The Cleveland Metropolitan School District (CMSD) is a portfolio school district, committed to the goal of ensuring that all students in Cleveland have the opportunity to attend a high-quality public school. Portfolio districts provide families with the freedom to attend a quality neighborhood school or another school that is a better fit for their child. They support principals and teachers and provide schools with more autonomy and resources to better serve students. And they seek partnerships to support and expand quality schools. To learn more about the portfolio strategy, visit the website for the Center on Reinventing Public Education.

Integral to Cleveland’s portfolio strategy is understanding and supporting the valuable role high-quality charter schools play in educating children in our city. In Ohio, there are over 300 public charter schools (also referred to as community schools) serving almost 100,000 students. Cleveland itself has over 50 charter schools serving more than 15,000 students. The CMSD is committed to helping support and expand high-quality charter schools that are committed to the Cleveland Plan.

The CMSD works with charter schools in three primary ways: as a sponsor, as a partner, and through the District/Charter Compact. Currently, CMSD sponsors six schools and partners with an additional five schools. All twelve of these schools adhere to the goals of the Cleveland Plan.

Additionally, the CMSD is thrilled that Cleveland has been selected as a Gates Compact City. With a generous grant from the National Association for Charter School Authorizers, the CMSD and interested charter schools in Cleveland—regardless of whether they partner with or are sponsored by the CMSD—will explore ways for the district and charters to work collaboratively. For more information on the Compact, please click above.

If you have any questions about CMSD and charter schools, please contact:

 

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Vision

All students in Cleveland will have access to a high-quality public school and every neighborhood will have a multitude of great schools from which families can choose.

Mission

CMSD embraces district-charter collaboration as a strategy for school improvement. As an authorizer, partner, and collaborator, CMSD promotes high-quality charter school options that increase academic achievement across the city.