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Long-Range Facility PlanOverview
Portland Public Schools is currently developing a Long-Range Facility Plan that will align the District’s educational vision with future capital planning. At this pivotal moment in history where recent events have catalyzed a growing awareness of systemic racial inequities, the Long Range Facilities Plan represents an opportunity to institute lasting change in Portland’s schools which can redefine teaching and learning in our city. We know space is not neutral and the experiences of educational spaces are not universal. Indeed, students’ perceptions of built environments are shaped in part by their identities and lived experiences.
The purpose of this plan is to provide inclusive, quality learning environments that support the academic, social, and emotional needs of our students. Successful planning for this outcome will be a synthesis of three areas:
• Current and future educational program requirements
• Enrollment and capacity
• Facility conditionThis work is an opportunity to institute lasting change in our schools by re-envisioning teaching and learning environments. Through an authentic, inclusive, and transparent process, we will garner ideas from diverse communities and develop a representative, inspiring vision for the future.
Our socio-spatial inquiry will illuminate the relationship between the built environment and social inequities, reminding us that space matters when evaluating educational equity.
Our Approach
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Introduction
PPS is committed to a community-based planning process guided by inclusive outreach and authentic engagement. As an approach to racial equity and social justice, Critical Race Theory (CRT) will be used to structure the planning process in a way that brings the voices of historically underserved communities to the foreground, resulting in a rich and nuanced understanding of the needs and experiences of all constituents. CRT is a framework that has been used in education for nearly 30 years as an equity and inclusion strategy. Through multifaceted and interconnected tenets, CRT draws attention to systemic racism, dominant narratives, and the lived experiences of people of color. Applied to planning and design, CRT offers an innovative approach to amplify the voices of communities of color, examine how educational settings act to reproduce inequity, and identify institutional planning strategies that promote racial equity and social justice.
CRT illuminates the relationship between the physical world and social inequities, reminding us that space matters when evaluating education equity. Centering around the voices of marginalized communities helps us to understand how racial disparities – among others – are often linked to and reproduced by traditional spatial arrangements. Ensuring people most affected by social inequities are present and engaged in a collaborative effort supports long range planning in service to equity and inclusion. Guided by CRT and using Racial Equity Social Justice (RESJ) lens, the planning process will include three (3) phases of engagement: 1) Listening and Learning, 2) Ideas and Input, and 3) Action and Accountability.
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Phase I: Listening and Learning
November 2020 – February 2021
The goal of Phase I is to understand the socio-spatial context of neighborhood schools and the District at large as well as the socio-spatial perceptions, experiences, and aspirations of community members. Using a range of inclusive outreach strategies combined with a multifaceted inquiry plan, Phase I will inform a comprehensive understanding of District needs, educational objectives, and community members’ hopes and dreams. Strategies for inclusive outreach include working directly with existing groups, networks, and organizations that reflect and serve marginalized communities. Student input will be intentionally sought through close coordination with PPS elementary, middle and high school teachers as well as student groups. Using an “affinity” model is another outreach strategy that will enable groups of people come together around common identities, fostering a sense of comfort in sharing stories and generating ideas to inform long range facilities planning. Affinity groups support inclusive engagement through empowering the voice of historically excluded or tokenized communities in traditional outreach methods.
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Phase II: Ideas and Input
February 2021 – May 2021
The goal of Phase II will be to bring together and analyze inquiry findings that reflect the voices and stories of communities and stakeholders in the planning process. Using CRT and socio-spatial analysis, the District will work to understand and translate the rich tapestry of stories and reflections into a well-defined vision that can serve as a foundation for PPS’ Long Range Facilities Plan. In this phase, the District will continue community engagement by sharing what we learned from Phase I inquiry efforts and invite input on draft plans that integrate district needs, educational objectives, and community members’ stories.
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Phase III: Action and Accountability
June 2021 – October 2021
In Phase III, the vision created in the preceding phases will serve as the foundation of the strategic framework for PPS’ Long Range Facilities Planning document, providing a clear course of action for addressing the District’s facility needs over the next 20 years. The final plan will coalesce the mosaic of stories, conversations, debates, and shared experiences into a clear and unified image of a collective destination. Additionally, the plan will identify accountability strategies including suggested District policy changes to ensure an equitable planning and design process for future capital construction projects.
CRiT Coalition
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Stay Involved
Join the CRiT Coalition to help us shape the future of teaching and learning environments at Portland Public Schools. Complete the interest form linked here.
Together we will:
- Review the District's educational vision, enrollment trends, and facilities needs
- Explore findings from the districtwide critical race spatial dialogue sessions
- Align capital projects with District curriculum, pedagogy, and equity goals
- Identify accountability strategies for equitable planning and design processes for future capital construction projects
- Present project findings and new long-range facility plan to PPS Board
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Meetings
90-minute virtual meetings take place 4:00 PM - 5:30 PM on the last Tuesday of each month beginning February 2021:
- February 25
- April 1
- April 29
- May 27
- July 29
- September 2
- September 30
In addition, we will host 2 three-hour summits that will focus on key project areas:
- April 13 4:00 PM-7:00 PM
- August (TBD)
Resources
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Documents
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2012 LRFP Documents
