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Hartford Rated Improving; Long Way to Go

The state Department of Education monitor documenting the progress of Hartford's school district since the state takeover in 1996 on Wednesday gave the district a `C plus' for student achievement and a `B' for administration.

The district was given `F' marks in both categories the year of the takeover.

Marcus Rivera, the state monitor, also delivered a plea in his progress report to the school system's financial gatekeepers: "To state and local officials - please continue to provide resources for the further improvement of the Hartford Public Schools. To the Hartford Board of Education - please stay focused on the need for continuous improvement in student achievements."

Rivera reluctantly assigned grades at the urging of Craig Toensing, State Board of Education chairman.

"It's difficult to grade because there are so many different components," Rivera said.

The `C plus' reflects what Rivera sees as "limited" progress in student achievement. Results for this year's Connecticut Mastery Tests will not be available until the spring, but Rivera's analysis of student performance data shows that most indicators show at least a 5 percentage point gain.

The gains have come on the mastery tests, in access to Advance Placement courses, in participation in the SAT college entrance exam and in an improved dropout rate.

However, even the good news is tempered by the district's poor comparison to state averages. While the dropout rate has decreased the past two years, the report notes, "comparisons to the state average in these two years still show the Hartford dropout rate as twice the state average."

The district's average score on the SAT is up slightly from 759 to 779.

The report also notes that in several critical areas that indicate student preparedness for college, Hartford's students are either not improving or are actually doing more poorly than their peers in 1996-97 at the time of the takeover.

For example, last year students passed 27.8 percent of the Advance Placement tests they took, while in 1996-97 students passed 37.8 percent of the tests, which can gain students college credits The percentage of students graduating with credit in algebra was down slightly last year - 71.1 percent - compared with 71.9 percent the year of the takeover.

"His report acknowledges the progress," said Superintendent of Schools Robert Henry said. "We're not yet where we want to be. Like any other system, we strive to improve, but some progress has been demonstrated. Some factors we control and others we don't, including the budget. I think the report reflects the many reductions in staff that have taken place."

State Education Commissioner Betty J. Sternberg told the state board she does see progress over time. "It's a slow, steady growth. Is it enough? That's the issue."

— Rachel Gottlieb
Monitor: School District Improving
Hartford Courant
2004-03-04
http://www.ctnow.com/news/education/hc-progress0304.artmar04,1,4450989.story?coll=hc-headlines-education

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