Learn together.
Educators build shared knowledge around one resource that no single community manages alone.
Rooted in place,
shaped by perspective,
driven toward civic action.
Common Ground Learning Collaborative connects Oregon educators and students to the communities, issues, and perspectives that shape their state.
Apply to Place & PerspectiveExplore the program
One Oregon.
Many perspectives.
Oregon’s urban and rural communities share the same water, land, and future. Yet most students will never experience each other’s communities firsthand.
When educators step into communities beyond their own and hear directly from the people who live and work there, that understanding reaches every class they teach afterward.
Get to know Common GroundLearning that travels home.
Go see it.
Cohorts travel together for two multi-day community visits with local experts and community members.
Bring it home.
Each educator designs and implements a lesson or unit centered on water stewardship and civic engagement.
Applications open
Water as a Mirror
Our first cohort, Water as a Mirror, brings Oregon K-12 educators into Lincoln and Benton counties to explore how water shapes each place and connects them.
Explore Place & PerspectiveParticipant support
We believe teachers' time and expertise should be valued, not volunteered.
Participants receive a participation stipend and a travel stipend, with lodging and meals covered during community visits.
Applications are due November 20, 2026.
Apply nowHelp Oregon educators find common ground.
Support learning that reaches beyond the classroom.