Over the last few weeks, the State of Connecticut, represented by the Attorney General's Office, took another step in its effort to undermine racial desegregation of schools in Connecticut. The key part of this recent step has been to attack the specific reduced-isolation goals in the Sheff v. O'Neill case's stipulated agreement and order. Under … Continue reading Following the State’s Effort to Undermine School Desegregation in CT
Author: robertcottojr
Discussion on the Hartford Public Schools Budget 2017-18
Tomorrow (6/9/2017) at 12:30 p.m., the Hartford Board of Education* will vote on the Superintendent's proposed budget with significant cuts to programs and schools. The vote will take place in the Superintendent's Conference at 960 Main Street, Hartford, CT. HPS faces uncertainty for a variety of reasons and possible cuts in State education funding, along … Continue reading Discussion on the Hartford Public Schools Budget 2017-18
The state of Bi-lingual Education at the CT Puerto Rican Agenda Founding Assembly, June 3, 2017
This Saturday, June 3, 2017, the CT Puerto Rican Agenda will have its founding assembly in New Haven. I'll be participating in the workshop entitled, "The State of Bi-lingual Education in CT." In addition to this workshop, there will be plenty of other key discussions on topics that Boricuas (Puerto Ricans) face in Connecticut. (Schedule … Continue reading The state of Bi-lingual Education at the CT Puerto Rican Agenda Founding Assembly, June 3, 2017
New report on charter management fees in Connecticut
Source: CT SDE, 2016; Rodriguez, 2016 A few years ago, I wrote in ctnewsjunkie.com about charter management fees charged by private companies that manage charter schools in Connecticut. The total management fees added up to millions in state dollars diverted from charter schools to these management companies. A new report from CEA, the state's … Continue reading New report on charter management fees in Connecticut
Disciplining Connecticut’s Schools: A critique of the Judge’s Decision on the CCJEF Education Funding Case
“If the emperor was a weak man, the sight of his mark would evoke laughter and contempt, but if he was a stern and powerful ruler, his mark would instill fear and obedience.” The Lords of Discipline, Pat Conroy, p. 213. In the book Lords of Discipline, based on the Citadel military college, the general … Continue reading Disciplining Connecticut’s Schools: A critique of the Judge’s Decision on the CCJEF Education Funding Case
Do Connecticut’s privately-managed charter schools outperform local public school districts?
A few weeks ago, attorney Wendy Lecker asked me in an interview for the Stamford Advocate, "Do Connecticut charter schools outperform district schools?" My answer was, "Not exactly". As my Choice Watch report (Cotto & Feder, 2014) demonstrated, charter schools in Connecticut tend to serve a relatively more advantaged group of (mostly) Black and Latinx … Continue reading Do Connecticut’s privately-managed charter schools outperform local public school districts?
Letters to the NAACP: Quality Education and Charter School Problems
Today, the NAACP will hold a hearing down in New Haven, CT to discuss quality education and their recent resolution calling for a moratorium on new charter schools. The NAACP made an announcement about this meeting earlier this week. Due to the late notice and distance from Hartford, a number of parents told me they … Continue reading Letters to the NAACP: Quality Education and Charter School Problems
Updated (with video): Got something to say about charter schools? NAACP Special Hearing on Charter Schools – New Haven, CT – Saturday, Dec. 3, 1 – 6 p.m.
Update: The full video of the NAACP special hearing is here. (Source: W4 News, AccessTV.org) Also see parent letters regarding charter school issues to the NAACP Task Force on Quality Education. [iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/jUyk5IdXwG8" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen width="560" height="315"] In October, the NAACP (national conference) passed a resolution that called for a moratorium on privately-managed, publicly funded … Continue reading Updated (with video): Got something to say about charter schools? NAACP Special Hearing on Charter Schools – New Haven, CT – Saturday, Dec. 3, 1 – 6 p.m.
Letter to State Board of Education (public comment): Relay teacher training program – November 2, 2016
Dear members of the State Board of Education, Thank you for your service and the chance speak to this morning. My name is Robert Cotto, Jr. and I am a certified teacher in Connecticut, educational researcher, and resident of the City of Hartford. Based on the evidence and my experience, I have deep concerns about … Continue reading Letter to State Board of Education (public comment): Relay teacher training program – November 2, 2016
A Guide to Understanding the Hartford Public Schools “Equity 2020” Committee
Equity 2020 Committee members LaKeisha McFarland, Natalie Langlaise, Shontá Browdy speaking to the Hartford Board of Education on October 18, 2016 at Hartford Public High School media center with concerns about consultant proposals to close schools given to the Equity 2020 Committee. What is the Equity 2020 Committee? The Superintendent of Hartford Public Schools selected … Continue reading A Guide to Understanding the Hartford Public Schools “Equity 2020” Committee
Learning from the City 