Mayor, Council, Columbus City Schools Create High Performing Schools Initiative
MEDIA RELEASE
For Immediate Release
September 16, 2013
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Mayor, Council, Columbus City Schools Create High Performing
Schools Initiative
Mayor Michael B. Coleman, Columbus City Council and Columbus
City Schools today announced a new initiative to examine, deliberate, and
recommend steps and standards to expand the number of high performing schools
within the Columbus City Schools district. The High Performing Schools
Initiative will produce policies and procedures regarding:
- The
Columbus Board of Education’s efforts to expand or replicate high performing
district schools to increase the number of students attending these schools;
- The Board
of Education’s preparation to contract with partnering community schools to
attract, expand, or replicate high performing community schools. These
partnering community schools will be high performing, located to serve
neighborhoods in need, and will expand the number of students within the
Columbus City Schools district attending these schools;
- The City of
Columbus’ efforts to sponsor high performing community schools to meet
neighborhood or career needs of students within the City of Columbus.
“It is important to set the high standards to which all our
schools must aspire to educate our children,” Mayor Coleman said. “Creating and
holding our schools to these high standards is a key component of our plan to
revolutionize education in Columbus.”
To pursue this initiative, the city and school district will
create the High Performing Schools Working Group, consisting of 15 members,
including parents and educators, as well as faith, business, labor, and civic
leaders. The group will convene briefings and hearings, issue draft
recommendations for public comment, and adopt a final report by the end of this
year.
“In order for Columbus City Schools to be as great as our
city, we need to set high standards to ensure that all children receive a
quality education,” said Council President Andrew J. Ginther. “By working
together, in a collaborative effort, we can place our schools and our children
on the path to success, and work to ensure every student has the opportunity to
realize his or her full potential.”
The Working Group will hold a series of public briefings
through November to discuss the best approaches to expanding the number of high
performing schools within the district.
The group will then produce a draft report of recommendations to the
city and board and host meetings for public comment. Upon completion of these
meetings, the Working Group will issue a final report of recommendations to the
city and school district by the end of the year.
"All students in Columbus deserve the opportunity to realize
their potential and have access to high-quality schools that adhere to
appropriate standards for academic
performance, school culture and environment, community participation, and governance and accountability policies,”
Columbus City Schools Interim Superintendent Dr. Dan Good said. “We have
listened to the voices of our families and residents, who have expressed the
desire to help formulate the standards that will define our schools’ learning
environment and neighborhoods’ success. The composition of the working group
will reflect their ideas and includes significant parent and community
representation.”
City Council will introduce a Joint Resolution creating the
working group at its September 16 meeting. The Board of Education will
introduce a similar resolution at its September 17 meeting. Upon adoption of
both resolutions, the city and board will select and announce working group
members.
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