Portland Public Schools on Monday reported the launch of Purposeful People, an elementary social‑emotional learning curriculum produced by Character Strong, across the district as part of Strategic Initiative 3.1.

Joanna Franco, Director of Elementary Culture and Climate, told the Curriculum and Student Success Committee that the district set three measurable goals for the launch year: 90% of elementary classrooms will teach weekly Purposeful People lessons; 85% of students will be actively engaged in those lessons; and, ultimately, 85% of students will report that "students treat each other well" on the PBIS school climate survey.

Franco said the district’s current baseline on that climate question is 54% (students in grades 3–5 reporting "most of the time" or "always"). "The outcome goal is really based on the theory that if we are using the Purposeful People curriculum with fidelity, students will have increased social skills, they'll have increased problem‑solving skills, and there we will be building a positive culture," Franco said.

To measure fidelity and engagement, the district is conducting school‑based walk‑throughs three times a year. Franco said those walk‑throughs — led by culture and climate coordinators in partnership with building leaders — are about 75% complete and that early data "are really showing that we're gonna — I would actually not just say meet, but exceed those first two targets around student engagement and use of the curriculum." She cautioned, however, that the outcome climate measure will not be available until the spring because the survey is administered then.

The district’s rollout included professional learning: a full‑staff training during August Institute (teachers, educational technicians and related service providers), quarterly coaching meetings with the curriculum vendor and a coaching package for district coordinators. Franco also reported two Parent University sessions — one for multilingual families and one for English‑speaking families — and said a recorded version will be posted to the Parent University website for families who could not attend.

Three schools are piloting an additional tier‑2 suite of materials from Character Strong for students needing extra supports. Franco said the district will review pilot findings, collect staff feedback next week via a short form, revise pacing guides as needed, and begin budgeting discussions for the ongoing subscription‑model curriculum.

The committee did not take any formal action during the presentation. Franco said the district will review spring climate survey results and continue walk‑throughs and coaching to monitor fidelity and outcomes.