Fundraising for public schools is a crucial way for local businesses, families, PPS alumni, and local partners to support our underfunded urban public school system.  Local School Foundations are supported by parents/families, local small businesses, non-profits, and alumni associations who volunteer for and donate to fundraising efforts. 

Foundation fundraising at individual schools throughout the district is the only source of income that does not remain 100% at each school and instead benefits the broader PPS community by:

• Sharing 33% with the Portland Schools Foundation - who, in turn, distributes the funds through Grants to schools in need throughout the district.
• Providing resources to historically underserved students at schools that do not receive any PPS equity funding. ALL schools have historically underserved students but the PPS Equity funds only go to some schools and do not follow the students. (In contrast, Schools that receive PPS Equity Grants and other non-profit grants are not required to give 1/3rd away.)
• Offering parent resources of time, money, and connections into individual schools.

In addition, foundations provide networks and partnerships in our communities that we would otherwise not have.  These Include:

• Parents as partners in fundraising conversations gives parents an intimate view of how poorly funded schools are in Oregon. There are many examples of these parent leaders becoming School Board members, public school advocates, Stand for Children leaders, and more BECAUSE of their direct experience raising money for schools.
• The intimate insights of these leaders on the real needs of children at every one of our urban public schools is a key factor in this leadership development.  

Parents must be PPS's first partners or we will continue to lose enrollment and erode local community trust.

Oregon schools should be fully funded per the Oregon Constitution. As parents and community members we are taking responsibility for how we show up for public schools. Now is NOT the time to abandon our public schools. Now is NOT the time for PPS or individual advocacy groups to restrict community support for our schools. 

We must stop outdated mythology that argues our schools are funded inequitably.

• Our schools have not been funded equally for decades and that's been a good thing for Portland's children. Higher poverty, more diverse schools receive added Equity FTE for teachers and support staff (Sometimes as many as 14 added teachers/staff), receive added state and federal funds, and benefit from the financial and staffing support generously donated by Portland's community based organizations through key stakeholder partnerships. These schools keep 100% of their equity FTE at their sites.
• There are diverse and HU (historically underserved) students in EVERY PPS school. All schools need to be able to seek the crucial resources their HU students need. Taking away or limiting local school foundations hurts the HU students at the schools that receive zero added equity FTE the most. Why do we want to hurt any students, particularly the HU students in our schools?
• When we restrict community and family support, we push out our parents who take their students with them. Private schools welcome parent fundraising and added donations above and beyond tuition costs. The unintended consequences of restricting family support for schools will likely be reduced enrollment in PPS. Reduced enrollment eliminates teachers and teaching positions. Unassigned teachers bump other teachers across our schools, destabilizing teams and unique programs.

Don't let anyone pit schools against other schools and students against other students. We must all be in this together. Together we will succeed for our children.  

Sign this petition today to let PPS leaders know that we stand with children at every school. We support our PPS school foundations and the work they do to provide much needed resources and programs to all of our schools.