Columbus City Schools leaders are creating an independent non-profit foundation to increase opportunities for the district's students while strengthening education. It's a plan that's been used in other districts.
WOSU’s Debbie Holmes spoke with former Columbus City Schools' Board of Education President Christina Vera. She's the foundation's executive advisor.
Debbie Holmes: What is the reason for creating this independent non-profit?
Christina Vera: When you think about, you know, the Columbus City Schools is one of the largest school districts in the entire state of Ohio. And so, you know, we continue to see the opportunity needs, the opportunity gaps. And so, we are here, as a collective foundation to be able to introduce a new tool for our community. A foundation is designed to expand opportunities and strengthen public education and mobilize support around Columbus City Schools in ways that are sustainable, strategic and community driven. As I mentioned earlier, Columbus City Schools is the largest school district in Ohio, serving tens of thousands of students across one of the most diverse and dynamic cities in the Midwest. So each day CCS students walk into classrooms carrying extraordinary potential, creativity, resilience, leadership and ambition. And we want to be able to come alongside of our students, educators and staff to be able to find funding opportunities, partnership opportunities to ensure academic and experience sustainability.
Debbie Holmes: Now you're creating a volunteer board of trustees. What are you looking for in candidates?
Christina Vera: The foundation will have its own governing board of trustees. And this is so critical and vital to the growth and sustainability of the foundation. So we are certainly looking for individuals that have the capacity to be able to help fundraise and be able to bring additional resources and opportunities to Columbus City Schools through the work of the foundation. And so applications open today, February the 4th, and will be open through March the 6th. So we are really seeking committed leaders, as I mentioned, to serve on the board of trustees, individuals who will help establish and advance the foundation's mission, strategic priorities, and who will play a key role in shaping its vision, structure and long-term impact.
Debbie Holmes: What will the mission be?
Christina Vera: The mission is very clear. And what I really appreciate, if I take a step back, there was actually a working group of parents, alumni, community members and public partners that came together for 14 months to do research, research on best practices around education foundations throughout the country. And so when they created the mission and vision of the foundation, it was very intentional with best practices in mind, while really thinking through what's going to be critically important to the work for Columbus specifically. So the mission is clear. The foundation exists to expand opportunity, fuel innovation and support student success across Columbus City Schools. So that means connecting schools, families and the broader community to the resources students still need, not just to graduate, but to thrive in college, career and in life.
Debbie Holmes: Can you break that down a little bit more as to, you know, taking a student from, I don't know, a high school classroom and what kind of things would you then be supporting them with?
Christina Vera: Yes, so there's actually four initial areas of focus and so those areas are going to be around student enrichment and academic support in addition to career readiness and workforce pathways, classroom innovation and educator support, and then one of the other, the fourth pillar is around alumni and legacy-building initiatives.
Debbie Holmes: Where will the funding come from and how much do you plan to raise?
Christina Vera: The funding will come from ideally, you know, us as a community, so community members, alumni, ideally, corporate partners, and certainly it's something that would be a collaborative effort, and certainly once the board of trustees is set, they will come together to create some initial fundraising goals.
Debbie Holmes: Why do you think this is important to create?
Christina Vera: Well, it's important to create because we continue to see you know, the opportunities that our students rightfully need and rightfully deserve, and so understanding that, you know state funding, it's not enough.
