Portland Public Schools voters have ushered in a new era with the decisive election of four women to the school board, marking a significant shift in leadership and priorities. This election saw the ousting of incumbent board member Herman Greene, alongside the election of three newcomers, all women with students currently enrolled in the district. Rashelle Chase-Miller, a prominent early literacy advocate who fiercely championed teachers’ rights during both the pandemic lockdown and the 2023 strike, secured a resounding victory, capturing 57% of the vote and defeating Greene. Chase-Miller’s success was fueled by a robust campaign strategy, supported by the Portland Association of Teachers through phone banking, door-to-door outreach, glossy mailers, and text messaging, demonstrating a deep understanding of local concerns.
In Zone 5, covering most of Northeast Portland, marketing strategist Virginia La Forte emerged as the clear winner, taking 55% of the vote against Jorge Sanchez Bautista, a McDaniel High School senior. La Forte’s campaign benefited from endorsements from education nonprofit Stand for Children and the editorial boards of The Oregonian/OregonLive and Willamette Week, reflecting a broad coalition of support. Greene, who served as a pastor at a North Portland church, raised approximately $16,000 for his campaign.
Christy Splitt, appointed to the board in January and representing Zone 1 (Southwest Portland), achieved a dominant 78% of the vote against Ken Cavagnol, an artificial intelligence industry professional. Splitt’s victory underscores the community’s desire for experienced leadership within the district. In Zone 6, encompassing portions of Southeast and Northeast Portland, parent and lawyer Stephanie Engelmans’ victory was equally decisive, garnering 79% of the vote compared to 13% for Rob Galanakis, a software development company founder, and 5% for disaster resilience consultant Simone Crowe. Engelmans will replace Julia Brim-Edwards, a Multnomah County Commissioner concluding her second term on the board.
The newly elected board faces a complex landscape. Portland Public Schools, a notably progressive district, is grappling with potential budget cuts, the resumption of negotiations with the teachers’ union in early 2026, and the monitoring of bond-funded construction projects. Enrollment declines are also a significant concern, potentially leading to school closures or boundary adjustments. The district’s diverse student population – with Black, Latino, Indigenous, and Pacific Islander students consistently underperforming on state assessments – and the ongoing scrutiny from the Trump administration add further layers of complexity. With an all-new board – excluding Vice Chair Michelle De Pass, who is midway through her second term – and Superintendent Kimberlee Armstrong also relatively new to her role, the district is embarking on a period of significant transition. The latest vote-by-mail laws, coupled with Portland-area voters’ tendency to drop off ballots in the final hours, mean some close contests may not be definitively called until Wednesday or later. Julia Silverman covers K-12 education for The Oregonian/OregonLive. Reach her at [email protected].
