Attendees pack inside a Portland Public School Board meeting about closing up to 14 schools, at Dr. Matthew Prophet Education Center in Portland, Ore., on Oct. 6, 2026.
Eli Imadali / OPB
Oregon Gov. Tina Kotek wants Portland Public Schools to take its time as leaders weigh a flurry of school closures — but she stopped short of saying the district should retract its plans altogether.
Kotek, who is running for re-election, said in a Tuesday letter to Superintendent Kimberlee Armstrong and School Board Chair Eddie Wang that district families have expressed “shock,” “disappointment” and “confusion” in response to the district’s proposed plans to close up to 14 schools.
She said families in the district deserve to know the factors and trade-offs that come with the decision.
“I urge you to take the time to work through these challenging discussions with transparency, accessibility, and listening through authentic engagement,” Kotek wrote. “Taking the time to get this right is not a delay in making difficult decisions, but rather an essential part of the commitment to community partnership.”
But leaders say the district is running out of time to make the appropriate changes to schools, boundaries and programs. The district — Oregon’s largest — has been beset by financial problems that its leaders blame largely on rising personnel costs and declining enrollment. It’s weighing two different options, each of which could affect more than 7,000 students.
In a statement first sent to The Oregonian/OregonLive, a district spokesperson said it plans to hold regular listening sessions in the coming weeks, adding leaders are “expanding those efforts to give families, students and staff additional opportunities to share their perspectives.”
“We are listening and taking action to ensure community voices help inform the decisions ahead,” spokesperson Valerie Feder said.
Kotek said, “Confusion about the process is not something that we should accept. That is why the district must take the necessary time for families to understand and adequately weigh in before decisions are made.”
Families are trying to stop the closure plans, accusing leaders of rushing a process that is poised to reshape the district. Their concerns come as education becomes a core issue in this year’s gubernatorial race.
Kotek is facing off in a tight race with her political rival, Republican state Sen. Christine Drazan, who has said the district needs to try to keep its schools open.
Related: Kotek, Drazan square off in final debate of governor’s race
In a Wednesday press release, Drazan said: “Taxpayers have invested millions in some of these schools through voter-approved bonds, and parents deserve to know whether closures will actually deliver meaningful savings.”
“Declining enrollment is part of a much bigger problem. Homelessness, public safety concerns, rising costs and a struggling economy are making Portland and communities across Oregon less attractive places to live and raise a family,” Drazan said. “As governor, I’ll restore livability, rebuild our economy and bring families back to Oregon. We need to fill our classrooms, not close them.”
