Access for Education

Creating Access to College for Low-Income Youth   This Capstone explores a variety of issues related to equal access to education, including language barriers, bilingual education, No Child Left Behind, school funding, standardized testing, curriculum choices, cultural differences, and lack of health care, among others.

The community partner for this course is Marathon Education Partners, (www.marathoneducationnpartners.org) a Portland based non-profit organization, founded in 2002, that brings together over 100 low-income children (Scholars) with over 200 adults (Partners) in the community who are committed to helping these Scholars reach their goal of a college education.  Scholars are selected for the program through a rigorous process of teacher/principal/community and parent recommendations, interviews, grades, and a need for financial aid.  Scholars enter the program in the fourth grade and remain in the program, paired with Partner, for 10 years.  Most of the Scholars are minorities, immigrants and refugees. 

PSU students in this Capstone will play an integral part in the growth and development of Marathon Education Partners.  Students may be involved in 1) working directly with Scholars in their Title I schools in the Portland metropolitan area, 2) doing projects directly for Marathon Education Partners to assist with program development and 3) working directly with other community partners to grow Portland area non-profits by working together and enhancing cross-organization programs.   Please contact Leah Cronn at cronn@comcast.net for more information.