No one willingly enters a minefield unless there’s no other way to reach safer ground. Portland families should remember that as Portland Public Schools Superintendent Kimberlee Armstrong navigates the explosive terrain of school closures.
This isn’t where anyone wants to be. But PPS has been losing students for years, with enrollment expected to decline another 15% by 2039, as The Oregonian/OregonLive’s Julia Silverman reported.
Many schools across the district have far too few students to afford the staff and services that students in each building need. Schools have combined fourth and fifth graders into single classrooms and spread librarians, art and gym teachers across multiple schools. At the same time, PPS’ costs continue to soar, forcing layoffs and other cuts for four years running — with another $65 million deficit projected for the year ahead…