New Portland Public Schools Superintendent Kimberlee Armstrong visits teacher Lionel Clegg's first-grade classroom on the first day of school at Woodlawn Elementary, northeast Portland, Ore., Aug 27, 2024. Armstrong says that, while the district has faced struggles, "when I walk through these doors, I see excitement and passion."
Anna Lueck / OPB
Portland Public Schools Superintendent Kimberlee Armstrong announced this week the district may need to close five to 10 of its 74 elementary, K-8, middle and alternative schools by the fall of 2027. Steadily declining student enrollment and rising costs are tied to the funding crunch, which amounts to $50 million for the next 2026-2027 academic year. And now, the district recently discovered a $10 million dollar budget gap for this year. The district is moving forward with staff cuts and other reductions to shore up the current budget by June 30. We sit down with Armstrong to get more financial details and what she sees as the way forward.
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