PORTLAND, Ore. — Costs are increasing to rebuild one of the oldest schools in Oregon’s biggest school district. Jefferson High School is now going to cost more than $400 million to rebuild and won’t be finished until the summer of 2029.
Last fall, the school district expected Jefferson would be completed by 2027. However, construction won’t begin until 2025.
"Whatever needs to be done — Jefferson needs to be rebuilt," Gina Levine, a Portland Public Schools parent, said.
Levine has two elementary-aged kids and hopes that eventually they may attend Jefferson. However, for her fifth-grade son, ongoing construction could force Levine’s family to choose a different Portland high school.
"I don't know if I want my kids to be in a school that has construction," Levine said. "Having another delay and then having a four-year building time period — that just seems off to me."
The plan will also cost $125 million more than expected: over $400 million. Currently, a Portland Public Schools spokesperson said the district doesn’t have enough bond measure funding to fully fund the project. They said additional funding would come from future bond measures.
While Jefferson families continue to wait for a new school, other Portland students have been in rebuilt or remodeled schools for years.
Lincoln High School in southwest Portland was recently rebuilt. That project cost $245 million. The higher price tag for Jefferson is due to higher costs.
"We know that inflation is driving up costs," Levine said.
The plans come at a time when Jefferson’s enrollment is dwindling. Last year, around 600 students attended the Albina neighborhood high school. That was the lowest enrollment of any Portland Public high school — though, if a rebuilt, Jefferson could hold around 1,700 students.
"I'm looking down 20 years, and we have a fully enrolled high school with people thriving," Portland Public School Board Member Michelle DePass, who attended Jefferson, said at a recent school board meeting.
Other board members said enrollment at Jefferson could increase due to future redistricting.
"We're going to be redrawing boundaries for hundreds of households in order to fill Jefferson," Andrew Scott said.
Though for families waiting years for a new school, frustration continues to mount.
"It doesn't make sense to me why (Jefferson) is taking so long," Levine said.
Initially, Portland Public Schools planned to relocate Jefferson students to another school while construction took place. However, after pushback from families, Jefferson students will now stay on campus during construction of the new school.