News & Story Archive

Op-Ed: Student Success Act Offers a Model for Effective, Accountable Education Funding

In The Oregonian, Barbara Smith Warner and Arnie Roblan urge state leaders to learn from the Student Success Act.

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2024 Oregon Legislative Session Delivers On Summer Learning and More

From K-12 funding transparency to student safety and belonging, we break down what happened and what comes next for Oregon public education policy.

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Op-Ed: It's Time to Modernize Oregon's Quality Education Model

In The Oregonian, FBO's Whitney Grubbs explains how fixing Oregon's Quality Education Model can help make sure state dollars improve public schools for all Oregon students.

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2024 Legislative Session Starts Strong for Summer Learning

FBO joins over 20 community partners and nearly 30 bipartisan legislative sponsors to champion House Bill 4082 for Oregon children.

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2023 Oregon Legislative Session Delivers Mixed Results for Oregon Children

Opportunities to build shared vision for children, public education, and care were undermined by deep divides in Salem.

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2023 Legislative Summit Builds Shared Vision and Leadership for Oregon Children

Over eighty Oregon policymakers, community leaders, and advocates gathered for a day of learning, visioning, and dialogue.

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From Forest Grove to Phoenix-Talent, What Does Authentic Community Engagement Look Like?

State, school district, and community leaders explore the power and practice of community engagement at the 2022 Oregon School Boards Association annual convention.

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The Power of Future Thinking in Rural Oregon

FBO’s Janet Soto Rodriguez reflects on opportunities to engage rural voice, vision, and strength wherever decisions are made.

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Op-Ed: The Leadership That Oregon Children Need Now

In The Oregonian, FBO's Whitney Grubbs and Children's Institute's Kalie Thorne Ladd urge Oregon’s next governor to build a bold and shared vision for children.

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Op-Ed: To Improve K-12, Look to Oregon's State School Fund

In The Oregonian, FBO's Whitney Grubbs urges state leaders to apply the Student Success Act's equity-driven approach across the lion's share of public education funding.

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A Conversation with Peter Koehler

“Finding common ground is a never-ending process,” says Koehler, a new FBO Board member who has mediated some of Oregon’s most challenging disputes.

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Peter Koehler Joins FBO Board of Directors

As a mediator and philanthropic leader, FBO’s new Board member brings a passion for changemaking through collaboration.

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Meet the FBO Team: Jason Brown

We’re thrilled to welcome Jason to our team as FBO’s Policy and Research Associate.

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New Community Research Spotlights Oregon Summer Learning

With another historic investment in summer learning on the horizon, FBO and partners explore how community-based summer programs support youth to learn, grow, and thrive.

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Where the Legislature Fell Short in 2022

The short legislative session has ended with a failure to answer the calls of youth and community leaders to stand up for racial justice in public education.

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How Oregon Educators Can Fulfill the Promise of Ethnic Studies

New K-12 social studies standards can make learning more engaging, rigorous, and inclusive for all students. Now, the state must help schools prepare.

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What We’re Advocating for in Salem in 2022

FBO and the Oregon Partners for Education Justice (OPEJ) are urging lawmakers to invest in professional development for ethnic studies in Oregon.

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"The Graduation Rate Isn't a One-Year Accomplishment"

The story of Oregon’s 2021 graduation rate is a growing collective effort to ensure every child has access to equitable education and individualized learning.

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Reclaiming Our Own Power Through 'Moles, Murales y la Madre Tierra'

'La abundancia que tenemos': Stories of youth leadership and community-based summer learning in the TURNO and Anahuac programs at Capaces Leadership Institute

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Warm Up With Stories of Oregon Summer Learning

Through photography, video, and the written word, FBO and partners open a window into the power of community-based summer learning.

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D.L. Richardson and Jessie DuBose Join FBO Board of Directors

Bold leaders from Ashland and Klamath Falls bring invaluable perspective on sparking systemic change across race and place.

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A Conversation with Jessie DuBose

A passionate leader and advocate for Southern Oregon youth, FBO’s new Board member has “one foot in the C-suite and one foot in the dirt.”

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A Conversation with D.L. Richardson

“My students, in their impatience, have taught me patience,” says Richardson, a longtime leader for education equity in Southern Oregon and new FBO Board member.

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Why Oregon Children’s Learning Is “Unfinished, Not Lost”

Interrupting deficit-based thinking and narratives can transform how Oregon schools support students during and beyond COVID-19.

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Carol Cheney Joins FBO Board of Directors

With a deep commitment to collaboration, the new CEO of The Collins Foundation brings a holistic vision for advancing justice through systems change.

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A Conversation with Carol Cheney

Power shows up in different ways at different moments. “And if you share it, you’re likely to get it back,” says The Collins Foundation CEO and FBO’s new board member.

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2021 Legislative Session Lays Foundations for an Inclusive and Equitable Public Education System

State lawmakers collaborated with the Oregon Partners for Education Justice to strengthen the Student Success Act and pass equity-driven policy for children.

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To Confront Disinformation, Oregon Must Uplift Culturally Responsive Education

Amid the backlash against critical race theory, we need to build shared vision for inclusive schools and learning.

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Letter from FBO: Advancing Education Equity at the 2021 Legislative Session

Oregon must affirm that investment in educational equity is not a luxury or a supplement—it is essential.

