Better Together Central Oregon
Better Together and the Latino Community Association (LCA) are partnering to strengthen school success, belonging, and well-being
for immigrant, refugee, multilingual, and newcomer students and families across Central Oregon. The project will serve families in Bend, Redmond, La Pine, Sisters, Crook County, and Jefferson County, regions where more than 500 Spanish-speaking, immigrant-origin, and multilingual families already participate in Better Together’s eight Latinx Family and Youth Councils. Through monthly, Spanish-language gatherings facilitated by trained bilingual/bicultural leaders, families will build relationships, understand and navigate the school system, develop advocacy and leadership skills, and co-design solutions with schools. Youth Councils will meet regularly to cultivate leadership, belonging, and voice, with a focus on strengthening transitions from middle to high school and from high school to postsecondary pathways.
LCA will complement these efforts with culturally tailored summer and after-school programming, including a five-day summer camp and an eight-week children’s series focused on emotional resilience, civic learning, and leadership, using adapted curricula developed with the Civics Learning Project and Special Novels. With IRSS funding, the partners will sustain all six Family Councils, expand both Youth Councils, and add a dedicated regional staff member to coordinate outreach and alignment with districts. Key partners include local school districts (Bend-La Pine, Redmond, Sisters, Culver, Crook County, and 509 J), the Early Learning Hub, Deschutes County Health Services, and culturally specific organizations across the region. Together, these efforts will create safe, welcoming, and culturally affirming environments where immigrant and refugee students and their families can navigate public systems confidently, strengthen emotional well-being, and thrive from early childhood through high school and beyond.
Centro Cultural provides essential support to Latino immigrant, migrant, and refugee students and families in Washington County. As education faces significant budget cuts, the programs the community depends on are increasingly at risk, including Robotics, Ballet Folklórico, Summer STEAM, and the Climate Justice Leadership program. This project supports youth development pathways that give students in grades 1-12 a place to feel safe, seen, and encouraged while engaging
in hands-on learning that builds confidence, identity, and academic momentum. The project will also expand families’ access to wraparound supports, including housing stability assistance, mental health and wellness programming, safety information, community education, and workforce development. In moments of crisis and moments of hope, families turn to Centro because it provides trusted guidance without barriers or judgment, and this project ensures those supports remain strong at a critical time for families.
Centro will also deepen its partnership with Forest Grove School District through a phased two-year strategy focused on professional learning and elevating immigrant and refugee parent voice in district-decision making. In Year 1, Centro will collaborate with district leaders to co-design a professional learning curriculum grounded in district priorities and in the lived realities of the families served. In Year 2, Centro will implement this learning through optional after-school sessions and other formats the district can accommodate. Centro’s Youth Development Director will also serve on the district’s equity committee to ensure community feedback informs real-time policy and practice. Finally, this project will support the relaunch of Centro Scholars, serving Neil Armstrong Middle School students with mentoring, tutoring, academic advising, and coordinated support in partnership with the Cornelius Public Library and school staff.
Together, these efforts rebuild an ecosystem of care that helps immigrant and refugee students and families stay connected, supported, and able to thrive in Washington County, one of Oregon’s most culturally rich and rapidly changing regions.
Chinese Friendship Association of Portland
This project serves Asian immigrant and refugee students in grades K-8 to address the goals of 1) increasing academic rigor, 2)
enhancing student emotional wellbeing, and 3) creating a welcoming school environment. The project supports these goals through literacy, numeracy, and structured sports activities. Since Asian immigrant and refugee students live in many areas, the program provides full scholarships for students to attend an existing high-quality program.
The program schedule includes three hours of academic programming in the mornings and three hours of team sports in the afternoon. All students will receive a free meal daily. Bilingual licensed teachers will provide rigorous academic instruction in math, English, and English Language Development (ELD) classes, and bilingual coaches will provide support and guidance through team sports.
After careful study of different programs, the organization has partnered with Elite Sports Academy (ESA), which has a 10-year history of hosting successful summer learning programs in Title 1 schools in the Beaverton area. The ESA program focuses on both STEM academic learning and team sports, and offers flexible attendance options of one or two four-week sessions, which is especially valuable for families seeking full-day summer programming. Because there are few affordable, full-day summer programs that include meals, ESA is a strong partner for this work.
