said, noting approved replacement tools include Spanish-language components the district advocated for.

Budget outlook and staffing: The superintendent also reviewed budget pressures—revenue loss, projected state reductions and a structural deficit—and said staff reductions now appear likely as costs rise faster than state revenue. She emphasized the need to balance fiscal responsibility and long-term stability with care for affected employees and students.

What’s next: Dr. West closed by asking the board to use the work-session artifacts and the reflections to inform upcoming evaluation work and to join district leadership in focusing on instruction, safety and advocacy for the district’s needs. She said testing windows close this month and the administration will return with refreshed literacy and math data when available.

Representative quotes

"The one thing that has become abundantly clear to me is that we need a real deep dive on professional learning in this district," Dr. West said.

"Immigration enforcement has significantly impacted us," she told the board when describing withdrawals and attendance declines.

Closing note: Dr. West asked the board to view the work sessions as evaluation artifacts and urged continued engagement with elected leaders and community partners to support students and staff during ongoing challenges.