This story has been updated with additional information since it first published.

On May 20, Multnomah County residents will elect new leadership on local school boards and utility boards. Portland voters will also decide whether to approve a sizable school bond measure to fund Portland Public Schools.

We picked the brains of local school board candidates, and narrowed down the folks in each district who we think would best serve students, and their communities. 

Note: The Mercury does not endorse candidates in uncontested races.

Centennial School District

The Centennial School District includes six elementary, two middle, and one high school in Southeast Portland and Gresham, serving roughly 6,700 students from widely diverse backgrounds. Close to half of all students are Latino (though 90% of all teaching faculty are white), 46 percent of kids in the district are experiencing poverty, and gun violence is a growing concern. Therefore it’s important for members of the Centennial School Board to not only welcome, but protect diversity, equity, and inclusion—particularly in the face of Trump’s increasingly cruel and racist immigration policies—but to also have proven leadership skills and the ability to navigate the state’s inability to properly fund its public schools.

That’s why the Mercury is endorsing Michael Newman for position 6 on the Centennial School Board and Pam Shields for position 7. 

DIRECTOR, POSITION 6

Our pick: Michael Newman

Newman is an instructional designer, business analyst, and a former 6th grade teacher. He has a strong educational background, and has served on Centennial’s budget committee, as well as the boards of two charter schools, and has been endorsed by several former Centennial board members. His priorities include increasing attendance rates district-wide, equitable access to high-quality academics, and working to maintain diversity and inclusion across the district’s wide host of programs. Plus, it puts our minds to rest that, in his voter guide statement, he came out swinging with his vow to protect the students of the Centennial district: “Our schools must be safe for students, regardless of race, gender identity, or immigration status.” 

Another strong contender in this race is SaQuoija Allen, a business owner, early childhood educator, and member of two parent-teacher organizations, who prioritizes school safety and mental health resources. 

DIRECTOR, POSITION 7

Vote for Pam Shields

A faculty member of Mount Hood Community College in the business department, Shields has also been sitting on Centennial’s board since 2011—which admittedly is a long time, especially when voters have a near insatiable appetite for “turning over the garden.” That said, there’s a reason Shields keeps getting re-elected. She’s known as a strong advocate for the district’s mission, vision, and equity statement, and prioritizes the implementation of culturally relevant practices for academia. Shield’s top priorities include increasing school funding, supporting career and technical training, protecting students physically and emotionally, and she’s also garnered some very strong endorsements from East County Rising PAC, Democratic Party of Clackamas County, as well as current and past school board members.

David Douglas School District

East Portland’s David Douglas School District serves roughly 8,600 students, about half of which experience poverty. Like Centennial, David Douglas’ student population is diverse, with 80 different languages spoken. That means the district’s leadership should have a strong grasp on the varied needs and challenges of the families DDSD serves. In this race, it’s also critical that the next batch of David Douglas School Board members has at least a general understanding of municipal budgets, as the district faces a tough budget year. 

DIRECTOR, POSITION 3

Our pick: Sara Ruth Epstein

Epstein is a program manager at a Providence Health facility who has a public health and research background. Previously, she worked in social services. She’s also a parent of David Douglas students, who promises to prioritize teacher training, student attendance, staff retention, and professional development. 

She recognizes the challenges David Douglas students face, citing academic pressures, large class sizes with too few teachers, and “trying to find themselves and their passions.”

Here’s where Epstein’s background in social services plays a key role: The first-time school board candidate knows students also face barriers outside the classroom, like food insecurity, pressure for older students to get jobs and provide for their families, a lack of transportation, and other socioeconomic factors. All these things impact a student’s ability to attend and stay engaged with school. 

Aside from recognizing the critical role of adequate social safety nets, Epstein also brings a set of values and big-picture perspectives that are sometimes forgotten, but sorely needed in educational spaces. She defers to an oft-cited quote from author and scholar bell hooks: "The classroom remains the most radical space of possibility in the academy." 

