Community Transitional School is a private school dedicated entirely to the needs of children whose families are homeless, in transition and experiencing chronic poverty-related crises. Our purpose is to provide them with a stable, supportive environment that promotes both their personal and academic growth. We combine character education with a curriculum that helps students succeed and develop their individual strengths. Founded in 1990, we serve about 200 children every year. Our average daily enrollment is 60 to 70 students. We're a registered private school and an independent 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. Regular days during the school year start at 8:30am and end at 3:10pm. We're open for a full school year. We also offer a 5 week summer program. Our students range in age from 5 to 14 and come from families living in the city of Portland, Oregon, and parts of East Multnomah County. They live in homeless and domestic violence shelters, cheap motels, on the floor of a friend's home and even outside in their cars. Some are from families that are on the brink of losing their housing. Some have just recently managed to move into permanent housing. All are in situations where poverty and uncertainty are dominant forces.
