Youth Organized and United to Help: A Conversation with Y.O.U.TH Founder, Imani Muhammad

by Celeste Yager-Kandle | Feb 26, 2024 | Podcast

Summary

In this episode of the Early Link Podcast, host Rafael Otto speaks with Imani Muhammad, a longtime youth advocate and community organizer in Portland, Oregon. She is the executive director of Y.O.U.TH, which stands for Youth Organized and United to Help, a nonprofit organization that she founded in 2010 after the death of Davonte Lightfoot in North Portland in 2007.

Y.O.U.TH exists to dismantle the school to prison pipeline, by challenging existing systems and structures. That includes programs like Books not Bars, that links literacy education with advocacy, mentoring, and diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) training.

Imani has worked with Children’s Institute for some time now, and she conducts training for educators, including those who are involved with our Early Learning Academy.

“When you look at the root word of education…it’s not that someone’s coming in to teach you something. It’s more that whoever is around you as the educator is bringing something out of you. You are providing an environment that all children can thrive and learn and experiment in a safe way so that they can figure out their own gifts and talents within themselves. That’s the beauty of education.” – Imani Muhammad

Children's Institute · Youth Organized and United to Help: A Conversation with Y.O.U.TH Founder, Imani Muhammad

More about The Early Link Podcast

The Early Link Podcast highlights national, regional, and local voices working in early childhood education and the nonprofit sector. The podcast is written, hosted, and produced by Rafael Otto, Children’s Institute’s director of communications.

Listen to more episodes of the Early Link Podcast here or stream on Spotify, Stitcher, Amazon Music, TuneIn, and Apple Podcasts.

State Partners Celebrate Early Childhood Inclusion

by Celeste Yager-Kandle | Feb 23, 2024 | Preschool, Educators and Workforce, Parents and Families

Oregon Early Childhood Inclusion (OECI) partners convened at Oregon State University for an annual celebration of statewide work to bring high‐quality, inclusive preschool policies and practices to all levels of Oregon’s early care and education system.

The OECI celebration is a culmination of decades of dedication from people engaging in early childhood inclusion work from many perspectives including at the provider level, at the community level, and in school districts and classrooms.

Families, early learning and care providers, and special education practitioners have said that supporting children aged birth-to-five experiencing disability is a core equity priority in Oregon.

State Partners Celebrate Early Childhood Inclusion (2)

To address this, multiple organizations, state agencies, family advocacy networks and policy change makers have come together as part of the Oregon Early Childhood Inclusion Initiative to develop a state team that helps to guide implementation across communities and elevate the voices of the people they serve.

“It looks at the core needs of children, families, providers and educators, and it brings us together under a comprehensive framework at every level of the system, so that we’re all working and walking in the same direction toward belonging, towards wellness, towards true access and meaningful participation,” said Meredith Villines, early childhood coherent strategies specialist at the Oregon Department of Education.

The initiative is also an important step in Oregon’s plan to eliminate suspension and expulsion practices in preschool by providing educators with tools and support, including coaching and professional learning, to support children with higher needs.

“It has been wonderful to attend this celebration and hear from teams who are using these strategies to build inclusive classrooms in their communities,” said Marina Merrill, director of research and strategy at Children’s Institute.

Merrill sits on the OECI state leadership team. She says that high-quality preschool education is powerful for young children’s learning and development, but that conversations about equitable and inclusive preschool are overdue and OECI is working to change that.

“The Oregon Early Childhood Inclusion Initiative is working to remove the barriers at all levels of the early education system to ensure that children with disabilities can access and fully experience high-quality preschool education in the same classrooms as their typically developing peers,” said Merrill. “I look forward to continuing to work with the OECI state leadership team to expand this work to more communities across Oregon.”

LIFTing Kids to Success: How One Oregon School is Preparing Kids for Kindergarten

by Celeste Yager-Kandle | Sep 8, 2023 | News, School Readiness, Successful Students

The school season is upon us once more, carrying with it the usual back-to-school hustle and bustle of drop-offs and pick-ups, prepping school lunches, homework, and a whirlwind of after-school activities.

