TC's Office of School & Community Partnerships (OSCP) coordinates engagement with New York City K-'"12 public schools, directing resources and expertise to areas with pronounced disparities in educational access and achievement between advantaged and disadvantaged groups. OSCP helps students succeed and strengthens TC's knowledge, teaching and research. This year:

At the OSCP-hosted annual meeting of the International Association of Laboratory Schools, held on Teachers College's campus, TC President Fuhrman said partnerships among universities, school systems and communities can transform public education. Case in point: Teachers College Community School (TCCS), where 85 percent of students performed at or above grade level in literacy and math in 2013 2014, and led its district in applications for kindergarten seats.

TCCS hosted an assembly with NASA astronaut Mike Massimino, visiting professor at Columbia's Fu Foundation School of Engineering, and was visited by actor Jamie Foxx, shooting a remake of the film "Annie."

At the grand opening of its new state-of-the art playground, TCCS honored supporter Scott Stringer, former Manhattan Borough President. The school has also introduced a robust music curriculum developed by TC's Lori Custodero and opened an innovative new dedicated music room.

REACH (Raising Educational Achievement Coalition of Harlem), TC's newly named partnership with six pre-K-'"12 Harlem public schools, debuted at the College's 125th Anniversary Gala. REACH is supported in part by a $1million JPMorgan Chase Foundation grant.

During the 2013-2014 school year, REACH provided 600 hours of professional development to teachers and principals on Common Core State Standards-related classroom instruction, and 1,500 hours of afterschool and summer programs for students.

OSCP was awarded nearly $1 million from the New York State Department of Education to advance family engagement and health-related efforts at two REACH schools, the Heritage School and P.S. 36.

Published Wednesday, Mar. 11, 2015