In a move that garnered considerable support from Portland voters, the Portland Public Schools (PPS) Board approved a resolution prioritizing seismic safety within the district’s $1.83 billion bond measure.
This decision was particularly important for parents whose children attend schools housed in aging brick buildings with significant seismic risks.
As part of the resolution, PPS officials recently provided the School Board with an update detailing the initial steps for determining which schools will receive priority for seismic improvements.
The district plans to utilize an algorithm that assesses both the buildings’ “seismic risk score” based on objective, data-driven criteria and an “importance score” that reflects PPS’s unique priorities.
The update presented on June 3 highlights the district’s progress through three major steps.
The first involved collaboration with a structural engineering consultant to perform a high-level assessment of school buildings, identifying those most at risk.
Having completed this study, PPS has moved to the second phase, where they are working with the engineering firm to develop priority recommendations, a process that began in late 2024.
The final step, which is still underway, involves evaluating these recommendations through the district’s specific priority criteria.
Stormy Shanks, the senior director of the Office of School Modernization at PPS, emphasized that the engineering firm’s evaluation will incorporate technical criteria developed according to Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and American Society of Structural Engineers standards.
Factors contributing to the risk score include the year of construction and the type of materials used, in addition to individual characteristics of each building.
Shanks elaborated that additional factors from PPS will shape this evaluation, including general occupancy, affected spaces, and whether the school is a Title I institution.
A report detailing the findings and recommendations is anticipated to be ready by July.
Details on how each category will be prioritized, including weighting and significance, remain unclear.
Shanks stated, “While the recommendations from phases one and two will provide a strong data-driven foundation, PPS will need to consider additional factors outside the engineers’ scope.”
These additional considerations include potential impacts of school consolidations, the feasibility of multi-summer construction schedules, and the effect on ongoing programs such as summer school.
Shanks added that this thorough internal assessment will guarantee that project decisions align with both operational realities and the district’s educational objectives.
Accompanying the district’s memo was a chart illustrating that while “value for money” will not play a role in prioritizing projects, it will influence the building process.
Considerations here include the cost-effectiveness of safety upgrades, as well as opportunities to combine seismic and roof upgrades at various school sites.
The renewed focus on seismic safety arose significantly after a March article from WW exposed the risks associated with 19 unreinforced masonry schools.
This report highlighted the potential for buildings to collapse during even moderate earthquakes, mobilizing parents to advocate for necessary repairs to be included in the bond measure.
The successful bond measure was ultimately supported by the School Board’s approval of the seismic resolution, reinforcing the prioritization of safety.
The improvement oversight committee will provide bimonthly updates to the public and the School Board regarding this initiative.
The committee, which had not convened for some time, is currently chaired by Eddie Wang and includes outgoing members Julia Brim-Edwards and Herman Greene.
Shanks noted that her office is in the process of drafting a bond execution plan encompassing all major capital projects.
Committee members have pledged to remain engaged as the district transitions from setting priorities to executing the necessary building improvements.
image source from：https://www.wweek.com/news/schools/2025/06/06/heres-how-pps-will-determine-which-schools-take-priority-for-seismic-upgrades/
