Construction activity at the Jefferson High School site as the district moves to accelerate the project.
Portland, Oregon, September 12, 2025
The Portland Public Schools board voted 6-1 to expand a contract with Texas-based construction manager Procedeo, approving an additional $487,500 to accelerate planning and work on a new Jefferson High School. The payment is authorized through the end of December and builds on a prior $149,500 engagement, bringing total authorized spending to $637,000. Procedeo delivered a brief page-and-a-half report reviewing past troubles and offering broad recommendations. District employees who led multi-year high school modernizations objected to outsourcing, saying the short report lacked detail. Officials must now decide how to use the contracted hours and whether further study or redesign is needed.
The Portland Public Schools board voted 6-1 to expand its contract with a Texas-based construction management firm, adding $487,500 to the existing agreement as part of efforts to move forward on a planned Jefferson High School replacement. The vote, which passed with six in favor and one opposed, came despite objections raised publicly by district employees who have spent years working to modernize all nine district high schools.
Under the new authorization, an additional $487,500 will be paid to the firm between now and the end of December, on top of the $149,500 that was previously awarded. The board said the move honored the wishes of Superintendent Kimberlee Armstrong to move quickly to advance the project for a new Jefferson High School, a project that sits in the neighborhood of a $465 million price tag.
The June action in the process involved agreeing to pay the Texas firm $149,500 to develop a plan that would be quicker and less costly than prior approaches. After about two months, the firm delivered a concise briefing — a page-and-a-half summary that traced the troubled history of the project and offered broad suggestions for how to do better. The summary did not provide a final blueprint, but it did outline several large-scale ideas for accelerating work and improving cost control on the project.
In the months leading up to the decision, district employees and others had expressed concern about the pace of progress and the effectiveness of the project’s management, arguing that more time and careful oversight were needed to ensure the project’s goals could be met without compromising quality or fiscal responsibility. The latest move, however, was framed by supporters as a way to keep the plan on track and prevent delays that could push back a timeline for opening a new school.
The Jefferson High School project is already described in public materials as valued at $465 million, a figure that has shaped conversations about cost, scope, and accountability. The board’s decision to add funds through December is being presented by supporters as a temporary measure intended to maintain momentum while the district continues to refine its approach to design, budgeting, and construction management.
Beyond the specific dollars and dates, observers note that the vote highlights ongoing debates within the district about how best to balance urgency with thoroughness. The public objections raised by district staff emphasize long-standing concerns about how best to modernize facilities across all high schools, while proponents say procedural speed is essential to meet community needs and expectations for a new Jefferson facility. The decision thus sits at the intersection of accountability, speed, and long-term district goals for facilities modernization.
The expanded arrangement is targeted at maintaining momentum on a high-profile school replacement project while the district continues to review the plan and explore ways to reduce costs and improve delivery. The timeframe through December means additional decisions and payments will hinge on ongoing assessments of design, budgeting, and construction planning. The aim, as described by supporters, is to keep the project on schedule without sidelining critical checks and balances that ensure accountability and value for taxpayers.
The board voted 6-1 in favor of expanding the contract with a Texas-based construction management firm.
An additional $487,500 was approved for payment through December, in addition to the previously awarded $149,500.
Together with the earlier payment, the total reaches $637,000 through December.
The actions relate to the plan to build a new Jefferson High School, a project commonly described with a $465 million price tag.
The decision was framed as respecting the superintendent’s wish to move quickly to advance the Jefferson High School project.
In June, a separate agreement paid $149,500 to a Texas firm to develop a plan aimed at making the project faster and cheaper.
The firm provided a concise, page-and-a-half summary of the project’s history and broad suggestions for improvement.
District employees publicly objected to the expansion, reflecting ongoing concerns about how best to modernize district facilities.
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Topic | Expansion of contract for planning/oversight of Jefferson High School project |
| Firm | Texas-based construction management firm (Procedeo) |
| Vote outcome | 6 in favor, 1 opposed |
| Financials | Additional 487,500 dollars; total through December 637,000 dollars (including prior 149,500) |
| Project value cited | Jefferson High School project at 465 million dollars |
| Timeline | Payments through end of December |
| Context | Action taken despite public objections from district employees; aim to accelerate the project |
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