New Commission Will Look At Hartford's Troubled School System

Press release from the City of Hartford:

HARTFORD, CT — The city and state have formed a new commission to take a look at Hartford's embattled school system.

Hartford Mayor Arunan Arulampalam announced last week the creation of Hartford’s Blue Ribbon Commission on Education to address challenges faced by Hartford public schools and identify opportunities for progress.

In partnership with the Hartford school district, the state Department of Education and additional local and state partners, the commission will regularly convene over the next six months to develop recommendations for Arulampalam and the Hartford Board of Education.

“We all share a commitment to the boundless potential within each and every child in our school system,” said Arulampalam. “I carry this commitment not only as a mayor, but also as an advocate and a father. We have heard the concerns from parents and teachers alike, and my administration is taking tangible steps to set our system up to move forward in the years ahead.

"This commission represents an unprecedented collaboration between the state, the city, the board of education, teachers, parents, and our corporate community to build a stronger future for our children.”

The commission will be led by a group of three co-chairs: Andréa Comer, chief of staff to State Treasurer Erick Russell; Hector Rivera, president and chief executive officer at Our Piece of the Pie; and Dr. Catherine Carbone, former Superintendent of Bristol Public Schools.

The co-chairs will directly oversee the Commission Steering Committee of up to 10 members. Steering committee members can be found here.

“This commission creates another avenue for soliciting authentic community feedback, which has always been a top priority of Hartford Public Schools,” said Superintendent of Public Instruction Dr. Leslie Torres-Rodriguez. “We look forward to engaging in the process and collectively exploring opportunities for continuous improvement on behalf of our students.”

“As a former Hartford school board member and parent of a Hartford Public Schools graduate, I'm well aware of the challenges and opportunities facing the district," said Comer. “We’re committed to identifying the structural challenges within the Hartford school system as well as a plan of action to enact short-, medium-, and long-term solutions.”

“I’m looking forward to working collaboratively in examining policy outcomes and avenues to ensure Hartford schools and students can thrive and prosper,” said Carbone.

“This commission will allow us to strategically and intentionally look at some of the district’s most glaring needs and partner with local, state, and national experts to develop recommendations,” said Rivera. “Our goal is to produce an impactful outcome and opportunities in service to our students and families.”

This press release was produced by the City of Hartford.