The Salem-Keizer Coalition For Equality

Causes: Crime & Law, Crime Prevention

Mission: The salem/keizer coalition for equality works to promote equitbale treatment for all children in the salem and keizer community

Programs: Early learning:early learning programs include pre-k and k-2nd grade programs. Parents with younger children participate in a set of three programs for parents and their pre-k children: aprendiendo avanzamos (learning together we advance); abriendo puertas (opening doors); ready for kindergarten! Parents with school-age children participate in the leyendo avanzamos (reading together we advance) program for parents and their k-2nd grade students. Leyendo avanzamos is conducted in partnership with elementary schools and engages parents with their k-2nd grade students who are below grade level in reading in learning activities that help the parent conduct literacy-building activities at home. In 2016-17 skce early learning programs served 224 parents, 179 students and 44 children in child care. Students in leyendo avanzamos had an average percent gain of 48. 5% from their pre to their post test scores. Parents reported an increase in knowledge about how children develop language, what skills their child needed to know by the end of the school year and how to support their child to become a successful reader. Parents also reported an increase in confidence in reading to their child, doing activities to develop language with their child and talking to their childs teacher about their childs progress. In addition, parent behaviors changed and were more likely to read and look at pictures with their child, talk to their child about letters and sounds and sing to their child. All of these skills are contributing to developing literacy-rich home environments and improve students literacy skills with the goal of students scoring at or above benchmark on 3rd grade reading assessments.

parent organization project (educa e inspira): delivered in sets of 4-6 workshops at a given location, the educa e inspira (educate and inspire) program helps parents of k-12th graders gain knowledge and skills to support their childrens success in school. Students whose parents participate in educa e inspira workshops show a higher school attendance rate than their hispanic counterparts whose parents have not attended skce workshops. In 2016-17 skce engaged more than 253 parents and 36 youth in 49 workshops at 11 different schools in five different school districts. The majority of workshops (63%) were in the salem-keizer school district, and the remaining 37% in canby, north clackamas, gervais and forest grove. In addition, skce trained latino parents in the north clackamas school district to facilitate the educa e inspira workshops in their community. In addition to the 253 parents and 36 youth, 221 children were served in child care for a total of 510 people. 28% of the parents participated in 3 or moreworkshops. Surveys assessed parents self-reported knowledge, skills, confidence, frequency of parents engaging in supportive activities, and frequency of students demonstrating positive academic behaviors. In addition, latino students whose parents attended educa e inspira workshops improved their school attendance as measured by oregon department of education through the evaluation company econw. A three-year study showed that students in the k-12 system, whose parents participated in skce parent programs, had a chronic absenteeism rate of about half that of their peers of like demographics, a huge problem in oregon. In the younger grades, we are seeing strong signs that our cohorts children are making definite growth in kinder-readiness, literacy and school engagement. Students who are chronically absent may never catch up academically and are much less likely to graduate. Parents in our programs learn how to change these realities so their students can succeed.

civic involvement and leadership development: while parents become more civically involved and gain leadership skills by participating in early learning programs and educa e inspira workshops, other civic involvement and leadership activities are focused on raising the latino voice and affecting public policies and practices. Civic involvement activities include structured training; meetings; organizing strategies; and advocacy work. Examples include study circles, educating policy makers and other power brokers, and the skce campaign to enact the vision of the salem-keizer school district having a culturally responsive workforce that reflects and serves the needs of hispanic students and families. Our systems change vision is that: the salem-keizer school district will have a culturally responsive workforce that reflects and serves the needs of hispanic students and families. Highlights: election response forum hosted 300 people in two community forums at mckay high school where law enforcement and school district administrators addressed public concerns and stated their commitment to equity, safety, and inclusion of the latino community. Latino recruitment fair worked with salem-keizer school district to promote a latino-focused recruitment fair for a wide range of district positions. Almost 80 latinos out of 200 job seekers (40%) participated in the march 2, 2017 event at waldo middle school. Local representation four skce staff leaders served/participated in the following: salem-keizer school district early learning departments p-3 committee, early learning hub board of directors, early learning hub action committee, naacp membership meetings, racial justice organizing committee (rjoc), willamette valley rapid response team, school board meetings attending and testifying when needed, salem-keizer education association (union) equity committee and cape group (community advocacy and partnership engagement) state representation the skce executive director participated in ode division of equity and inclusion community advisory group, ode committee for the development of the legislative rules for the hb 3499 ell bill, ode advisory committee for essa implementation, oregon english language learner (ell) alliance: worked with other multi-cultural multi-lingual advocacy groups to pass recent senate bill (sb) 1564, a companion to hb 3499 (which passed in the previous session) that requires ode and each district to make comprehensive state and district english learner data available on websites annually, including print copy for parents. Some parents and staff (originally parents in our programs) are ready to become leaders who represent skce and/or latino families in the larger community. Skce envisions communities and a state in which latinos are equitably represented in leadership positions at every level (in schools, districts, neighborhoods, cities, counties, etc. ). Below are a few of the activities undertaken in 2016-17 to support this vision. Parrish parents project supported development of latino parents to become leaders at parrish middle school. Education/training in skce staff meetings provided 20-60 minute mini-lessons to skces 20 staff during monthly staff meetings, addressing issues such as culture and community; the roles of various agencies and organizations; communication and conflict resolution; effective problem-solving; and local community resources. Training cohort five staff and one parent participated in structured leadership training at the capaces leadership institute (cli) in woodburn. Leadership training program secured grant funding from meyer memorial trust to work with capaces to implement a latino leadership training program in 2017-18.