Podcast Summary: Governing a Hillsdale Classical School
Podcast: Hillsdale College K-12 Classical Education Podcast
Host: Scott Bertram
Guest: Dr. Jed Hartings (Founder & Board Chair, Cincinnati Classical Academy)
Release Date: May 5, 2025
Duration: ~20 minutes
Overview
In this episode, Scott Bertram interviews Dr. Jed Hartings about his experience founding and governing Cincinnati Classical Academy, a Hillsdale College member school. The discussion centers on building a K-12 classical school, the unique challenges of school governance, facilities, growth, and the essential qualities sought in board members. The conversation provides insight into the philosophy, practicalities, and rewards of advancing classical education in a modern context.
Key Discussion Points & Insights
Founding Inspiration and the Need for Classical Education
- Drift in Education: Hartings describes the commoditization of education, the prevalence of electives, and the loss of a core, culture-transmitting curriculum.
- “Education has just become commoditized… reduced to checklists and bureaucracy and endowment figures. And once you see this… you can’t unsee it. And then you have no choice but to do something about it.” (03:32)
- Mission: Classical education is framed as the transmission of a core body of wisdom, helping students understand both their cultural history and their place in society.
Board Formation and Ideal Qualities
- Prior Experience Not Needed: Dr. Hartings had no previous board or K-12 classroom experience and believes it is often preferable for new board members not to have such experience.
- “Most boards probably don’t have the proper understanding of what their job is… Instead… they meddle into management… So I think it’s probably best not to have that baggage.” (04:31)
- Qualities Over Skills: The focus is on personal attributes rather than specific resume skills.
- “We look for humility, discernment, judgment, self-control, conscientiousness, respect, discipline… people who are willing to work, who are eager to learn…” (05:29)
Recruitment Process
- Personal Outreach: The school does not issue public calls for board applications; instead, board and leadership are always observing and reaching out to potential candidates.
- “The board and the school leadership is generally always has their radar out… But no, there’s not a call for applications, so to speak.” (06:31)
School Growth & Success
- Rapid Growth: The academy has experienced steady, substantial growth, indicating demand for classical education.
- “We’ve been fully enrolled since the very beginning with a healthy and steady wait list… We opened with 450 and we’re expecting 950 students this fall… retention rate… 99%.” (07:15)
- Key to Growth: Hartings attributes the growth to visible academic transparency and pride in curriculum.
- “We’re extremely proud of it [the curriculum] because it’s the love for the curriculum that drives our work and people are drawn to it.” (14:40)
Major Challenges
- Facilities and Finances: Securing a suitable and affordable campus in a metropolitan area for a rapidly growing charter school proved extremely difficult.
- “We had to look at over 30 different properties… you’re talking 20 acres… It’s pretty tough nut to crack, especially on a charter school budget.” (08:09)
- Facility Acquisition Lessons: Zoning proved to be the largest obstacle; Hartings recommends only looking at properties already zoned for schools to avoid contentious public hearings.
- “If I did it again, I would never look in an area that’s not already zoned for a school. Zoning is the biggest thing…” (09:19)
Governance: Board vs. Management
- Separation of Duties: From the start, Cincinnati Classical Academy distinguished between the governance board’s role and school management.
- “There is really isn’t much that we didn’t put on the plate of the headmaster from the very beginning.” (10:11)
- Comparison to Public School Boards: Hartings notes a significant difference; classical school boards do not deliberate on day-to-day operational matters.
- “By our philosophy and by Hillsdale’s recommended governance philosophy, these are the responsibilities of the school leader and not of the board.” (11:04)
Support from Hillsdale K-12 Office
- Comprehensive Support: Hillsdale assists with recruiting (jobs fairs), professional development, teacher networking, and guidance on classical methods.
- “That’s the greatest help that the board could possibly ask for because we have less to worry about.” (11:51)
Rewards of the Process
- Community Building: Hartings is most gratified by witnessing an engaged and thriving community.
- “The most rewarding part by far is just simply the people seeing the community that has grown up, maybe a few thousand people…” (13:44)
Role and Responsibilities of Board Chair
- Long-Term Vision: The chair’s role emphasizes strategic thinking, setting agendas, and fostering a productive partnership with the headmaster.
- “You’re thinking about the things that threats and ambitions for way down the road into the future… setting the agenda… coordinating that role…” (15:36)
Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments
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On the Mission of Education:
- “At the core, I believe what classical educators believe, which is that there’s a general body of knowledge that should be the possession of all human beings.” (02:37) — Dr. Jed Hartings
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On Board Member Qualities:
- “I think it’s most important to look for personal qualities as opposed to being focused on particular skills… humility, discernment, judgment, self-control…” (05:29) — Dr. Jed Hartings
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On the School's Success:
- “I’m blown away at how the school has blossomed, matured, grown… retention rate… 99%, I think, this year. And I think that speaks just volumes for the health and the success of the school.” (07:15) — Dr. Jed Hartings
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On Finding Facilities:
- “If I did it again, I would never look in an area that’s not already zoned for a school. Zoning is the biggest thing…” (09:19) — Dr. Jed Hartings
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On Board-Chair Relationship:
- “So critical for the success of the school is the headmaster and the board chair and having consistency in those two positions. And… their relationship with each other. They’ve got to be working together.” (15:36) — Dr. Jed Hartings
Timestamps for Key Sections
- 02:37: Hartings discusses classical education philosophy and motivation to start a school
- 04:31: Board experience and the value of non-traditional board members
- 05:29: Essential attributes for board members
- 07:15: School’s growth statistics and retention
- 08:09: Main challenges: finances and facilities
- 09:19: Pitfalls of property selection and the importance of zoning
- 10:11: Transition from founding board to governance and roles delineation
- 11:04: Differences between classical and traditional public school boards
- 11:51: Support from Hillsdale College K-12 office
- 13:44: Most rewarding aspect: thriving community
- 15:36: Distinction of board chair role and strategic leadership
Conclusion
This episode serves as both a practical guide and an inspirational account for anyone interested in founding or governing a classical school. Dr. Hartings’ insights cover the philosophical underpinnings, operational challenges, board dynamics, and the immense rewards of advancing classical education.