Native American parent advisory committee presents Title VI work, curriculum and training progress to Hillsboro School Board

Members of the Hillsboro School District’s Native American and Alaska Native Parent Advisory Committee presented a 20‑minute report to the board on the district’s Title VI program, community events and curriculum work.

The presentation, led by Title VI facilitator Dr. Susan Acosta, described the program as federally funded and intended for students who register tribal affiliation via district forms. The PAC outlined activities that connect students with culture and community — events such as pow wows, fry‑bread making and shared‑history lessons — and said those events help students feel visible in school and supported by their peers and teachers.

PAC members and staff highlighted a multi-pronged approach to curriculum and training. The committee said about 200 district educators — including all fourth‑grade teachers to date — have completed tribal history/shared‑history training, with physical‑education teachers next in line and a goal to have all K–3 teachers trained in the coming year. Staff told the board they use Oregon Department of Education (ODE) guidance and tribal partners’ content to shape lessons and that they are working to integrate the material across subject areas rather than confining it to a single course.

Board members asked several clarifying questions about who delivers the training, the length and content of sessions, translation availability and privacy around small student populations. Staff responded that district teaching‑and‑learning personnel coordinate training and that ODE templates are adapted and condensed for local use; they said lessons have been translated for dual‑language programs and that the district tracks completion to prioritize future sessions. On data concerns, staff said they apply ethical safeguards when reporting small subgroup numbers to avoid identifying individual students.

PAC speakers also shared measurable goals and participation data: the PAC reported a target attendance rate of 90% for all students, noted current regular‑attender levels among identified Native students (reported as roughly 57.1%, 44 of 77 in the PAC dataset) and said outreach aims to identify more students who qualify for Title VI services. The PAC emphasized that the work is ongoing and described stronger family engagement and rising meeting attendance as evidence of progress.

The board thanked the PAC for its work and invited members to upcoming events where board members can observe cultural activities and finishes the exchange by encouraging continued collaboration between PAC leaders and district staff.