Portland voters are being asked to weigh in on a $1.83 billion school construction bond in the May 20 election, a proposal that would mark the next major chapter in Portland Public Schools' multi-decade effort to modernize its aging high schools. If passed, the measure would be the fifth bond since 2011 and would help complete the district’s vision of rebuilding every neighborhood high school.

Here are five key things to know about the bond proposal:

1. It Would Complete the District’s Ambitious High School Overhaul

Portland Public Schools launched one of the most comprehensive school modernization campaigns in the country more than a decade ago, aiming to completely rebuild its neighborhood high schools over a span of roughly 20 years. Previous bonds — passed in 2012, 2017, and 2020 — have funded extensive renovations or new builds at Franklin, Grant, Roosevelt, Lincoln, Benson, and McDaniel high schools.

This new bond measure would pay for cost overruns at Jefferson High School (bringing the total project cost to $460 million), fully rebuild Cleveland High School, and modernize Wells High School. These schools, if funded, would become some of the most expensive high schools ever constructed in the United States.

2. Building in Portland Comes at a Premium

Portland’s high school construction costs are unusually high for several reasons. State laws require local governments to pay union-level wages for public construction projects, driving up labor costs. Dense urban sites — especially Cleveland — bring logistical hurdles and limited staging areas for contractors.

Additional costs come from Portland’s high business taxes and permitting fees, as well as sustainability mandates, like the district’s climate crisis policy requiring all-electric building systems. A limited pool of contractors qualified to handle projects of this scale — especially under equity contracting guidelines — also contributes to higher bids and construction delays.

3. Elementary and Middle Schools Would Also Benefit

Though the high schools are the marquee items in the bond, the proposal guarantees $190 million for much-needed repairs and upgrades at Portland’s elementary and middle schools. This includes $90 million set aside specifically for seismic retrofitting — a key priority following recent school board action. Depending on how high school construction costs play out, another $200 million could potentially be redirected to these lower-grade campuses.

The bond also includes $79 million to improve athletics facilities, including new multi-field sports complexes at Jackson Middle School and Marshall High School, plus additional improvements at Franklin, Grant, and Roosevelt.

4. A Rejection Would Mean Lower Property Taxes — For Now

Supporters of the bond emphasize that passing it would not increase the current property tax rate — homeowners would continue paying about $2.50 per $1,000 of assessed home value, or approximately $250 a year for a typical home.

But if the bond fails, that tax rate would drop to around $1.60 per $1,000, meaning about $160 annually for most households. The catch? Future bond measures would likely need to ask voters to approve a higher rate, potentially making future funding proposals a tougher sell.

5. Declining Enrollment Presents Long-Term Challenges

Since 2019, Portland Public Schools has seen an 11% to 12% drop in student enrollment, driven by declining birth rates, housing affordability issues, and a shift toward alternative education like private or online schools. While enrollment has stabilized somewhat, projections by Portland State University demographers suggest the downward trend will likely continue for the next 15 years.

This reality complicates the district’s plan to construct three new high schools each with a capacity of 1,700 students — potentially resulting in space for up to 4,000 more students than expected by 2035. Superintendent Kimberlee Armstrong acknowledged the challenge, suggesting that unused space might be repurposed in the future.

“We may have to think creatively,” Armstrong said, pointing to options like combining middle and high schools on shared campuses.

Despite the high cost, supporters argue that continuing the modernization process is essential to creating safe, sustainable, and inspiring learning environments for future generations.

Originally reported by Oregon Live.