Crisis demands desperate measures

TWO VIEWS • School athletic fields are sacred to some, but Portland school leaders say the sale of ‘surplus’ land could provide critically needed money for classrooms

By Karla Wenzel

The Portland Tribune, Sep 6, 2002, Updated Oct 30, 2009

The Portland school district is in a funding crisis.

Our top priority is educating children, a priority made more difficult by this crisis. More than ever, it is critical that we manage and use school property to put the most resources into the classroom.

The lack of legislative funding has forced deep cuts. Classroom sizes have increased, valuable teachers have been laid off, school days reduced, schools closed, administrative offices closed, programs cut or eliminated, employee health benefits reduced, custodial services contracted out and nearly 300 employees let go Ñ all in the last two budgets alone.

Already this year the board has cut $36 million, or 10 percent of our school’s budget. Even today we are unsure of our funding for the school year. If the Legislature does make up for funds from the governor’s veto in this week’s fifth special session and if the voters do not pass Measure 19 in the Sept. 17 special session, the board could be forced to cut an additional $18 million from our schools.

Knowing the magnitude of the funding crisis, the board is taking steps to find new revenue for education. Both the performance audit four years ago and two citizen task forces since recommended that Portland Public Schools look closely at all of its property assets and seek revenues from those that were not needed to support our core mission of teaching children.

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