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 since 1959 and renamed Portland Community College in 1961. Voters approved the establishment of an independent district for the college in 1968. Amo DeBernardis (ca 1914-2010), former assistant superintendent of Portland Public Schools, was the founding president of the school, serving from 1961 to 1979. In 1971 the Cascade Campus opened in Northeast Portland, and the Rock Creek Campus in Washington County opened in 1976. The district passed a $374 million bond measure in 2008. PCC's $25 million Willow Creek Center opened in 2009 and earned a platinum LEED certification the next year. A new campus in Newberg, named Newberg Center, opened in October 2011, replacing a temporary arrangement in use for the 2010�11 school year, in which PCC courses were offered at the Chehalem Cultural Center. The new center's 13,000-square-foot (1,200 m2) building was reported as being predicted to earn platinum LEED certification.

Portland Community College advances the region's long-term vitality by delivering accessible, quality education to support the academic, professional, and personal development of the diverse students and communities we serve. To achieve its mission, Portland Community College offers accessible and affordable education to the residents of its 1500 square mile district and to the residents of its service districts. As a public, comprehensive, post-secondary institution, this multi-campus college offers lower division college transfer programs, occupational and technical programs, basic skill education, and community education programs. Partnerships with business, industry, labor, educational institutions, and public sector agencies provide training opportunities for the local work forces and promote economic development. Through effective teaching and supportive student services, Portland Community College prepares students for success as individuals, members of a democratic society, and citizens of a rapidly changing world.

256 acres (104�ha)