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Cradle to Career History

Beginning in the fall of 2009, Portland State University and the Portland Leaders Roundtable established a partnership to conduct research and publicly reportpdf on a birth-to-career framework that identified key performance indicators that span the educational and social experience, from prekindergarten through postsecondary education and career entry. PSU faculty reviewed literature and research in each of the goal areas, and a community engagement process was initiated that promoted conversation and targeted support for students leading to an increase in their postsecondary success.

This work of community engagement is currently managed by All Hands Raised, (formerly the Portland School’s Foundation). For more information, please visit www.allhandsraised.org.

Our partnership focuses on five goal areas as the foundation of the model, with indicators in both academic and social realms. Students will:

  1. Be prepared for school
  2. Be supported inside and outside school
  3. Succeed academically
  4. Enroll in postsecondary education or training
  5. Graduate and enter a career

Strive National map

It also considers the interplay of social and community indicators and academic indicators. Together these indicators form a clearer picture of what contributes to positive student outcomes, sometimes called a "Pathway to Success."

This work is currently being adopted in our community, based on a thriving national model called Strive. This model seeks to create alignment around a set of community endorsed indicators that can drive change. Instead of a traditional approach that focuses on finding the "one best idea," Cradle to Career brings a variety of partners together to collaborate around common goals and ideas that will lead to more focused energy, more efficient use of resources, and a more coordinated level of support for students.

Portland is one of five national Strive implementation sites.

2010 Data Framework

**While this work is currently focused in Multnomah County, PSU hopes to build upon our knowledge to expand to the entire Metro area and other regions in the state of Oregon.