Board Has “No Plan” to Leave Out Cleveland and Wells in Next Schools Bond

“I think any bond that didn’t finish the high schools would be at very high risk of failure.”

Cleveland High School. (CHRIS NESSETH)
By Joanna Hou

Last month, Portland Public Schools Board member Gary Hollands publicly suggested reallocating money from a planned property tax bond to go before voters in 2025. He suggested directing the revenue toward projects other than completing modernizations at all PPS high schools.

Those comments caused quite a stir among parents and students at Cleveland High School, which, along with Ida B. Wells High School, is last in line for an upgrade.

Frustrated Cleveland parents and students swarmed an Oct. 21 facilities meeting in protest, with several speaking out about poor conditions at the school. And they have no plans to stop—they’ve already booked several public comment slots at two Nov. 6 School Board meetings.

But, for the most part, School Board members dismiss Hollands’ comments as isolated remarks that have been blown out of proportion.

“There is no plan to not have Cleveland on the bond,” School Board Chair Eddie Wang says. “Cleveland is on the bond, and the district is moving ahead with the bond.”

Board member Andrew Scott, whose zone encompasses Wells High, says a majority of the board is prepared to stick with the promise to modernize all the high schools. Plus, Scott says fallout from a reversal would be too risky for the school district: “I think any bond that didn’t finish the high schools would be at very high risk of failure.”

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