All Hands Raised

Since 1994 All Hands Raised has advocated for excellent and equitable education for all students. Our work is guided by the core value that all children and youth can be successful and contribute to thriving communities. In the mid-1990s the organization began as the Portland Public Schools Foundation with parent-led advocacy and funding for Portland Public Schools (PPS), critical work that we continue to lead today through the Portland Public Schools Foundation. In 2007, we expanded our work when we launched Connected by 25, an effort to harness the extraordinary commitment of Portlanders in order to connect every young person to school, work and community by the age of 25. Through Connected by 25, All Hands Raised assembled a cross-sector coalition to strategically deliver compelling student data to the public, and develop a platform for action. Research led by Connected by 25 indicated that the summer transition into ninth grade is a critical time for students at risk of disconnecting, which led to our first collective impact effort – Ninth Grade Counts. Connected by 25 and Ninth Grade Counts, and the partnerships established with six partner school districts and a diverse set of community partners, laid the foundation for All Hands Raised to become the entity entrusted with adapting a cradle to career framework locally. Since 2010, All Hands Raised has led the county-wide effort to align the community around a common set of measurable indicators with the singular goal of improving educational outcomes for children, youth and young adults in Portland and Multnomah County, and with an explicit focus on kids of color.