Accessibility at Portland Public Schools

Portland Public Schools is committed to equitable access to all programs, for everyone in our community, regardless of ability. We are working to remove barriers of all kinds throughout the District.

Our schools are key institutions in Portland neighborhoods. Creating environments that elevate the health, dignity, and independence for all is critical to our mission. To that end, the District's Americans with Disabilities Act Transition Plan will guide future investment and establish clear sightlines to achieve full-accessibility. 

Few schools within the PPS portfolio are fully accessible per ADA requirements and the current estimate to bring all sites in alignment with Oregon building code exceeds $100,000,000. PPS is in the process of updating its ADA Transition Plan and is currently engaging community feedback. The ADA Transition Plan update process will consider various options for phasing of improvements.

While the current focus is on barriers in the built environment, the broader communication landscape will be considered here. If you need support of any kind, please see the sidebar to the right for additional resources. District employees seeking accommodation should visit the workplace accommodations page.

ADA Transition Plan

Purpose

The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) is a fundamental civil rights law passed in 1990. The ADA establishes enforceable standards for eliminating discrimination against people with disabilities. This ADA transition plan will outline a strategy for removing physical barriers experienced by people with disabilities through solutions that are both structural and non-structural.

The role of the District’s ADA Transition Plan is to transition facilities into environments that, when viewed collectively, provide practical and meaningful access for individuals with disabilities. In helping fulfill requirements of Title II of the ADA, this document and its active implementation play an important role in meeting the District’s civil rights obligations.

In addition to meeting our legislative requirement, the District is committed to creating environments welcoming for everyone. Through the process of developing this transition plan, we recognize the subtle and often insidious ways the physical environment can shape one’s experience. Universal design and Trauma-Informed Design are powerful guidelines to protect the physical and emotional health of our community. This document will highlight the importance of adopting these practices.