Community & PPS of Portland, Oregon

Community & Parents for Public Schools of Portland (CPPS) was formed in 1999 when five different community-based organizations decided to combine forces.  Today, the chapter is the only organization in the city devoted to building the leadership skills and knowledge of parents and moving them into decision-making roles for system-wide change in policy and practice.

There has been broad agreement in this community that the school district lacks the leadership to implement a new strategic plan for reforming the organizational structure of education in the city.  The plan itself was initiated and developed by a wide array of community change agents, including many chapter members.   CPPS is well positioned to assist in training parents for new roles in the decentralized governance as called for in the plan.  Other chapter strategies in place include:

	Taking the lead to assist the district in defining multiple, broad-based measures of student achievement to ensure effective teacher practice for all students;
	Strengthening school leadership by working with the district to clarify the role of principals and to implement a 360-degree evaluation to involve more stakeholders in the process;
	Ensuring that parents have input in the selection of a new superintendent; and
	Continuing an annual survey and well-attended CPPS Parent Summit to strengthen the school improvement process and policies for parent and community involvement.