​What the APEX Project is all about

​The Action Plan for Educational eXcellence (APEX Project) is a community-led action plan that seeks to ensure access to a quality education for every child in Hamilton County, no matter their zip code, background, or unique challenges. The year-long process has gathered opinions from across all districts in our county to find long-term strategies for our community to work together toward increasing access to a quality education for all students.

The APEX Project is the latest grassroots organizing initiative of UnifiEd, an advocacy nonprofit founded in 2014 to put the public back in public education in Hamilton County. As a community-led movement of parents, teachers, and neighbors, we help elevate the voices of our community to shape the changes they want to see for our schools to ensure every child has the opportunity to learn, grow, and thrive.

Defining a quality education

​A quality education means that every student has access to the supports and resources they need to be successful. That looks different for every child based on their unique strengths and challenges. But the end result of a quality education should be the same for everyone – students graduating equipped to be successful in whatever path they choose in life.

​Sharing responsibility for a quality education

​We believe that we all share a common goal for the common good, so we all should be a part of reaching the goal of a quality education. Those on the front lines – teachers, administrators, counselors, and other school personnel – have accepted the responsibility of educating our community’s children, and for that we say “THANK YOU!” But the rest of us are responsible too. Community members, neighbors, parents, businesses, nonprofit organizations, and elected officials should all do our part to support our schools and the Department of Education to ensure the health and success of our community!

When all of our children have the resources and support that they need to thrive, we all receive the benefits of an economically stable, civically engaged, safer and caring community.

​Why all this matters

If you’re a parent
You want the absolute best for your child, and you know the unique talents and sometimes challenges they bring with them to the classroom. You know that they deserve to be supported as an individual to overcome any barriers they face to success. They should also have access to the same opportunities as their peers at other schools. That’s what equity is all about.

If you’re a community member
When schools graduate students who haven’t been prepared to be successful, it hurts the whole community. An under-educated workforce creates many problems for communities and doesn’t support a higher quality of life for anyone. Equity means students get what they need to be successful in school and in life to be contributors in a healthy community.

If you’re a student
Public education is a public right. You deserve a quality education, no matter what neighborhood you live in or your family’s background. And you deserve the support and resources you need to overcome challenges to success in school that you might face along the way. Access to a variety of learning opportunities is key to a quality education, and equity means you and all your peers across the county share the same access.

If you’re an elected official or policymaker
Bold leadership is needed to guide our community toward investing in a quality education system. The challenges our schools face today come from many decades of policies created and decisions made, and it will require a long-term commitment to reshaping our approach to quality education to ensure it is both effective and sustainable.
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​Learn more about the APEX Project

​Click on any of the areas below to learn more about the APEX Project