The lights didn't just dim; for some students in Oregon’s Washington County, they went out entirely. You’ve probably heard the rumblings if you live in the Tualatin Valley. Parents are frustrated. Students are showing up to school board meetings with protest signs. Teachers are quietly updating their resumes. The Hillsboro School District theater program cuts aren't just a line item on a budget spreadsheet—they represent a fundamental shift in how one of Oregon's largest school districts values the arts versus "core" academics.
It sucks. Honestly, there is no other way to put it when you're a high school junior who finally found their "people" in the drama department, only to find out the faculty advisor who kept the whole thing running is being reassigned or let go.
The real story behind the Hillsboro School District theater program cuts
Money is tight. That's the official line. Like many districts across the Pacific Northwest, Hillsboro (HSD) has been staring down a massive budget deficit. We are talking about tens of millions of dollars. The culprit? It's a messy cocktail of expiring COVID-19 relief funds (ESSER), declining enrollment as families move further out or choose private options, and the skyrocketing cost of just keeping the heat on in old buildings.
When the district looks to trim the fat, the arts often end up on the chopping block first. It feels "extra." To a bureaucrat, a theater program is an elective. To a kid who struggles with social anxiety but finds their voice playing a lead role in The Crucible, it’s a lifeline.
The Hillsboro School District theater program cuts haven't hit every school the same way, which almost makes it worse. It’s inconsistent. Some schools are seeing their drama teacher positions reduced to part-time. Others are losing the funding that pays for the technical directors who make sure the lighting rigs don't fall on anyone's head. When you cut the staff, you cut the shows. When you cut the shows, you lose the ticket revenue. It’s a death spiral.
Why this is happening in Hillsboro specifically
Hillsboro isn't some tiny rural town. It’s the heart of the "Silicon Forest." You’d think with Intel and all these tech giants in the backyard, the tax base would be overflowing. But property tax laws in Oregon, specifically Measure 5 and Measure 50, put a serious cap on how much of that wealth actually reaches the classroom.
The district is forced to make "reallocations." That’s a fancy word for taking money from the stage and putting it into the cafeteria or the bus barn.
HSD serves over 18,000 students. That’s a lot of mouths to feed and a lot of brains to educate. In recent budget cycles, the administration has prioritized keeping class sizes low in K-3 and maintaining special education services. Nobody argues those aren't important. They are vital. But the trade-off is the "soul" of the high school experience.
The ripple effect on the community
Think about the last time you went to a high school play. It wasn't just about the kids on stage. It was the parents selling concessions. It was the local hardware store donating wood for the sets. It was the retired neighbor who came just to see something live and local.
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The Hillsboro School District theater program cuts have basically gutted that ecosystem. When a program loses its full-time lead, the quality of the productions inevitably slips. You can't ask a math teacher to "just wing it" as a theater director after school for a $2,000 stipend. It’s a full-time job that requires 60-hour weeks during production month.
I’ve talked to parents at Century High and Liberty High who are terrified that their kids won't have the "thespian" credits they need for college applications. It’s a valid fear. Selective universities look for well-rounded students, and a four-year commitment to a theater department shows exactly the kind of grit and collaboration they want.
What the district says vs. what's actually happening
If you read the official HSD budget documents, they’ll tell you they are "optimizing resources." They’ll point to the fact that theater classes still exist on the course catalog.
But there is a massive difference between "Theater 101" being taught in a classroom and a fully-funded theater program that produces three mainstage shows a year. The cuts are often "stealth cuts." They don't always fire the teacher; they just make it impossible for the teacher to do the extra work required to put on a show. They remove the "extended responsibility" pay. Without that pay, the teacher can't justify staying until 9:00 p.m. for rehearsals.
- Result A: Shows get canceled.
- Result B: Shows become "student-led," which sounds great in theory but often lacks the professional guidance needed for safety and technical excellence.
- Result C: Parents are asked to foot the bill via "participation fees" that can reach hundreds of dollars, effectively pricing out low-income students.
It's sorta heartbreaking to see a district that prides itself on equity making moves that clearly favor schools in wealthier neighborhoods where the "Boosters" can raise $50,000 to save a program. In the more diverse, lower-income pockets of Hillsboro, if the district doesn't pay for it, it doesn't happen.
