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Addressing the 8th-9th Grade Transition: Insights from Portland's Schools, Families, and Housing Initiative

The Schools, Families, Housing Community Grants Program in Portland is aiming to tackle the challenges surrounding the 8th-9th grade transition. Findings reveal a disconnection between youth and education, with only 57% graduating on time and 8,000 young individuals disengaged from school and work. This initiative seeks to coordinate resources effectively to stabilize school enrollment and enhance partnerships within neighborhoods. Through strategic grants and community engagement, we aspire to create vibrant schools that reflect the diverse needs of our changing population.

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Addressing the 8th-9th Grade Transition: Insights from Portland's Schools, Families, and Housing Initiative

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  1. Schools, Families, HousingCommunity Grants Program

  2. What Are We Finding? • Conversation and Initial Analysis Confirm: 8th-9th Grade Transition is Fundamental • Similar to findings in other analyses • National- Chicago, Philadelphia, New York • Local- In District & Outside Partners What the Data Tells Us

  3. Our City and Schools City • Growing population and economy • Increasingly divided by race, class and language • Wealthy, growing, childless central city

  4. Schools • Declining enrollment in PPS • Overcrowding in east side school districts

  5. Our Families A divergent path for children and adults: Adults • More white, more affluent, less children (in central city) Children • Flat growth; more diverse, more poor Families • Families of color are growing

  6. Youth leaving the system, PPS cohort study revealed: • Only 57% of kids graduated on time • Approx. 8,000 young Portlanders are disconnected from school and work • PPS loses 1,400 – 1,600 middle and high school kids every year out of the traditional system

  7. Schools, Families, Housing City-Wide Initiative

  8. Initiative Goals • Direct City of Portland resources in a coordinated and cost-effective manner to help balance/optimize school enrollment • Using the City’s significant capacity for public involvement, help develop vibrant, multi-functional neighborhood schools that meet the needs of students.

  9. Initiative Strategies • Rent Assistance – SFH Stabilization Fund • Small Grants – SFH Community Grants • Homeownership – Portland Housing Center Revolving Loan Pool • Neighborhood Engagement and Planning • Safe Routes to School, Parks & Rec, OSD, PDC, BHCD • Building on the Rosa Parks model • Complete Communities in River District & Pearl • Coordination with school bond measure deliberation • Family Housing Design Competition • Marketing public schools and Portland’s neighborhoods to incoming residents

  10. What Are We Finding? Schools, Families, Housing Community Grants Program • Conversation and Initial Analysis Confirm: 8th-9th Grade Transition is Fundamental • Similar to findings in other analyses • National- Chicago, Philadelphia, New York • Local- In District & Outside Partners

  11. Schools, Families, HousingCommunity Grants Program Core Elements • Resources to support and strengthen connections between schools and community • Administered by Portland Schools Foundation • $850,000 • 12-18 months

  12. Key Outcomes • Help balance student enrollment – Grow where we can; stabilize where we need to • Help increase school-neighborhood partnerships to strengthen vitality of both

  13. Elements of Success • Significant impact • Leverage additional resources • Staying power

  14. Timeline Design Phase (September 2007): • Scan of existing programs • Community and partner input • October: RFP release • January: First applications reviewed • Rolling deadline for proposals

  15. How much money is it? With $850,000 in one time funding total….. • Small grants: $5,000 @ 170 grantees • Mid-range: $50,000 @ 17 grantees • Larger: $85,000 @ 10 grantees

  16. Your input is valued! Given: • Data realities • Limited resources • Real appetite to make a difference What do YOU think are important priorities to fund?

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