Schools and Communities: Innovating Together for Change

U.S. Education Secretary Arne Duncan said, “A country that out-educates us today will out-compete us tomorrow.” But boosting educational outcomes and achieving lasting gains, particularly for low-income students, may require significantly broader collaboration between schools and communities.

On September 23, Mark Langseth, President and CEO of the “I Have a Dream” Foundation — Oregon, will describe one promising example of school/community partnership: the Dreamer School model. In 2010, “I Have a Dream” Oregon expanded its typical approach (adopting students in an elementary school class and supporting them until they graduate from college) and instead adopted, for the first time, an entire school: Alder Elementary in east Portland. Langseth will describe the innovative Dreamer School model, explaining how schools and communities, working together, can achieve exceptional goals.

Mark Langseth is President and CEO of “I Have a Dream” Foundation — Oregon. Langseth previously served as Assistant Vice President for University Development at Portland State University, where he oversaw PSU’s fundraising efforts.