The U.S. Department of Education has opened a civil rights investigation into Portland Public Schools’ Center for Black Student Excellence.

According to KGW, the probe is said to examine whether the program illegally restricts certain resources to Black students in violation of Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 — a law that bans race-based discrimination in federally funded schools.

The complaint stems from a $1.2 billion construction bond, approved by Portland voters in November 2020, that promised a portion of these funds would go toward creating a Center for Black Student Excellence. Tens of millions of dollars were reportedly set aside for the Center, including money for academic support, family programs, and new facilities tailored specifically to Black students and their families.

"Discrimination disguised as 'equity' is discrimination," Education Secretary Linda McMahon said in a social media post Tuesday. "ED is investigating Portland Public Schools for allegedly allocating tens of millions in academic interventions and support exclusively for black students, despite other student groups face similar academic challenges."

The Center’s mission is to “center Blackness unapologetically” by offering year-round tutoring in reading and math, food assistance, transportation, and services aimed at closing long-standing opportunity gaps.

District data cited in the complaint shows that just 17% of Black third-graders meet reading benchmarks, but Native American and Pacific Islander students are struggling at similarly low or even lower rates. Graduation numbers tell a similar story, with Native American and Latinx students also lagging behind white peers.

Though in January, the school board rejected a proposal that would’ve allocated $40 million toward a Native Student Success Center, Willamette Week reports.

"Although students of many races are falling behind, PPS is reserving academic interventions and essential resources exclusively for Black students," Richey said. "Discrimination disguised as 'equity' is still discrimination." The department stressed that opening a case does not mean it has already found a civil rights violation.

Portland Public Schools has framed the Center as a response to decades of underinvestment in Black students and neighborhoods, arguing that tailored spaces and services are key to improving outcomes. Now, the district must convince federal investigators that its push for Black excellence doesn’t cross the legal line into exclusion.