Portland Public Schools’ November bond will likely top $1 billion

Published 8:14 am Wednesday, July 15, 2020

The Portland School Board will likely propose voters approve this fall the largest construction bond in the district’s history: $1.14 billion.

The sum includes extensive renovations to North Portland’s Jefferson High School, which district officials and community members say is a promise that’s been overdue to the historically Black Alberta neighborhood.

District officials anticipate it will cost $320 million to tear down and reconstruct much of the building, which dates to 1900 and has suffered from poor renovations and warren-like construction.

The district also proposes spending $22 million to update more than 82 special education classrooms.

Another $60 million would go to updates at schools surrounding Jefferson High to create a so-called Center for Black Student Excellence, developed in conjunction with the Albina Vision Trust.

The district also says it needs $200 million to deliver on construction projects approved by voters in 2017.

District officials came under scrutiny when they discovered the $790 million construction bond would come in about $100 million shy of fully funding a complete rebuild of Kellogg Middle School and Lincoln High and extensive renovations to Benson, Grant and Madison high schools.

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