In a cooperative effort to ensure that every student in the region succeeds, Superintendent Rosa Blackwell joined other superintendents, college presidents, elected officials, as well as education, business, non-profit, and civic leaders from Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky, to launch an unprecedented regionwide community effort called Strive.
These leaders are united in one belief — that this region can develop the best educational system in the world from preschool through college.
Strive brings together leaders who all have invested heavily in educational improvement, but up until now have rarely worked collaboratively. By focusing on the need for improved educational achievement so that the region can compete in the global economy, the partners are overcoming the traditional obstacles to working together and have begun building a framework for a model education system.
The Strive Promise of student success is focused on five key goals and initial strategies:
United Way of Greater Cincinnati's Success By 6® initiative will lead efforts to ensure every child is prepared for and has access to high-quality early childhood programs.
Resources, programs and services that support students and families will be coordinated at the district and school levels through the creation of schools as Community Learning Centers and Family Resource Centers. These will provide expanded academic enrichment opportunities for children along with such services as youth development activities, art, music and recreation programs and counseling.
The Greater Cincinnati Foundation has committed one million dollars over the next four years to support the work of developing Community Learning Centers in Cincinnati Public Schools. Additionally, United Way of Greater Cincinnati will make a first-year commitment of $200,000 to the Community Learning Center effort — with the potential for more to come.
Existing teacher training and professional development programs will be aligned and improved to attract and retain the most talented and committed educators to Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky.
Superintendent Blackwell said, "The best way to make our schools prosper is to focus on our teachers, today, tomorrow and for the future. Good teachers are the single most important factor in determining student success — more than poverty, race or ethnicity."
She emphasized that the Cincinnati Public School District will build its own pool of excellent teachers and ensure that all teachers have the tools and resources they need to succeed, starting day one.
Financial barriers to college will be eliminated and trained adults will provide guidance to students to raise their aspirations and enable them to apply to and be accepted in an institution that meets their career objectives.
Colleges will provide comprehensive student support services, especially to first-generation students, and expand co-op opportunities.
In addition to the strategies, the business community will work with the partners to re-engineer the education system and develop an accountability structure that supports alignment of these efforts over the long term.
KnowledgeWorks Foundation, a nationally recognized leader in innovative educational initiatives based in Cincinnati, has committed loaned staff and other resources to sustain Strive.
Photo courtesy of University of Cincinnati/Lisa Ventre.
Strive is asking for feedback on these strategies and others that should be prioritized to promote student success.
Volunteer OpportunitiesStrive has identified specific volunteer opportunities aligned with its core strategies.
Superintendent Rosa Blackwell is featured in Strive's January 2007 newsletter as a "champion of change."