Policy committee forwards Section Two updates to full board, rescinds outdated student‑participation policy

PORTLAND, Ore. — The Portland Public Schools Policy Committee on May 18 reviewed a package of Section Two policy updates and agreed to forward the package to the full school board, including a recommended rescission of an older student‑participation policy.

Emily Courtnage, district staff, summarized the package and said five policies are being updated and one — Policy 2.40020 (student participation) — is being recommended for rescission because its content is duplicated in other, more recent policies. Courtnage said the rescinded policy dates to 2001 and that student participation is addressed elsewhere in the manual (she referenced policies 1.20012, 7.10.010 and 4.40.010).

Committee members signaled informal approval to move the Section Two package to the full board, with Chair Michelle DePass and other members describing a thumbs‑up to advance the items rather than a formal motion and roll‑call vote at the committee level.

Staff noted two substantive codifications in the package: an addition to the racial education equity policy (2.10010) that requires superintendent updates to disaggregate student‑achievement data by race and to reflect measures addressing racial disparities, and language in the student educational records policy (2.50020) clarifying protections for students 18 and older with disabilities and compliance with federal and state law.

The committee also previewed that the district performance auditing policy (1.60.040), a Section One policy, will be scheduled for full board discussion at a later time. No final votes on Section Two changes were taken at the committee meeting; the committee's action was to refer the package to the full board for consideration.