Please sign our engagement form! This way together we can ensure safe, stable, and equitable communities here in Portland—starting with public schools.

The pandemic turned our lives—and our schools—upside down. 

Our students, and our communities, are grappling with more urgent, unmet needs than ever before.

As classroom educators, we see these problems every day. And the past three years have made it abundantly clear that if we want safe, stable, and equitable communities, public schools are the linchpin. 

But we can’t simply go back to the way schools were before COVID. Our students need—and deserve—so much more.

Over the past few months, thousands of teachers, parents, and Portland residents have shared their vision for great public schools with our union. Together with our community partners, we will be fighting for this vision in our upcoming contract negotiations.

________________________________________________________________

2023 Bargaining Platform: Building Safe, Sustainable, and Equitable
Schools for Every Student

STUDENTS, FAMILIES AND EDUCATORS DESERVE:
SMALLER CLASS SIZES AND CASELOADS
Reduced class sizes and caseloads, with an enforceable cap.
More time for planning and preparation.

SAFE AND HEALTHY SCHOOLS
Maintain classroom temperatures above 60° and below 90°.
Buildings free of mice and mold.
Increased security measures like doors that lock from the inside and blinds that close.
Expanded mental health supports to pre-empt violence.
Additional staffing and appropriate de-escalation spaces for students in crisis.

RACIAL EQUITY AND RESTORATIVE JUSTICE
Equitable access to resources and learning opportunities for all students.
Culturally relevant curricula, developed collaboratively with educators.
Educator-led professional development on racial equity and restorative justice.
Fully funded restorative justice programs created within our school communities.
Accurate data on disparities in discipline, particularly for historically under served students.
Provide long-delayed professional development addressing implicit bias, anti-racism, and culturally responsive practices.

EXPANDED EARLY LEARNING AND PRESCHOOL PROGRAMS
Extend public school to every child over the age of 3 through Multnomah County’s Universal Pre-K program.
Play-based curriculum and the right to nap.
Guaranteed professional standards for all Pre-K teachers and staff.

MORE TEACHING, LESS TESTING
No standardized tests beyond state mandates.
No standardized tests before 3rd
Reduced over-testing for multi-lingual students and in historically under served schools.
More assessments created by educators to guide student learning.

ADDITIONAL SPECIAL EDUCATION SERVICES
Fully-staffed PPS Special Education department.
Appropriate duty assignments for special educators.
Protected case management time for special educators.
Lower class sizes and caseloads for special educators.
Transparency for and accountability to students and families receiving special education services.

EXPANDED MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES
More school psychologists, counselors, social workers and QMHPs in every school.
Create mental healthcare teams in every school.
Develop and implement common protocols for assisting students who are struggling.
Significantly reduce the caseloads for counselors, school psychologists, and social workers.
Guaranteed private work spaces for all mental health providers.

HOUSING ASSISTANCE FOR AT-RISK FAMILIES
Additional support to keep our kids in their homes and neighborhood schools, including a list of available housing in school catchment area.
Emergency services for families facing eviction.
“Resilience Fund” to help families in crisis.

COMPETITIVE SALARIES AND BENEFITS SO PPS CAN RECRUIT AND RETAIN GREAT TEACHERS
Salary increases that keep up with cost of living.
Restore retirement contributions.
Support for first-time home buyers.
Paid family leave for all educators.
Access to on-site preschool through Multnomah County’s Universal Pre-K program.

REAL COMMUNITY CONNECTIONS, REAL COMMUNITY VOICE
District-wide parent-teacher home visit program in line with national standards.
Increased transparency and community involvement in the school budgeting process.

Shareable flyer here: https://assets.nationbuilder.com/pdxteachers/pages/1673/attachments/original/1675101851/PAT.Bargaining.Platform.January.2023.pdf?1675101851