DIRECTOR, POSITION 5

Our pick: Thomas Stephenson

Stephenson is one of two candidates looking to fill the vacant board seat left by the exit of former Director Aaron Barrow, who had two years left in his term. Stephenson is a senior systems engineer in the Information Technology (IT) department at Lewis & Clark College and has two kids in the David Douglas School District. As a parent, he’s coached multiple seasons of youth soccer and co-ed volleyball, and carves out time to help in his children’s classrooms.

Aside from being a dedicated volunteer, Stephenson brings a strong equity lens. He’s committed to the safety and support for immigrant families and LGBTQIA+ students.

He’s seen the impact of inadequate education funding first-hand while volunteering at Earl Boyles Elementary, where students sometimes find themselves in overcrowded classrooms with 30 kids.

“It becomes impossible for teachers to educate in that environment,” Stephenson tells the Mercury. “The school boards of Oregon need to work harder with the Oregon legislature to fix the funding problems.”

He’s a firm believer in public education who’s not shy about his left-leaning values and solutions. Stephenson wants to see a larger chunk of Oregon’s tax revenue go toward schools, including the annual kicker refunds. 

And while Stephenson knows what he stands for, he’s also aware of the learning curve ahead. “In case this isn't clear, I definitely know I do not know what's best. That's why I want to work WITH my community, on behalf of my community.” 

Stephenson has demonstrated he’s in this race for the right reasons and for that, he’s got the Mercury’s vote.

Multnomah Education Service District

Is it a utility district? Is it a school board? Neither. 

Multnomah Education Service District is responsible for coordinating education services and resources for regional school districts. MESD is one of nearly 20 ESDs in Oregon and provides everything from special education, to health services, alternative education, outdoor school, career pathways, and more.

DIRECTOR, POSITION 2

Our pick: Susie Jones

It’s hard to ignore the qualifications Jones brings to the table in this race. Jones previously served on the MESD Board from 2017 to 2021. Prior to that, she served on the board of directors for Mt. Hood Community College, where she worked as faculty for 12 years. 

Jones has spent the bulk of her professional career in education, first as a teacher in North Clackamas School District for a decade. Jones then taught another eight years in David Douglas School District before joining the faculty at Mt. Hood Community College. 

Now retired, Jones says she's ready to jump back into public service, and we think she’s the person best suited to hit the ground running.

Jones tells voters she knows the job, and “would be effective and engaged from day one.”

Aside from her robust education background, Jones is also resolute in the duty to protect BIPOC and LGBTQIA+ students, especially as school districts and other government agencies see increased pressure from the federal government to upend civil rights protections and other considerations for these students.

Multnomah County residents would benefit from Jones’ return to the Board. 

Parkrose School District

Parkrose School District serves about 2,800 students, primarily in outer Northeast Portland. While nearly all Oregon schools are underfunded, the district is up against its own challenges, after a school bond measure narrowly failed last year. On top of that, Parkrose School District reflects a dismal 53 percent average student attendance rate. Oregon's state average student attendance rate of just 65 percent isn't great either, but the issues plaguing Parkrose families signals a desperate need for interventions beyond the academic realm.

DIRECTOR, POSITION 1

Vote for Paul Tabron, Jr

Tabron is the incumbent in Position 1 vying for another term on the Parkrose School Board. Tabron currently serves as vice chair of the School Board. He works as a community resource strategist and has a background as a teacher mentor working for Parkrose School District.

He also has an educational background in human development and psychology. Tabron says he values “building strong and inclusive school systems that meet students where they are.” 

He brings a wealth of experience (more than 15 years) teaching, mentoring, and leading education programs for youth. Aside from being invested in the wellbeing of students, he’s also investing further in his own education, pursuing a doctorate degree in education focused on organizational innovation. 

Outside his service on the school board, Tabron is involved in the Collins Foundation, a local nonprofit that invests in other nonprofits doing work to center equity and improve the quality of life for marginalized Oregonians. 

