National Conference

Ohio Alliance hosts national conference promoting collaboration

Over 200 policy makers, funders, and education reform leaders, representing 21 states, congregated in Columbus on September 27 -28th to celebrate innovative practices between charter and traditional public schools at the Best Cooperative Practices between Charter and Traditional Public Schools National Conference. This invitation-only national conference collected and exhibited best practices from across the country with the hopes of inspiring school improvement through collaboration.

In order to build on this initiative, nationally, the Alliance joined forces with Denver Public Schools, Massachusetts Charter Association, Cleveland Metropolitan School District, Arizona Charter School Association and New Mexico Charter School Association.

Our conference partners, the Ohio Alliance, Ohio Grantmakers Forum, KnowledgeWorks, the Fordham Foundation and KidsOhio.org, with support from The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, understand that building and capitalizing on these relationships does not happen overnight. We believe, however, that through the demonstration of genuine examples of charter-district cooperation the conference made an important case for collaboration, not confrontation, in advancing our nation’s educational effectiveness.

Conference highlights included United States Secretary of Education Arne Duncan’s welcoming remarks to conference attendees, stressing the importance of collaboration. Other welcoming remarks were given by Deborah Delisle, Ohio Superintendent of Public Instruction, George Espy, President, Ohio Grantmakers Forum, and Bill Sims, President, OAPCS. Christine Fowler Mack (Cleveland Public Schools), Tony Roberts (Georgia Charter Schools Association) and Dr. Noemi Donoso (Denver Public Schools) delivered keynote addresses on the importance of collaboration for school improvement. Rounding out the general session, Adam Porsch of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation gave a special presentation on a District/Charter Collaboration Compact that is emerging in cities across the United States where traditional districts in cities are forming collaborative compacts with charter schools in their domains. Additionally, a panel discussion was held addressing the obstacles to district/charter collaborations and how best to overcome them.

Twenty-five best practices were showcased during the conference to demonstrate that collaboration is happening and can produce positive outcomes. Among the practices presented were:

A charter school and district collaboration where students learn about and manage alternative energy sources that provide economic savings to the entire district
District endeavors to convert vacant buildings to schools or campuses hosting both charter and traditional schools
School leaders and teachers from charter and traditional schools working together to manage, analyze, and use data effectively
A district school that worked with a charter to allow incoming students from the charter to continue their involvement in a language immersion program
Teacher induction programs that have new charter and traditional teachers working side-by-side to learn and share twenty-first century instructional practices

With the success of the conference, it is OAPCS's mission to ensure that the collaboration conversation continues and the Alliance hopes to continue to lead the national endeavor to catalogue these cooperative practices. We hope to have the opportunity to continue the initiative by creating an internet repository of collaborative practices and by hosting similar conferences bi-annually to keep the spirit, effectiveness and momentum of such collaboration going. A compilation of the best practices showcased at the conference has been published and made available. Click here to download your copy of the Proceedings Publication 2010.

For more information about the conference or to request a copy of the Proceedings Publication 2010, please email or call Amy Black, National Conference Manager at ablack@oapcs.org or 614-744-2266, with your name, title, organization and mailing address.

Conference Photos

William Sims, President, OAPCS welcomes conference attendees

George Espy, President, Ohio Grantmakers Forum

Conference Sponsors

Arne Duncan, U.S. Secretary of Education, delivers welcome address

Click here to watch Arne Duncan's Welcome Address

Deborah Delisle, Ohio Superintendent of Public Instruction

Adam Porsch, Program Office, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation presents the District/Charter Collaboration Compact

Christine Fowler-Mack, Cleveland Municipal School District

Tony Roberts, Georgia Charter Schools Associaton

Noemi Donoso, Denver Public Schools

Paula Lasley, ACPA with Bill Sims, Stephanie Klupinski and Marianne Lombardo staff of OAPCS

Panelists: Lisa Grover, New Mexico Coalition for Charter Schools, Eric Paisner ,NAPCS, Nancy Paulu, USDOE, Steve Burigana, Resource Network and Parker Baxter, Denver Public Schools