Rightsizing the Right Way: Portland Families Fight to Center Equity in School Choice as the District Faces School Closures
Portland Public Schools’ school choice system funnels millions of public dollars away from neighborhood schools into specialized programs that concentrate resources and privilege. When the district announced a “rightsizing” process to address declining enrollment and budget deficits by closing (mostly) neighborhood schools, a network of equity-focused parents came together to argue that PPS’ school choice policies are a root cause of disinvestment in neighborhood schools and the communities they serve — and to advocate for making all neighborhood schools places families want to choose.