Former Portland Public Schools Architect Sues District, Alleging Retaliation Over $61.5 Million Procedeo Contract

A former Portland Public Schools employee sued the district on October 21, 2026, alleging her job was eliminated in retaliation for raising concerns about its $61.5 million contract with Procedeo LLC. The Oregon Department of Justice is reviewing the district's dealings with the Texas-based consulting firm, a department spokesperson confirmed. Portland Public Schools declined to comment, citing the pending litigation.

Locklear's Lawsuit and the Procedeo Contract

Rakiesha Locklear, an architect and former senior project manager in the district's Office of School Modernization, was the principal for the Jefferson High School modernization and what was the Center for Black Student Excellence, now called the Grice-Adair Center for Educational Excellence. Her lawsuit alleges the district eliminated her job after she repeatedly raised concerns about its contract with Procedeo, the company overseeing the district's $1.83 billion building modernization bond program.

Locklear worked at the district from October 2021 until January 26, 2026, when she was told her position was being eliminated for budget and restructuring reasons, the lawsuit says. At school board meetings in September and December 2025, Locklear said Procedeo's claim that it could save time and money on the Jefferson project was impossible and that the district was paying the firm far too much under its $61.5 million contract. Many of the same concerns appeared in a draft audit of the property tax bond, according to Willamette Week.

In June 2025, the district awarded Procedeo its first contract, for $149,500. The lawsuit notes that was $500 below the $150,000 threshold that requires school board approval and public review. In September 2025, the board approved an extension that raised the contract to $487,500. On December 2, 2025, the board approved another contract for Procedeo: $61.5 million over five years to manage the bond program, oversee delivery of bond-funded construction projects and provide oversight to the Office of School Modernization. The 5-2 vote followed a debate among board members.

Portland Public Schools at a Glance

According to akta.pro company records, Portland Public Schools is a PK-12 public school district in Portland, Oregon, founded in 1851, serving 43,479 students across 81 schools with 8,141 staff. The district is funded through state, federal, and local property tax sources. Dr. Kimberlee Armstrong serves as Superintendent, leading district strategy with an explicit focus on closing racial achievement gaps and accelerating classroom innovation.

Earlier Scrutiny of the Procedeo Deal

On September 24, 2026, Oregon Secretary of State Tobias Read's office referred Portland Public Schools' $61.5 million contract with Procedeo to the ethics commission and Department of Justice for potential investigations, according to oregonlive. On October 7, 2026, the district issued a response to an audit that found its $61.5 million contract with Procedeo put $1.8 billion in bonds at risk, oregonlive reported. On October 1, 2026, a letter to the editor criticized the Portland Public Schools board and superintendent for awarding a contract to Procedeo, citing mismanagement and a resigned project manager, according to oregonlive.

Next Steps for Portland Public Schools

The Oregon Department of Justice's criminal justice team is reviewing the case. The Oregon Secretary of State's Office has opened an investigation into the district's contract with Procedeo after a report to the state's government waste hotline. Locklear submitted a tort claim notice on June 22.