Officials Make 'Difficult Decision' to Close Portland Schools Tuesday; Eliminate Year's Late Starts

All Portland Public Schools classes are canceled for Tuesday, Jan. 17, due to icy conditions, an ongoing flood watch and the threat of freezing rain.

And due to already lost instructional hours from recent weather-related closures, the academic year's scheduled late starts will also be eliminated. The first — which will no longer occur — was scheduled for Jan. 18.

"This was a difficult decision," said an update on the district's website. "We know that school closures impact families in many ways, disrupting work schedules, childcare, in addition to classroom instruction for the nearly 49,000 students we serve. While most of our school parking lots have been cleared and we prepared buses for snow routes and chains, many of our schools still have significant ice covering paths and stairways, creating serious safety hazards on our grounds."

Many side streets also are still covered in ice, leading to transportation challenges for those families and staff members who do not live closeby, officials said.

"We are hopeful that after the freezing rain predicted for tomorrow, temperatures will rise enough to thaw the ice and allow our schools and all roads to be cleared and safe for all travel," they said. "We look forward to welcoming you all back on Wednesday morning, regular start time."