While some of us may not feel entirely prepared for the return to this familiar routine, it’s a different story for young learners at Oceanlake Elementary School. They are ready and eager to embark on their next adventure – kindergarten!

Little learners proudly shared some of the arts and crafts they completed during the LIFT summer camp.

For the better part of August, soon-to-be kindergartners at Oceanlake Elementary attended the LIFT Super Kind Kids Summer Camp, a no-cost, half-day summer learning program available to children within the Lincoln County School District.

At the heart of LIFT, an acronym for “Learning is Fun Together,” is a commitment to empower children to feel good about themselves and find the goodness, strengths, and resilience that are already within them. This comprehensive approach involves crafting a secure, supportive, and immersive classroom setting, nurturing caring relationships between students and teachers, and cultivating a sense of belonging within the school community.

Kathy Cleaver started the LIFT program 12 years ago, as a volunteer with the Lincoln County School District. Cleaver assists in coordinating the LIFT summer camp and also teaches a bilingual parent-child kindergarten readiness class for 3- to 5-year-olds and their parents, from October through June.

She explained that one of the best ways children learn is through play, which is a cornerstone of the LIFT curriculum. Through play, children learn and practice friendship and social skills, develop supportive relationships with adults, and build positive self-concept.

“We focus on teaching them social-emotional skills. We call them SEEC learning skills—social, emotional, ethical, and cognitive development skills,” said Cleaver.

“It’s an expansion of the social emotional learning movement because it incorporates the concept of the innates goodness of the child, connected with the intellectual capacity and executive functions of the brain. So, they learn to open their heart and activate the learning and thinking parts of their brain.”

A young child sits at a desk with a marker in hand, near their mouth. A coloring sheet sits in front of the child, and a box of markers is nearby.

Three incoming kindergartners sit together at a table, covered with coloring pages. They are participaing in an activity together. One child is playing with what appears to be blocks, the other two children are coloring.

A typical day at the LIFT summer camp serves as a valuable foundation, establishing a structured routine that familiarizes children with what lies ahead when they step back into the classroom come September.

The daily agenda unfolds with a morning community circle, offering a sense of togetherness, followed by opportunities to engage with peers at “free play” centers around the room. Circle time lessons provide intentional social-emotional development, while artistic expression finds its place in arts and crafts activities. In the later part of the morning, the playground is a beacon for outdoor play and the day concludes with a special closing ritual where children joyfully celebrate the kind choices they’ve made throughout their day.

Incoming kindergartners at Oceanlake Elementary School in Lincoln City share about kind things they did, to close out the day.

Crista Adovnik is a kindergarten teacher at Oceanlake Elementary and has been teaching with the LIFT summer program for five years. Adovnik is a big proponent of the program because it gives children the chance to practice skills before making the leap into the classroom.

“The LIFT program is a really good introduction to kindergarten,” Adovnik said. “It gives students a chance to come in and get a feel for the school and meet some of the other classmates. They can come in and play more and share with their peers and see how it is to be with other kids.”

Orion is an Oceanlake student starting kindergarten this year. Orion’s mom, Shannon Reboh, teaches preschool and knows that the transition from preschool to kindergarten is a big change for many kids. She and Orion feel much more confident about his transition to kindergarten, after his participation in the LIFT program.

“Orion is now much more familiar with his school and the way it is run,” she said. “He has gotten to learn about the daily routines, lunchroom, playground, expectations, bathrooms, and school activities before the long school days officially begin. I highly recommend this program to help parents support their children have a successful transition into the upcoming school year.”

LIFT paves the way for a smoother transition into the classroom, instilling confidence, familiarity, and a readiness to embrace the exciting journey of kindergarten for the young learners at Oceanlake Elementary.

A Decade of Togetherness

by Celeste Yager-Kandle | Aug 30, 2023 | News, Parents and Families, Successful Students

The sun dips lower in the sky on a hazy evening in late August, casting a warm golden hue across the football field at Yoncalla High School. The hum of excited chatter sets the scene, and children laugh and play.

