Defending Ed Files Civil Rights Complaint Against Portland Public Schools for Billion-Dollar Center for Black Student Excellence

On December 17, 2025, Defending Education filed a civil rights complaint against Portland Public Schools (PPS) for the diversion of millions in taxpayer dollars to the construction of and programs associated with the Center for Black Student Excellence (CBSE) in violation of Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, and the Equal Protection Clause of the Constitution’s 14th Amendment. The PPS district appears to be engaged in not only racially discriminatory programming and operations, but also appears to be doing so in a way both financially reckless and in violation of its fiduciary responsibilities to the people of Portland. 

On November 3, 2020, Portland residents voted to approve Measure 26-215, a $1.2 billion construction bond for Portland Public Schools that also established the district’s Center for Black Student Excellence (CBSE). Not only is the legality of this bond initiative questionable at best, CSBE’s Guiding Principles reflect its racial focus by promising to “center Blackness unapologetically,” “ensure that Black students and Black Educators in PPS access empowering activities, services, and relationships,” “ensure that Black students will graduate with a post-secondary plan,” and “emulate intentionality around bringing out the excellence in Black students.”  Although the report suggests improvements only for black students, it acknowledges that Portland students of all races struggle academically. 

Defending Ed has now learned that on December 2, 2025, the PPS board voted unanimously to purchase a commercial building for $16 million to house the CBSE.  The building’s sky-high purchase price is only the beginning, however, as the structure needs another $20 to $25 million in renovations and an estimated 24 to 30 months of construction.  For the foreseeable future, PPS will own an empty building dedicated to segregated education that will not educate a single Portland child, all while facing a $50 million budgetary shortfall next year.    

Defending Ed looks forward to the U.S. Department of Education’s speedy investigation into what appears to be a massive civil rights violation in Portland Public Schools.

Defending Ed’s Vice President, Sarah Parshall Perry stated:

Portland Public Schools (PPS) is pouring millions of taxpayer dollars into its Center for Black Student Excellence (CBSE), whose guiding principles promise to “ensure that Black students and Black Educators in PPS access empowering activities, services, and relationships,” and “emulate intentionality around bringing out the excellence in Black students.” But PPS reporting recognizes that Portland students of all races struggle academically.

Now, PPS has purchased a $16 million commercial building for the CBSE that needs millions in renovations and will sit vacant for more than two years. That kind of flagrant racial preferencing isn’t just fiscally irresponsible, it’s illegal, and we’ve asked the Department of Education to investigate.

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Read the full complaint below: