This report addresses forces affecting Oregon's benchmark goals for education, recommendations about future measurement of the benchmark, research about best practices for improving these standards, and services and programs involved in addressing them. It describes the state of youth and education in Multnomah County through statistics on demographics, school funding and enrollment trends, and youth risk factors and outcomes. It uses data from surveys, focus groups, and academic research to examine which conditions are necessary for educational success, focusing on interpersonal relationships, expectations for students, student engagement, student contributions, and continuity of learning. After discussing strategies for measuring educational success and describing services and programs serving students in Multnomah County, the report offers eight strategies the community should use in order to meet the benchmarks (e.g.; marshalling resources within and outside the school to ensure that all children read at grade level by third grade and finding ways to ensure that expectations for all children are high). Four appendices include a table of youth services, youth focus group and interview protocols, adult stakeholder interview protocol, and Youth Asset Survey results. (Contains 105 references.) (SM)