Portland schools face $56M budget shortfall

State of play: Superintendent Kimberlee Armstrong presented her $2.7 billion budget proposal for the 2026-27 school year to the school board this week.

• Her budget recommends eliminating 112 school-based full-time employees, 101 in specialized programs, 74 in the central office and 48 in building support, Willamette Week reported.

Follow the money: The deficit is largely due to declining enrollment, rising costs and limited revenue, according to the district.

• Armstrong also said the district was likely to face a $65 million deficit in the 2027-28 school year, despite cutting more than $115 million since 2023-24.

What they're saying: "This is a fragile budget, we have limited reserves, we have little flexibility. Every dollar matters, every decision matters, and we are taking steps to reset our system," Armstrong said, per OPB.

Flashback: The district already instituted furlough days to close an unforeseen budget gap last month.

What's next: Armstrong said she will continue to engage with parents at the school level and the board will vote on the budget later this spring.