Forest Grove board debates joint testimony, advocacy plan amid short legislative session

Forest Grove School District board members spent significant time Feb. 10 discussing advocacy strategy and whether the board should submit testimony together on House Bill 4011, a class-size bill scheduled for a hearing the following day. The chair told the board she had already signed up to testify and sought consensus on submitting that testimony as a board rather than as an individual.

Several board members said a single, coordinated message carries more weight with legislators. Richard Truax said he would be more comfortable “submitting it as a representation” rather than as personal testimony and stressed the value of sharing authorship and credit when the board agrees on a position. The chair and others emphasized the need to balance reactive short-session demands with a longer-term advocacy plan: “It feels reactive,” the chair said, arguing for an “elevator-pitch” platform that would help the public and legislators understand district priorities.

Board members discussed coordinating with regional organizations such as OSBA and COSA, holding regular monthly Zoom meetings of regional board chairs to build shared fiscal impact data and inviting legislators to those forums. Several members urged proactive education of legislators off-session so the board would not always be reacting when short bills arise.

The board agreed to explore a small working group to draft an advocacy framework and suggested the chair and another board member (Pete) collaborate on a first draft to return to the full board. Members also asked the superintendent to help synthesize what the district is hearing from organizations such as COSA and to identify which bills warrant coordinated board action.

The discussion produced no formal policy change or binding direction to draft specific testimony at the meeting; instead, members agreed to continue work in a subcommittee and to discuss process and timing in follow-up leadership meetings.