Tabron is dedicated and overly qualified to serve another term.

Portland Public Schools

Portland Public Schools (Portland School District 1J), Oregon’s largest school district, serves roughly 43,500 students in every quadrant of the city. PPS is in a rebuilding phase, literally. The district is tackling major capital projects, like remodeling schools, while also trying to improve student outcomes, particularly for its BIPOC and underserved students. In the past two years, the district faced an unprecedented teachers strike and hired a new superintendent. The district is doing all this amid a shrinking student population, due to a declining birth rate. That’s a challenge, because schools get state funding based on enrollment numbers. As the district works to address its aging infrastructure, chronic underfunding, and student achievement gaps, it will take a well-rounded, thoughtful approach from the district’s top administrators and its elected leadership.  

DIRECTOR, ZONE 1

Vote for Christy Splitt 

Christy Splitt was appointed to the Portland Public Schools board in January for a temporary term when a seat opened up. She has an impressive background in state public policy and education, and should remain in the seat. Splitt currently works as the government relations coordinator for the Oregon Department of Energy, having spent nearly two decades working “in and around” the state legislature. Prior to that, she was a high school civics and social studies teacher, and she has a master’s degree in education. The combination of classroom experience and government work makes Splitt uniquely qualified to serve on the school board. 

Splitt has been a volunteer in PPS schools for 16 years. She coached the constitution team at Lincoln High School for more than a decade before joining PTA leadership when her young children entered school several years ago. Over the years within those roles, she says she’s seen “great people doing solid work [in PPS schools] despite a lack of resources and support.” 

About her time on the board so far, Splitt says it’s been “equal parts inspiring, fascinating, and frustrating.” She’s taken an active role in the funding conversation during her time on the board, trying to address the issue with the legislature and through her work on the bond measure. Splitt is also concerned about students missing key educational benchmarks. She expressed a compassionate and holistic approach to addressing low test scores, acknowledging that standardized tests have their limitations, but currently serve as a valuable diagnostic tool. 

We were interested in Splitt’s opponent, Ken Cavagnolo, who is a former astrophysicist and current data scientist. Cavagnolo is clearly smart, and brought up some ambitious ideas for district collaboration with other local government bodies. Cavagnolo is hindered by his lack of connection to PPS, but we commend his genuine, well-informed passion for public education. 

Still, we’re more encouraged by Splitt’s thoughtful approach to the district’s biggest issues, familiarity with the state legislature, and years of experience working in schools. We want to see her continue her work on the school board. 

DIRECTOR, ZONE 4

Vote for Rashelle Chase-Miller

The Zone 4 contest is between incumbent Herman Greene and Rashelle Chase-Miller, both of whom have strong community ties and clear concern for the future of PPS. Greene, a pastor at North Portland’s Abundant Life PDX, has been on the school board since 2021. He has been part of navigating tough challenges including the logistics of students returning to school after the virtual learning era of the pandemic and the 2023 teachers’ strike. We admire his dedication to improving outcomes for students of color, and commitment to responsible financial stewardship. 

But we’ve been concerned about Greene’s apparent reluctance to listen to students about important issues like school safety. We think Chase-Miller, who runs a child literacy nonprofit and has had an extensive career in early childhood education, will bring a fresh and thoughtful perspective to the school board during a time of turmoil. Chase-Miller, who is a PPS alumna and current PPS parent, told the Mercury “PPS is facing significant challenges, [from budget cuts to federal overreach].” She said the district “needs leadership that is collaborative, informed, and visionary”—and that she can bring those skills to the table. 

Chase-Miller has direct experience with early childhood education, and she has also worked to improve childhood literacy on a broader, systemic level. During a time when PPS students are struggling to meet educational milestones, including in reading and math, Chase-Miller would be an especially valuable resource on the board. We also appreciate her approach to education, which is based in equity and social justice. She says she comes from a “lineage of activist educators,” and has emphasized the “power of transforming educational systems to create a more equitable, just, and peaceful future.” This belief system informs Chase-Miller’s perspective on how the PPS board should address the district’s main issues, including the funding crisis and chronic absenteeism rates. 

