Primerly field report
a private school in Portland
K–8 · Private · Progressive · Outdoor
2800 SE Harrison St Portland · Ian Abraham, Head of School
Portland Forest School is a private K–8 where academics live outdoors every day: students read, write, and do math and science immersed in forest settings around the city. The school's 'nature-first' model uses small classes and project-based units, shelter building, plant identification, animal tracking, water quality evaluation, so core skills grow alongside resilience, teamwork, and problem-solving.
Teachers sequence lessons seasonally, embracing the natural rhythm of the environment, while keeping steady practice in literacy and numeracy aligned to Oregon Department of Education Common Core State Standards. Students are grouped in multiage pods and rotate daily roles like Squire, Pathfinder, and Weather Checker.
The interdisciplinary curriculum blends earth skills and scientific inquiry with hands-on crafts like carving and weaving, foraging, fire cooking, and archery. Net: a deeply hands-on, place-based program for kids who thrive with movement, fresh air, and authentic work in the natural world.
Tuition: $1,850 - $18,450 (2026-2027 tuition range)
Address: 2800 SE Harrison St Portland, OR 97214. Phone: 503-662-8079. Website: portlandforestschool.org.
{{ rz.lede }} {{ rz.boardLine }}
{{ g.when }}. {{ g.text }}
{{ sc.dropCap }}{{ sc.overviewFirst }}
{{ p }}
{{ p }}
{{ p }}
{{ sc.after.prose }}
Seats here aren’t first-come; they’re drawn by lottery. Each circle below is a tenth of the families who applied over the last two springs and stayed in the running (didn’t take a higher-ranked school). Filled circles got a yes.
Official PPS lottery results, 2025-26 & 2026-27 combined: offers made ÷ families still in the running (offered + waitlisted); applications cancelled for a higher-ranked school excluded. pps.net › prior transfer data. Slots reset every year.