Dreamer School

New Dreamer School Model

Building on “I Have a Dream” Oregon’s past success –  including doubling or better high school graduation rates for our student Dreamers – we have adopted a bold new “Dreamer School” model to expand our impact from 300 to 3,000 kids per year over the next 5-10 years.

In July 2010, we selected Alder Elementary School on the eastern edge of the City of Portland as our first of three Dreamer Schools.  Alder has one of the highest poverty rates in the state, with 93% student eligibility for free or reduced lunch.

Ultimate Dreamer School goals are consistent with I Have a Dream’s long-term mission of helping low income kids achieve academic success and ultimately become active and engaged citizens in our community.

Our immediate goals for our Dreamers at Alder are focused clearly on academic achievement:

-                80% of Alder students will finish a post-secondary degree or certificate;

-                50% of Alder students will “exceed” and 90% “meet” expectations on 3rd, 5th and 8th grade statewide benchmark tests.

We also know that, in order to accomplish these goals, we must establish Alder as a different kind of “magnet” school – one that significantly decreases student/family transience and that serves as a hub for community services and stability.

We will accomplish these ambitious goals by:

1)            Delivering our proven combination of three core services:  long-term relationship with caring adults, academic and personal/social support services, and creating a “culture of college” within the school and within families.

2)            Attending to the entire birth-through-college-completion continuum, using the research-based STRIVE model to guide our efforts.

3)            Greatly expanding collaboration with other education and nonprofit partners, including a comprehensive Dreamer School planning process.

Join the effort!  Our 2010-11 Dreamer School planning process includes nine planning teams, and we are currently assembling these teams.  Contact Mark Langseth for more information about our Dreamer School model or to get involved.