BY DANA DiFILIPPO
The Cincinnati Enquirer
Although they're widely known as critics of Ohio's new community school law, Cincinnati Board of Education members are trying to adopt a new attitude about the independent, publicly funded schools: If you can't beat 'em, join 'em.
The board's program and legislative committees met Wednesday to review a policy administrators drafted to handle groups that want to open community schools in the district.
Those groups now can go to the state or a local school board for approval; the approving board then acts as overseer. Many, knowing the board's skepticism, have headed directly for the state to sponsor them.
Creating a CPS policy may help the district attract more community school proposals, thereby giving them more control over what programs are approved and the accountability they face, board members agreed. Community schools also are free of many state regulations, and the Cincinnati Federation of Teachers may agree to some waivers, so CPS should embrace some community school proposals, board member Sally Warner added.
The district's draft policy would require groups to submit proposals to the superintendent. Administrators in the district's quality improvement, legal and treasurer's offices would screen the plans and interview applicants. The district's senior managers and the school board then would have to approve the proposal.
Board members plan to consider charging groups that want to apply to the board to open community schools in the district. In other districts, that fee has been as high as $5,000.
Reviewing community school proposals generates "substantial administrative costs, yet we don't want (the fee) to be one that will discourage people from applying," district counsel John Concannon said.
The discussion came one day after the Ohio Board of Education approved, with contingencies, David Nordyke's proposal to open a community school this fall in Avondale.
Mr. Nordyke, head of a Roselawn education resource group, plans to open the Harmony Community School Center for up to 175 students ages 12 to 16 (grades 6-10) from Hamilton, Butler, Clermont and Warren counties this fall.
The school, permitted to enroll up to 425 students by the time its contract expires in three years, will be at 2828 Vernon Place. The contingencies require documentation that the facility meets health and safety requirements, an explanation of student budgeting sources and several wording changes in the contract.
Mr. Nordyke's school is the second community school approved in Hamilton County. Teacher Pauline Ach plans to open Oak Tree Montessori downtown.
