Staying the Course: Lessons from the Central Ohio Partnership for College and Career Readiness Expansion

Transforming traditional high schools to better prepare all graduates to succeed both in college and the new world of work is a daunting task. But it can be done—and in a relatively short period of time. This report shows how one of the largest school districts in Ohio has doubled college course taking and raised expectations for all students by systematically changing the culture of its high schools in three years.

Seven school districts in the Central Ohio Partnership for College and Career Readiness Expansion (CCRE) are collaborating to increase educational achievement and close equity gaps. The districts will implement early college design principles. This brief, the first of a series, describes the history of cross-sector collaboration in central Ohio and the origins of the CCRE, and offers recommendations for other colleges.