2014 National Convening Skills Presenations Portland Plan | Page 48

THE PORTLAND PLAN

Thriving Educated Youth

Element 4

Facilities and programs that
meet 21st century opportunities
and challenges
To be prepared for a
globally competitive and
entrepreneurial workforce,
students need opportunities
and support to be strong
critical thinkers, technically
savvy, and to excel in core
subjects. Evidence points
to the importance of access
to arts, music, physical and
environmental education,
training and professional
development as well as
options that focus on
innovation, creativity and
entrepreneurship.

Guiding Policies
Enable educational and community
facilities to serve multiple purposes
T-16 and generations, coordinate and
leverage public capital funds,
and build a sense of community
ownership.
Operate more efficiently, predictably
and in a more cost-effective
T-17 manner through intergovernmental
agreements among the City of
Portland, government agencies and
school districts.
Support legislative efforts in Salem
to reform education funding in
T-18 Oregon, to improve the ongoing
maintenance of our school facilities,
and to correct recent economic
pressures affecting necessary
maintenance over time.

While the focus of this strategy is on improving student success, much of
the technology and many of our educational facilities are not up to the task.
Across the city, students attend school in buildings with inadequate heating,
cooling and ventilation systems. The buildings need upgrades for earthquake
preparedness; and many lack accessibility for students, staff and visitors with
disabilities. Many East Portland schools are severely overcrowded.

Support curricula and educational
opportunities that foster creativity
T-19 and critical thinking to prepare
students for a workforce that is
globally competitive, entrepreneurial
and responsive to economic change.

Rehabilitation of the city’s historic school buildings needs to be accomplished
in ways that respect these buildings as beloved, integral parts of the
character and identity of Portland’s neighborhoods. Innovative and adaptive
reuse can help maintain these treasured buildings as anchors in the
community and as models of sustainability and resource stewardship for
generations of students — and community members — to come.

Design facilities and programs to
flexibly adapt to changes in teaching
T-20 approaches and technology over
time, and equitably address the
needs of learners of different abilities
and learning styles.

School districts face longstanding problems in raising funds for
building improvements. While state funds are available for teaching and
administration, building (capital) investments and regular maintenance and
energy upgrades are dependent on local funding. The ability of local districts
to raise the funds often does not match the need.

Utilize school grounds and facilities
as greenspaces, community gardens,
T-21 playgrounds and other physical
activity resources for neighborhoods
with little or no other access to
greenspaces.

Breaking out of this bind requires new ideas and methods for how we
share, combine and leverage local sources of funding. For instance, there
may be ways to meet the school facility needs in fast growing areas such
as the Central City and East Portland through sharing finance or facilities
among local governments and institutions. Progress also requires longerterm changes at the state level. For instance, state law could be changed to
require annual investments in facility improvements, including accessibility
renovations for ADA compliance, similar to the approach taken in the State of
Washington.

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Provide accessibility for students,
staff and visitors with disabilities
T-22 by incorporating universal design
practices into new and rehabilitated
school facilities.

April 2012 | www.pdxplan.com