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What Is The Reality For Hartford Parents?

By Nyesha McCauley

June 27, 2013

The Hartford Public School district is on course for more changes and challenges in the coming months. School superintendent, Dr. Christina Kishimoto’s current contract to run the school district will end on June 30, 2014. She had requested a two year extension that was rejected by a 7-0-1 vote at last Tuesday’s Board of Education meeting.

The Mayor and Board Chairman Matt Poland have both released statements explaining how the Board has come to this decision. It is good to publicly hear the Board’s thoughts on this to better understand the values they hold as they shape the educational destiny for Hartford children. Forums and community meetings will present great opportunities to ask questions and explore this decision.

As a parent of a child in the school district or as a resident you have seen major changes in the school system - smaller learning academies, magnet, community and charter schools, designed in an effort to improve low performance.

The decisions made at the top most certainly impact parents, students and teachers where it matters most – in the classroom. A kindergartener starting in the 2006-2007 school year, at the beginning of the reform, would enter sixth grade this fall. What are the opportunities that exist for this student? Is he/she a high achieving student in a high performing school?

The city now faces a tall order: finding our next superintendent. Now, more than ever leadership matters. Making sure every student in Hartford graduates ready for the world, through college or career is the job of any school superintendent. Holding those accountable to this great task is on the parents and community.