What If Disruption Is the Point? Understanding Portland’s School Closures in the Context of a National Push to Restructure Public Education
As Portland Public Schools considers closing up to 14 schools and restructuring many more next year through its “rightsizing” initiative prompted by declining enrollment, critics have voiced their concerns in public meetings, discussion forums, and through news media. Community members and educators alike are asking why shifts affecting 8,000+ students must happen all at once and so soon rather than using a phased approach or alternative solutions, what specifically students will gain from the promised "well-resourced" schools, how much the plan will cost, what will happen to the empty buildings, and whether the disruption of dozens of communities, including families at receiving and restructured schools, is worth it. Many key questions about reasoning, process, costs and benefits remain unanswered. The lack of transparency is contributing to families experiencing significant uncertainty, with some considering leaving the city for other districts or learning options,...
