PPS staff detail charter authorizing role, monitoring and funding levels

Portland — Portland Public Schools staff outlined the district’s role as a charter school authorizer and explained how PPS monitors academic, fiscal and operational health across its charter portfolio.

"Our job is to approve or deny annual applicants for the establishment of new PPS charter schools, conduct ongoing monitoring, oversight, and annual evaluation of PPS charter schools, pass through state school funding," said Sunita Sandoz, describing the charter‑authorizer duties the multiple‑pathways office performs for five PPS‑sponsored charter schools.

Chief of Schools Isaac Cardona and other staff explained that PPS assesses charter health in three domains — academic, fiscal and operational — and produces a 40‑page performance framework after state report‑card data are released. Cardona said that a charter would be placed on a plan of improvement if it underperforms the district on statewide OSAS scores for two consecutive years, consistent with state statute and contract terms.

Staff also described funding flows: the district serves as a pass‑through agent and "we have approximately $19,000,000 this year that's going to our charter schools," staff said. They noted additional revenue lines including a $1,300,000 student investment account and a district equity allocation of $275,000 for qualifying charter schools, and cited board resolutions governing pass‑through rates.

The presentation flagged regular monitoring practices (monthly site visits and annual formal visits, quarterly financial reports, annual municipal audits) and described collaboration with the Oregon Department of Education and a designated charter‑school specialist.

What happens next: Staff said the charter office will deliver an annual year‑end report to the board committee in spring, and that the district will continue sharing disaggregated demographic and performance data with the committee.