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.
|
