Wednesday, April 14, 1999
State approves charter schools
Eight planned in Cincinnati Public District
BY DANA DiFILIPPO
The Cincinnati Enquirer
Ohio education officials Tuesday approved 37 charter schools to open this fall statewide, including eight in the Cincinnati Public Schools district.
Proposals the Ohio Board of Education endorsed for Cincinnati include two college-preparatory schools, a school for would-be dropouts and an accelerated curriculum school. The state board approved all 37 charter proposals it considered.
Cincinnati Public Schools leaders are trying to shed their reputation as foes of charter schools, and to embrace charters as a reform tool. The district hopes to be the first among Ohio's 611 districts to charter its own schools, said John Rothwell, CPS' charter school manager.
“We are at a "Y' in the road,” said Mr. Rothwell, who oversaw charter schools for the Ohio Department of Education until CPS hired him. “We can either take one direction and whine and cry and say the evil state board is approving all these schools. Or we can say, "What can we do to compete?' and it is my fervent hope that will happen.”
Charter schools, called “community schools” in Ohio, are independent public schools that are free of many restrictions public districts face on such issues as union labor, professional training, curriculum standards, preschool programs and competitive bid ding.
State lawmakers hoped such flexibility would increase efficiency and improve service. Ohio already has 15 charter schools, including two in Cincinnati.
New charter schools approved are:
• Greater Cincinnati Community Academy: This kindergarten-to-12th-grade, basic-skills school will target at-risk students. Applicants: Janet Perry and H. Marie Congo of the Greater Cincinnati Christian Academy.
• James Cecil Wynn Center for Excellence: The Edison Project of New York, which operates 51 charter schools nationwide, will run this K-5 school, which will eventually expand to 12th grade. It will have an accelerated curriculum and stress technology, giving students comput ers for home use. Applicants: the Rev. Calvin Harper, pastor of Walnut Hills' Morning Star Baptist Church, and Deborah McGriff, Edison's executive vice president.
• The HOPE Riverside Academy: Akron industrialist David Brennan, who operates seven HOPE academies statewide, will open this K-6 school in the old Riverside-Harrison school in Sedamsville. Applicant: Cincinnati City Councilman Phil Heimlich.
• The Life Skills Center of Cincinnati: Mr. Brennan's firm also will run this computer-based school for students ages 16-22 who have dropped out or are considering dropping out of school. It will offer small-group instruction and independent study. Applicant: Mr. Heimlich.
• The Academy of Cincinnati: Mr. Brennan's firm also will run this K-8, basic-skills school. Applicant: Mr. Heimlich.
• Southern Academy of Cincinnati: This K-8 school will enroll 390 students. Applicant: Mr. Heimlich.
• Allen SABIS International School: SABIS Educational Systems Inc., which manages 19 schools in eight countries, will run this K-7 college-preparatory school, which eventually will expand to 12th grade. Applicant: Carol Kerlakian, an Anderson Township medical researcher.
• Cincinnati College Preparatory Academy: This K-6 school will offer multiage classrooms, emphasize higher learning and eventually expand to eighth grade. Applicant: Lisa Hamm of Fairfield, a CPS teacher for seven years and Central Fairmount School assistant principal.
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