PPS Seeks Big Emissions Reductions With New High School Buildings

It’s no secret that Portland Public Schools has a portfolio of aging buildings, many constructed 80 to 90 years ago. Parents are familiar with the challenges old schools create, from early dismissals because structures aren’t equipped to handle heat to fears about what happens when an earthquake strikes unreinforced masonry.

A consequence that’s discussed less frequently is the sustainability of operating such facilities.

The nation’s schools emit about 72 million metric tons of carbon dioxide each year, says the U.S. Department of Education, equivalent to about 18 coal mines. And research shows older buildings consume more energy. PPS Superintendent Dr. Kimberlee Armstrong says some buildings are so old that the district must keep materials in storage that don’t exist anywhere else, just for maintenance and repair.

In March 2022, the district passed a Climate Crisis Response Policy, crafted in conjunction with students and teachers. The policy instructs the district to design and construct new low-carbon schools, and to prioritize energy-efficient renovations. This summer, thanks to a $1.83 billion bond approved last May by voters, the district can put those ideals into action.

PPS will break ground on three large high school rebuilds. Jefferson, Cleveland and Ida B. Wells high schools, all of which are expected to open by fall 2029, will be the first fully electric high schools in the U.S., district officials say.

“The district wanted to be aggressive and ambitious in creating a climate policy that would be transformational, not just in our city, but in our state,” Armstrong says. “Being able to continue to honor that work and move it forward has been a privilege.”

As a result, this Earth Day the most ambitious climate project in the city might be the one many voters approved so their kids could attend safer high schools.

The Climate Crisis Response Policy aims for a 50% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2030 using the 2018–19 school year as the baseline. That’s a reduction of 23,027 metric tons of carbon dioxide.

That the three high schools were all electric came under scrutiny as the Portland School Board looked for ways to cut costs off the builds, among the nation’s most expensive. A 2025 report from Cornerstone Management Group identified that the choice to go all-electric was one reason costs for the new builds were sky-high. (The district will build Jefferson for $466 million, Cleveland for $473 million, and Wells for $449 million.)

Dr. Jon Franco, the district’s senior chief of operations, says while the up-front costs for electric buildings are high, he thinks the buildings will display a good return on investment over the years.

“There would be cost savings if you think big picture and in the long run…think about electrical alternatives for systems like heating, water, and HVAC,” he says, adding rooftop solar panels on these sites will help generate power and reduce grid reliance. “In the long run, it would actually increase the efficiency and reduce some of the things that we know are foundational in the climate policy.”

District spokesman Chris Luenenberg says the three high school projects will contribute toward the district’s goal of halving emissions by 2030. (As of June 2025, a district report declares PPS is still on track to reach that goal.) Luenenberg says that combined, the three high schools will see an 85% reduction in emissions from their pre-modernization counterparts.

Armstrong says she came in questioning the all-electric framework in part because of her concern with costs. But she says that’s now “water under the bridge” as the district commits to these sustainability improvements, and she says the city of Portland, and the state of Oregon, ought to match the district in their own green commitments. Without similar investments in climate-friendly infrastructure, Armstrong says she worries that the district’s green buildings will continue to draw from energy sources that require gas or other fossil fuels to run.

“As Portland Public Schools is doing all of this work to commit to zero emissions, what’s the city’s plan like?” she says. “Is Portland preparing for the amount of transition we’re hoping to create with our climate policy, or will we be loners in this?”