HEP’s
Purpose
Background: The
Columbus K-16 Urban Collaborative, the “Higher Education
Partnership (HEP),” was created in June 2002, taking
the first step towards establishing a relationship to seriously
and
systematically address urban school reform. The HEP committed
to collaborate in order to improve the access, retention, and
completion of postsecondary education for all Columbus Public
Schools students through highly targeted initiatives and maximized
use of resources.
This
partnership initially involved Columbus City Schools (CCS),
The Ohio State University, Otterbein
College (OC), and Columbus State Community
College (CSCC). In December 2003, three additional partners
were formally added—Ohio Dominican University, Capital
University, and the Columbus College of Art and Design. The
partners
signed a formal HEP agreement to address educational issues
facing CPS, one of Ohio’s lowest performing districts, with work
completed through a designated, highly visible “single
point of contact” from each institution.
Goals: Prior
efforts to connect local colleges and universities with CPS were
scattered
and uncoordinated. Thus, recognizing fragmentation,
duplication, and gaps in current programs, and further
acknowledging the symbiotic relationship among the K-16 educational
institutions,
CPS included as one goal of its District Continuous Improvement
Plan the creation of the HEP. The expressed purpose of
the HEP is to integrate and maximize member institutions’ resources
by multiplying and catalyzing the assets of all the partners
to improve the academic achievement of all CPS students.
Since signing the formal agreement, the HEP single points of
contact
have worked together to formulate a strategic plan that
focuses and aligns resources to respond to three identified areas
of
need: Professional Development Needs; Urban Student Needs;
and the Establishment of a Common Research Agenda. The strategic
plan includes numerous short-term and long-term specific
needs
and potential initiatives under each of these three categories.
The
goals of the Higher Education Partnership is to improve student
performance, assist in teacher professional development, and
develop a strategic research program in Columbus Public Schools.
Action plan for these goals include:
- Urban
Education:
To assist in the planning and implementation of a
seamless network, P-16 and beyond, of integrated urban education
programs,
services
and experiences that ensure students make successful progress from
pre-school through their college years.
- Partnership:
To develop and implement a shared agenda and effective plan of
operation;
maximize the resources of each partner as well as collaborative
in pursuit of funds; and ultimately deliver assistance in research,
teaching and service that is mutually beneficial to the students
and faculties of the partner institutions.
- Professional
Development:
To participate in offering ongoing and meaningful
training-of-trainers professional development, including interchangeable
role opportunities
for faculty and staff at the partner instructions in areas including,
but not limited to teaching and learning, best practices, assessment,
child and youth development, and working effectively with parents
and communities.
- Research:
To frame and execute a mutually beneficial research agenda that
includes empirical studies and action research related to issues
in urban education.
