1. What's the Problem?

PPS is losing students — down 7% since 2019, with elementary schools losing nearly 20% of enrollment. Meanwhile, Portland's rich charter and private schools scoop up families while public schools have budget holes and empty classrooms. Why?

• Skyrocketing housing costs push families out of city limits.

• City livability and safety issues make families afraid to stay.

• Private schools and charters actively recruit families fed up with PPS's instability.

• Portland's birth rate has declined sharply over the past twenty years, meaning fewer babies are becoming kindergarteners.

• And the cherry on top? Multnomah County's "Preschool for All" tax is failing — overpromising free preschool but underdelivering.

2. What Will PPS Do About It?

✅ Fix "Preschool for All" or Demand the Money Back

PPS won't sit quietly while $260 million yearly in taxes for "Preschool for All" (PFA) gets flushed down the drain. PPS will:

• Demand an immediate seat expansion plan from Multnomah County — guaranteeing enough spots for all PPS-bound families.

• Condition PPS's public support for Preschool for All guarantees that children served by PFA transition directly into PPS kindergarten — no pipeline to private schools.

• If County officials refuse to reform it? PPS will formally demand that a portion of PFA funds be redirected directly to PPS-operated pre-K partnerships in existing elementary schools so families have neighborhood-based public options, not promises in the wind.

✅ Pass a "Family-First Housing" Resolution

PPS will demand that Portland City Council require all new developments near PPS schools to include affordable family-sized housing (2+ bedrooms), not just luxury studios. There will be no new development tax breaks unless families can live there.

✅ Block New Urban Renewal Schemes That Gut School Revenue

PPS will refuse to sign off on new Tax Increment Financing (TIF) districts or Urban Renewal Areas (URAs) that don't directly contribute to stabilizing families and funding schools. If the city tries to create a new developer giveaway zone? PPS will take them to court and fight it in the public square.

✅ Launch "Stay Here" Family Stability Grants

Instead of letting families get priced out and take their kids (and school funding) with them, PPS will:

• Propose a new city ordinance or ballot measure to create "Family Stability Grants" funded by corporate housing taxes, giving working- and middle-class families with PPS-enrolled kids direct housing stipends to stay in the district.

• Target these grants to areas with the worst enrollment losses.

✅ Fight for Universal Pre-K that Actually Works

If Metro and Multnomah County can't fix "Preschool for All," PPS will lead the charge to pressure the Oregon Legislature to fund statewide, universal, fully operational pre-K programs tied directly to public schools — not privatized, inaccessible nonsense. PPS will demand state lawmakers rewrite pre-K funding rules to ensure public schools (like PPS) can be guaranteed providers with accountability and enrollment pipelines.

✅ Aggressive Private School Recapture Campaign

PPS will:

• Launch an "Enroll in Excellence" campaign to showcase public schools' programs that beat or match elite private options:

  • Dual-language immersion

  • IB and AP pathways

  • CTE, STEM, and arts programs

• Publicize annual "Competitive Edge" reports, naming private schools and showing how PPS outperforms them regarding equity, teacher quality, and extracurricular offerings.

• Hold "Come Back to PPS" showcase nights directly at private schools and charter competitor sites.

✅ Zero Tolerance for Unsafe School Zones

PPS will demand that the city clear dangerous camps and ensure that school zones are safe and accessible. No family will enroll in a school to which they're afraid to send their child.

• Public demands for safety response plans from the city around every school in trouble.

• Regular school-community safety audits are released to the public.

3. When Will PPS Do This?

📅 Immediate (2025)

• Enact board resolutions and public campaigns.

• Force reform of Preschool for All.

• Block or litigate new TIF/URA schemes.

• Launch the first wave of "Come Back to PPS" events.

📅 Short-Term (2026)

• Roll out Family Stability Grants.

• Begin targeted affordable housing developments near schools.

• Expand pre-K partnerships in PPS elementary schools (if PFA reform fails).

📅 Medium-Term (2027 and beyond)

• Full integration of effective pre-K programs linked to PPS.

• Annual reporting on recaptured enrollment and improved family retention.