As Portland Public Schools prepares for the 2025-26 school year, the district must find ways to save tens of millions of dollars, potentially resulting in the elimination of approximately 230 positions. Cutting $40 million is a formidable challenge, but district leaders recognize it as a necessity.
The district’s budget heavily relies on the level of investment state lawmakers make in the State School Fund during the current legislative session, which began earlier this week. Superintendent Guadalupe Guerrero has already acknowledged the need for substantial reductions. School districts throughout Oregon have been grappling with budget constraints, and Portland, the largest district in the state, is no exception. Guerrero aims to initiate discussions about next year’s budget now to enhance transparency and better assess available options.
The proposed cuts remain in draft form and will be presented to the PPS school board this spring. If implemented, the plan would result in a reduction of about 230 positions across the district. The proposal includes $12.2 million in cuts from the district’s central office, affecting expenditures on travel, professional development, and security, among other areas. This would lead to the elimination of 23 positions within the central office.
Programs that serve multiple school levels would face the most significant reductions, totaling over $17.1 million, primarily impacting licensed supplemental staff. This group includes instructional coaches, interventionists, social-emotional support workers, and school site instructors.
While the district has not provided extensive details on the specific impacts at individual schools, it anticipates cuts across various levels:
– Elementary schools would see a reduction of $2.5 million
– Middle schools would face a $2.4 million cut
– K-8 schools would be reduced by $1.2 million
– High schools would experience a $4.9 million decrease
Additionally, specialized programs, particularly those focused on English language development, would incur cuts totaling $1 million. Altogether, these proposed adjustments aim to save the district approximately $41.3 million.
