Portlanders
demand stable, reliable funding for the city’s public
schools and a responsive and accountable school administration.
Portlanders identify school funding as urgent, and
wonder why financial support for public education continues
to be unstable when the problem is well known by politicians,
local and state government, school districts and community
members alike. They believe that Portland is losing
its cherished family-friendly environment due, in part,
to the school funding crisis and failing schools. Many
respondents demand a solution to this problem, even
if it means tax increases.
Others suspect that school officials are squandering
money rather than seeking and implementing solutions
to the problem. These Portlanders believe that internal
reform of school administration is needed, advocating
for this approach over an increase in funding for public
education.
Many respondents are concerned that low-income families
and children/youth of color bear a disproportionate
burden of the school funding crisis. They assert unequal
distribution of resources leads to failing schools and
higher drop-out rates, and that this inequity needs
to be addressed for all students to have an opportunity
to succeed.
Note: More information
on this subject can be found in Education:
Pre-K-12 Schools, Government:
Spending and Government:
State and Local Taxes.
- Public
schools deserve a stable and reliable source of funding.
- An
increase in school funding is needed to improve the
quality of public education.
- Portland’s schools could
be improved by focusing on internal reform.
- School administration must
be responsive and accountable to the community.
- Financial resources should
be distributed equitably among the city’s schools.
- Do our public schools
need more money or do they need to use presently budgeted
funds more effectively?
- Public
schools deserve a stable and reliable source
of funding.
- Portlanders are in agreement over the need
to provide reliable and stable funding to
the city’s public schools.
- A large number of Portlanders are frustrated
and wary of “quick-fix” solutions and want
a permanent, sustainable, long-term solution
put in place to provide stability to our public
schools.
- Many people are concerned with how the perception
of an unstable school system dissuades parents
from enrolling their children in public schools
and the ripple effect that has on the stability
of the larger education system.
- Many people understand that school funding
is a statewide issue, but call on Portland
to find a solution that works for our city
as well as the rest of the state.
- A small number of people argued that Portlanders
without children should not have to pay for
public schools.
| “The
funding for our schools is a disgrace
and very short-sighted.” |
| “I’m
concerned about the lack of resources
devoted to our public schools. While I
realize this is primarily an issue of
our state-funding mechanism, the instability
or perceived instability of our school
system is a major concern.” |
| “Better
funding of public education. I realize
this is a statewide issue, but maybe Portland
can lead the way in lobbying those elected
officials in Salem in understanding that
to keep Oregon, Portland, beautiful, livable
and desirable we need to provide education
to our children, not just prisons for
our criminals.” |
- Institute a sales tax to fund high
quality public education.
- “Stop bussing – it would save money.”
- “I would like to see someone take a look
at Portland’s schools and the budget for the
schools and complete a search nationwide to
find successful schools with similar financial
footprints – and adopt their successful practices.”
- “Sit down with state leaders, local political
leaders, major funders, the Portland Schools
Foundation and figure out what PPS needs to
be more creative, effective and responsive—to
move from a vision of scarcity to one of opportunities.”
- Repeal Measure 50.
- Keep the “kicker” money and put it to use
supporting schools.
- “We will have a baseball stadium. The rich
will pay for the tickets and the baseball
team will help pay for the education of the
kids.”
- Tax SUVs and high fructose corn syrup.
- Run a series of events—such as City-sponsored
televised fundraisers or student-led projects—to
raise money from the community.
- Tax big businesses to fund social and education
services.
- An
increase in school funding is needed to ensure
educational quality.
- A majority of respondents support an increase
in educational funding as a means to creating
better quality schools.
- People are upset over the general state
of Portland’s public schools, and they identify
the following as specific contributors to
poor school quality and student learning:
- Deteriorated school facilities;
- Large class sizes;
- Inadequate technology;
- Limited resources for students with
disabilities;
- Underpaid teachers;
- Unqualified teachers; and
- Poor library resources.
- If additional funding is allocated to schools,
the administrators must be held accountable
to ensure that these additional funds are
spent in ways that improve student learning.
- Many Portlanders want to identify measurements
to determine the effectiveness of any additional
funding.
| “Without
increased funding not only are the students
deprived of the education they deserve,
but the grounds and buildings do not provide
them with an environment that will make
them feel proud and provide them with
a sense of worth.” |
| “It
is sad that our schools are not funded
properly. I hate reading when schools
have to cut art programs, teaching jobs,
and close schools. There needs to be more
money sent into our schools.” |
- “Educational funding should be
a top priority, and we could demonstrate this
by raising taxes and paying teachers high
salaries as an incentive.”
