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On September 4, ACS joined partners for the ribbon cutting of the John Marshall Wellness Center at John Marshall High School in the Cleveland Metropolitan School District (CMSD). Operated by the MetroHealth System, and funded through ARPA dollars through the City of Cleveland, as well as funds from the Cleveland and The George Gund Foundations, the clinic […]

For more than 20 years ACS has led advocacy efforts with our K-12 clients to improve State policy related to student transportation. The Guardian article succinctly outlines the challenges and implications of policy that falls short of a comprehensive solution for kids and families.

In 2020, numerous Ohio leaders, including those in Columbus and Franklin County, declared racism a public health crisis, committing to address systemic inequities. Since then, initiatives such as Columbus Public Health’s Center for Public Health Innovation have implemented programs like the “Vax Cash” incentive, a flavored tobacco ban, and the establishment of the Office of […]

This article by the Statehouse News Bureau examines a provision in Ohio’s proposed budget that would allow the state to force the closure of underused public school buildings and require districts to sell them to charter or private schools at below market value—something school leaders like Canton Superintendent Jeff Talbert call unfair to local taxpayers. […]

This article examines how a recent Congressional Budget Office (CBO) analysis indicates that over 3 million individuals could lose access to Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits under a Republican-backed bill passed by the U.S. House. The legislation proposes stricter work requirements and shifts a portion of SNAP funding responsibilities to states, potentially adding $14 […]

This Reuters article examines the U.S. Supreme Court’s 4-4 split decision on May 22, 2025, which effectively blocked the creation of St. Isidore of Seville Catholic Virtual School in Oklahoma—the nation’s first proposed taxpayer-funded religious charter school. The tie, resulting from Justice Amy Coney Barrett’s recusal due to potential conflicts of interest, upheld the Oklahoma […]

This article by the FrameWorks Institute explores the challenges in conveying the fragility of democratic institutions to the public. It identifies three main obstacles: the tendency to equate government solely with current leaders, the belief that American actions inherently define democracy, and the abstract nature of concepts like authoritarianism, which can feel disconnected from daily […]

This article from the Center for Law and Social Policy (CLASP) details how the House’s budget reconciliation bill drastically cuts critical supports like Medicaid, SNAP, and the Child Tax Credit, which disproportionately harms low-income families and communities of color. According to CLASP, the bill redirects these funds to expand immigration enforcement—allocating $45 billion for agencies […]

At ACS, we don’t just build tools—we refine them. When we find new approaches that help organizations, we integrate them into our resources. ACS has updated its Crisis Communication Worksheet with a reminder to REFOCUS: a powerful, step-by-step mindset tool designed to help leaders pause, regain perspective, and communicate with purpose when the pressure is on. […]

The ACS What to Watch 2025 Update is a critical follow-up to ACS’ Winter 2025 Newsletters: What to Watch: Part 1 and What to Watch: Part 2, confirming that many of the threats we previously identified have materialized; the Trump administration’s aggressive rollback of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) efforts, major changes to education policy, […]