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Parents and staff urge Portland school board to keep Access Academy buses as right‑sizing talks loom
Summary
Multiple Access Academy families told the Portland Public Schools board that proposed cuts to transportation would make the alternative school inaccessible to lower‑income and single‑parent households, potentially forcing students out of the district; commenters framed the change as an equity issue and urged the board to preserve busing while it considers right‑sizing.
Public comment at the Portland Public Schools board meeting on May 12 centered on pleas to preserve bus transportation to Access Academy, an alternative education program that many families say is essential and not optional.
Several parents described long daily commutes and said removing bus service for the 2026–27 school year would force some families to choose between their jobs and their children’s schooling or leave the district entirely. “For many families, transportation is not a convenience. It is what makes Access possible,” said Steve Bush, a parent of an Access graduate, who urged the board to “preserve transportation for Access Academy and protect equitable access for all students.” Amelia Weber, whose child rides the bus over an hour each way, added that eliminating transportation would make Access “increasingly inaccessible to students from single‑parent households, low‑income families, families with disabilities and families who work full time.”
Speakers framed the issue as both an access and equity concern: Allison Wilkinson, a mother of multiple Access students, said cutting buses would “fundamentally alter who can access the school” and warned that the district risks making needs‑based programs accessible only to families with means. Several commenters said Access serves students whose needs are not met in neighborhood schools — accelerated learners, neurodivergent students and others — and that the bus ride itself contributes to social belonging.
The comments came amid a broader meeting discussion on right‑sizing district facilities and deep budget shortfalls. Student representatives and other parents also urged the board to protect Title I neighborhood schools and to be transparent about the data and criteria that will drive consolidation or closure recommendations.
The board did not take an immediate vote on Access transportation during the May 12 meeting. Members heard lengthy public testimony and budget committee recommendations earlier in the evening; staff and board leaders said further analysis and community engagement will follow as the district develops its right‑sizing plan and budget adjustments.
Next steps: the board will review budget materials and proposed principles for right‑sizing at a later meeting and is expected to receive implementation scenarios and additional community input before any formal decisions about program funding or transportation changes.