- Portland’s
schools could be improved by focusing on internal
reform.
- Some people believe that schools could
operate effectively with existing funds if
not for ineffective administrators, massive
organizational inefficiencies, bureaucratic
waste and poor decision-making.
- People also believe that we do not need
as many administrators and that their salaries
are too high.
- Some Portlanders believe that the entire
school administration should be reorganized
and the staffing structure is in need of an
overhaul to make better use of funding.
| “Stop
coming to property owners for bond issues
for schools and other funding problems.
I do not want to pay more when there is
no discussion of waste and corruption.” |
| “[I
want] financial accountability from the
School Board and administration officers.
I believe our school system is top heavy
in upper administration positions.” |
| “I
believe that funding might not need to
be increased, just redistributed. Does
the education board need to be making
what they are when our kids aren’t getting
the education they should?” |
| “I’m
very concerned about the schools, yet
believe the answer lies in changing the
state laws and allocation, not in taxing
Portland residents more. I’ve voted for
every tax levy for schools, but no more.” |
- Cut administration salaries and
reduce the amount of administrative jobs.
- Re-examine the school budget and eliminate
unnecessary administrative costs so the funding
benefits the students directly.
- School
administration must be responsive and accountable
to the community.
- Respondents desire greater accountability
on the part of school administrators for the
financial and operational management of schools
and want higher levels of efficiency and effectiveness
in school administration.
- Community members want to play a greater
role in the school district’s decision-making
process.
- Portlanders insist that school administrators
increase their level of responsiveness to
parents and community members.
| “Hold
the Portland Public School District accountable
for their budget … It is grossly mismanaged.” |
| “The
district needs to listen to the community
and the community needs to hold the district
accountable for the state of Portland’s
public education.” |
| “I
am all in favor of the schools but think
when they get money it is not spent right.
I believe all public funds need to be
accountable.” |
- “Perhaps [we need] a state-wide
rather than locally governed school plan and
administration.”
- Launch an accurate, independent, timely
audit of school district expenditures.
- “[Hold a] public forum/lecture series on
school funding and taxes.” (See Education:
Community Education and Government:
State and Local Taxes)
- Financial
resources should be distributed equitably
among the city’s schools.
- Portlanders want to ensure that every student
is well served by the public education system.
- Portlanders frequently cite the significant
variations in educational resources and quality
among the city’s schools. (See Education:
Pre-K-12 Schools and Urban
Livability: Access).
- Some believe that school choice creates
segregation and damages neighborhood schools,
as many parents choose to transfer their children
to higher performing schools in other neighborhoods.
- Respondents name students of color, low-income
students and non-native English speakers as
children and youth currently underserved by
the public school system.
| “I
would like Portland to address the issue
of fair funding for high schools. As a
native Portlander I find it shameful the
disparity between predominately white
schools and predominately minority schools.” |
| “I
went to a school in NW Portland for eight
years and now go to Grant High School
in NE. The opportunities and activities
that are offered to kids living in wealthy,
‘good school’ neighborhoods are much more
plentiful than the opportunities offered
to kids who live more on the outskirts.
It would be beneficial to Portland if
there were equal opportunities for all
students.” |
| “Poor
neighborhoods have schools with less resources.
The kids who need the most get the least.”
|
| “We
clearly have schools for the haves and
have nots. It is not equal.” |
|
- Do
our public schools need more money or do they need
to use presently budgeted funds more effectively?
Portlanders are generally open to being taxed for
the good of the community and often mention public
schools as something they would financially support.
Throughout this section, respondents urge the State
of Oregon—and even local municipalities—to solve
the school funding crisis by ensuring adequate and
stable tax revenue for education. These respondents
believe that the primary solution to failing schools
is a financial one.
Others, however, are fed up with taxes and school
levies that do not seem to holistically improve
student learning. These Portlanders believe that
schools have enough money, but that much of these
funds are ill spent on bureaucracy and school administration.
A tension arises in considering the call for more
accountability and oversight of school administration
while also reducing administrative expenses and
whether it is possible to do both. A smaller number
of respondents believe that financing public education
should not be borne by the entire community, but
only by those who have school-aged children.
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