Parents, educators and organizations working together to improve the educational achievement and social development of our children and the schools they attend.

A Project of Toledo Area Ministries (TAM), The Coalition for Quality Education (CQE) is now an established grassroots, public education advocacy organization that acts as partners/advocates and change agents with and on behalf of Toledo Public Schools’ students, their families and schools. Particular attention is given to those students/families who are least served by systems because of their race, socioeconomic condition, geographic location, gender and/or special need.

A Brief History:

The Coalition for Quality Education began in late 1976 with a small group of parents who were dissatisfied with the process and results for the integration of the Old West End Junior High School. (Closed on the spring of 2000 and reopened in the fall of 2001 as the Old West End Academy - grades 1-3) 

In 1977, with the help of the Toledo Area Ministries (TAM), a task force on quality integrated education was established. The findings of this task force are reported in the booklet "Approaches to Quality Integrated Education" and were shared at a community-wide conference held at the University of Toledo in June of 1978. The consensus among conference participants was that a coalition must be organized to follow-up and address these concerns. With the continued assistance of the Toledo Area Ministries, The Coalition for Quality Integrated Education (now The Coalition for Quality Education) was organized as a vehicle for this follow-up advocacy work and training. 

Mission & Work:

• To educate, support and provide specific information and organizational skills that will empower and mobilize parents as effective advocates, collaborators and partners regarding seeking the best education possible in the best climate possible for their children.
• As part of a contractual and joint initiative with Toledo Public Schools, coordinate and provide in-service training, monitoring and technical assistance for parents working as para professionals with Toledo Public Schools’ Student Attendance/Achievement Project (SAAP) and the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Project (MVHAP).
• To utilize appropriate referral linkages/contacts to assist parents/families in need of additional services and resources.
• To publish a bi-monthly public education Fact Sheet(FYI) and quarterly, newsletter for Toledo Public Schools’ parents and other stakeholders.
• To encourage and facilitate collaboration and mutual-interest partnerships between Toledo Public Schools’ parents/families and community stakeholders.
• To actively pursue, monitor and participate in the implementation and monitoring of Toledo Public Schools’ Multicultural Education Plan.
• To act as the “ Center of Strength ” for the Ohio High School Transformation Initiative (OHSTI).

CQE PROJECTS & JOINT INITIATIVES 

Student Attendance/Achievement Project (SAAP)
The purpose of the Student Attendance/Achievement Project (SAAP) is to increase student achievement through a more effective and efficient process of identifying and intervening with students who exhibit high levels of absenteeism or truancy.

The SAAP project is currently operating in 15 elementary Toledo Public Schools and employs 33 School Community Partners (SCPs), (paraprofessionals) who work together as teams. SCPs discuss problems with the student’s parents/guardians and assist the parents or guardians in developing a plan that outlines steps to correct the attendance issue. 

McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Project (MVHAP)
The McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Project (MVHAP) is a state funded project operating in 3 of the SAAP project schools that brings together Toledo Public Schools and Toledo Homeless Shelters for the purpose of providing direct instructional assistance and support services to homeless children and their families.

Toledo Public Schools paras who work as School Community Partners (SCPs) provide tutoring for these students during the school day and also provide educational and social services support as needed for their families.

(The Coalition for Quality Education provides the training, monitoring and technical assistance for SAAP & MVHAP projects.) 

TOLEDO PUBLIC SCHOOLS 

Summer Proficiency Tutoring Program
Summer Proficiency Tutoring Program was developed and implemented for the sole purpose of providing a more personalized form of motivation, encouragement and assistance for senior students who did not receive their high school diploma after not passing all five (5) areas of the 9th Grade Proficiency Test. Each year CQE has witnessed an increase of TPS students who are passing the Proficiency Tests. (A special graduation ceremony is provided for any of these students who pass the test.)

Opening Doors & Building Bridges for Student Achievement (ODBBSA)
Opening Doors & Building Bridges for Student Achievement (ODBBSA) is a project of The Coalition for Quality Education. 6 Project Goals:

• To improve the overall learning process, achievement, attendance and healthy social development of all pre K-6 grade students attending 15 public schools in four urban learning communities in Toledo , Ohio.
• To work for “the best education possible in the best climate possible for all children”.
• To use proven methods and approaches of home/schools/communities working together via collaboration, partnerships, and mutually shared interest.

Contact Us:

Lola Glover, Director, lolaglover@buckeye-express.com
Carolyn Watson, Community Outreach, cwatson@buckeye-express.com
Gracie Williams, Project Coordinator, Opening Doors and Building Bridges for Student Achievement (ODBBSA), gwilliams@tamohio.org

The Coalition for Quality Education
3015 Lagrange Street
Toledo, OH 43608

Phone: (419) 720-7002
Fax: (419) 720-7004
Email Address:  cqetoledo@buckeye-express.com