We have partnered with the Lake Oswego Sustainability Network (LOSN) to create a questionnaire for the candidates in the May 20 school board election to see where they stand on issues of equity and sustainability. Brian Bill’s answers are copied below, verbatim.
Remember to vote in the May 20 election!
Voters can use the Clackamas County Equity Coalition’s Equity Ratings Guide as a helpful tool for voting with an equity lens.
Candidate: Brian Bills – Incumbent, Position 3
1. Role of Advisory Committees
Advisory committees are most valuable not simply as consultative bodies, but as engines for perspective, systems thinking, and collaborative design. They help board members and administrators remain open-minded and responsive to changing conditions and emerging needs. They offer a structured forum to pilot ideas, test assumptions, and surface blind spots that may not be visible through traditional channels.
The greatest challenge is not outreach—it’s participation. We often receive passionate engagement through public testimony or email, but those same voices are less likely to engage in the slower, more deliberative work of committee service. There is an opportunity here: if we can draw those advocates into the committee process—where ideas are developed, shaped, and stress-tested—we can better connect passion to policy.
2. Addressing Disparities in Educational Outcomes
The reported drop in Hispanic graduation rates is almost entirely driven by charter schools affiliated with the district but not governed or operated by LOSD. When those schools are disaggregated, LOSD’s Hispanic graduation rates remain above 95%. Even so, disparities in learning outcomes for underserved students remain a critical challenge—and one that demands thoughtful innovation, not just concern.
I believe AI can be part of the solution. Academic support resources—like tutors, writing centers, or test prep—are disproportionately accessed by students with more resources and time. Generative AI offers a way to democratize access to these tools, creating 24/7 academic support for all students, regardless of income or background. Through my work on the district’s AI Task Force, and a separate initiative with Ms. Washington, I am committed to exploring how this technology can help close opportunity gaps by scaling support and increasing equity of access.
3. Community-Based Partnerships
I support the district’s ongoing engagement with community-based organizations whose missions align with our values. These partnerships help foster trust, perspective, and accountability. They can amplify our reach and reflect our commitment to shared community goals. While the district’s core mission is to educate students, these relationships strengthen that mission by reinforcing the broader environment in which learning occurs.
4. Sustainability in the Strategic Plan
Sustainability remains a core value across our district. Whether or not it is elevated again as a pillar in the next strategic plan, I expect our work in this space to continue and evolve. The strategic pillars serve as focal points—intended to sharpen attention and accelerate progress. Given the traction we’ve gained around sustainability, we may be able to sustain momentum while also targeting new areas of need. Regardless of structure, I will continue to support sustainability efforts across operations, instruction, and leadership.
5. Ethnic Studies and Curriculum Prioritization
Ethnic Studies plays an important role in developing civic awareness and cross-cultural competency. I’m pleased that LOSD currently integrates these themes across all grade levels in developmentally appropriate ways. I support auditing the current scope and sequence of how these themes appear across the 9–12 curriculum and would welcome the opportunity to offer a more focused elective course for students seeking a deeper exploration.
That said, I do not support requiring a standalone Ethnic Studies course for graduation. As an IEC working with students applying to some of the most competitive college programs in the country, I see firsthand how limited scheduling flexibility can affect opportunity. With recent graduation requirement changes from ODE, mandating an additional course could constrain students’ ability to take AP classes, world languages, or advanced electives aligned with their academic goals. We must be careful not to reduce a student’s access to opportunities in the name of expanding them.
6. Climate Literacy Across Grade Levels
Student voice is powerful, and I’ve been encouraged to see students advocating for more robust climate education. As a parent with children in elementary, middle, and high school, I’ve seen firsthand how our curriculum sparks meaningful dialogue at home. The climate conversations we have at our dinner table are organic, informed, and thoughtful—clear evidence that the work happening in classrooms is already impactful.
At the high school level, LOSD offers several courses that explicitly build climate literacy:
- Sustainability (Grades 9–12) – A project-based course on environmental justice, systems thinking, and climate advocacy.
- AP Environmental Science (Grades 11–12, 10 with approval) – A college-level exploration of ecosystems, resource use, and sustainability practices.
- Ecology and Conservation (Grades 10–12) – A field- and lab-based course on biodiversity, conservation, and climate science.
- Oceanography (Grades 11–12) – A cross-disciplinary course on marine systems, climate interaction, and human impact.
At the middle school level:
- 6th Grade Science introduces weather, climate systems, and foundational environmental concepts.
- 7th Grade Science builds on this with ecology, energy transfer, and environmental systems.
At the elementary level, environmental awareness is introduced early through standards-aligned lessons.
Students may also pursue independent study, sponsored by faculty, to go deeper into sustainability-related topics based on their individual interests. This tiered approach reflects best practices in climate education: systems thinking, interdisciplinary learning, and real-world application.
7. Proactively Supporting BIPOC Students
Combating microaggressions and addressing the needs of BIPOC students cannot be handled transactionally. It requires relational, sustained engagement. That means:
- Creating regular listening opportunities with BIPOC students.
- Offering staff training to better recognize and address microaggressions.
- Embedding responsibility for inclusion into building-level leadership and ongoing school culture work.
We must shift from isolated responses to systemic sensitivity and readiness.
8. Sustainability in Curriculum and Operations
Sustainability should not live in a single classroom or facility—it should permeate both what we teach and how we operate. In addition to integrating sustainability into science, social studies, and CTE, LOSD has demonstrated its commitment through our infrastructure projects, which consistently emphasize energy efficiency, waste reduction, and sustainable design.
Staff professional development is also key to ensuring coherence between what we model and what we teach. Teachers should be equipped to engage with these topics meaningfully, confidently, and in ways that reflect the interdisciplinary nature of sustainability.
9. Bias Reporting and Accountability
For students to report bias, they must believe the system is safe, fair, and functional. That means:
- Transparent and visible reporting processes.
- Clear anti-retaliation policies and meaningful consequences for violations.
- Accountability for school leaders and staff tied to follow-through—not just reporting metrics.
Bias reporting should never feel like a risk. We must ensure students feel protected, heard, and supported throughout the process.
10. Budget Prioritization through Equity and Sustainability
The district budget is more than a financial plan—it’s a reflection of values in action. Where we invest reveals what we prioritize. I apply an equity and sustainability lens to discretionary spending, asking:
- Does this decision remove barriers for students?
- Does it build long-term resilience—for students, schools, or systems?
- Does it align with our strategic values, not just our compliance obligations?
Budgets must serve both the present and the future—and equity and sustainability are foundational to both.