After much consideration, I will not be seeking re-election to the District 3 Board of Public Education seat that I have held since 2010. I am honored and thankful to have had the opportunity to serve the people of Portland first on the City Charter Commission and then as a member of the board. Now, I will be looking forward to more time with family and friends and to pursuing other interests.

Over 27 years, as a parent and PTO president; as the district’s No Child Left Behind Coordinator; and most recently for nine years on the board, I have seen the board and Portland Public Schools strive to meet the charge laid out in Portland’s City Charter, to “provide public education that enables all residents to acquire the knowledge and skills necessary to participate fully in Portland’s civic, intellectual, cultural, and economic life, in order to enrich and strengthen our community and our common future.”

The board continues to face complex challenges in providing education that meets the charge of the city charter and the goals of the board’s new Portland Promise. In the years ahead, Portland’s increasing state equalized valuation will likely result in declining state educational funding and an increasing local property tax burden. As financial pressure grows on Portland taxpayers, the board will need to make carefully considered financial, programmatic, and facilities decisions that will have long-lasting consequences for both students and Portland as it seeks to ensure educational excellence as well as fiscal stability and sustainability.

I urge the District 3 voters to seek out and elect a new board representative who will thoughtfully weigh data, consistently seek information from many sources, and serve without regard to ego or ideology, always with the best interests of Portland’s students, taxpayers, and future in mind.

With humility and gratitude, I wish to thank the District 3 voters for their feedback and support.”

Laurie J. Davis

Portland