State-Of-Black-Oregon-2015

Early childhood education and a rigorous,engaging K-5 academic experience are waysto open up the world of opportunity for allchildren, especially those who are historicallyunderserved. Having healthy educationalexperiences earlier in life, not just later, increasesan individual’s ability to build and sustain qualityof life. It helps a person grow as an individualand contribute to the community.KairosPDX was founded in the context of thisreality, with a mission to improve outcomesand eradicate achievement gaps for children ofcolor PreK-5. However, it’s not the only groupwith such goals. From Albina Headstart to Self-Enhancement Inc. to the Rosemary AndersonSchool, these organizations, founded and ledby Blacks, have worked hard for decades tochange the narrative for Black children andother historically underserved communities.Collectively, they call on policymakers, business,education and civic leaders to partner andinvest with them to continue building a newimage for Black Oregon children.33