To ensure program quality, the organization designs and manages the three-hour academic block, including curriculum development, assessment tools, recruitment of bilingual teachers and high school interns, and daily schedule design. Staff are present daily to monitor implementation and ensure program quality. The program serves K-8 students in math and English and engages high school students as program interns. Given the linguistic and cultural diversity of Asian immigrant and refugee students from more than 43 countries, the program provides ELA, ELD, STEM, and math instruction alongside team sports, nutritious meals, and opportunities for social connection to support academic growth and emotional wellbeing during the summer.
Futuros Brillantes is a vibrant rural afterschool and summer learning program designed to lift up immigrant and refugee youth and help them thrive in their new community. In a region where enrichment opportunities are limited by geography and distance, the program provides consistent, high‑quality learning experiences that address summer learning loss, support newcomer adjustment, and expand access to meaningful academic and cultural enrichment.
Students move through a full‑day model that blends rigorous academics with hands‑on exploration: literacy, math, and academic language blocks; STEM and ecology labs; and social‑emotional learning, leadership development, and cultural identity activities. Weekly field experiences deepen learning and strengthen students’ connection to the unique coastal and rural environment around them. This predictable structure helps students feel safe, welcomed, and ready to learn.
Futuros Brillantes partners with OSU Extension/4‑H, Haystack Rock Awareness Program, Columbia River Maritime Museum, STARBASE Camp Rilea, Oregon Shores, the Necanicum Watershed Council, and Oregon State Parks to deliver place‑based learning rooted in the natural and cultural landscape of rural Clatsop County. Students participate in leadership development and serve as near‑peer mentors, building confidence and community connection. All students receive meals, bilingual support, and full access at no cost to families. Weekly family communication and an end‑of‑program showcase strengthen family partnership and belonging.
Futuros Brillantes delivers a high‑quality rural summer experience that accelerates academic progress, expands STEM and cultural learning, and builds belonging, leadership, and future readiness for immigrant and refugee youth across Clatsop County.
Eastern Oregon University
EOU IRIS (Eastern Oregon University Immigrant and Refugee Initiative for Success) is a coordinated, region-wide effort that
prepares immigrant and refugee students from fifth grade through high school for successful transitions into college, with a primary focus on expanding access and pathways to Eastern Oregon University (EOU) and other postsecondary options. Rooted in the Oregon Immigrant/Refugee Student Success Plan (IRSSP) and modeled after EOU’s federally funded ACROSS program (Achieving Careers for Rural Oregon Student Success), IRIS strengthens academic identity, literacy readiness, school belonging, and navigation skills that shape long-term college-going trajectories. Serving Latin American, Pacific Islander, and newcomer families across Baker, Malheur, Morrow, Umatilla, Union, and Wallowa counties, the initiative centers cultural and linguistic assets while addressing barriers such as interrupted formal education, language acquisition, and unfamiliarity with U.S. schools. Through community voice and collaboration with school districts and culturally specific organizations, including La Grande School District, COFA Alliance National Network (CANN) of Oregon, and Pacific Islander Student Alliance (PISA), IRIS builds early and sustained relationships with families, helping immigrant and refugee students view EOU as a trusted and welcoming postsecondary option.
IRIS delivers a sequenced pathway of developmentally appropriate programming that leads students toward college and career readiness and ultimately toward enrollment at EOU or other postsecondary pathways. Fifth-grade outreach introduces early college awareness and builds foundations for family-school partnership; middle school programming incorporates career-connected learning, academic exploration, and social-emotional supports that reinforce future planning; and high school programming deepens postsecondary readiness through bilingual navigation workshops, EOU Exploration Days, financial aid literacy, dual credit advising, and career exploration tied to regional workforce needs. Week-long Summer Institutes provide hands-on learning and pathway exploration for all participating youth. For students who enroll at EOU, IRIS provides warm handoffs to campus supports through the MOSAIC Center (Mountaineer Opportunities for Student Access, Inclusion, and Connection), TRIO Student Support Services (SSS), and academic advising. Together, these coordinated efforts establish a sustainable, culturally grounded pipeline from early awareness through enrollment and postsecondary success.
