A coalition of more than 35 educational and community organizations issued a formal letter to Portland Public Schools on Tuesday, May 6, regarding the district’s long-delayed Center for Black Student Excellence, calling for immediate action on the $60 million initiative approved by voters in the 2020 bond measure.

In a letter addressed to the PPS Board of Education, the coalition outlined specific deadlines and actions they say are required to address a “pattern of institutional neglect and broken promises to Portland’s Black students, families and community.”

“Almost five years have passed since Portland voters approved $60 million to establish the Center for Black Student Excellence, yet hardly a dollar has been spent toward its implementation,” said Marsha Williams, CEO and co-founder of KairosPDX. “This continued inaction speaks volumes about the district’s true priorities and commitment to Black student achievement.”

The letter includes three demands.

First, a public meeting by Tuesday, May 20, demanding a “detailed progress reports and concrete plans for site acquisition.”

Second, identifying a site for the center by June 30, with transaction completion required by Dec. 1.

And third, immediate allocation of at least one dedicated school district staff member to oversee the transaction.

“The district’s willingness to leave $60 million in voter-approved, use-restricted funds unspent while simultaneously cutting vital programs across the district is inexplicable,” said Aryn Frazier, executive director of the Center for Black Excellence. “We can and must do better by our children.”

According to the letter, the Center for Black Student Excellence would “symbolize Portland’s commitment to educational justice” and would foster the development of “innovative approaches that center students’ needs, transform their experiences, and nurture their talents.”

Members of the coalition said the voter-approved initiative “builds on decades of advocacy and work from Black educators, parents and students who have consistently highlighted the district’s failure to serve Black students adequately.”

The coalition includes Albina Head Start, Albina Vision Trust, the Black Parent Initiative, Self-enhancement Inc., the Black Business Association of Oregon and more than 20 other organizations.