Construction activity at the Jefferson High School site as the district moves to accelerate the project.
Portland, Oregon, September 12, 2025
The Portland Public Schools board voted 6-1 to expand a contract with Texas-based construction manager Procedeo, approving an additional $487,500 to accelerate planning and work on a new Jefferson High School. The payment is authorized through the end of December and builds on a prior $149,500 engagement, bringing total authorized spending to $637,000. Procedeo delivered a brief page-and-a-half report reviewing past troubles and offering broad recommendations. District employees who led multi-year high school modernizations objected to outsourcing, saying the short report lacked detail. Officials must now decide how to use the contracted hours and whether further study or redesign is needed.
The Portland Public Schools (PPS) board voted 6-1 to expand a contract with a Texas-based construction management firm, Procedeo, approving an additional $487,500 to accelerate work on the new Jefferson High School. The approved funds will be available to the firm through the end of December and come after an earlier payment of $149,500 made this summer.
The board’s majority action authorizes the new payment between now and the end of December, with the stated goal of moving more quickly on the Jefferson High School project. The decision was made in deference to the district superintendent’s wish to push the project forward on an accelerated schedule.
In June, the district quietly agreed to pay Procedeo $149,500 to develop a quicker, lower-cost plan for building the new Jefferson High School. After two months, the firm returned a brief report — roughly a page and a half — that summarized the project’s troubled history and offered broad suggestions for improvement. The Jefferson project has a stated value of $465 million.
The board expanded the contract over the public objections of district employees. Those employees have spent years working on efforts to modernize all nine district high schools and raised concerns about the new contracting path. Despite these objections, six board members voted to increase Procedeo’s funding, while one member opposed the move.
The additional $487,500 is intended to accelerate planning and decision-making so construction work on a replacement or renovated Jefferson High School can begin sooner. The authorization covers work and payments through the end of December, signaling a near-term push to finalize plans and potentially move to subsequent project phases faster than the prior schedule.
The board repeatedly affirmed the vote to expand the contract during the same meeting. The district’s move follows earlier private agreements and an emphasis by leadership on finding quicker, less costly options for the large-scale project. District staff who developed modernization plans for multiple high schools were publicly critical during the board’s consideration of the contract expansion.
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With funding approved through December, the district is positioned to direct Procedeo to refine plans, conduct schedule reviews, and recommend specific next steps. The board majority prioritized speed; district staff will continue to press for input on modernization goals, cost oversight, and alignment with earlier planning work across the high school portfolio.
A: The board voted 6-1 to expand the contract with Procedeo, adding $487,500 to accelerate work on Jefferson High School.
A: Procedeo is a Texas-based construction management firm hired to develop quicker, less costly plans and guidance for building the new Jefferson High School.
A: Procedeo received $149,500 earlier in the summer and was authorized an additional $487,500, bringing the near-term authorized total to $637,000.
A: District employees who have worked on multi-year modernization plans for the district’s nine high schools raised public objections, expressing concern about bypassing their existing work and the speed of the new contracting approach.
A: The Jefferson project is referenced as a $465 million undertaking in the materials provided and discussed by the district and the firm.
A: The additional $487,500 was authorized for use between now and the end of December.
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Board vote | 6 in favor, 1 opposed |
| Firm | Procedeo (Texas-based construction management firm) |
| New authorization | $487,500, authorized through end of December |
| Previous payment | $149,500 paid in June for quicker, lower-cost planning |
| Project value | Jefferson High School referenced as a $465 million project |
| Staff concerns | Public objections from district employees who worked on multi-year modernization plans |
| Reason given for vote | Desire to move quickly on plans for the new Jefferson High School |
Note: This article summarizes board action and related materials. The site publishing these details includes user notices about potential compensation for purchases via links, terms of use, privacy practices, and a 2025 copyright. Use of the site implies acceptance of its User Agreement and Privacy Policy.
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