Louis Stokes: “I rise in support of the agreement worked out. Individual schools that elect to participate in this program identify an…”

“I rise in support of the agreement worked out. Individual schools that elect to participate in this program identify an effective research-based whole school reform model that has the support of their community. In my district in Cleveland, OH, eight schools are using the Comer reform model. This model involves shared decisionmaking, focuses on parental involvement, and includes student-staff-support team. Together, these teams develop the policies that are used to guide the school. The Comer model has been used in Cleveland since 1990, and includes seven elementary and one middle school. Plans are under way to expand the use of this concept to a high school. The Cleveland effort is a collaborative partnership with the Harvard Business School alumni that live in Cleveland, the Applewood Center, Cleveland public schools, the community, and Cleveland State University. In my district, the Comer model has been successful in that it has changed the climate of the participating schools. It has made the schools more friendly to parents, a better place for teachers to work, and, in turn, a better place for students to learn.”