2026-10-06 Board of Education's Annual Ethics Training

The PPS Board of Education’s annual ethics training, held October 7, 2026, covered Oregon government ethics, public meetings, public records, and student privacy under FERPA. Legal counsel reviewed potential and actual conflicts of interest, restrictions on using public office for financial benefit, gift limits and exceptions, and the need to disclose conflicts. The training also addressed public-meeting requirements, including quorum, deliberation, serial communications, and the distinction between informational sessions and decision-making discussions. Counsel noted a 2025 legal change concerning conflicts in budget adoption and referred board members to Oregon Government Ethics Commission and district resources.

The discussion concluded with guidance on public-records requests and protecting student information, including caution against sharing student-related information through personal accounts or tools such as ChatGPT. No contracts, vendors, purchasing decisions, procurement-related votes, or spending action items were identified; the meeting was training rather than a procurement or budget-approval session.