PPS has faced large challenges over the past few years, most notably the aforementioned pandemic and lengthy teachers’ strike. Now, with a federal administration that’s openly hostile toward public education and the values of equity and inclusion PPS espouses, it’s more important than ever for the board and district to work in tandem with teachers, staff, parents, and students. We think Chase-Miller will work to bridge existing divides, without compromising her beliefs along the way.

“Communities are ecosystems,” she told the Mercury. “We create stronger, more equitable systems when we work in community with one another.” 

DIRECTOR, ZONE 5

Vote for Jorge Sanchez Bautista

This seat was a toss-up for us. Virginia LaForte, a longtime PPS volunteer and parent advocate, is clearly qualified for a position on the school board. Over the years, LaForte has led successful campaigns to improve environmental and health issues at PPS schools, and we’re impressed by her approach to problem-solving and desire to listen to and connect with teachers, students, and parents. We have no doubt LaForte would be an excellent school board member. 

But while PPS board members and district advocates talk a big game about engaging students in important decision making processes, student voices have been repeatedly sidelined. (The school board has one student representative, but they don’t get an official vote.) We think the generational divide has impeded progress at PPS, which is why we think electing Jorge Sanchez Bautista, an 18-year-old McDaniel High School senior, would be a step in the right direction.

With an extensive history of civic involvement, Bautista isn’t just any high school senior. He says he first got involved in social issues at the age of 10, fighting against gentrification and rent spikes in the Cully neighborhood. Since then, he’s been involved in a wide variety of advocacy efforts. Bautista is co-chair of Cully’s Tax Increment Financing District Community Leadership Committee, helping make key decisions about how to invest in the historically underserved Cully neighborhood. A first-generation American born to Mexican immigrants, Bautista serves on the New Portlanders Policy Commission, advising elected officials about how to support immigrant and refugee communities. He has a job with Portland Parks & Recreation, working with kids in East Portland, and was recently appointed to the Oregon State Board of Education as a student advisor. He plans to attend Portland State University after graduation, pursuing a degree in political science.

Sure, that’s all very impressive—but is an 18-year-old really qualified to serve as an elected official? Our take: If PPS advocates truly want youth voices at the table, they can’t dismiss the people stepping up on the grounds that they’re too young and inexperienced. Bautista acknowledged concerns about his youth, but told the Mercury his track record of community involvement and first-hand, recent experience as a PPS student will bring a much-needed perspective to the board. We concur. 

DIRECTOR, ZONE 6

Vote for Stephanie Engelsman

Engelsman is a parent of three students in Portland Public Schools. She’s been a consistent, dedicated volunteer at her children’s school and school programs like Oregon Battle of the Books. She also serves on several PTA committees, handles Abernethy Elementary’s mini grant program and coordinates the school’s winter coat drive. 

Her tireless volunteer efforts alone are commendable, but we’re also impressed with how deeply Engelsman is tuned in to the district and its broader issues. 

Engelsman, a public defender who’s worked on juvenile cases, knows the socioeconomic factors that hold students back from success. She also understands state funding models, and the myriad flaws embedded in them. 

“We can no longer cut from our schools but then be surprised that our students do not thrive, excel and love school,” Engelsman tells the Mercury. “Simply said: we cannot underfund our schools and under serve our students while also calling ourselves progressive.”

She’s right. But the PPS Board has the unsavory task of figuring out how to work within Oregon’s fundamentally flawed system, and Engelsman brings the experience and solutions-oriented mindset needed to help the District find creative approaches. 

