PRESENTER: Tony Simmons

Tony Simmons is the Executive Director of High School for Recording Arts (HSRA), an independent public charter school. 

While working with national recording artists and record companies, Tony met David Ellis and assisted him in the formation of Studio 4/High School for Recording Arts. He also co-founded Another Level Records, the first national student-operated record label. Tony continues to work with students in exploring the Business of Music and mentoring for the student operated commercial radio show entitled studio4allaccess.   

Tony has served as board member and/or provided technical assistance to such leading national school reform organizations as Edvisions, Inc.; the Black Alliance for Educational Options; and the Minnesota Association of Charter Schools. He was also part of the development team for Minnesota's first online project-based charter school called EdVisions Online Academy.

Tony attended Howard University and Pace University where he graduated with a BA in Political Science and from Rutgers University School of Law. Tony is a native New Yorker who enjoys live music, traveling, reading and playing with his daughter. 

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AAPF17 Sessions: 

Reengaging At-Promise Students: Equity Advocacy In Action

​A session on reengagement in the struggle for educational equity will be hosted by Tony Simmons, Executive Director of High School For Recording Arts and RAPSA Board Member.  Simmons will moderate a conversation with Alana Trout, the Staff Director of the California Select Committee for Boys and Men of Color and Jeannette Zanapatin, attorney for the Mexican American Legal and Educational Fund.  The conversation will focus on how education leaders can impact policy development that supports reengaging youth of color.  High School for Recording Arts is dedicated to providing all young people a chance to realize their full potential, despite any previous setbacks through music and the exploration and operation of the music business.  More than just earning a high school diploma, HSRA prepares students for a positive post-secondary education and life.  Schools serving at-promise youth are ground zero for providing educational equity.  Learn what you need to secure your seat at the table.  

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Past AAPF Sessions: 

Deeper Learning
Are drop-out recovery and deeper learning mutually exclusive? We think not. Learn how a focus on strategies to help students master core academic content, think critically and problem solve, collaborate, communicate effectively, self-direct learning and adopt an "academic mindset" can more re engage, retain and prepare opportunity youth for college and careers. These and other related competencies will be explored from schools that have successfully adopted and used them and allowed students to graduate on validations and portfolios. One school that will be examined in particular will be the High School for Recording Arts in St. Paul, MN that was founded to re engage students who dropped out with a deeper learning focus. Learn how HSRA became a mentor school of the Coalition of Essential Schools and worked with the Hewlett Foundation to further awareness and implementation of deeper learning for at promise youth. 

Seizing the Moment - Student Centered Learning for At Promise Youth
RAPSA Board Members Bob Rath, Linda Dawson, and Tony Simmons presented their study, "Seizing the Moment" at a Congressional Briefing in Washington DC on May 3rd, 2016.  Join them to hear about how student centered learning is a powerful tool for serving at promise students. Hear about what you can do in your State to advocate for policies that will expand the success of competency based learning. Find a copy of the report here.