Ryan Scallon is superintendent of Portland Public Schools. He can be reached at superintendent@portlandschools.org.
This year, the Portland Public Schools will face a particularly challenging budget. While the challenges are many, they fall into three primary categories. First, COVID relief funds from the federal government have provided districts across the country with significant funding, but that is ending. For Portland, that will mean a loss of more than $9 million in the next fiscal year.
Secondly, the district receives funding from the state each year through a formula that considers numerous factors, including the number of students, the number of multilingual learners, the number of low-income students, and the state’s property valuation for Portland. While our district has more students overall, more multilingual learners and more low-income students, the additional funding that the formula will provide is dwarfed by the loss of revenue we’ll receive from the state because of a significant increase in the city’s property valuation from 2022 to 2023. As a result, we anticipate a decrease in state funding this coming year.
Third, the district is not immune to inflation. As a result, our expenses to run our same programs next year will cost more.
All those factors add up to a projected deficit of over $10 million in our 2024-2025 school budget.
For these reasons, we must be especially intentional in our budget process, starting with the goals, priorities and initiatives that we identify in our five-year strategic plan. Our Strategic Plan Steering Committee members from across the city are working on the development of the strategic plan and will be sharing a draft in focus groups the week of Jan. 8. Look for additional information about the focus groups and other ways to provide feedback on our website.
As we plan for the future, we do not lose sight of our mission: “The Portland Public Schools is responsible for ensuring a challenging, relevant and joyful education that empowers every learner to make a difference in the world.” December is a time of joyful celebrations – and we held a few of our own this month.
On Dec. 15, Casco Bay High School seniors held the school’s 11th annual College March down Congress Street to the post office to mail their college applications or letters to a supportive adult in a public celebration of students’ higher education goals.
December is the month for PPS music students to perform for the community, showcasing their hard work and dedication since the first day of school. Portland and Deering high schools and Moore, King and Lincoln middle schools have all held concerts this month.
Deering’s Dec. 14 winter concert is one example of the high quality of music education in our schools. The PPS High School Orchestra, led by music director Julianne Eberl, presented a diverse repertoire that ranged from “Reggae Jingle Bells” to Beethoven’s “Allegretto from Symphony No. 7.” The Deering Handbell Ensemble performed such classics as Beethoven’s “Ode to Joy.” Under the direction of Abby Hutchins, the Deering High Chorus’s offerings included traditional Congolese, Nigerian and Spanish carols.
We congratulate all our amazing musicians, ranging from those just learning an instrument to those recently accepted into the Allstate Honors Orchestra and regional ensembles. Learn more.
We also started a new tradition this month: student art shows at Central Office. The first show opened Dec. 1 with the First Friday Art Walk, featuring the amazing artwork of talented elementary, middle and high school students – a reflection of the important teaching of our great art teachers. Moving forward, we plan to regularly host student art shows to coincide with art walks.
Happy holidays to all – and I wish everyone an enjoyable winter break.
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