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Connecticut

Schools

Teach For America • Connecticut places corps members in New Haven, Bridgeport, and Hartford Public Schools with some corps members teaching at Achievement First, New Beginnings Family Academy, and Jumoke Academy charter schools.

According to the National Assessment of Educational Progress, Connecticut has the strongest overall academic performance of any state in the nation. In 2007, statewide, 64 percent of eighth grade students performed at goal on the Connecticut Mastery Test, 90 percent of freshmen graduated from high school, and 57 percent of high school graduates matriculated to a four-year university.

However, the story of education in Connecticut is a tale of two states. The National Assessment of Educational Progress, often called the nation’s report card, repeatedly names Connecticut with the largest achievement gap across all 50 states. Unfortunately, this gap is not the result of remarkable performance among high achievers. Several states outperform Connecticut’s peaks on all exams. This gap is instead the result of low achievement among poor and minority students. In 2007, fewer than 30 percent of eighth grade students in our districts met standards. In Hartford Public Schools, 29 percent of ninth grade students graduate from high school.

Combined, the districts that Connecticut corps members serve educate over 65,000 students out of approximately 120,000 students from low-income households in the state. This year, corps members will reach over 10,000 students. There is great reason for hope and reform already underway in Connecticut as corps members work with veteran educators to close the achievement gap.

At a Glance

School Districts:
New Haven Public Schools
Bridgeport Public Schools
Hartford Public Schools

Achievement First

Ethnic Breakdown-Student Population-New Haven
55% African-American
11% Caucasian
33% Latino/Hispanic
1% Asian-American
<1% Native American
1% Other

Ethnic Breakdown-Student Population-Bridgeport
44% Latino/Hispanic
43% African-American
10% Caucasian
3% Asian-American
1% Native American

Ethnic Breakdown-Student Population-Hartford
52% Latino/Hispanic
41% African-American
6% Caucasian
1% Asian-American
<1% Native American

Ethnic Breakdown-Connecticut
10.1% African-American
75.4% Caucasian
10.9% Latino/Hispanic
3.2% Asian-American
< 1% Native American
1.4% Other

Percentage of Students Qualifying for Free/Reduced-Price Lunch
70% New Haven
>95% Bridgeport
68% Hartford