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School Placements: Part 2

By Jodie Mozdzer

April 24, 2009

Here's one you probably haven't heard before: More than 1,000 students from the suburbs have applied to attend Hartford Public Schools for next year.

Not magnet schools.

Regular public schools.

And according to the state Department of Education, 73 of them have been awarded spots in city schools.

The students applied to attend Hartford schools through the Open Choice program, started in the 1960s as Project Concern and now part of the state's efforts to integrate the region's schools under the Sheff vs. O'Neill lawsuit.

Of the 1,061 applicants this year, about 12 percent were white, according to Christopher Leone.

Leone, an administrator for the Hartford school system who works in the Regional School Choice Office, said the applications are likely a reaction to the new schools Hartford has opened under its reform plan.

"People choose for a good education," Leone said.

Last year, one suburban student -- whose family had moved out of Hartford -- used the Open Choice program to attend a city school.

According to the Sheff office at the state Department of Education, so far an additional 93 Hartford students will attend suburban schools next year, on top of the 1,110 who already participate in Open Choice. There may be more students added. The state has asked many towns to double the number of students they accept through the program, but many are waiting to see how their budgets play out before committing to more seats.

Here are the numbers for regional school programs:

Total applicants: 11,083

5,565 were from the suburbs

5,518 were from Hartford

Total placements: 3,196

1,176 of those were placed in Hartford Magnet Schools

1,759 of those were placed in CREC Magnet Schools

93 were placed in suburban schools

73 were placed in Hartford public schools

95 were Hartford students placed in technical high schools.