Board member Christy Splitt outlined a preliminary alternative that would close six elementary schools. Stephanie Engelsman has proposed adjustments to the district’s scenarios, including keeping some programs and school assignments in place. Both have indicated they are unlikely to support either of the district’s original options as presented.

Superintendent Kimberlee Armstrong has said she is open to changes and has indicated she is leaning toward Scenario B, which would close 11 schools. She is due to make a final recommendation to the board Nov. 17. The board’s final vote is scheduled for Dec. 17.

Splitt’s proposed “Scenario D” would close Creston, Buckman and Woodmere in Southeast Portland; Sabin and Irvington in Northeast Portland; and Peninsula Elementary in North Portland. Each is projected to enroll 250 students or fewer next school year.

Her plan would redirect some students between nearby schools rather than carry out all the moves in the district’s proposals. Creston students would go to Arleta instead of Atkinson, and Creston’s program for deaf and hard-of-hearing students would move with the school’s other students rather than to Glencoe. Some Sabin students would attend Vernon, while some Woodmere students would move to Lewis.

Splitt said those changes would leave three schools below 250 students: Skyline K-8, Chief Joseph and Sunrise. She argued that near-term enrollment should guide decisions, while the district continues to monitor trends and consider later changes. Her proposal includes an annual enrollment report and would begin a boundary-adjustment process involving eight Southwest Portland elementary schools.

The plan would keep several schools that appear in the district’s closure scenarios open for now, including Marysville and Lewis elementaries and Sellwood Middle School in Southeast Portland; James John and Beach elementaries in North Portland; and Rose City Park in Northeast Portland. It would also preserve Spanish dual-language programs at multiple sites for the time being, rather than consolidating them into one school in each of three parts of the city. Splitt said a districtwide committee should consider that question.

Her approach would leave nine elementary schools with projected enrollment between 250 and 300. District analysts have said schools of that size can struggle to provide a full range of programming, including dedicated arts teachers and librarians, and enough classes at each grade to support teacher collaboration and student choice.

Engelsman, who has not offered a separate closure scenario, has proposed keeping Skyline K-8 students assigned to Lincoln High School rather than shifting them to Roosevelt. She said the trip across the St. Johns Bridge could create transportation problems and safety concerns in an earthquake. She also wants middle school students to remain at Sunnyside Environmental School, saying a move to Hosford could contribute to overcrowding and disrupt the school’s environmental justice curriculum.

Other suggestions from Engelsman include starting lottery-based focus option schools in second grade rather than kindergarten, and avoiding closure of any school that has received more than $250,000 in bond-funded improvements. She is also prepared to seek more time for public input and board deliberations, potentially pushing the vote to February or March.

Engelsman said a later decision could keep families and communities engaged with lawmakers during the 2027 legislative session. The board is next scheduled to hear from district analysts about how they developed the closure proposals, with community feedback sessions planned over the next two months.

The district has cited declining enrollment and rising operating costs as reasons it needs to reorganize. Splitt agreed that changes are necessary, but said a more limited first round could allow further decisions to be made with additional time and community discussion.