Ohio is the birthplace of the Wright Brothers and aviation, home to the country’s first professional baseball team, and full of sprawling parks and cultural institutions. 

It's a region with much to offer. But there can also be stark differences in the opportunities available for students. 

Students in Cincinnati, Cleveland, Columbus, and Dayton experience a disparity in educational outcomes compared to their peers in neighboring, wealthier districts. For example, on the Ohio Department of Education’s (ODE) most recent performance index rankings, which measures student performance on the Ohio Achievement Assessments, two-thirds of the public districts and community schools in Hamilton and Montgomery counties, where Cincinnati and Dayton reside, received a D or an F. Only two of the 75 schools or school districts in those counties received an A on performance. Both of these districts serve student populations which are over 75% white and less than 10% economically disadvantaged as measured by ODE, as opposed to nearby Cincinnati Public Schools, which over 75% students of color and over 80% economically disadvantaged. We see similar outcomes in Cuyahoga County, home to Cleveland, where the highest performing of the 31 districts serve a majority white student population and less than 13% economically disadvantaged, whereas the lowest performing districts in that county have student populations that are less than 15% white and 100% economically disadvantaged (Ohio School Report Cards, 2021).

We know that change is possible and that when children are held to high expectations and invested in their education, there is no limit to their success. 

In partnership with students, families, businesses, local leaders, our alumni network, and the community at large, we’re working to give all of our region’s children access to the freedom that comes with an excellent education.