Oregon Public Broadcasting

The Portland schools superintendent is expected to unveil a sweeping recommendation Monday to restructure high schools in Oregon’s largest district. Rob Manning reports.

Superintendent Carole Smith says there are academic and financial reasons to consolidate into larger high schools and create a handful of smaller, magnet high schools.

Many parents and the head of the Meyer Memorial Trust have been critical.

The details of Smith’s plan have been a closely-guarded secret since board members approved the effort, six weeks ago.

The district denied a public records’ request from OPB for a consultant’s analysis that’s guided the recommendation.

But according to memos the district has released to OPB, the consultant has provided hundreds of possible scenarios of how the system would look — minus as many as three comprehensive high schools.

The scenarios were based on factors like how many current and future students would have to change schools – and how far they’d be moved.  

The consultant’s analysis also looked at the effects on socio-economic diversity, though not race.  

The superintendent will present her recommendation Monday. The school board might not vote for months. Changes are slated for Fall 2011.