Toledo superintendent urges parents to schedule conferences, outlines "Next Step" career-readiness push

Dr. Ron Liff Durant, superintendent of Toledo Public Schools, urged parents to contact their child's school to schedule parent-teacher conferences and outlined the district's Next Step initiative to connect students to career and college pathways.

Durant said he was speaking from the Next Step event and described the program as a sequence that begins with assessment and includes a family survey "to have questions with your teacher to discuss" a student's strengths and interests and how those align to career opportunities. "The first step is we assess your child," he said. "That survey is going to be provided to you to have questions with your teacher to discuss 1, their strengths and interests. 2, how they align to the career that are going on within these walls."

Durant highlighted the district's pathway options, saying TPS offers "over 30 career tech programs" and "five magnet high schools focusing on industry readiness." He said the district begins this work as early as fifth grade and encouraged families not to wait: "You can never start too early to really understand what your child's interests are and what your possibilities are to pursue them."

He summarized the message for students and families in three points: know each student's strengths and interests; learn about the career programs available in the district; and consider remaining connected to the community as part of local economic and workforce development. "We want you to work here. We love for you to live here in the city of Toledo," Durant said.

Durant closed by repeating his request that parents schedule conferences and by praising staff and students. He concluded the announcement with the district slogan, "TPS Proud." The superintendent did not specify dates or times for the parent-teacher conferences in the message; families were directed to contact their schools directly for scheduling information.