Tracking Oregon's Progress: A Report of the Tracking Oregon's Progress (TOP) Indicators Project

In 1989, Oregon embarked on a novel experiment to track the progress of the state toward a set of economic, social and environmental goals embodied in the state strategic plan Oregon Shines. The task of tracking a set of indicators to measure progress was assigned to a new state entity: the Oregon Progress Board. For two decades, the Progress Board measured the state's progress using a set of social, economic and environmental indicators. After the 2009 report was completed however, the state decided not to continue funding the Progress Board and discontinued the tracking of state and county indicators.This 2014 report is a report to the people of Oregon. It identifies trends in the state that suggest both progress toward prosperity as well as issues that may be a source of future barriers and concerns. Like those who led previous indicator efforts, we hope that the report and website will be used by policymakers, government analysts, the press, business and civic leaders and the civically-engaged population to better understand the current social, economic, and environmental condition of the state

K-12 Student Success: Out-of-School time Initiative

This report is a summary of interim findings from the ongoing evaluation of the K-12 Student Success: Out-of-School Time Initiative

K-12 Student Success: Family Engagement

The K-12 Student Success: Out-of-School Time Initiative is focused on boosting student success among Oregon's middle school students. The Oregon Community Foundation and The Ford Family Foundation are currently funding 21 organizations that provide out-of-school-time (OST) programming (e.g., after school or summer) to rural students, students of color and low-income students. Funded programs emphasize academic support, positive adult role models and family engagement. This learning brief summarizes what is known about the importance of family engagement from existing research and shares what we are learning about the efforts of the Initiative grantees to engage and support families. We hope that this description of the work of the Initiative grantees helps build understanding of the practices and experiences of OST programs in Oregon

CultureWork ; Vol. 19, No. 04

6 pagesCreating a holistic and broad ranging educational agenda in an era of sparse allocations of educational programming and school budgets is much on the minds of arts and culture sector workers. Indeed, calls for more science and technology; more basics of math, reading and writing; and more creative problem solving and design are found in the daily news. In the midst of these competing educational demands emerges a highly significant question: how do we create sustainable quality arts education for youth? The Oregon Community Foundation (OCF) has begun to tackle this question through its Studio to School pilot program. In this issue of CultureWork, authors Kim Leonard and Sonia Worcel, researchers at OCF, provide a snapshot of this case-study model within the State of Oregon. They describe the power of creative expression experienced by youth through the arts learning supported in these OCF funded programs. They also explore needs for differentiation in arts learning within specific school settings and suggest initial ways to think about successful arts education principles, outcomes, and offerings. As editors, we hope this articles leads to further dialogue and action about this important component of our national wellbeing–the future of arts education and the overarching educational robustness for our children

TOP Report 2018 Oregonians Mobilizing for Change

Oregon Community Foundation (OCF) was established on the enduring principle that "the most creative solutions arise from groups of private citizens who come together to work in partnership and address their common needs and aspirations" (OCF Grant Guidelines, 1998). We believe fully engaged residents are a building block for healthy communities and a healthy democracy. This report explores examples of effective community engagement in Oregon today. OCF strives to practice the key components identified in this report:* We connect with people from around Oregon to explore what we can accomplish together by drawing on our strengths rather than focusing on shortfalls.* We support building relationships across diverse communities as a necessary underpinning for efforts to address opportunity gaps and other mutually identified issues.* We listen and provide support so engaged community members can succeed

Tracking Oregon's Progress Report

Oregon is experiencing widening socioeconomic disparities, and now, more than at any time in the past several generations, the circumstances into which a child is born largely determine the life he or she achieves. Despite widespread belief in the American dream, for many children this dream appears out of reach. Characteristics of neighborhoods and communities, family structure and circumstances, and educational experiences all play a role in providing—or limiting—children's opportunities. Oregon's low-income children, children of color and rural children do not have the same set of opportunities enjoyed by higher-income and white children, and this opportunity gap has far-reaching implications for personal achievement and well-being as well as for community vitality

K-12 Student Success: Out-of-School Time Initiative Report

This report shares interim findings from the ongoing evaluation of the K-12 Student Success: Out-of-School Time Initiative

Tracking Oregon's Progress (TOP) Indicators Project

In 1989, Oregon embarked on a novel experiment to track the progress of the state toward a set of economic, social and environmental goals embodied in the state strategic plan Oregon Shines. The task of tracking a set of indicators to measure progress was assigned to a new state entity: the Oregon Progress Board. For two decades, the Progress Board measured the state's progress using a set of social, economic and environmental indicators. After the 2009 report was completed, however, the state decided not to continue funding the Progress Board and discontinued the tracking of state and county indicators.This past spring, the Oregon Community Foundation began a partnership with Oregon State University's Rural Studies Program on the Tracking Oregon's Progress (or TOP) Indicators Project. This project builds upon the discontinued Oregon Progress Board Benchmarks data collection and reporting, and upon the ongoing Greater Portland Pulse indicators effort in the Portland metropolitan area

Latinos in Oregon: Trends and Opportunities in a Changing State

Latinos in Oregon explores the contributions that Latinos have made to the state and the disparities that still exist between Latino and white Oregonians by examining trends among a variety of indicators over the past five to 15 years