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You know effective communication is important. With the right plan and execution, you can build awareness for your cause, strengthen your base of support, inspire action in others, and help bring about meaningful change. But how do you know that your communication efforts are delivering the intended impact? ACS is pleased to share our latest […]

Riding the national wave of coverage related to public charter school performance in Ohio, a recent Columbus Dispatch article calls into question whether charter schools in the state are having the intended results of increasing high-quality options, “Charter schools were originally intended to unleash free-market competition and innovation, but their overall performance is making the […]

Recently the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) passed Congress, replacing the No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Act of 2002. The U.S. Department of Education is now faced with the tricky task of regulating the law, which goes into effect for the 2017-2018 school year. ESSA will have significant implications nationally and at the state level […]

A new study conducted by the American Educational Research Association titled “Is Kindergarten the New First Grade?” has garnered national media attention from NPR and the Washington Post. The study concluded that elementary schools are expecting more out of kindergarteners academically and providing less time to spend in self-directed and creative play. The emphasis on […]

Using digital or online approaches can give your organization a leg up and an opportunity to tell your story in a new or different way. Chances are you digest digital content everyday through online mediums like videos, podcasts, and twitter, to name a few. Why not leverage this for the benefit of your organization? In […]

Looking to building an advocacy strategy for 2016? Want to know how to make the most of this election year? Check out our newsletter for our best advice on how to elevate your message and work during an important election year.

Every year around this time, ACS reflects on the impact our work has for our clients’ stakeholders and constituents. We take into account changing realities and policies that help, and harm, how our efforts help children, youth, and families grow, learn, and thrive. Much like our annual reflections, John Corlett, Executive Director of the Center […]

Restorative justice models are gradually replacing zero-tolerances discipline models in schools across the country as awareness of the school-to-prison pipeline increases. Zero-tolerance policies remove students from the classroom based on mandated predetermined minimum penalties (such as suspension and expulsion) for a wide degree of rule violations, and place them in the hands of the justice […]

The Gates Foundation released an extensive report in September 2014 titled Lessons from Research and the Classroom: Implementing High-Quality Pre-K that Makes a Difference for Young Children. This report explores what makes programs successful and how best to spend early education dollars. Most importantly, this report narrows in on the most effective way to invest […]

PRE4CLE released its first annual report yesterday showing that Cleveland has made major strides toward expanding access to high-quality preschool for all of its children after just one year of implementation. ACS’ deep knowledge in early childhood issues across the country, as well as expertise in facilitation, communication, advocacy, and strategy development, helped guide Cleveland, […]