There is a great deal of understandable confusion surrounding school choice policy in Ohio. Much of this confusion is due to the fact that many of the terms that define these policies are new terms or have newly expanded meanings. For example, in Ohio a community school is not just a particular school in a particular city, village, or town. A community school in Ohio is a new type of school in the state's 21 largest school districts that holds a unique state charter not with or through the local school board but, most often directly with the State Board of Education. So community schools are really new or converted public schools that operate with funding directly from the State General Revenue Fund. By law, these schools are approved by and under the authority of the State Board of Education. They must be non-sectarian, non-profit entities maintained by their own school board.

Two new community schools will open in Cleveland this fall: HOPE Academy Broadway Campus and HOPE Academy Western Campus. Both these schools will seek to fill the gap left by the closing of the two HOPE scholarship schools in Cleveland. The new schools will most likely operate in exactly the same location as the previous scholarship schools. The previous schools were started in an attempt to meet the demand for classrooms for scholarship recipients of the Cleveland Scholarship and Tutoring Pilot Program.

The Cleveland Scholarship and Tutoring Pilot Program began in 1996. At that time and to this date the program has had far more applicants than available seats. The two Cleveland HOPE Academies were established to meet this demand by enrolling over 400 students, almost all as scholarship students. By accepting almost 100% enrollment from scholarship students the two HOPE Academies were unique to the Cleveland Pilot Program.

The great advantage of this uniqueness was that much could be learned about the concept of scholarships in a school that had so many scholarship students. The disadvantage was that every time political attacks or judicial arguments arose over the Program the two HOPE scholarship schools were at great risk. "It was tough enough hiring teachers for a pilot program", stated Founding Principal John Morris, "but keeping parents and teachers on board with the Program was nearly impossible. Every time we opened the newspaper, another political threat was looming over the schools. The parents loved the program. The kids were making progress. But the pressures were terrific on our parents and teachers."

Due to the unstable legal, political and operational environment, the two HOPE Schools shut down on June 30th of this year. Two community schools, already chartered by Ohio are negotiating leases for the buildings. Akron businessman, David Brennan, and others donated several million dollars to help open the two scholarship schools, and to underwrite their operating costs. "We wish we could have continued these schools" Brennan stated, "but even if we had raised millions more, the political winds could have shifted again and closed the doors. We truly want a stable education for the children, parents and teachers."

The financial platform for community schools is different from the scholarship program. In the pilot scholarship plan, parents receive a scholarship worth $2,250 dollars to apply to a school of their choice. Parents in the plan are required to pay an additional $250 to participate in the program. In the community school plan, the State provides funding of around $4,200 per pupil paid directly to the school. This increased funding will provide more opportunities for competitive teacher salaries and greater academic opportunities for the children.

Sharold Kerley, a former HOPE Central Academy parent is grateful for the way this change is working. "I am really glad that the original HOPE vision will remain in this new community school. After all the political fuss in Columbus and the harassment by the Courts it would have been easy for these people to walk away. But they are staying here and helping our children. The new community school is great news."

David Zanotti, President of the Ohio Roundtable and Chairman of the School Choice Committee recently commented on the changes in Cleveland. "It is very understandable that non-profit, non-sectarian schools would see the community school option as very favorable. For starters, the Cleveland Scholarship Plan remains a temporary program. It is a good program, but it is subject to constant attack by politicians and the courts. It is very difficult to open a permanent school within the confines of a temporary plan that remains a political football in Columbus. Replacing those two scholarship schools with charter schools is quite logical."

White Hat Management, a community school development and consulting firm, was contracted to provide the necessary services to open these two community schools. John Morris is now the CEO of White Hat Management. As a management company White Hat provides vital administrative services and resources to community schools. In return, the local community school board agrees to pay White Hat a management fee. Management consultant companies such as White Hat operate in dozens of states across the country. Community/Charter schools have been expanding across the nation and now can be found in over 30 states. More are opening every year. As the community school movement expands, the demand for new and broadened management services also increases. Such demands cover the need for hiring, training, payroll administration, computer technologies, and curriculum development.

For more information on the Cleveland Scholarship and Tutoring Program, Community Schools, or the HOPE Academies, please contact: Mr. John Morris, CEO, White Hat Management at 330-535-6868. Inquiries regarding education policy in Ohio should be directed to Mr. David Zanotti, Chairman of the School Choice Committee at 1-877-696-8722. Legislators available for comment on the issue of The Cleveland Scholarship and Tutoring Pilot Program include State Representatives Jim Jordan at 614-644-1507 and James Trakas at 614-644-6041.