The future taking shape in central Ohio will demand talent, skill and adaptability.
Meet Angela Chapman, Columbus City Schools superintendent
What influenced Angela Chapman to go into education? The Columbus City Schools Superintendent says teachers were a big factor.
- Under Superintendent Dr. Angela Chapman, Columbus City Schools has seen rising math scores and graduation rates.
- Chapman has expanded partnerships with businesses and nonprofits to create career and technical education programs.
- The district’s progress requires continued support for Chapman’s leadership and resources for students.
Derrick R. Clay is president and CEO of the Columbus Chamber of Commerce. Jason Hall is CEO of the Columbus Partnership. Stephanie Hightower is president and CEO of the Columbus Urban League.
Columbus is experiencing economic growth that is reshaping our region’s role in the national economy.
New industries, investment and opportunity continue to take root. Sustaining that momentum requires a workforce that is prepared to participate and compete. That work starts in our schools.
Columbus City Schools Superintendent and CEO Dr. Angela Chapman understands what this moment demands. As an experienced education leader and parent in the district, she brings both professional judgment and personal accountability to ensuring Columbus students share in our region’s success.
CCS students are achieving more than ever. Last year, the district saw rising math scores and graduation rates above the Board of Education’s annual goal, as well as a 15-point increase in the Performance Index since the pandemic on the latest Ohio Department of Education and Workforce Report Card.
Chapman is building partnerships that help children
Under Chapman’s leadership, CCS has made meaningful progress advancing career and technical education programs and professional development academies that connect learning to careers, expose students to high-demand fields and show young people how education translates into real-world opportunities.
Chapman has also strengthened the relationship between CCS and the business and nonprofit communities, recognizing that preparing students requires partnership, not competition and duplication. Employers bring insight into how work is changing. Nonprofits light a path so youth can envision their futures. Educators bring expertise in how students learn. When those perspectives align, students are better positioned to succeed.
CCS leverages community partnerships to open doors — collaborating with Battelle to bring cutting-edge robotics programs to Northland, partnering with the Columbus Urban League to provide mentors and supportive peers who keep students safe and on track, and working with the city of Columbus and Habitat for Humanity to provide access to construction careers paying $60,000+ straight out of high school.
Through the Columbus Promise, the district works with the city of Columbus, Columbus State Community College and Ohio State University to provide free college access to CCS students.
Chapman has a plan our kid’s futures
CCS students deserve access to the opportunities our expanding economy creates. Preparing them to succeed strengthens both their futures and our region’s growth. Transformational progress takes time. Building strong programs and delivering results requires focus and continuity. Chapman has put forward a thoughtful plan and moved it forward with purpose, giving Columbus City Schools stronger footing for the future.
Continuing this progress requires collective support — giving Chapman and the district the resources to achieve their ambitions for students and families, supported by a school board that fosters stability, shared accountability and aligned leadership.
As business and civic leaders, we recognize that preparing the workforce of tomorrow is a shared obligation requiring constant collaboration. The Columbus Region has long succeeded by working across boundaries to solve big challenges. That spirit of partnership is evident in Chapman’s approach.
The future taking shape in central Ohio will demand talent, skill and adaptability. Chapman has put CCS on a path to meet that challenge and ensure opportunity reaches every student. Her leadership deserves our support.
Derrick R. Clay is president and CEO of the Columbus Chamber of Commerce. Jason Hall is CEO of the Columbus Partnership. Stephanie Hightower is president and CEO of the Columbus Urban League.
