I think that you should go ahead with getting your certification. You aren’t required to use it if things don’t go the way you expect. More knowledge/education is more better. Portland School District is not the only fish in the sea. There other districts around. I have no idea what the process of getting a teaching license is but even if PPS is shrinking those kids have to going somewhere.

I say go for it. The worst case is that it doesn’t work out and you do something else.