Ohio School Administrators Learn About Ready by 21

At the Making Ohio Schools Work conference, twenty school administrators from the Buckeye state discussed how Ready by 21 could be applied to their districts and schools. This workshop is part of the American Association of School Administrators' (AASA) strategy to meet educational leaders where they are -- in this case, at their state administrator conferences. Bryan Joffe, AASA’s Ready by 21 Project Director, has been writing workshop proposals for state education conferences as part of their effort to mobilize educational leaders throughout the nation.

The Forum’s Executive Vice President and “Superintendent in Residence”, Rob Schamberg, joined Bryan in co-presenting in Ohio. After Bryan provided a Ready by 21 overview, Rob shared how the rural Black Oak Mine Unified School District in California utilized Ready by 21 to engage citizens and service providers in seven small towns to build system capacity so that youth in the community are ready for college, work, and life. According to Rob, “Ready by 21 leveraged the efforts of so many people to improve youth success and was the chief reason that the Georgetown Divide and the school district were recognized twice by America’s Promise as one of the 100 Best Communities for Youth in the United States.”

Following Bryan and Rob’s presentation, the group had a discussion centered on the challenges their communities face and how Ready by 21 could influence change in their communities. Combining personal stories from leaders engaged in Ready by 21 work and group conversation, AASA’s is informing and engaging school leaders and encouraging them to take the next steps to get involved. Bryan is planning future state conference presentations at which he will be accompanied by a member of AASA’s Ready by 21 Peer Work Group or leaders from the Southeast Challenge teams. The Peer Work Group consists of twenty-one school district superintendents from across the nation who have been meeting for two years and bringing Ready by 21 back to their school districts and communities. On July 22nd, AASA will present at the Kentucky Summer Leadership Institute in Louisville. Bryan will co-present with Louisville's Robert Rodosky, Jefferson County Public Schools Executive Director of Accountability, Research and Planning.

On improving communities, Bryan Joffe said, “School administrators value the powerful Ready by 21 concepts, along with hearing from those who have implemented these strategies in their communities.”