2 Portland Public Schools board members pitch alternatives to closing 14 schools

Key Points:

• Two Portland Public Schools board members, Christy Splitt and Stephanie Engelsman, are proposing alternatives to the district's plan to close up to 14 schools, with Splitt suggesting closing only six elementary schools and Engelsman recommending various adjustments to the district's scenarios.
• Splitt's "Scenario D" focuses on addressing current underenrollment by closing six small elementary schools while sparing others and delaying broader changes, including maintaining multiple Spanish dual language immersion programs instead of consolidating them.
• Engelsman proposes several specific changes, such as keeping Skyline K-8 students assigned to Lincoln High School, retaining middle schoolers at Sunnyside Environmental School, starting focus option schools in second grade, and not closing schools with recent significant bond-funded improvements.
• Both board members have expressed concerns about the timing and scale of the district’s original proposals, with Engelsman advocating for extending the decision timeline beyond December to allow more community input and legislative advocacy.
• Superintendent Kimberlee Armstrong is open to modifications but has not committed to incorporating these suggestions; the final recommendation to the board is due Nov. 17, with community feedback sessions ongoing and the board’s next meeting scheduled for Tuesday night.