Time to Get It Right

Portland Public Schools Are in Crisis and Educators Know What We Can Do to Make Things Better

Our students are in crisis. Our district has a severe staffing shortage.

Every day we’re missing hundreds of teachers, counselors, aides, and support staff, the very professionals our students depend on to help them navigate tough times.

Teachers have worked themselves past the breaking point trying to fill these gaps, but it’s taken a heavy toll. In a recent survey, 1400 PPS teachers said they are considering leaving PPS or taking a leave of absence.

This system is not sustainable and we need to act.

Portland teachers want to make sure we can maintain in-person instruction and ensure a stable school year for all our students.

But if we want to stabilize PPS and keep experienced teachers in the district, we need to take action.

And more than anything, this means giving teachers the TIME we need to work with students who are struggling, and to address our students’ unprecedented social and emotional needs.

What we believe:

Students deserve classroom instruction that meets their current needs

Time for educators to adapt instruction to meet post-CDL student needs
Time for educators to give feedback to students and families
Time for educators to collaborate with SpEd, ELL, Social Workers and content teams

Students deserve all available PPS resources directly addressing their needs

Temporarily remove job duties that do not immediately have an impact on student learning

Students deserve schools that are safe, secure, and that focus on the whole child

Time for school staff to work together on school climate, to create an environment that is safe and supportive of student learning
Pivot central office support to filling in for para-educator vacancies and absences when possible