Parents' Role Seen As Vital To Change

 

Another article about the reforms in Hartford:

Adamowski told the board that replacing failing schools with high-quality alternatives is the central objective of his plan. It would give students across the city a broad array of options ranging from all-boys or all-girls academies to schools focusing on careers such as nursing, teaching or financial services.

Adamowski was hired last year to turn around a school system that has undergone numerous efforts to improve academic performance but has continued to post some of the lowest test scores in the state.

Some of the proposed specialty schools are certain to stir debate, but most board members Wednesday welcomed the idea of giving families more choices.

"What we have now, for the most part, is not working," said board member Andrea Comer. "Let's not pretend by making drastic changes we're making things worse. By creating more choices, at least, hopefully, we will address more parents' concerns. I think we're taking a step in the right direction."

Some ideas drew praise. Comer liked the recommendation for charter schools modeled after the successful Amistad Academy in New Haven. Board member Elizabeth "Brad" Noel singled out a plan for new Montessori schools.

"If you talk about no-brainers ... this is something loads and loads of people want," she said.

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Parents' Role Seen As Vital To Change

School Chief Begins PR Job: Selling Plan

By ROBERT A. FRAHM
Courant Staff Writer

http://www.courant.com/news/education/hc-ctbigplanfolo0524.artmay24,0,7553026.story?coll=hc-headlines-education

May 24 2007

The success of a sweeping school-choice plan for Hartford's struggling school system will hinge on convincing parents the new schools they choose will be better than the ones they already have.