Portland Community College

The college was founded in 1961 as an adult education program for the local public school system, operating out of the former Failing Elementary School[2] since 1959 and renamed Portland Community College in 1961.[3] Voters approved the establishment of an independent district for the college in 1968.[2] Amo DeBernardis (1913-2010),[4] former assistant superintendent of Portland Public Schools, was the founding president of the school, serving from 1961 to 1979.[2]