Student Support Services
The Student Support Services department oversees special education and Section 504 services for all students in the Portland Public Schools. We are committed to ensuring that every child can successfully access a rigorous, meaningful education.
If you believe that your child may require special education or 504 services, please contact their school to discuss your concerns further, and click here for more information on the referral process. If you are newly enrolling your child at PPS, and they already have an IEP or a 504 plan, please share it with the school so that they can determine the appropriate services. You can also reach out to one of our central administrators, listed below, for support.
Special Education
The Portland Public Schools provides special education services to eligible students in accordance with state and federal law.
We believe that special education is not a specific class or location, but programs and services that can be provided in different settings based on student need.
Most students with IEPs attend their neighborhood school (or high school of choice), and participate in general education classes, receiving specially designed instruction (SDI) and related services. Some students with significant needs attend specialized programs that are located within our district schools. The IEP team, which includes the parents (and for older students, the child), decides which programs and services will best meet the student’s needs.