College & Career Readiness

Our department is dedicated to ensuring all Hartford Public Schools students have equitable access to high quality college and career opportunities that will prepare them for the dynamic world of work and life beyond high school! It is our mission to inspire ALL students to create their own path towards success in and beyond school.

College Readiness Initiatives that are already currently underway include:

• Offering the PSAT, free of charge, to all Sophomores and Juniors during the school day
• Offering the SAT, free of charge, to all Juniors during the school day
• Increasing opportunities for students to take college courses while in high school
• Increasing college and career exploration (this does not need to be a link. It didn’t appear to go anywhere) for all students through college visits, career fairs, internships, and other meaningful experiences
• Increasing college partnerships to enhance the development of college level academic skills
• Expanding the development of College and Career Readiness Plans so that each school has a roadmap for creating and sustaining a college-going culture
• All students grades 6-12 have access to Naviance as an electronic Student Success Plan and a college & career readiness tool. Click here for more information about Naviance!

Other initiatives that the district is pursuing in support of these goals include:

• Instituting October as College and Career Awareness Month, which began in 2012 and will recur every October.
• The Hartford Promise: a scholarship program which will be offered to all eligible Hartford students, beginning in 2016, who maintain certain requirements.

Links of Interest

Learn more and access to the electronic Student Success Plan via Naviance.

Fair Opportunity Project’s College Application Guide, a free resource being sent to every public school in the US.  A team of 20+ college students, 10 advisors, and 200 high school counselors from across the nation wrote a free college admissions and financial aid guide that has been reviewed and praised by many of the nation’s leading college admissions committees. Click here to download.

The District’s Equity Indicators that align with our department goals:

• 100% College Acceptance
• 90% Graduation Rate
• 100% Access to College and Career Readiness Opportunities
• Each Student has to have a Success Plan and a Connection to a Caring Adult

Staff Members:

For more information, please contact Sonia Dinnall, Executive Director, College & Career Readiness.