A new school year is almost upon us. As it draws near, this is a good time to look at where the Columbus Public Schools are and where their focus needs to be in the upcoming school year. 

First of all the Columbus student body continues to be more diverse each year. From 1998 to 2006 the percentage of minority students in CPS has gone from 8% to 27%. At the same time, the population is characterized by greater poverty. During that eight-year period the percentage of students qualifying for free or reduced lunches has gone from 27% to 39%.

Greater diversity has brought more second language learning requirements. Likewise, greater poverty has caused greater student needs. Thus, the staff of the Columbus Public Schools has worked very hard to meet the challenging necessities of a changing population.

This is not the whole story, however. There are many students who seek additional challenges and acceleration options. As a result, the school system has also implemented ways to provide enrichment and advanced experiences in several different ways. This includes increasing the number of college credit classes offered at the high school. It also includes providing more opportunities in the regular classroom to extend their learning in creative and innovative ways.

To meet the needs of all students in the school system it is important for the Columbus schools to deliver a rigorous and relevant curriculum to all. This can be a daunting task when young people come from such varied backgrounds. Below are some thoughts on what must be done to accomplish this ambitious task.

One important goal needs to be accomplished before the children enter the school doors. The goal is to help all youth come to kindergarten with the background experiences and vocabulary necessary to succeed in school. This will help level the playing field for all youth before they begin in the K-12 system. Helping all Columbus children from poverty backgrounds experience a quality preschool education is a prerequisite to making this possible. This should not be just a goal of the Columbus Public Schools. It should also be a goal of the whole community if we want all young people to become productive citizens and taxpayers.

A second prerequisite of success for all students is the establishment of active and engaging instruction in each classroom. Many students come to schools from very high tech interactive backgrounds. Schools need to also provide active experiences to hold their attention and help them to learn. Many will say this is not the schools’ responsibility. These people are correct if it is also not the schools responsibility that students learn. If it is the schools’ responsibility to ensure that all students learn, however, active learning is essential.

Related to this schools must provide consistent opportunities to apply what they are learning. Helping children apply their knowledge makes the classroom more interesting. It also increases the likelihood that children will understand and remember what they have learned.

Another key component to students gaining a rigorous school experience is to have strong adult relationships. These relationships help struggling and reluctant learners want to succeed and put forth the effort needed to do so.

A fifth essential for Columbus schools is developing community partnerships. Bridges must be built between the school doors and the college. They must be built between the classroom and the workplace. They also must be developed between the school and the various community agencies that also serve youth. These partnerships will enhance the learning of children in many ways and bring about more student success.

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