Register now to hear national education reform leader and author Kevin P. Chavous present on Building a Learning Culture in America.
OAPCS is a nonprofit advocacy organization that proactively educates and informs the public, families, stakeholders, policymakers and thought leaders about the importance of educational choice and charter schools. In this capacity, OAPCS serves as a clearinghouse of charter school data, research and stories pertaining to the charter movement, quality in education, state and federal school legislation and other topics that affect student equity.
For the Media:
Inquiries, information and interview requests and questions should be directed to Julie Conry, OAPCS Director of Communications, at jconry@oapcs.org or 614-744-2266, ext. 203.
In the News:
Ember Reichgott Junge Shares Her Impressions of a Columbus Charter School
December 1, 2015
National charter school policy leader Ember Reichgott Junge visited The Arts and College Preparatory Academy (ACPA) on November 11th to learn more about the innovative VOICE program and ACPA’s leadership in creating inclusiveness in schools. She shares her impressions of how the Columbus charter high school is blazing a new path on her blog Zero Chance of Passage.
ACPA—Empowering a Positive Climate
by Ember Reichgott Junge
“When I visited Arts and College Preparatory Academy (ACPA) in Columbus, Ohio last month, I expected…
Read More +State Answers Federal Call for More Information on Charter School Oversight
November 20, 2015
The Ohio Department of Education (ODE) this week submitted its first batch of responses to federal officials who want assurances the state can properly administer a recent $32 million grant to expand and improve Ohio’s charter school sector. As part of the submission, ODE pledged to complete new evaluations of charter school sponsors by October 2016.
Ohio won the grant, which could grow to as much as $71 million over several years, in late September. But shortly after submitting its application in July, the state told the U.S. Department of Education (USDOE) the…
Read More +New Charter Sponsor Ratings Should Be Transparent, Aligned to Report Card, Panel Says
November 20, 2015
The three-person panel Superintendent Richard Ross appointed to rework charter school sponsor evaluations released preliminary recommendations Friday for public input.
Ross named accountant Phillip Dennison, attorney Mark Hatcher and Perrysburg Schools Superintendent Thomas Hosler to evaluate Ohio’s system after initial evaluations were discredited because of data omissions. The Ohio Department of Education hopes to restart the evaluation process in February and complete it by October, according to a letter Ross sent to the U.S. Department of Education earlier…
Read More +Dr. Chambers Joins Columbus Metropolitan Club Forum's Panel on Charter Schools
November 16, 2015
View the podcast of last week’s Columbus Metropolitan Club Forum’s panel on charter schools with Dr. Darlene Chambers, OAPCS CEO, Anthony Gatto, School Leader of ACPA, Aaron Churchill of the Fordham Institute and Cathy Candisky of the Columbus Dispatch.
Charter Progenitor Tells Role of Compromise, Bipartisanship in Movement's Start
November 13, 2015
A former Minnesota lawmaker who helped launch the U.S. charter school movement told attendees of a charter school conference in Columbus Friday to use a unified, positive voice to defend and champion their movement.
Ember Reichgott Junge, who wrote the 1991 Minnesota statute that was the nation’s first state charter school law, also said at the Ohio Alliance for Public Charter Schools conference that Ohio charter advocates should embrace the compromises that brought about HB2 (Dovilla-Roegner). She said charter schools’ Minnesota birth came after a compromise she…
Read More +Ohio Charter Schools May Be 'Reeling' from Attacks, But Now Is a Time to Shine, National Experts Say
November 12, 2015
National Leaders Open Ohio Charter Conference
November 12, 2015
National charter school figures said Ohio can expect to rise in the ratings of its laws and oversight practices thanks to HB2, calling it an inflection point to sharpen the focus on student needs.
The Ohio Alliance for Public Charter Schools (OAPCS) is bringing hundreds of people to the Ohio State University campus Thursday and Friday for its ninth annual conference, with a “coming of age” theme to mark the 18th year of charter schools in the Buckeye State.
OAPCS President Darlene Chambers opened Thursday’s events with a conversation among three national…
Read More +New Report Tracks Top Charter School Enrollment Share
November 10, 2015
Give Charter School Reform a Chance to Succeed: Dr. Darlene Chambers Op-Ed
November 6, 2015
“On Oct. 7, the Ohio General Assembly passed Substitute House Bill 2 with a significant bipartisan endorsement and general editorial support from the state’s major media outlets. The bill, which was a product of extensive research, study, debate and scrutiny, achieved its founding purpose — to provide greater oversight of sponsors, more transparency in school operations and higher accountability in board governance. Throughout Ohio’s 18-year history of charter schools, we have seen exponential growth in the school choice movement. There are now close to 400 charter…
Read More +State Superintendent Richard Ross Announces Plans to Retire
November 6, 2015
