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Students rally to Save PPS Schools

Joining the Fight to Save Our Schools

Schools are the heart of our communities. Learn more about our union's work to PAUSE school closures across Portland and statewide.

On the first day of school, Portland Public Schools (PPS) Superintendent Dr. Kimberlee Armstrong laid out proposals to close as many as 20 schools across the Portland region. There was an immediate outcry against the plan from educators and community members, who were shocked to learn about the magnitude of potential school closures. Immediately, our members from our local union, PAT, jumped into action to Save Our Schools. 

Since then, Superintendent Armstrong has proposed three options for the Portland Public School Board to consider:

  • Option A: Close 14 schools
  • Option B: Close 11 schools
  • Option C: Pause 

Closing, consolidating, and transforming programs at over 25 schools is a dramatic change. It’s critical that PPS get the process right, which requires slowing down and involving more stakeholders. Students and families deserve a plan to ensure every student has access to a well-resourced high-quality school.  

Closing schools is not a plan, it’s a reaction. Our students deserve better. Families deserve better. Educators deserve better. 

We ask that the district exhaust every available option it has before considering closing schools. And at PAT, we will fight hard to secure quality education funding because students and families deserve high quality, well-resourced neighborhood schools. 

PPS Rally_1

School Closure FAQs for Members

Frequently Asked Questions Related to Proposed School Closures & Consolidations

Join Our Fight to Save Our Schools 

Our neighborhood schools are more than spaces of learning; they are the heart of our communities. Portlanders love their schools—and they are making their voices heard loudly. The energy and enthusiasm behind us are powered by the kind of community organizing we are known for. 

Upcoming Events & Opportunities to Take Action

Students and families deserve robust and vibrant neighborhood schools. Our schools are the centers of our communities. We all agree that the status quo is broken. But closing schools is not a plan for addressing what is broken. Join us at any of the upcoming events to add your voice.
PAT Save Our Schools Summit on 10.27.26

Attend a Save Our Schools Summit

Meet with others parents, families, caregivers, and educators to discuss your vision for strengthening our schools and learn from national experts who've fought back against school closures.
RSVP for a Summit
Less Rushing, More Clarity rally sign

Attend our 11/14 Community March & Rally

Saturday, November 14th | 10a-12p Rain or Shine. Family friendly. Start at Portland Association of Teachers (345 NE 8th Ave, Portland) Across the Burnside Bridge! ~ 1 Mile March.
RSVP to Attend
Educators inside the PPS Board Meeting

Rally Before the 11/17 Board Meeting

Superintendent Armstrong will make her recommendation to the PPS Board on 11/17. Let's get loud ahead of the meeting and show them the power of our movement!
RSVP to Attend

Shared Advocacy

We are not alone in our fight to save our schools. Parent and community groups are organizing in our communities to save our schools from closure. Together, we will secure a pause and build a better future, and a stronger Portland Public Schools community. 

Save PDX Schools

PPS Rally _2

Want to Learn More?

Portland is proposing closing schools, along with many other school districts in Oregon. We are not alone; nationwide school districts are considering closing schools and have done so already. Communities across the country have also successfully pushed back on school closures, like in Minnesota, where the Minneapolis Public School Board voted against transformation plans that would have closed up to 16 schools and merged many others in the next school year. 

 

Students rally outside Sellwood Middle School

Send a Letter to the PPS Board

Send a letter to the Portland school board in about a minute, pushing for a pause to their school closure plan. Add your name once to populate each letter, and customize with your own story.
Oregon Education Association logo

Keeping the Promise of Quality Public Education

The Oregon Education Association (OEA) is a union committed to the cause of providing the basic right of great public education to every student. OEA represents about 41,000 educators working in pre-kindergarten through grade 12 public schools and community colleges. OEA’s membership includes licensed teachers and specialists, classified/education support professionals (ESPs), community college faculty, retired educators, and student members. OEA members also belong to the 3.2 million members of the National Education Association (NEA).
About us
Join OEA

The Oregon Education Association is a state affiliate of the National Education Association (NEA), the nation's largest professional employee organization. NEA has affiliate organizations in every state and in more than 14,000 communities across the United States.

Learn more at NEA.org