Several Portland-area schools face closure
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Several Portland-area school districts are considering closing schools due to low enrollment and budget shortfalls, partly driven by the rise of private charter schools and pandemic-fueled homeschooling.
Why it matters: School closures have well-documented impacts on academic outcomes, but more recent research shows they also can lower housing values, raise crime rates and diminish the social fabric of a neighborhood.
Driving the news: A new task force for the West Linn-Wilsonville School District — located in the southwest suburbs of the Portland metro area — announced it will spend the next several months weighing whether to close three primary schools and consolidate with others.
- Each of the schools — Bolton, Stafford and Cedaroak Park — have fewer than 350 students enrolled. David Pryor, the district's assistant superintendent, told The Oregonian the "sweet spot" is around 400 to 550 students.
- The school district is also facing a $10 million budget deficit this year.
Flashback: A similar debate happened in Beaverton last May, when school district officials floated a plan to close four neighborhood elementary schools in favor of a "mega" school.
- Outrage among parents was swift and the district tabled consolidation discussions and plans to hold a series of community forums for feedback.
Context: Closures are most often driven by district budget shortfalls caused by declining enrollment.
- Enrollment is tied to resource availability for schools — how much money is dedicated per child — but funding varies district to district, per Oregon Department of Education.
- Yes, but: Oregonians are having fewer children and parents have more charter and public school options than ever. This means fewer public school students, and ultimately less per-pupil government funding for districts.
By the numbers: Portland State University researchers found enrollment in Portland Public Schools dropped 6% between 2019 and 2023.
- Meanwhile, enrollment forecasts from PSU demographers project that 20 out of PPS' 45 elementary schools will have fewer than 300 students this school year.
- Enrollment for the 2024-25 school year isn't totaled until next month to allow for fluctuation.
- Plus: PPS' board approved significant cuts to staffing and operations earlier this year to accommodate its $30 million budget deficit.
The big picture: More than 5,000 public schools closed across the U.S. between 2017 and 2022, according to the National Center for Educational Statistics.
- Urban Institute research dating back to 2003 found that closures happened across urban, suburban and rural geographies and socioeconomic statuses.
Threat level: More districts may be forced to close schools after pandemic-era funding, which many institutions used to plug budget holes, expires at the end of this year, the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities cautions.
Go deeper: American school closures can leave "eyesores" and broken community in their wake