As the night unfolds, the sounds of music from a live band dance through the air as families mingle and children savor the remaining sunlight, on the cusp of a new school year.

Framed by a stunning view of the Umpqua Valley, Yoncalla’s annual community barbecue has become a symbol of togetherness, woven into the fabric of the town.

This year, there was an added sense of pride and accomplishment as Yoncalla Early Works celebrated a decade-long milestone.

Launched at Yoncalla Elementary School in 2013, Early Works has laid the foundation for an ecosystem of care. The initiative has not only shaped the educational landscape in Yoncalla, but has also nurtured a deep sense of connection among children, families, educators, and the greater community.

Social events such as the barbecue are one way to foster connectedness among residents. Another is through annual community workshops aimed at helping young learners and building a healthy school culture.

This year, Yoncalla school district organized community sessions centered on social-emotional learning from preschool through high school grades.

Nicholas Oinonen, a certified Conscious Discipline trainer, spent two days in Yoncalla engaging with adult learners.

“I was here training high school and elementary, and everyone involved at the school district on social-emotional learning,” explained Oinonen. “Conscious Discipline is a trauma-informed, social emotional tool to help teachers and students regulate emotions, and help learning happen in a positive way.”

Many workshop attendees also joined the evening festivities and were enthusiastic about sharing what they learned over the previous two days.

Taylor Vincelet, a Yoncalla local, parent, and an instructional assistant at the elementary school, expressed how the sessions provided valuable insight about student behavior.

“Conscious Discipline explains that behavior doesn’t mean a kid is ‘bad,’” she said. “It’s really good about helping you understand the underlying emotions behind behaviors.”

The community workshops and barbecue seamlessly combined, highlighting the power of collective effort and its impact in Yoncalla. And as a new school year begins again, Yoncalla community members reaffirmed their commitment to working together, supporting one another, and nurturing the growth of their children, and their community.

This image shows a smiling group of CI Staff members standing in a line.

Unraveling Oregon’s 2023 Legislative Session: Wins, Missed Opportunities, and Powerful Advocacy for Early Childhood

by Celeste Yager-Kandle | Jul 12, 2023 | Oregon Policy, CI Publications

Oregon’s Legislature officially adjourned on June 25, 2023, after what was unquestionably one of the most unusual and politically divisive legislative sessions in Oregon’s history. The unpredictable tenor among lawmakers resulted in a mixed bag of outcomes for early childhood policies, and with that, a series of promising wins and some disheartening losses for Oregon’s early learning and care system.

What influenced this year’s legislative session?

Turnover and change in elected leadership and legislators. Not only did Oregon see a new Governor take office, but the legislature also has a new Speaker of the House, Senate President, majority and minority leaders, and a new House Ways and Means co-chair. In addition to this, about a third of Oregon legislators were new to the Legislature this year.
The longest walkout in Oregon legislative history. Ten Senate republicans and one independent legislator did not participate in Senate floor sessions for a record-breaking 6 weeks. This brought bills and budgets to a standstill, and delayed the required work of the legislature, causing strain for legislative leadership to figure out how to complete the required legislative work by the constitutional end (Sine Die) of session.
An unexpected $2 billion increase in the May revenue forecast. Although this mainly stemmed from changes to how the state budget was calculated, it required agencies to rethink their budgets, which posed a challenge to advocates who had already given significant input into a budget that they expected to be much smaller.
Specific to early childhood, Oregon launched a new agency, the Department of Early Learning and Care (DELC). This is an exciting step for Oregon! However, because DELC is a new state agency, legislators may have been more cautious to give the department additional work or significant funding right away. Of course, advocates and providers shared a goal for a successful DELC launch and saw more opportunity for effective investment and nuance between funding streams than did legislative leaders.

Persistent advocacy, promising wins

Despite many unexpected hurdles throughout the legislative session, strong advocacy from Early Childhood Coalition (ECC) partners and other dedicated early childhood advocates made a significant impact on policy outcomes.

