| Cincinnati Schools' Parent Leadership | | | | |
| Institute | | | | Other educational professionals in the |
| | | | Cincinnati schools have also welcomes the |
| This summer saw the creation of the | | | | process and look to the success of the |
| Cincinnati Schools ' Parent Leadership | | | | Lexington program to justify their |
| Institute. The program reflects the changing | | | | enthusiasm. Superintendent Rosa Blackwell |
| role that parents play in public education. | | | | argues that "decades of research confirm that |
| As Vanessa White, the Board President of the | | | | when parents are more involved, student |
| Parents for Public Schools (PPS) stated: "The | | | | achievement increases." Cincinnati schools |
| days of bake sales are long gone. Today, | | | | stand to benefit from those decades of |
| parents need a new set of skills and | | | | research in creating a program that clearly |
| knowledge if they are to realize their full | | | | aligns the activities of parents and teachers |
| potential to impact student achievement and | | | | in order to make a Cincinnati public school |
| drive school improvement." Organizations | | | | environment that provides the most |
| such as PPS work to align the needs of | | | | comprehensive program for students. |
| Cincinnati schools with the resources of | | | | |
| parents in order for both sides to work | | | | Cincinnati schools are relying on a number of |
| together for the benefit of children | | | | local and national partners to implement the |
| attending Cincinnati schools. | | | | program. In addition to the Pritchard |
| | | | Committee, Cincinnati schools will be working |
| One of the models that the Cincinnati schools | | | | with the United Way and Xavier University. |
| have been looking at is the Pritchard | | | | These groups hope to create Community |
| Committee of Lexington, Kentucky. The | | | | Learning Centers where parents can come for |
| Pritchard Committee established the | | | | training. Cincinnati schools are grateful |
| Commonwealth Institute for Parent Leadership | | | | for the support from business and other |
| and trained over 1300 parents from a variety | | | | community partners in order to fund these |
| of backgrounds in the ways that they could be | | | | Community Learning Centers. Among the |
| productive in assisting the public school | | | | grant supporters are the KnowledegeWorks |
| system. Cincinnati schools have seen the | | | | Foundation, the Scripps Howard Foundation and |
| success of the Lexington program and have | | | | the Kroger Foundation. All of these groups |
| worked diligently to see if such a program | | | | will work in conjunction to make the program |
| could have a similar positive effect on | | | | as effective as possible for Cincinnati |
| parental involvement in Cincinnati schools. | | | | school parents. |
| Ms. White is eager to see how Cincinnati | | | | |
| schools will benefit and expresses high hopes | | | | To start the program off, a pilot group will |
| for the program: "Expectations have been | | | | begin working under the direction of Zakia |
| raised for students and teachers, and it's | | | | McKinney. Ms. McKinney has worked as an |
| time for parents to step up to the plate as | | | | Education Director at the Urban League as |
| well. This program will greatly enhance our | | | | well as an Executive Director of the Walnut |
| ability to identify and develop parent | | | | Hills Churches. She has been active in |
| leaders who can then engage other parents to | | | | community organizations for many years and |
| ensure that our schools provide a quality | | | | looks forward to sharing her experience with |
| public education for all children." | | | | Cincinnati schools. |