News & Events

Initial public engagement sessions regarding the work of the Attendance Boundaries Advisory Committee are set for early June. Here are the dates, times and locations of the meetings: 

• Monday, June 2, 6 p.m. to 7 p.m, in person at Ocean Avenue Elementary School
• Tuesday, June 3, 6 p.m. to 7 p.m, in person at King Middle School
• Wednesday, June 4, 6 p.m. to 7 p.m, VIRTUAL. Here's the link to join. 

An inaccurate May 1 story by News Center Maine (WCSH6) about the meeting that night of the district's Attendance Boundaries Advisory Committee has generated confusion regarding Lincoln Middle School. At the district's request, WCSH6 has retracted the news report. Please view the following communication from the Portland Public Schools that addresses the inaccuracies and clarifies the role of the Advisory Committee:

The annual Portland Public Schools district-wide student art show at City Hall is kicking off with a celebratory reception on Friday, May 2, in conjunction with the May First Friday Art Walk.  The event will take place from 3:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. The exhibit will be on display until May 16, enabling the public to enjoy student artwork from all schools in the district on display.

A series of stakeholder engagement meetings will take place this month on a proposed policy that would ban students from having cell phones or other personal electronic devices on their person during regular school hours. The stakeholder engagement meetings are designed to get feedback from parents/guardians and staff on the policy before the Board of Public Education votes on it. Separate stakeholder meetings for high school students also are being scheduled by their individual schools.

The proposed $171.8 million FY26 school budget is headed to the City Council for a first read and public hearing on Monday, May 5, following approval by the Council's Finance Committee. This Council public hearing and another one on May 19 are opportunities for the PPS community to make their voices heard regarding this fair and responsible budget, which benefits students and supports educators.

At its April 8 meeting, the Board of Public Education unanimously approved a 2025-2026 district calendar that includes Yom Kippur and Eid al-Fitr as new district holidays. Starting in the fall, students and staff at the Portland Public Schools, Maine’s most diverse school district, can observe those major religious holidays with their families without having to miss school. 

The Portland Board of Public Education voted on April 8 to approve a $171.8 million school budget for the 2025-2026 school year to recommend to the City Council. The Board’s fiscal year 2026 budget focuses on strengthening student experiences and outcomes and is directly aligned to the new Strategic Plan. The Board’s recommended FY26 budget now goes to the City Council, which moves forward its bottom line. A final Council vote on the school budget is anticipated on May 19 and it will go to voters on June 10.