A tale of two cities, continued: last year’s PSF contributors
September 23, 2009
When school communities raise money to hire certified teachers for their own children, they are required to contribute a portion to a district-wide “equity fund.” The first $10,000 they raise is exempt, but for every dollar above that amount, they must contribute 30 cents. (Money raised and spent for other purposes, like field trips, books, athletics, speakers, after-school enrichment, capital improvements, and non-certified staff is fully exempt.)
Under new rules of the Portland Schools Foundation (PSF), the equity fund is then distributed to schools that lack direct fund-raising capacity, and, as of the current school year, these schools are able use the money to hire certified teachers.
PPS Equity has acquired a list of last year’s contributors to the equity fund, which is to say schools with communities wealthy enough to raise money to pay for extra teaching staff. Here is the list, ordered by level of contribution, highest first:
- Lincoln High School
- West Sylvan Middle School
- Ainsworth Elementary School
- Bridlemile Elementary School
- Chapman Elementary School
- Alameda Elementary School
- Laurelhurst K-7 School
- StephensonElementary School
- Rieke Elementary School
- Beverly Cleary K-8 School
- Skyline K-8 School
- Richmond Elementary School
- Glencoe Elementary School
- Buckman Elementary School
- Cleveland High School
- Abernethy Elementary School
- Mt. Tabor Middle School
- Atkinson Elementary School
- Grant High School
- Sellwood Middle School
- Roseway Heights K-8 School
- Llewellyn Elementary School
- Maplewood Elementary School
- Hosford Middle School
- Gray Middle School
- Wilson High School
- Beaumont Middle School
- Duniway Elementary School
- Capitol Hill Elementary School
- Forest Park Elementary School
Not surprisingly, most of these schools are within the Cleveland, Franklin, Grant, Lincoln and Wilson clusters.
Steve Rawley published PPS Equity from 2008 to 2010, when he moved his family out of the district.
