Hartford Public Schools

 

Program and school identity  

Hartford’s 24,000 students each attend one of 40 schools, each as diverse and distinctive as the students who attend them.  The majority of schools (15) educate children from pre-K to grade 6.  Two schools provide PK-5 instruction. Eight schools provide PK-8; two provide 6-8; two are 7-8; six are 9-12; two are 6-12 and two are PK-7.

Magnet Schools

The Hartford Inter-district Magnet Schools are a series of 12 regional schools that have been established by the Hartford Public Schools and made available to students throughout the 33 town Greater Hartford region.

Each school has a core program that meets the highest state and national standards for curriculum, instruction, and student achievement.  Additionally, each magnet school has its own specialized curriculum “theme” or approach to teaching.  The unique characteristics of each school are intended to attract parents and students who find these features responsive to their needs and interests.

The goal is to have at least 30 percent of the students from suburban school districts, with the remaining students coming from Hartford.  There is no tuition or transportation cost to parents or the sending school districts.

Last year, approximately 3,000 students applied to the magnet schools, including 1,018 from the suburbs.  All available suburban seats were filled by a lottery process. 

Operation of the Hartford magnet schools is supported by a three-year, $8.6 million federal grant.  In addition, the state of Connecticut is funding 95% to 100% of the cost of renovating or constructing Hartford’s magnet schools. 

Finances

1. The Education Budget

For FY 2006-2007, Hartford Public School budget is $215.9 million. In Hartford 20% of the total education budget is funded locally, much of those funds coming from property tax revenues.  The bulk of the education budget (79%) comes from state sources.  In addition, the private sector donated $8.6 million in cash contributions and in-kind services to support public education programs.  Hartford also receives in excess of $95 million in restricted federal funds such as Title I and other federal grants, which support a multitude of programs including pre-kindergarten, bilingual education, summer school, health and prevention programs.

To view the Executive Summary of the Budget for the year 2006-2007, please click here. (.pdf)

2. Expenditures

Hartford is spending $14,243 per student in the 2006-07 Fiscal Year.

Governance

After a state takeover of the schools, local control was returned in 2003 with the installation of a seven-member Board of Education, comprised of four appointed and three members elected at large.  In 2006, the Board was expanded to nine members, as proscribed in the new “Strong-Mayor” form of city government, with five members appointed by the Mayor (who is also Chairman of the BOE), and four members elected at large.

Challenges

Hartford’s size, financial resources and governing structure present a unique opportunity for highly qualified and motivated educators to make a positive impact.  Because the Hartford school system faces many of the challenges urban school districts face nationwide, Hartford can become a positive test case for other districts in transition.  Because of the Mayor’s strong personal commitment to improving the schools, and widespread community and civic awareness and desire to help, Hartford has a meaningful change to make school improvement happen.