Power at PPS

This page is dedicated to the responsibilities within the Portland Public Schools system and the power structure within the District. There are two main governing bodies in PPS: The Board of Education and the Superintendent. Both have the power to set the PPS protocol via Board Policies and Administrative Directives, respectively. In addition, the Board and the Superintendent have direct reports with a range of responsibilities. Those responsibilities are detailed below, both in an Organizational Chart and written descriptions.

Flowchart of the Power Structure at PPS, including the Board of Education and Superintendent

Power of the Board of Education

The Board of Education is responsible for setting Board Policies that apply to all District business and have supremacy over any administrative directive or decision made by the district administration. These board policies are intended to:

• Set protocol for the conduct and operation of schools and school buildings, both for school purposes and for outside activities
• Establishes curricula and provides for instructional materials
• Establishes policies governing student eligibility

In addition, the Board "adopts an annual budget in compliance with budget laws and statutes to ensure the legal expenditure of funds," and "recruits and hires a superintendent as chief executive and evaluates the performance of the superintendent in accordance with the district's adopted mission, core values and strategic objectives".
The Board contains one Chair, who, along with the superintendent, sets the agenda of Board meetings and one Vice-Chair, who takes on the responsibility of the Chair in their absence. The Board also consults with one student representative elected from the District Student Council each year, and is assisted by the Board Executive Assistant and Legal Counsel.

Power of the Superintendent

The Superintendent of the Portland Public School District is responsible for all administrative roles within PPS. The Superintendent must hold a valid, permanent or temporary Superintendents’ license from the Oregon Teacher Standards and Practices Commission (TSPC). The Superintendent is responsible for the appointment, the assignment, and the transfer of all Non-represented employees (employees not represented by a union) per Board Policies and Administrative Directives, except for the employees of the Office of the Independent Performance Auditors, who are appointed by the board. In addition, the Superintendent is also responsible for creating Administrative Directives, which, although they do not require Board Approval, are still subject to Board Policies. In addition, the Superintendent sets district-wide goals and typically creates a campaign during their tenure. The administrators who directly report to the Superintendent and their associated departments they oversee are listed below :

Senior Chief of Operations

Oversees the Chief of Integrated Operation and is responsible for Athletics, Enrollment and Transfer, School Portfolio, Leader Support, Security & Emergency Management, School Modernization, and Student Transportation.

Chief Accountability and Equity Officer

Responsible for Civil Rights, Data & Accountability, Equity, and Family & Community Engagement

Chief of Communications

Responsible for Media Relations, District Communication, Digital Services, and Public Records.

Chief Financial Officer

Accounting, Budget & Grant Accounting, Financial Systems, Payroll, and Contracting.

Chief Legal Officer

Oversees the Chief of Human Resources and is responsible for Legal Services, Risk Management, and Health and Safety.

Chief of Staff

Responsible for Climate Justice, the Board Office, Government Relations, and Partnerships with outside organizations.

Senior Chief of Academics

Oversees the Chief of Schools and the Chief of Student Services, and is responsible for Core Academics, Multi-Tiered System of Support (MTSS), and Instructional Support.