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Whitney Swander Appointed to Oregon’s Quality Education Commission

Named to the post by Gov. Kate Brown, FBO’s Data and Research Director will help define the investments needed for a quality and equitable public education.

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How a Spectrum of Community Engagement Can "Invite Change to Happen"

A new toolkit from the Oregon Department Education will guide schools toward more inclusive and participatory decision-making.

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School Districts Must Genuinely Engage Community to Guide Equitable Recovery

In a new op-ed for The Oregonian, FBO's Whitney Grubbs shares why inclusive and authentic community engagement is critical in the weeks ahead.

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At State Budget Hearings, OPEJ Urges Equitable Investment

The Oregon Partners for Education Justice ask lawmakers to build on the Student Success Act and invest in a public education system that works for all.

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What Does the Federal Stimulus Mean for Oregon Schools?

The American Rescue Plan is a historic opportunity to ramp up support—and break down barriers—for children disproportionately impacted by the COVID-19 crisis.

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A Conversation with Carina Miller

“I didn't know the term ‘social construction’ until college, but I knew what it meant my whole life,” says FBO’s new Board member.

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Carina Miller Joins FBO Board of Directors

A longstanding leader in her Tribe and the Pacific Northwest, she brings a sharp focus on systems change and deep commitment to community.

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Building the State Budget: What We Know, What Comes Next

The February economic forecast affirms that the Legislature can and must prioritize equity investments in a balanced state budget.

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Letter from Our Director: Moving Oregon Toward Authentic Community Engagement

Inclusive and participatory decision-making is critical to becoming a state where every child can learn, grow, and thrive.

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Voices at the 2021 Virtual Legislature

Oregon Partners for Education Justice testify on student mental health, ethnic studies, tribal regalia, and more.

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What the Student Success Act Is Teaching Oregon About Community Engagement

For more equitable and inclusive schools, authentic engagement is key, says a new FBO research brief.

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Podcast: Why Community Voice Matters in Coalition Building

FBO’s Amanda Manjarrez joins The Early Link podcast to discuss the philosophy and priorities of Oregon Partners for Education Justice.

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Legislative Summit Builds on a Vision and Promise of Racial Justice in Education

Lawmakers and community gathered at the Summit to spark deeper collaboration during Oregon’s 2021 Legislative Session.

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Oregon Partners for Education Justice Release 2021 Legislative Agenda

The coalition urges state legislators to invest in a more inclusive, equitable, and racially just public education system.

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Governor's Recommended Budget for 2021-23 Charts a Bold Path Forward

Gov. Kate Brown's proposed budget reckons with COVID-19 and systemic racism by investing essential supports for historically underserved children and families.

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We Are Foundations for a Better Oregon: Our New Mission, Vision, and Brand

FBO opens a new chapter of work, reimagining how Oregon supports every child to learn, grow, and thrive.

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At Legislative Hearings, Community Leaders Set a Clear Vision for Racial Equity in Education

"Our investments and policies have to show that we will not accept going back to normal, but we will create a better and more equitable future as the new normal."

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Oregon’s Roadmap to Racial Justice Through Education

Join us in uplifting this community-driven policy roadmap as Oregon’s guide to rebuilding an education system grounded in racial justice and healing.

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A Recovery Plan for Oregon's Children

Equity investments are a blueprint for building a more resilient, accountable, and just public education system.

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Meet the Team: Whitney Swander, Data and Research Director

We’re thrilled to welcome Whitney Swander to our team as FBO’s Data and Research Director.

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Meet the Team: Briana Babbitt, Operations Associate

We're delighted to welcome Briana Babbitt to our team as FBO/Chalkboard Project’s Operations Associate.

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Oregon’s Youth Press for Racial Justice

The work is not over until every child in Oregon knows that they belong.

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Coalition Urges Gov. Brown to Protect Children Impacted by the COVID-19 Crisis

A joint letter calls on state leaders to "act with children our north star."

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Reframing Learning in the Time of COVID-19

As the state and school districts provide essential services, we hope you’ll share these strategies to help bring peace of mind to kids and families at home.

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COVID-19 Reminds Us How Interconnected We Are

We’re witnessing the value of Oregon's teachers and early learning providers, doctors and nurses, public servants, and so many more.

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Reflections on the 2020 Oregon Legislative Session

Looking ahead to 2021, FBO/Chalkboard Project is committed to rekindling this momentum with a policy agenda that centers children, families, and communities.

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Meet the Team: Louis Wheatley, Strategic Communications Director

We're thrilled to welcome Louis Wheatley to our team as FBO/Chalkboard Project's Strategic Communications Director.

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Meet the Team: Amanda Manjarrez, Director of Public Policy and Government Affairs

Amanda brings creative leadership and deep commitment to social justice to her work as Director of Public Policy and Government Affairs at FBO/Chalkboard Project.

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Community-Based Organizations Gather to Strategize for Student Success

Community leaders exchange ideas and strategies to fulfill the vision of the Student Success Act.

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New Audio Series Helps Integrate Indigenous Studies Into Oregon Classrooms

The first episode explores big questions: What was the intention behind Senate Bill 13? What can it look like to teach Indigenous Studies as a white teacher?

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