Schools, Families, Housing Community Grants Program

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Schools, Families, Housing Community Grants
Program
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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
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Our City and Schools

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

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(No Transcript)
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• Schools
• Declining enrollment in PPS
• Overcrowding in east side school districts

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• 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

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• 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

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Schools, Families, Housing City-Wide Initiative
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Initiative Goals

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

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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 Portlands
  neighborhoods to incoming residents

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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

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Schools, Families, Housing Community Grants
Program

• Core Elements
• Resources to support and strengthen connections
  between schools and community
• Administered by Portland Schools Foundation
• 850,000
• 12-18 months

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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

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Elements of Success

• Significant impact
• Leverage additional resources
• Staying power

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Timeline

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

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How much money is it?

• With 850,000 in one time funding total..
• Small grants 5,000 _at_ 170 grantees
• Mid-range 50,000 _at_ 17 grantees
• Larger 85,000 _at_ 10 grantees

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Your input is valued!

• Given
• Data realities
• Limited resources
• Real appetite to make a difference
• What do YOU think are important priorities to
  fund?