Neighborhood Schools

Portland Public Schools Special Education: Our Role, Our Work, Our Children

Do the best you can until you know better.

Then, when you know better, do better.

~ Maya Angelou

We are a community guided by shared values: equity, inclusion, and social justice. These principles shape our education and support for all students. Our shared hopes and dreams for our children are for them to be happy, healthy, challenged, and supported. We want them to feel valued and appreciated in their schools.

With these values in mind, we are excited to share our special education programming plan. Developed over the past two years with input from students, families, leaders, and staff, this plan charts our path toward an ambitious and worthy goal: all children will attend their home school, regardless of whether they have an Individualized Education Plan (IEP). Research shows inclusive schools benefit everyone — students, families, and the community.

To make this plan a reality, we will spend the next three years:

1. Establishing Systems and Structures for Inclusion

2. Promoting an Inclusive Mindset

3. Building Advocacy Power for Students and Families of Students with Disabilities

4. Reimagining Relationships and a Sense of Belonging

This work began last August, when neighborhood kindergartners needing special education services attended Sitton and Marysville Elementaries instead of being bussed to focus programs away from their siblings, friends and community. In August 2024, incoming kindergartners at Astor, Cesar Chavez, Rosa Parks, James John, Peninsula, and Whitman Elementary Schools will get the same experience. The spectrum of IEP services will be provided in their home schools, ensuring every student feels a sense of belonging and receives the support they need.

We recognize the importance of transparency and welcome your questions and feedback as we move forward. Here is more information about our family/community engagement around this work.

Thank you for helping build a more equitable, inclusive, and just system.

Jey Buno

Jey Buno

Chief of Student Support Services

Portland Public Schools
Office of Student Support services

Click the image above to visit the Special Education Family Engagement page

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the Neighborhood School Model (NSM)?

The Neighborhood School Model (NSM) is a focus on providing special education programming to the students that reside in the catchment area of the school at the neighborhood school rather than moving students in a program that could be located across the city. This model is grounded in the core belief that special education is not a place. Special education is a service that can be provided in many different places, depending on the child’s needs. IDEA strongly prefers that children with disabilities be educated at their neighborhood school, in the general education classroom, with their peers without disabilities. This model is designed with that focus as a foundation so that students with disabilities receive the individualized instruction and services identified through their individualized education program.

What is the timeline for the rollout of the Neighborhood School Model?

How will this plan ensure effective communication with families?

We have engaged with families, educators, and community members through numerous feedback sessions and we will continue to facilitate engagement opportunities. If you have specific questions regarding your students’ educational program, please connect with your child’s teacher, special education teacher, and/or building administrator. For districtwide information we will have regular updates provided on our website, and if you have questions, concerns and or would like to share your experiences please input them into the Neighborhood Schools form.

What measures are in place to evaluate the success of the new model?

The effectiveness of a special education program is assessed based on student progress within their IEP goals, the general education curriculum, compliance with legal requirements, student outcomes toward post secondary goals, and the sense of belonging and engagement among all students. We will gather qualitative and quantitative data throughout the implementation process to inform necessary systemic adjustments in addition to individualized education plan needs. Like any system change, we expect to learn, grow, and adapt as we move toward our ultimate goal.

What resources will be provided to schools to support special education needs?

How will staffing be adjusted to support the new Neighborhood School model? Will there be enough staffing to support students with high needs?

Portland Public Schools recognizes the necessity for staffing and individualized student instructional support and services. We allocate special education staffing based upon the level of need outlined within students’ Individualized Education Plans. This will be true for Neighborhood Schools, as it is for all schools. At any point, parents/guardians can call a meeting with their school to discuss the needs of their students.

What will happen to students currently in specialized programs or those with high needs?

In all schools, students who participate in specialized programming receive their services and support in the least restrictive environment based on the IEP. Some of these services and supports are best provided in a general education setting, while others are best provided in a special education setting. Even in our Neighborhood Schools, these placement decisions will continue to be driven by student learning needs documented in their IEPs. Enrollment in lottery, and charter programs remains unchanged.