Corvallis School Board unanimously adopts resolution expanding protections for undocumented students

The Corvallis School District Board of Directors adopted Resolution No. 26-0102 at its Jan. 15, 2026 meeting, updating the district's 2016 policy to align with current state and federal guidance on immigration-enforcement interactions. Co-Vice Chair Terese Jones moved adoption and Director Bernie Wang seconded; the motion passed unanimously, 7-0.

The resolution expands the policy's scope to explicitly cover all district property and additional enforcement agencies, including U.S. Customs and Border Protection, assigns compliance responsibilities to volunteers, centralizes where enforcement requests must be directed to avoid isolating school-level staff, mandates annual reviews of processes, and empowers the Superintendent to implement trauma-informed communication protocols to protect student well-being. Chair Luhui Whitebear noted a clerical correction to the agenda earlier in the meeting and then read the adopted resolution aloud after the vote.

Community members who spoke during public comment praised the measure. Catalina Contreras-Colin, a district parent and advocate, described the resolution as a vital "lifeline" for immigrant families facing enforcement threats. Board members indicated the policy update is intended to reduce frontline staff burden and clarify legal and procedural responsibilities districtwide.

The formal motion language in the minutes records the motion as moved by Co-Vice Chair Terese Jones and seconded by Director Bernie Wang. The board's roll-call vote recorded seven yeas and zero nays; the action is entered in the district records as Resolution No. 26-0102 and will be posted in the archived 2025-26 board records.