School is back in session for students in Oregon’s largest district as Portland Public Schools continues its $1.3 billion building renovation campaign.
Grant High School students are back in their new Northeast Portland building after two years of renovations. The modernized school will feature a new athletic building and a teen parent clinic.
But parents and community members remain concerned about the lack of a dedicated softball field in the renovation. District representatives say the plan is for the softball team to use the multipurpose Grant Bowl, property of Portland Parks, nearby.
Now it's time for Madison High students to move into the old Marshall High campus in Southeast Portland, where they will stay for two years.
Representatives for the district say construction on Lincoln will begin later this year. Staff and students will remain in the building during this time.
Construction on a brand-new Kellogg Middle School building started this summer, with plans to open the school in fall 2021.
As construction on new projects continues, parents have raised concerns about the district's first new high school in decades – Roosevelt High, which re-opened to students in 2016.
District leaders have shared plans to add aspects of the school design that didn’t make it into implementation, including expanded space for career technical education and science labs.
The district plans to fund the update from $500,000 in 2012 bond funds and $4.5 million from Construction Excise Taxes. But the district is behind in its timeline.
As OPB previously reported, students and teachers had also found problems with another high school that was rebuilt with voter-approved bond funds, Franklin High.
As PPS continues to work on new buildings, they’ll be using $5 million from the 2017 bond to install security equipment in all schools. that work is set to be complete by the spring.
What Else Is New At PPS?
There will be 24 new principals in Portland Public Schools this year. PPS Superintendent Guadalupe Guerrero has said the district is working to better support school leaders this year.
As with every other district, PPS will deal with preparation for Student Success Act funds and how to prioritize spending. About $500 million will be going to school districts as part of the state's dedicated investment to mental health and to reduce academic disparities for underserved student groups.
According to ODE, districts should be spending September and October engaging communities before submitting a plan to the state outlining needs and how they'll address them.
The districts are slated to receive funds from the account ahead of the Fall 2020 school year.
PPS will spend the next several months reaching out to voters, ahead of possible renewal in November, of a five-year renewal of its local option levy. The levy funds teaching positions at schools across the district.
And next year, the district plans to ask voters to pass another construction bond to continue efforts to modernize its aging school buildings.
