Timeline of the Stark Education Partnership

Four distinct "eras" reflect the Partnership's evolution from fund-raiser supporting best practices to today's multi-faceted role as advocate, broker, convener, educator and researcher. The following timeline outlines some key events in each of those eras.

1989-1993 | 1994-2000 | 2000-2001 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008

Focus on Teachers and Best Practices: 1989-1993

The Stark Education Partnership—formerly The Education Enhancement Partnership (TEEP)—was formed in 1989. Influenced by a Research Triangle Institute report, commissioned by the Timken Company, an endowment of $3M was established. Victor C. Young was hired as Executive Director, a Board of Trustees consisting of local community leaders was established, and a Community Advisory Committee was formed.

The initial focus was on nine specific areas including Early Childhood, Language Arts, and Arts & Communications. A Staff Development Council, that included all county superintendents and association heads, was formed. A public fund raising campaign for $2.8 M was held and the first program staff was hired. Math, Staff Development, and Science and Economics Councils were formed. The Timken Foundation pre-funded Saturday Schools and Small Grants Initiatives.

By 1993 the first Arts Academy was held, Saturday Schools grew to 17, the VIP in Science program was developed, and a new Technology Council was formed. The Elementary science pilot program (SEEDS) began.

In 1994, Victor Young left. That year the National Science Foundation awarded Stark County the largest local grant in Ohio history ($3M) to the SEEDS program. The Early Childhood Council leveraged state funds to form the Stark County Family Council, the Technology Council leveraged two of the original seven state SchoolNet pilots for Stark County; work began on Science and Math on the Move (SAMM) and 400 teachers were trained through the Technology Council.

Focus on Schools: 1994-2000

In late 1994 Dennis Gray was hired and the focus changed to reform at single schools. The second public fund raising campaign for $2.5M was conducted. The Partnership's participation in Project AHEAD in Massillon began. In 1997 the Timken Foundation awarded $10M to Canton City Schools to establish the Timken Regional Campus with the Partnership serving as fiscal agent and program advisor. The third public fundraising campaign, conducted in 1999, raised $1.8M. Beginning in 2000, new collaborations were formed through the Community Schools Think Tank and the Early Childhood Center at Canton City Schools. The name changed to Stark Education Partnership.

New Focus on School Districts: 2000-2001

In 2001 Dennis Gray retired, Adrienne O'Neill became the President and relationships were re-established with the Stark County Educational Service Center. Grants-in-kind of staff time were made to school districts, the "Stark County Model" was developed, the Partnership adopted a new Strategic Plan, the Massillon Arts Initiative was begun, and a P-16 Compact was formed.

Focus on Education and Community Capacity: 2000 and Beyond

Action elements of the P-16 Compact to be implemented. Targeted professional development and grants to enable Stark County school districts to train/retrain a new generation of leadership. Stronger P-16 education to strengthen economic opportunity in Stark County as the Partnership serves in collaboration as advocate, broker, convener, educator, and researcher.

2001

Dr. Adrienne O'Neill becomes President
New Strategic Plan
Begin printing Achievement newsletter

2002

Stark County P-16 formed
Gates/Knowledgeworks Foundation Grant for Ohio High Schools Transformation Project
Core Content professional development
Publication – Class of 2021: The White Paper of the Stark P-16 Compact
Publication – Elements of a Quality After School Program: Formulating a Stark County Vision

2003

Publication – College Graduate Retention: An Initiative Planning Grant for Median, Portage, Stark, Summit and Wayne Counties
Publication – Increasing College Access in Ohio
Expanded Community: Creating a Virtual and Global Community for P-16 Education in SC
$1.52M KnowledgeWorks grant enables McKinley Small Schools
Major Study and Publication-Why Do They (College Graduates) Leave?
Ohio Department of Development College Retention Grant with Akron and Canton Chambers

2004

Publication-White Paper, A Federal Approach to P-16, authored for the House Appropriations Sub-Committee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education and Related Agencies
Crossroads K-5 Math professional development with Walsh University
Publication – Advancing Ohio's P-16 Agenda: Exit and Entrance Exam
President Adrienne O'Neill testifies on P-16 at Congressional Education Hearing
Partner in major $7.5 million National Science Foundation MSP grant to Stark County

2005

Gates/Knowledgeworks grant for Early College High School
Publication – P-16: The Last Education Reform, Book One
Publication – Changing a Culture
Publication – A Qualitative Meta-Analysis of the Literature on Planning & Sustaining of Small Learning Communities
Early College begins
Strategic Partnership with KnowledgeWorks Foundation to establish additional P-16 councils

2006

Publication – Alignment: A Local High School/College Model to Eliminate Remediation
Publication – I Want to Go to College
Looking at the Issues e-newsletter begins
Summer Scholars dual credit initiative launched
Service on state committee reviewing Ohio's Post Secondary Enrollment Option

2007

Co-sponsor Moving Stark County into Prosperity with United Way of Greater Stark County
Publication – Toward 2025 in Massillon City Schools (educational audit)
Enrollment Projection for Canton City Schools
Publication – P-16: The Last Education Reform, Book Two
TG Award to support high school teachers becoming college adjuncts
Publication – Using the Stark County P-16 Compact Experience: Toward Convergence in Northeast Ohio
Support of dual credit pilot under Ohio HB 115

2008

OhioCan Go to College grant creates a Council of Scholarship, Internship and Co-op Providers
RFP issued to Eliminate Math Remediation in Stark County
Eleven Stark Districts Awarded State Seniors to Sophomores Pilot Grants
Dr. O'Neill serves on the Public Private Collaborative Commission established by the Ohio Legislature