Jefferson High to absorb more students in PPS rezoning

• Officials have previously said the option led to steep enrollment drops at Jefferson, a historically Black high school in Albina. Meanwhile, getting rid of dual enrollment has drawn skepticism and pushback from parents who argue Jefferson may not be able to offer a wide range of academic programming.

The latest: Now, nearly all students from Harriet Tubman and Ockley Green middle schools, plus Vernon K-8 and Faubion PK-8, will be assigned to Jefferson.

• The shift would also funnel students from several nearby elementary schools — Beach, Chief Joseph, Boise-Eliot/Humboldt, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Sabin and Woodlawn schools — into Jefferson's attendance zone.
• Yes, but: Those attending Peninsula Elementary or Beach's Spanish dual-language immersion cohort would go to Roosevelt while those who had attended Irvington Elementary would go to Grant.

Between the lines: Jefferson is slated to undergo a $465 million retrofit starting this spring, with a new building — featuring seismic upgrades, a new theater and improvements to the school's track and athletic field — expected to be completed in 2029.

By the numbers: Jefferson enrolls fewer than 400 students this year, while Grant, Roosevelt and McDaniel each have roughly 1,400 to 2,200, per the Oregonian.

The bottom line: PPS is betting rezoning can stabilize Jefferson. Superintendent Kimberlee Armstrong said the school will eventually be able to meet or exceed elective offerings at other PPS high schools — a common sticking point among parents.

• The resolution passed Tuesday also funds two additional staff position through the 2030-31 school year to support that goal.