Acknowledging the "other side"
Look, the school board isn't the villain in a Disney movie. They are mostly volunteers trying to solve a puzzle where the pieces don't fit. If they don't cut theater, they might have to cut a counselor. Or a librarian. Or a varsity sport.
There is a loud contingent of people who think school should be "reading, writing, and 'rithmetic" and nothing else. They argue that if kids want to do drama, they should go to a private community theater. But that ignores the fact that for many Hillsboro kids, the school bus is their only transportation. If it doesn't happen during or immediately after school, they can't participate. Period.
The "Silicon Forest" paradox
There’s this weird irony that Hillsboro is home to some of the most creative engineering minds in the world, yet the schools are cutting the very programs that teach "outside the box" thinking.
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Ask any hiring manager at Intel or Genentech what they look for. It’s not just someone who can code. It’s someone who can communicate. Someone who can stand in front of a group and present an idea. Someone who can collaborate with a diverse team under pressure. That is exactly what theater teaches. You learn how to fail, how to pivot, and how to project confidence even when you're terrified.
By pushing through these Hillsboro School District theater program cuts, the district might be saving a few pennies today while costing their students a huge competitive advantage in the future job market.
What happened to the "Student Success Act"?
Oregonians were promised that the Corporate Activity Tax (CAT) under the Student Success Act would fix this. We were told the money would flow into "well-rounded education."
It did flow. But inflation ate it. The cost of health insurance for teachers and the PERS (Public Employees Retirement System) obligations are like a giant vacuum cleaner sucking up every new dollar that comes from Salem. Hillsboro is getting more money than it used to, but it’s spending way more just to stay in the same place.
The path forward for Hillsboro theater
Is it all doom and gloom? Not necessarily. We've seen some incredible grassroots movement lately.
The Hillsboro Schools Foundation is trying to bridge some gaps, but they can't fund an entire department. The real change is going to have to come from the state legislature in Salem or a massive shift in how HSD prioritizes its general fund.
Some parents are advocating for a "local option levy." This would be a specific tax that stays in Hillsboro and goes directly to staffing. It’s a tough sell when people are already struggling with grocery prices, but it might be the only way to "firewall" the arts from future budget raids.
If you are a parent or a student caught in the middle of the Hillsboro School District theater program cuts, you feel like you're shouting into a void. But these districts do respond to pressure. They respond to packed board rooms. They respond to data showing that students in the arts have higher attendance rates and better graduation outcomes.
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Actionable steps for concerned residents
If you actually want to do something about this, don't just vent on Facebook.
First, get your hands on the actual budget. It’s public record. Look at the "Administrative" vs. "Instructional" spending. If the district is adding six-figure diversity consultants or "curriculum specialists" while firing drama teachers, that’s a data point you can use.
Second, show up to the budget committee meetings. Most people only show up to the general board meetings. The budget committee is where the actual math happens. That’s where you can ask, "Why is the theater program being cut by 40% while the athletic department is seeing a 2% increase?"
Third, support the boosters. If your school has a drama booster club, join it. Even if you don't have a kid in the program. $20 and two hours of your time volunteering at a car wash makes a difference.
Lastly, talk to your state representatives. The "Hillsboro problem" is really an "Oregon funding problem." Until the state fixes how it calculates school stability, we are going to be back in this same position every two years.
The Hillsboro School District theater program cuts are a symptom of a larger sickness in how we fund public education. We’re treating the arts like a luxury when, for the students involved, they are a necessity. A school without a stage is just a building with desks. And the kids in Hillsboro deserve better than just a building. They deserve a place to shine.
To move the needle on this issue, focus your efforts on these specific areas:
- Attend the HSD Budget Committee sessions: These meetings usually happen in the spring (April and May). This is the only time the public can legally influence the "Proposed Budget" before it becomes the "Adopted Budget."
- Email the School Board directly: Use specific examples of how the theater program has impacted your child’s mental health or academic success. General complaints are easy to ignore; specific stories are not.
- Demand Transparency on PERS costs: Ask the district to clearly outline how much of the "cut" is due to mandatory pension contributions versus actual local program costs.
- Partner with local businesses: Encourage Hillsboro’s tech sector to sponsor specific productions or "adopt" a theater department to cover the costs of technical directors or equipment.
The goal isn't just to complain about the cuts; it's to make the cost of cutting these programs higher than the cost of keeping them.