With the hint of an autumn chill in the air, Cornelius Elementary School and Children’s Institute kicked off a Learning Tour on October 1, eager to showcase how their partnership is strengthening early learning for children and enhancing teaching practices for educators in Forest Grove, OR.
The Learning Tour was a unique opportunity for Oregon policymakers, school district administrators, funders, and state agencies to see firsthand how Children’s Institute’s Early School Sucess initiative collaborates with school communities.
Attendees began to stream in just ahead of the event’s start time, finding themselves in an inviting space as they huddled together in the school’s library.
Kali Thorne Ladd, CEO of Children’s Institute, opened the tour with an inspiring message and commitment to collaboration with the early childhood and K-12 education systems, and state agencies.
“We want to be that middle of the wheel that helps move things forward,” she said. “We are proudly a statewide organization, and we take that very seriously to ensure that both urban and rural communities have access to the supports and resources they need to thrive.”
Expanding Preschool through Early School Success
In 2015, Children’s Institute worked with early childhood partners and advocates to develop and successfully pass legislation for Preschool Promise. In the years following, Children’s Institute developed the Early School Success initiative, which launched in 2019 with a focus on supporting preschool expansion in school districts across Oregon.
Preschool Promise is a mixed delivery program, meaning that community-based organizations, family care providers, and school districts can offer Preschool Promise to families at 200 percent or below the Federal Poverty Level. School districts provide 33 percent of Preschool Promise programs, making them the largest provider of the state’s publicly funded preschool, outside of Head Start.
Children’s Institute’s ESS model helps school districts build quality preschool programming and align their preschool programs to the early grades, through grade 5. Forest Grove was one of the first school districts to receive an ESS grant. Since partnering with Children’s Institute, the district has doubled its preschool classrooms.
Bilingual Biliteracy Focus
Cornelius Elementary is a dual language school, where all students learn in both Spanish and English. The school has embraced a biliteracy approach starting in preschool, with a focus on native language literacy and gradually introducing a second language. This ensures that students develop literacy skills in both languages.
Data collected by the school in 2023-2024 shows significant growth in both math and literacy among students, demonstrating how biliteracy reinforces children’s strengths and promotes academic success.
Hover over image and click arrows to see literacy and math data.
An Inside Look at Cornelius Elementary
With a guide, small groups of attendees ventured through the halls to see the preschool and elementary grade classrooms in action. Curious eyes investigated as new faces entered the room. But mostly, children were deeply engaged in learning.
As the classroom tours concluded, groups reconnected in the library for lunch and were joined by 4th and 5th graders excited to share about themselves and their school.
Progress on Early Education
The Learning Tour at Cornelius Elementary provided a comprehensive look at how Children’s Institute is helping to make progress in Oregon’s early education system, reinforcing the need for continued support and investment in early childhood education to ensure that all children in Oregon have the love, care, and education they need to thrive.
It also demonstrated how ESS is working with school communities to strengthen classroom practices, align and improve instruction, support joyful learning environments and family engagement, and shift funding to prioritize the foundational early years of a child’s life.
Special Thanks
We want to extend gratitude to Cornelius Elementary School staff for hosting this event with us and being a stellar ESS partner. We also want to thank everyone in the room who joined the Learning Tour, including Forest Grove Superintendent, Dr. Suzanne West; Oregon State representatives and elected officials; folks from the Oregon Department of Education, and Oregon Department of Early Learning and Care; funders, and other esteemed colleagues. Thank you for your dedication to making sure Oregon kids have quality early learning and care, and educators have the support they need.