During the legislative session, advocates actively engaged by testifying at public hearings, meeting legislators, making calls, and sending messages to urge state leaders to invest in critical early childhood programs. The Early Childhood Equity Fund, child care facilities, early literacy, and higher wages for child care workers were among the priorities.

“What is clear is that the voices of advocates from all across Oregon absolutely had an impact on the outcomes,” said Dana Hepper, director of policy and advocacy at Children’s Institute. “Early childhood advocates showed up, spoke out, and provided a powerful voice on behalf of Oregon’s youngest children and their families.”

The list below includes the ECC’s priority bills and state agency policy option packages (POPs) that passed this session. For a detailed list of all early childhood policy outcomes, see the 2023 legislative recap.

HB 3005: Create a child care infrastructure fund (this bill passed and was partially funded)
HB 2727: Review zoning, building code, and permitting impact on child care
SB 599: Protect child care providers in rental homes
HB 2991: Create clear and equitable workforce pathways
HB 3198: Improve early literacy instruction in preschool through third grade (in 2023) and birth to five (in 2024); fund community-based literacy interventions
Oregon Health Authority (OHA) POP 425: Universally offered home visits (family connects)
OHA POP 414: Implement early periodic screening, detection, and treatment (EPSDT

Missed opportunities

During the thick of the governor’s race and in the months leading up to the 2023 legislative session, early childhood partners called on incoming state leaders to commit to a bold vision of leadership for Oregon children.

And in a May 2023 letter to the Legislature’s Ways & Means Committee, Children’s Institute’s CEO Kali Thorne Ladd, urged legislators to prioritize investments in early learning and care.

“Investments in early childhood are among the most important investments we can make,” Thorne Ladd wrote. “While Oregon has made progress in this area, we must continue to invest in and strengthen the opportunities we create for children and families across the state.”

Unfortunately, the Oregon Legislature missed a few needed and critical opportunities to invest in young children in this session:

Early Intervention/Early Childhood Special Education (EIECSE). Funding for this program was cut by $19 million, which will result in cuts to services for babies and preschool aged children with disabilities and developmental delays. It will also likely result in workforce layoffs, in a time where there is already a shortage of early childhood workers. Early childhood advocates remain optimistic and continue to work with the Governor and legislative leadership to find a pathway to prevent cuts to these essential services.
Employment Related Day Care (ERDC). In the last bill of the legislative session, the State allocated funding to the Department of Early Learning and Care (DELC) to help raise rates for child care providers and to support an increased number of families participating in the program. Even so, DELC estimates that this is not adequate and will result in reducing the number of working families that can be served. Advocates also continue to work with the Governor, DELC leadership, and legislators on this to prevent the need for a waitlist for child care subsidy.
Early Childhood Equity Fund and Kindergarten Partnership Innovation Fund. CI worked hard to ensure that birth to five was included in the early literacy package (HB 3198), but these programs will have to wait a year to receive any funding for early literacy efforts. Birth to five literacy dollars should be used to make needed investments in the Early Childhood Equity Fund, which would support activities to help young children practice school readiness skills and provide culturally specific and language specific programming, as well as the Kindergarten Partnership Innovation Fund. While we are glad Oregon recognized the importance of the first five years in early literacy, we are disappointed the funding is delayed by a year.

Next steps

Although the session has concluded, our work is not done. There are a few key next steps to ensure continued success for our policy wins.

Moving forward, it is essential to ensure the successful implementation of the early childhood policies that passed, with continued engagement from community-based organizations and early childhood advocates. Ongoing engagement, appreciation, and accountability for session outcomes are crucial, as we work to build support among legislators for early childhood issues. CI will be intricately involved with efforts to support implementation.

Looking ahead, we must plan for the future and drive momentum to secure additional funding in the upcoming legislative sessions and through the Emergency Board, continuing to push for needed programs such as the Early Childhood Equity Fund, Early Intervention/Early Childhood Special Education, and Employment Related Daycare.

Together, as dedicated advocates for early childhood issues, we will persist in our efforts to continue to drive policies that help make Oregon the best place to be a kid.

Download the 2023 Legislative Recap