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 increase the district’s contract with Texas-based construction manager Procedeo, approving an extra $487,500 to push a faster plan for a new Jefferson High School. The additional payment is authorized to be spent between now and the end of December.
The board’s decision adds to a smaller contract agreed in June, when the district quietly paid the firm $149,500 to produce a quicker, less costly plan for the troubled Jefferson project. After two months, the firm delivered a page-and-a-half summary of the project’s challenges along with broad suggestions for moving forward on the $465 million effort. The recent vote overrides objections from district employees who have spent years on modernizing all nine high schools.
Jefferson High School is part of a large district plan to modernize high schools. The project’s official budget is $465 million, making it one of the district’s largest capital efforts. The board majority said outside help could speed design choices and reduce costs, while critics warned that local staff with years of work on the schools were sidelined.
After their initial engagement in June, Procedeo provided a short summary highlighting the project’s troubled history and proposing general ways to improve pace and cost control. That brief report did not include detailed designs or firm guarantees, but it set the stage for the expanded contract aimed at producing faster, actionable plans.
District employees raised public objections before the vote, noting their long-term involvement in high school modernization and questioning the need to hire a Texas firm. Concerns focused on transparency, local expertise, and the impact of bringing in outside managers at an advanced stage of a multi-year effort.
The additional funds are available through the end of December, creating a finite window for Procedeo to produce work that aims to accelerate the Jefferson project. The board and administration will likely review any new plans and decide on follow-up actions, including whether to adopt Procedeo’s proposals, return to in-house teams, or seek additional bids.
The vote affects a systemwide push to modernize all nine district high schools. How the Jefferson process unfolds may influence funding choices, scheduling, and community trust for other planned projects. The split vote and public objections underscore the tension between moving quickly and relying on internal staff who have long worked on these plans.
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The board voted 6-1 to increase Procedeo’s contract by an additional $487,500 to accelerate planning for a new Jefferson High School, with funds available through the end of December.
Procedeo is a Texas-based construction management firm. In June they were paid $149,500 to propose faster, less costly options for Jefferson. Their initial delivery was a page-and-a-half summary of problems and high-level suggestions.
District employees objected publicly because they have worked for years on modernizing the nine high schools and raised concerns about outside firms taking a lead role late in a long-running process.
The project has a stated budget of $465 million.
The district will use the contracted time through December to pursue accelerated planning. The board and district leaders will review any deliverables before deciding on further steps, which could include implementing Procedeo’s proposals or returning to in-house planning teams.
| Feature | Detail |
|---|---|
| Board vote | 6-1 in favor of expanding the contract |
| Firm | Procedeo (Texas-based construction management firm) |
| New funds approved | $487,500 (authorized through end of December) |
| Previous payment | $149,500 paid in June for a quicker plan |
| Project value | $465 million stated budget for Jefferson High School |
| Main reason for expansion | To accelerate planning and reduce costs in line with superintendent’s timeline |
| Public objections | Raised by district employees who have worked on the modernization program |
| Site/legal notes | Site indicates possible compensation from links, requires acceptance of User Agreement and Privacy Policy, and displays copyright and ad choice notices |
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