Men, Organized, Respectful & Educated (M.O.R.E.)

M.O.R.E. — Men, Organized, Respectful and Educated - began in Cincinnati Public Schools' Aiken High School in 2009 as a way to circumvent undesired behaviors by allowing young men to serve in leadership roles at their school.

With the success of M.O.R.E. at Aiken, M.O.R.E became a districtwide initiative in 2011 focusing on the growth of African-American males in Cincinnati Public Schools.

The M.O.R.E. Program nurtures academic success and strong character development among African-American and other at-risk young men to promote measurable improvements in academic achievement, grade-level promotion, graduation rates and college readiness.

Student Focus:

The M.O.R.E. Program nurtures academic success and strong character development among African-American and other at-risk young men from grades 3 - 12 hosted in 47 Cincinnati Public Schools (CPS) to promote measurable improvements in academic achievement, grade-level promotion, graduation rates, and college readiness. Each of the 48 M.O.R.E Clubs include after-school programs and monthly and quarterly enrichment opportunities that focus on financial literacy, leadership development, good citizenship, health/wellness, college/career awareness, social skills development, academic support, and more.

Program Goals

The M.O.R.E. program strives to achieve the following measurable goals:

Increase reading proficiencies by one grade level
Increase student performance in math, science and in public speaking
Increase the number of African-American males enrolled in AA and AP classes
Each student maintains a 2.5 Grade Point Average
Increase academic performance and test scores on the Ohio Achievement Assessment, helping to close the achievement gap as reported on the Ohio Report Card.
Reduce the number of student discipline issues by 50 percent (detentions, in-school and out-of-school suspensions)
Strengthen the relationship between the M.O.R.E program and the surrounding communities throughout Cincinnati
Increase the number of African-American males attending college or postsecondary education/training
Increase the knowledge of the M.O.R.E. brand throughout Cincinnati

CPS' M.O.R.E. program has garnered national attention. On April 10, 2014, David Johns, Executive Director of the White House Initiative on Educational Excellence for African-Americans, visited Cincinnati’s Shroder High School and talked with a dozen students and their leaders involved in CPS’ M.O.R.E. program.

Curriculum

Annual Projects & Events

Partners

Program Advisors

Leadership for the M.O.R.E. program comes via a districtwide Coordinator, William Johnson, in partnership with school-based club advisors selected by principals. Each club’s advisor facilitates club meetings and serves as a positive ambassador of the M.O.R.E. program at their schools and across the district. Advisors are expected to provide an engaging atmosphere where students learn and grow socially, conducting a minimum of eight meetings per month, four community service projects each year, and two parent/advisor nights each year. The advisor also is responsible for working with school leadership to identify and recruit males from their school into the program, keeping an accurate record of rosters, club meeting topics, and club meeting attendance.

How You Can Help

M.O.R.E. needs partners and leaders willing to offer supportive programs, personal time and/or financial donations. If interested, please complete this interest form to let us know how you or your organization could support our efforts to address the unique challenges of African-American and other at-risk male students in Cincinnati Public Schools.

To submit an interest form:

E-mail: William Johnson, District M.O.R.E. Coordinator
Mail: William Johnson, District M.O.R.E. Coordinator, Cincinnati Public Schools, P.O. Box 5381, Cincinnati, OH 45201-5381
Fax: (513) 363-0025

Questions: Contact William Johnson, (513) 363-0093

Would you like to support M.O.R.E. financially?

Donations are used to enhance programs and to purchase special attire (such as business shirts and ties) for our young men. All donations are tax deductible.

Financial contributions: Make checks payable to Cincinnati Public Schools, and mail to William Johnson, District M.O.R.E. Coordinator, Cincinnati Public Schools, P.O. Box 5381, Cincinnati, OH 45201-5381. Secure online donations may be made through PayPal.