Academic Programs
The Academic Programs Department supports programs that serve students in grades K-12, including Visual and Performing Arts, Health and PE, World Language, English Language Development, Dual Language Immersion, Learning Acceleration, TAG, AVID, and the Instructional Resource Center.
Advancement Via Individual Determination (AVID)
AVID’s mission is to close the opportunity gap by preparing all students for college readiness and success in a global society. No matter what post-secondary path high school graduates choose, students must develop certain essential skills to design their own futures: critical thinking, collaboration, reading, writing, and relationship building.
Dual Language Immersion
The goals of Dual Language Program in Portland Public Schools are to ensure bilingualism and biliteracy, grade-level academic achievement, and social cultural competence for every student we serve, particularly for our students of color and Emergent Bilinguals.
English Language Development
For Emergent Bilinguals/Multilingual Learners, our focus is to ensure that students have access to grade level content, language, and literacy instruction so they are compassionate, critical thinkers, able to collaborate and solve problems and be prepared to lead in a socially just world.
Health and Physical Education
EducationPPS Health, Adapted Physical Education and Physical Education programs use evidence-informed best practices to foster safe, supportive and fun learning environments that engage diverse students in their development of skills, knowledge and attitudes needed to thrive academically, and to celebrate lifelong wellness.
Learning Acceleration
Learning Acceleration in PPS is the intentional implementation of a set of strategies intended to leverage students’ assets, strengths, and gifts in order to accelerate learning, provide access to unfinished learning, and move every student towards mastery of key grade level standards and skills.
Talented and Gifted
TAG collaborates with all neighborhood schools to support programs where we can better address all TAG students’ needs, develop and nurture students who show potential for demonstrating high levels of critical thinking and establish a pathway to positive partnerships with families.
Visual and Performing Arts
Visual and Performing Arts (VAPA) refers to the disciplines of Dance, Music, Theatre and Visual Arts.
Portland Public Schools offers arts education to 78 schools across the district. With over 200 certified arts teachers, we are one of the largest organizations providing arts education in the state of Oregon. We offer multiple opportunities for artistic expression from kindergarten through twelfth grade, beginning level to pre-professional.
Instructional Resource Center
The IRC is a central resource for currently adopted curriculum and other instructional materials, including:
- Textbooks
- K-8 Science Kits
- Novel Sets
- DVDs
- Digital Streaming Media
World Languages
Providing all students the opportunity to develop academic competence, proficiency in two or more languages, a positive self-image, and a positive attitude toward diverse cultures.