September 15, 2026
Portland Public Schools Board of Education — September 15, 2026 Regular Meeting
5 decisions explained in plain language. 2 more are being checked.
Districtwide
Update on school construction paid for by Portland school bonds
District staff gave the board a progress report on school building projects paid for by voter-approved bonds from 2012, 2017, 2020 and 2025.
Decision: No vote: this was an update to the board.
Detalles
New buildings for Jefferson High School and Cleveland High School are under construction, and Ida B. Wells High School is in design, with a groundbreaking set for November 13. Students at all three are expected to move into new buildings in the 2029-30 school year.
Who it affects: Students, families and staff at schools getting new buildings, repairs, earthquake upgrades, new roofs, sports fields or classroom technology.
Money: Total budgets: Jefferson High School $466,007,500; Cleveland High School $472,553,760; Ida B. Wells High School $449,350,000; Grice-Adair Center for Educational Excellence $60,000,000. Summer 2026 work included $29.4 million for roofing and earthquake upgrades and $16 million for other building repairs. The 2025 bond has about $1.72 billion left to spend. About $512 million of the 2020 bond is still to be scheduled. The district says its project management firm, PROCEDEO, found $20,839,680 in savings, compared with $6.4 million in fees paid to it so far.
Next: Groundbreaking for the new Ida B. Wells High School is scheduled for November 13. The Jackson Middle School multi-use field is expected to be finished in spring 2027.
School board hears how Portland Public Schools will judge school closure and merger options
Staff explained how they will measure options for "rightsizing," which means changing which schools exist, their sizes and boundaries because many schools are under-enrolled.
Decision: No vote: this was an update to the board. Staff said no decision was requested.
Detalles
They showed the measures they will use, like school size, distance from home and which schools feed into which, plus an equity review for every option. Staff said that for eight years, money has been taken from high schools to support under-enrolled elementary, K-8 and middle schools.
Who it affects: Students, families and staff across Portland Public Schools, especially those in small schools or in schools that send students to more than one next-level school.
Next: Community sessions at Faubion PK-8 on September 19 at 11 a.m. and Ida B. Wells High School on September 30 at 6 p.m. Options will be released in October with more feedback events. The superintendent will recommend a plan and the board is set to vote in November or December 2026, with changes starting in the 2027 school year.
Board discusses asking for a review of central office leadership structure
A draft resolution would direct the superintendent to study how many people each central office leader manages, called a "span of control" assessment.
Decision: No vote: this was a discussion of a draft resolution. The board would vote on it at a later meeting.
Detalles
The draft says rising costs and falling enrollment mean the district should check that money goes first to students. Findings would be reported to the board at a public meeting by December 2, 2026.
Who it affects: Leaders and staff in the district's central office, and students and families if resources are shifted.
Next: If passed, the superintendent would report findings to the board at a public meeting no later than December 2, 2026.
Board discusses draft plan to cut costs as enrollment falls
A board member, Engelsman, drafted a resolution asking the superintendent to save money and find new funding.
Decision: No vote: this was a discussion of a draft resolution. The board would need to vote on it at a later meeting for it to take effect.
Detalles
Ideas include a hiring freeze on unfilled jobs until at least January 2027, no cost-of-living raise for salaries over $200,000, and cutting outside contracts not paid for by bonds by at least 10%. It also asks the district to look for empty properties to sell or lease, review top management jobs, and seek money from the City of Portland, The Fund for PPS and local businesses.
Who it affects: District staff, especially job seekers and employees earning over $200,000, plus students and families served by district programs.
Money: Proposes cutting outside contracting not paid for by bonds by at least 10% and freezing cost-of-living raises for salaries over $200,000.
Specific places or groups
School board votes on paying about $210,000 to settle a claim
This resolution lets Portland Public Schools pay $209,999.98 to settle a disputed claim.
Decision: The board was scheduled to vote at its September 15, 2026 meeting. The result will be in the minutes, which are not published yet.
Detalles
The district's contracted lawyer must approve the final agreement. The material does not say who made the claim or what it was about.
Who it affects: The person or group who made the claim against the district. The material does not name them.
Money: $209,999.98 paid by the district to resolve a disputed claim.
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