The Portland Public Schools board plans to cut $30 million from the 2024-2025 budget. Half of the proposed annual cut – $15 million – is expected to come from central administration, which includes nearly 150 special education professionals, including adapted physical educators.
Central administrative cuts sound benign, but the Portland Association of Teachers fears that direct service providers who serve students with disabilities are at risk for losing their jobs. Students with disabilities make-up 16.6% of the 42,000-plus PPS students – about 7000 students). For years, students with disabilities have been on the fringes of decision making, rather than at the center. Federal laws, including the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, are in place to ensure access to special education services.