Rebuilding public trust after a school health crisis

With deliberate planning and clear communication, this Oregon school district regained community trust after elevated lead levels were found in the water supply.

The problem of deferred maintenance isn’t unique to Portland, of course. A recent study estimates that American schools will need to spend $135 billion annually — $36 billion more than they spend at present — to maintain, operate, and upgrade their existing facilities “so that all students have access to healthy and safe school facilities that support learning” (Filardo, 2016). Still, while we are far from the only district to face these problems, the challenges that have confronted us in Portland have been particularly intense. And while we wouldn’t wish such a crisis upon any other school district, we believe that important lessons can be learned from the steps we’ve taken not only to protect our students’ health but also to regain the public’s trust.

The crisis unfolds