Engelsman is among four candidates vying for the Zone 6 seat. Also in the race are Simone Crowe, a disaster resilience consultant and climate justice advocate; Joseph Mains, a former teacher and father whose kids went to PPS schools, and Rob Galanakis, a business owner and former software developer with children in PPS. Galanakis, arguably Engelsman's toughest opponent, deserves acknowledgement for his efforts and volunteer service to schools in his neighborhood. He’s also sparking the kinds of conversations we need to be having as a city, more broadly, about the role that Oregon's largest school district plays in achieving regional climate goals.   

But the multitude and complexity of PPS’s challenges requires someone who can think holistically, and right now, we think Engelsman best fits that bill.

Measure 26-259: Portland Public Schools bond

Vote yes on the PPS bond
Portland Public Schools is asking voters to renew a health, safety, and modernization bond levy. If passed, the levy would pay to complete the upgrades to Jefferson High School and rebuild or modernize Ida B. Wells and Cleveland High. Upgrading these high schools would fulfill a promise made to families in PPS that every student would have access to a modernized, quality high school. 

Bond money would also help fund seismic upgrades to schools and critically needed repairs and equipment replacement at some of the district’s elementary and middle schools. Many of the school buildings in PPS are 75 to 100 years old, leaving the district to battle HVAC issues, deteriorating roofs, and other building repairs. 

For years, teachers at PPS sites have documented classrooms that are too hot or cold to teach in, due to faulty, old heating and cooling systems. Climate change hasn’t made things any better. 

And while it isn’t common to see instructional materials and laptops included in a bond levy, this levy would help pay for those, too. 

All of this sounds good, but it comes at a price tag that’s hard to stomach. Approving the 2025 bond wouldn’t increase property taxes, it would renew the current rate of $2.50 per $1,000 of assessed property value, with a total amount not to exceed $1.83 billion. That’s a lot of money when you consider just three high schools are targeted for major construction projects. Moreover, PPS has seen a rapid decline in student enrollment, suggesting fewer students will use PPS schools in the future. One of the high schools slated to benefit from the 2025 bond, Jefferson High in North Portland, currently has only 460 students enrolled, and a dismal rate (39 percent) of regular student attendance.

It’s hard to justify spending nearly $490 million on a school remodel in the face of declining student enrollment across the district. But when we set aside our pre-conceived notions of what things should cost and focus on the reality of increasing construction and design costs, coupled with a commitment to building climate-resilient schools with built-in energy efficiency, it’s easier to focus on the most important matter in the bond discussions—the impact on students.

Students deserve quality education and modern, safe buildings. But with a flawed state funding model and limited avenues for revenue, it’s difficult to provide that for Portland’s kids.

Property taxes aren’t enough to adequately fund schools; we have no state sales tax, and the Oregon Legislature has, for decades, under-invested in education. Aside from bond measures, PPS has no other viable options to generate stable money for schools.

Measure 26-259 is our opportunity to invest in children and try to close some of the long-standing equity gaps in Portland’s school system. 

Jefferson High School, for example, is in one of Portland’s historically Black neighborhoods, and the majority of Jefferson students are Black. If Portlanders reject the bond, it will halt the progress on upgrading Jefferson, after the district used prior bond funds to remodel nearly every high school in predominantly white neighborhoods. 

Addressing low and declining enrollment, the measure’s proponents note that most population projections that the district currently relies on are unreliable when trying to plan and build for the next 50 to 75 years. Building for more capacity than what’s currently needed is better and cheaper than under-building and having to make major modifications down the road (planning and construction costs will only get more expensive.)

The spiraling cost of high school construction estimates aren’t trivial, but we take solace in the School Board’s recent move to try to lower the costs and find savings that can be diverted to other schools in need. The bond, if approved, will also have an accountability committee to monitor spending and timelines.

Simply put, PPS is building for the future by modernizing buildings and giving students the technology they’ll need to succeed. If we delay critical improvements now, we’ll pay a higher price down the road to dig ourselves out of the past. 

---

The Mercury Election Strike Force is news editor Courtney Vaughn, reporter Taylor Griggs, and editor-in-chief Wm. Steven Humphrey.