Portland Schools Face $65M Gap: DLI Hubs Spark Parent Backlash

Portland Public Schools has outlined a plan to close schools and consolidate programs to offset a $65 million budget deficit. The proposal, which officials call a rightsizing strategy, would group Dual Language Immersion students into specific language hubs. Parents of students in the DLI program have voiced strong objections, stating they were not consulted during the planning process.

Rudy Ulin, a parent of two DLI students, said the program is central to his children’s identity. "It’s been fantastic .. it’s part of who they are. It’s their culture," Ulin said. Under the new structure, Ulin’s children from James John Elementary and George Middle School would move to the future Spanish hub at César Chávez. Dominica Gonzalez, whose third and fifth graders attend Beach Elementary, would also send her children to the same hub.

Gonzalez described the process as unilateral. "It felt and it feels like they’re just pushing us over, like you’re just going to do this because that’s what we think is best," she said. Both Ulin and Gonzalez noted that resources for translation and communication are uneven. "Finding the right website, finding the right translation, the opportunity to translate is there, but is it appropriate?" Gonzalez asked. A Spanish-language meeting is scheduled for Monday at César Chávez, though parents remain skeptical that their concerns will influence the final decision.

Logistical issues form a major part of the complaint. Families cited a lack of reliable transportation to the new hub locations. "We will have to depend on public transportation," Gonzalez said. Parents also pointed to differences in after-school program availability and pickup times. Ulin raised safety concerns about concentrating students from specific language programs in single buildings. "All of the Spanish programs in one school, it just makes the perfect target for ICE," he said.

School officials defended the consolidation at a press conference this week, noting that DLI programs are not legally mandated. They argued the changes are necessary to balance the books. Ulin said the district’s approach has pitted neighborhoods against one another. "That has put neighborhoods and communities against each other because we are now trying to make the case of why you shouldn’t close our school," he said. Gonzalez added that the district holds a position of privilege. "They are in a position to serve our communities, not to divide us," she said.

Families must now decide which school their children will attend under the new framework. Ulin described the emotional toll of the change. "We feel sad, we feel disappointed. Our kids are having such a great education, a great experience at the school," he said. "Losing that and knowing that some of their friends won’t follow..it’s heartbreaking. They developed these friendships and now they’re worried and sad that they might lose their friends."

The district continues to hold meetings with affected families as it finalizes the consolidation timeline. The $65 million gap remains the primary driver for the cuts, with the Spanish hub at César Chávez serving as the central site for the DLI students currently scattered across multiple elementary and middle schools.