Board acting as budget committee approves superintendent’s proposed 2025–26 budget; adoption vote scheduled for June 10

The Portland Public Schools budget committee — meeting as the board — voted 5–0 on May 19 to approve the superintendent’s proposed budget for the 2025–26 school year. The board’s adoption vote is scheduled for June 10.

Superintendent Armstrong told the board ‘‘the budget is a ceiling on spending and sets the appropriation levels,’’ a distinction staff emphasized repeatedly during the meeting: approval sets the district’s spending limits, and final adoption will occur at a later board meeting.

What the committee approved: staff said the proposed budget preserves most classroom staffing and special education services. The superintendent said the district reversed earlier proposed reductions to the high school staffing formula and restored interventionists, instructional coaches and social‑emotional supports after community and staff feedback. Staff also noted levy funds currently cover about 744 teaching positions this year and are projected to cover about 718 next year; the superintendent said those levy-funded positions total…