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 health, dignity, and independence for all is critical to our mission. To that end, the District's Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Transition Plan will guide future investment and establish an approach to achieve facility accessibility. 

Few schools within the PPS portfolio are accessible on all levels in alignment with ADA requirements. The estimate to bring all sites into compliance with the code is nearly $200,000,000. The PPS ADA Transition Plan was updated and includes a timeline for barrier removal and multi-level access work planned for implementation across four phases of construction. Phases I and II are currently underway as part of the voter-approved 2020 bond: ADA 2020 bond projects. Phases III and IV are anticipated for 2025-2032, contingent on funding approval.

For accessibility questions, please contact the PPS Department for Civil Rights. District employees seeking accommodation should visit the workplace accommodations page.

ADA Transition Plan

Purpose

The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) is a civil rights law passed in 1990. The ADA establishes enforceable standards for eliminating discrimination against people with disabilities. The PPS ADA Transition Plan outlines 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 the 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.

The District is committed to creating environments that are 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.