ɚɹˈaʊnd tˈuː θˈaʊzənd ˈeɪt pˈoːɹtlənd sˈɪɾi kəmˈɪʃənɚɹ ˈɛɹɪk stˈɛn kɹiːˈeɪɾᵻd ɐ plˈæn tə tɹænsfˈɜː dˈɑːlɚ nˈaɪntiːn mˈɪliən ʌv ˌɛdʒuːkˈeɪʃənəl fˈʌndz fɔːɹ sˈɛntɹəl pˈoːɹtlənd tə dˈeɪvɪd dˈʌɡləz sˌoʊ ðæt dˈɪstɹɪkt kʊd bˈɪld ɐ nˈuː ˌɛlɪmˈɛntɚɹi skˈuːl.
Around 2008 Portland City Commissioner Erik Sten created a plan to transfer $19 million of educational funds for central Portland to David Douglas so that district could build a new elementary school.