In a time fraught with austerity and the tightening of belts, Portland is once more going against the grain, this time by introducing a major revitalization initiative for Portland's public schools, with aspects targeting students all the way from kindergarten to college readiness and beyond. The project's eventual goal is to raise $2 to $5 million for the assistance of Portland's high school graduates to make it to college.

Flanked by students and community leaders, Mayor Michael Brennan on Monday morning announced a new education initiative aimed at improving kindergarten readiness and providing financial resources for Portland graduates to attend college.

Portland ConnectED will connect the education, business, nonprofit, civic and philanthropic sectors. It will focus on strategies that organizers say are proven to work: early childhood education, kindergarten through 12th-grade literacy, and post-secondary training.

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