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 →

The Greater Hartford Branch of the NAACP Demands a Halt to All School Closings

(Photo credit: screen image of Greater Hartford Branch NAACP website) Letter sent via e-mail from President Imam Abdul-Shahid Muhammad Ansari of the Greater Hartford Branch of the NAACP to the Superintendent of Hartford Public Schools; and cc: to administrative staff of Hartford Public Schools, Board of Education members, City Council & Mayor of Hartford, NAACP-CT President … Continue reading The Greater Hartford Branch of the NAACP Demands a Halt to All School Closings →

Why did the NAACP propose a moratorium on charter schools? Will the Connecticut NAACP support this moratorium on charter schools? (Updated)

Update: The NAACP Board has approved the moratorium on new charter schools. Read the Tweet below and a statement from the NAACP here. Last July, the NAACP (national conference) proposed a resolution that called for a moratorium on new charter schools. This weekend, the NAACP will vote to support (or not) this resolution. So why … Continue reading Why did the NAACP propose a moratorium on charter schools? Will the Connecticut NAACP support this moratorium on charter schools? (Updated) →

Resources on Bilingual Education in CT (work in progress)

Moylan Mentor Program, Spring 2016. Public Hearing on Bilingual Education, latino and Puerto Rican Affairs Commission, January 2014. Creating a Dual-Language Magnet School for the Hartford region. by Jack Dougherty, March 15, 2013. Hartford Public School resolution for Dual-Language Feasibility Study, Robert Cotto, December 2011.

A note on leadership succession in Hartford Public Schools 2016

Last week, Superintendent Beth Narvaez announced that she had accepted another position abroad and will leave the Hartford Public Schools within the next few months. The news was surprising to me and others in community. As the district moves forward, it's helpful to review the Board of Education's rules regarding "leadership succession." Many, but not all, … Continue reading A note on leadership succession in Hartford Public Schools 2016 →

A Resource Guide: Adequate and Equitable Funding of Public Education in CT

(Source: CT Mirror 2016 budget tool) This resource guide is for parents, teachers, students, and educational leaders that want to understand issues about funding public education in Connecticut and other states. Specifically, this guide intends to provide insight on the ideas of equitable, or fair, and adequate, or sufficient, funding of public education. Below we … Continue reading A Resource Guide: Adequate and Equitable Funding of Public Education in CT →

A few changes in my schedule

In September, I'll start working on a Ph.D. degree in education leadership and policy at UCONN. My advisor will be Preston Green, III, who studies educational equity, K-12 school choice, privatization, and school finance, some of the areas that I've written about too. So I will be at Trinity College part-time and focusing on fewer projects. You can still find … Continue reading A few changes in my schedule →

Documents Related to the Heating & Physical Condition of Hartford’s MLK School

[gview file="http://commons.trincoll.edu/cssp/files/2016/06/notes-on-boilers.docx"] [gview file="http://commons.trincoll.edu/cssp/files/2016/06/SCL-Boiler_0999-9FPZ72_0.docx"] [gview file="http://commons.trincoll.edu/cssp/files/2016/06/BoilerRecommendationFollowupLetter_0999-9FVWRY_0.docx"] [gview file="http://commons.trincoll.edu/cssp/files/2016/06/King-110172-14R-021-305Text5RevisedFinal.pdf"] [gview file="http://commons.trincoll.edu/cssp/files/2016/06/MLK.pdf"]