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The U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights (OCR) opened an investigation into Portland Public Schools (PPS) in Portland, Oregon over its Center for Black Student Excellence (CBSE), which allegedly discriminates on the basis of race in violation of Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (Title VI). According to a complaint filed with OCR, a recent $1.2 billion bond includes tens of millions allocated for academic interventions, wraparound support, facilities, and family programs exclusively for black students, despite PPS data showing other student groups face similar or greater challenges.
CBSE’s guiding principles pledge to “center Blackness unapologetically” by offering black students year-round academic interventions in math and literacy, tutoring, food assistance, and transportation support. Yet PPS data from 2021–2022 shows widespread academic struggles: only 17% of Black students meet third-grade reading proficiency levels, with similarly low rates for Native American students (17.6%) and Pacific Islanders (16.7%). Graduation rates tell a similar story: in 2021-2022, 79.4% of PPS black students graduated from high school, compared to 61.5% of Native Americans and 73.7% of “Latinx” students. Despite these disparities, the PPS school board rejected a proposal to allocate $40 million to a Native Student Success Center.
“Civil rights law—and basic fairness—demand that every student, regardless of race, has equal access to educational programs and support. Although students of many races are falling behind, PPS is reserving academic interventions and essential resourcesexclusively for Black students. Discrimination disguised as ‘equity’ is still discrimination,” said Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights Kimberly Richey. “OCR is committed to vigorously enforcing Title VI to ensure that excellence—not exclusion—defines schools so every child has an opportunity to succeed.”
Background
Title VI prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, or national origin in education programs and activities receiving federal funding.