Genesis Reading Academy provides a comprehensive PK-5 initiative designed to support immigrant, refugee, newcomer, migrant, multilingual, and rural students across Lane County through evidence-based academic instruction and culturally responsive family engagement. Genesis is an ODE-approved High Dosage Tutoring provider and a recipient of the Oregon Department of Education’s Early Literacy Success Community Grant. Genesis has established strong instructional systems, professional development structures, and community partnerships, positioning the organization to responsibly expand services and increase impact.
During the school year, Genesis provides High-Dosage Tutoring in literacy and supplemental math tutoring for K-5 students enrolled in the 4J BEST after-school program. In partnership with Eugene School District 4J, Genesis expands services to Howard Elementary while continuing support at additional BEST sites. Tutors deliver small-group instruction using structured literacy and math materials aligned to school needs, supported by district data, placement tools, unit mastery checks, and weekly coaching to ensure instruction is rigorous, targeted, and accessible for multilingual learners.
Family engagement and summer enrichment complement academic support through bilingual Early Literacy events and Summer programs. Bilingual Early Literacy events provide families with hands-on literacy activities and practical strategies for supporting reading at home. During the summer, Genesis partners with Mapleton Elementary to deliver learning opportunities that reinforce foundational literacy and math skills for rural PK-5 students. These efforts advance the four goals of the Oregon Immigrant and Refugee Student Success Plan: increasing academic rigor; creating safe and welcoming environments; enhancing social-emotional well-being; and strengthening family partnerships. Together, these activities form a coherent, community-grounded system of whole-child support for PK-5 Plan Students across Lane County.
Klamath Falls City School District
Klamath Falls City Schools (KFCS) implements the Newcomer Success & Navigation Project (NSNP) to provide coordinated,
culturally responsive supports for immigrant and refugee students, with a strong focus on PK–5 literacy, math, and attendance at Mills Elementary School. Mills serves the district’s highest number of newcomer families, many of whom are recently arrived, multilingual, and unfamiliar with U.S. school systems. NSNP strengthens early academic skills, provides newcomer orientation, and removes participation barriers through bilingual navigation, translation, and family engagement.
As students transition to Ponderosa Middle School, which serves many former Mills students, including English Learners and students with interrupted formal education, NSNP continues targeted academic, social-emotional (SEL), and navigation supports to ensure students stay on track and transition smoothly into high school. These supports include newcomer orientation, sheltered tutoring, bilingual communication supports, SEL programming, culturally specific partnerships, and structured family engagement and transition activities that support students as they move from elementary school to middle school and ultimately to high school. Across both schools, NSNP advances all four IRSSP goals by creating a sustained pathway of support from elementary through middle school, strengthening school belonging and long-term academic success while supporting successful transitions into high school.
Multnomah ESD/East County
East County Bridges (ECB), a nationally recognized program within the Multnomah Education Service District, supports youth in East Multnomah County and beyond who are disconnected from, or at risk of disconnection from school through mobile, community-based, trauma-informed, and culturally relevant case management. The ECB model allows Transition Specialists to provide individualized outreach and meet students where they are, such as at school, at home, or in the community.
ECB serves students from diverse backgrounds such as Latino/a/x and Pacific Islander immigrants and refugees, while also supporting multilingual learners, youth with disabilities, justice-impacted youth, and students experiencing housing instability. Strong partnerships across school districts, community-based organizations, and county agencies create a coordinated foundation for delivering comprehensive, culturally grounded supports.
Bridging Global Futures: Uniting Worlds in Education expands services to Russian, Asian, and African immigrant and refugee communities by adding two new positions, a Tutoring and Volunteer Specialist and an Outreach and Engagement Specialist, to work alongside Transition Specialists to create safe and welcoming school environments, increase academic rigor, strengthen family partnerships, and advance social-emotional well-being, in alignment with the Immigrant/Refugee Student Success Plan (IRSSP).
