Behind every report card is a bigger story. For many Central Ohio students, poverty, trauma, food insecurity, housing instability, and citizenship status create barriers to learning that schools can’t solve alone—and the numbers paint a stark picture. Columbus City Schools reported a chronic absenteeism rate of over 50% last year, more than double Ohio’s statewide average. Many Central Ohio districts are struggling with similar issues, and they’re turning to new ways to keep students on track. These issues ripple far beyond the classroom, affecting graduation rates, workforce readiness, and ultimately, Central Ohio’s economic future.

Join us for a powerful conversation with education leaders and community advocates as we explore innovative partnerships, hear success stories from school-based initiatives, and learn how pioneering districts are reducing dropout rates, improving graduation outcomes, and creating pathways for the region’s students to thrive in a changing America.

Featuring Valerie Kunze, Chief of Family Engagement and School Partnerships, Ohio Department of Education and Workforce; Adero Robinson, CEO, Communities in Schools of Ohio; Dr. Sharee Wells, Superintendent, Whitehall City Schools; Shaniya Williams, Communities in Schools Alumna and Student, The Ohio State University, with moderator Michelle M. Brown, President & CEO, Children’s Hunger Alliance.

If you would like to dive more deeply into this topic, our friends at the Columbus Metropolitan Library suggest checking out A Framework for Understanding Poverty, by Ruby K. Payne, 2019.