CPS Parent & Community Update

Hello, my name is Dr. Chip Kay, and I am entering my third year as the Superintendent of Columbus Public Schools. My goal is to use this weekly newsletter as a defining moment to inform and engage every parent and community member in our school district, from the lens of the Superintendent chair.

Communication has never been more critical between a public school district, parents, and our community. In my 35-year experience as an educator, I have never seen such an attack on schools and coordinated efforts of disinformation.

Let me also say we understand your expectations when it comes to educating your children. At Columbus Public Schools, we continue to strive to meet the needs of every student.

Our staff makes up 85% of our annual budget, putting the investment in classrooms and buildings. Our programs are responsive to the needs of Columbus, driven by a strategic plan, with input from local parents, business, and industry. We use ROI (Return on Investment) metrics for how we use the funds we are allocated - this means everything from curriculum resources, to buses, to building maintenance, to staffing use these metrics to make the best use of every dollar.

Our end goal is simple - to ensure every student who graduates from Columbus Public Schools is capable of having options. From joining the workforce to attending college, creating those options is critical and doesn't start when they reach high school.

Last spring, we engaged members who helped us create the original draft of the strategic plan to check progress and update. Here is the updated Strategic Plan.

Last spring we conducted three meetings with staff and community members to work collaboratively on a plan to address growth in our school system. Feedback can be viewed below:

This fall, we are opening the Non-Traditional Learning and Support Center. The programs located here are designed to support students in grades 5-12. The facility is the former administration building located at 2508 27th Street. During the summer of 2025, administration offices were moved to the Kramer Education Center to open up this opportunity.

All outside requests to use school facilities by the public must use our online system. With the large number of requests and the necessity to protect CPS use of facilities, we have made it a requirement to use this system.