Activities include individualized student navigation, a four-part introductory family workshop, weekly community-based tutoring, volunteer recruitment and training, newcomer and resource mapping, and technical assistance to schools and CBOs. Together, these services create a seamless, culturally sustaining support system that increases access, belonging, and educational success for immigrant and refugee students, particularly those furthest from educational opportunity.
OSU Juntos expands programming in Eastern Oregon and Wasco County to strengthen educational pathways for immigrant,
migrant, and refugee students and their families in Wasco, Umatilla, and Malheur counties. Through partnerships with Migrant Education in Nyssa, Columbia Gorge ESD, and the Umatilla School District, the project offers the full sequence of Juntos programming, including family engagement workshops, Juntos Clubs, Juntos Academia, and Juntos Family Day for middle and high school students and their families. These activities will provide accessible information, build academic and leadership skills, connect families with resources, and create culturally responsive community networks that help students navigate middle school, high school, and postsecondary pathways.
Juntos has a demonstrated impact on student and family outcomes in college motivation, family engagement, and school system navigation. After completing Juntos, 88 percent of students surveyed report that the program motivated them to attend college, 77 percent talking to their parents about school, and 88 percent report knowing how to find information needed for college decision-making. Students also reported significant benefits for their families, with 86 percent saying that because of Juntos their parents encourage them to continue their education, 81 percent noting increased family knowledge of the school system, and 66 percent reporting conversations with their parents about college options.
The project also incorporates a storytelling curriculum within Juntos Clubs, providing structured opportunities for students to build identity awareness, strengthen communication skills, and develop confidence while sharing their experiences. Together, these activities elevate student voice, deepen family engagement, and expand equitable opportunities for the communities served.
Phoenix-Talent School District
Phoenix-Talent Schools provides a comprehensive, multi-tiered support system to foster academic growth, belonging, and school engagement for newcomer immigrant and refugee students across the district. The cornerstone of this project is the Newcomer Breakfast Club, held daily before school at both the elementary and secondary levels, where students receive structured English Language Development (ELD) instruction focused on literacy and math while enjoying a nutritious breakfast with peers. This initiative strengthens attendance, academic achievement, and social connection during the critical early stages of language acquisition.
To extend learning beyond the school year, the district partners with Talent Maker City to offer Spring Break and Summer camps, emphasizing applied mathematics through hands-on STEAM activities. Certified teachers and instructional assistants support these programs to ensure high-quality, culturally responsive instruction and relationship-building.
Family engagement is supported through the Familias Fuertes initiative, in which a dedicated staff member provides individualized support to newcomer families, helping them navigate school systems, access community resources, and build confidence in supporting their children’s education. This role also facilitates adult literacy and ELD workshops, reinforcing the home-school connection.
Together, these efforts create a welcoming and academically rigorous environment where immigrant and refugee students and their families can thrive as members of the Phoenix-Talent community.
Weaving Fala offers four culturally grounded programs that support immigrant and refugee children and families in Lebanon, Oregon.
These include Little Learners, Rising Leaders, Study Spot, and family engagement activities such as monthly bilingual meetings and weekly summer programming. Together, these programs create a connected pathway of support from early childhood through middle school. The programs center Latinx immigrant families and honor their language, culture, and lived experiences.
Little Learners is a full-year bilingual preschool program serving families at Colonia Paz, an FHDC farmworker housing community, strengthening early literacy, early math, bilingual language development, and school readiness through play-based learning and cultural activities. Rising Leaders supports middle school students through weekly after-school leadership sessions focused on belonging, confidence, communication skills, and personal growth. Study Spot provides weekly tutoring and homework support for ten to fifteen K–12 immigrant and refugee students, offering bilingual academic help with reading, writing, math, and assignment completion. Weaving Fala also offers monthly bilingual family meetings for fifteen to twenty immigrant families and weekly summer activities serving thirty to fifty children and their families.
Together, these programs provide consistent language access, cultural connection, school readiness, academic support, and leadership development for immigrant families in Linn County.