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Board committee rethinks community engagement after busy year and well-attended candidate forum
Summary
The Legislative & Public Affairs Committee discussed reducing the number of listening sessions, posting agendas and slides online, and piloting monthly virtual and in-person community touchpoints. Members praised a May 4 candidate forum that drew more than 200 attendees and recommended making that format a recurring offering.
At the May 11 meeting, the Portland Public Schools Legislative & Public Affairs Committee evaluated the district’s 2025–26 community engagement program and outlined changes to improve access and consistency.
Board members said the year included many listening sessions — staff, student and community meetings — but that scheduling and information varied across events. "It felt like we heard from an awful lot of people, but there were a lot of listening sessions... It was a lot," Board member Sautel said. Fatima Noor proposed posting committee and board meeting agendas and updating them online so community members have accessible, current materials before sessions.
"With regards to the information and it being accurate for all the meetings, could we have something like our committee and board meeting agendas online... or maybe on the website, something just accessible and that we could get beforehand and update throughout," Noor said.
Members discussed clustering sessions into shorter timeframes so information stays current, offering a mix of virtual and in-person regular touchpoints (for example, a pre-board-meeting hour at 5:00 p.m.), and posting slides from presentations.
The committee also reviewed a May 4 candidate forum organized with Deering UN students that drew an estimated 200 people. Lentz praised the event and suggested making the student-facilitated forum a standard part of district outreach and a tool for orienting incoming state legislators and local candidates.
The committee asked staff to record the feedback, discuss it with Grace (staff), and bring a recommended plan for 2026–27 community engagement to the next meeting and the upcoming board retreat.
