Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Public Comment topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Parents and community urge Portland board to fund ed‑techs, arts and multilingual supports as state funding falls
Summary
During public comment at the Feb. 10 budget forum, parents, teachers and nonprofit partners urged a bold local tax ask to fund ed‑techs for kindergarten, literacy interventions, additional music teachers and multilingual family supports while urging the board to press the legislature on the state funding formula.
Dozens of residents spoke during the board’s budget public comment period on Feb. 10, urging the board to prioritize frontline staff, early literacy and arts programming as the district confronts a projected $4.1 million reduction in state subsidy.
Several speakers from Reiki School framed their remarks around classroom needs: Evan Smith (District 2) asked the board to "make as bold a budget ask as possible this year," saying Reiki needs ed‑techs in kindergarten, a math interventionist and a French‑speaking ed‑tech to work with Francophone families. Arthur Phillips and other Reiki parents echoed calls for kindergarten literacy support and class‑size policies that account for demographics.
Nonprofit Side by Side and a long‑time music coordinator asked the board to maintain and expand arts investments; Side by Side said it serves nine elementary schools and requested inclusion in the upcoming budget cycle, and the music coordinator requested two additional district music teachers to cover middle and elementary needs.
Public commenters also raised broader policy concerns: Steven Sharp urged rightsizing central office and facility footprints in response to enrollment declines; some speakers emphasized equitable tax‑fairness measures and advocacy at the state level to improve EPS funding. Dr. Darien Plant urged the board to tie budget decisions to clear academic benchmarks and publicly report outcomes.
Board members thanked speakers and noted multiple opportunities for public engagement in March leading up to the superintendent’s recommended budget. The board did not respond substantively during comments, as per the public comment guidelines.
Representative quote: "Please support a robust budget ask this year. It's not a time to be overly cautious," Evan Smith said.
The public comment session demonstrated broad community support for additional classroom support staff and arts programming, and confirmed the board’s intention to continue outreach before formal budget decisions.
