School Governance Councils: Making Parents Partners -- Courant.com:
"On an objective basis, something very different must be happening in Hartford's schools; something good. Connecticut's achievement gap between poor and affluent school systems — the largest in the nation — is closing for Hartford's students.
Yet, I regularly find myself defending our school reform efforts and speaking up for the systemic changes that we believe improved the test results. I'm used to defending our decisions to a parent weary of all the changes or to a teacher who feels we are pushing too hard. 'Hartford's schools are on the rise, making serious gains, so what are you upset about?' Some critics complain that we are moving too fast and not bringing enough people into the reform. That's why we're forming school governance councils."
"On an objective basis, something very different must be happening in Hartford's schools; something good. Connecticut's achievement gap between poor and affluent school systems — the largest in the nation — is closing for Hartford's students.
Yet, I regularly find myself defending our school reform efforts and speaking up for the systemic changes that we believe improved the test results. I'm used to defending our decisions to a parent weary of all the changes or to a teacher who feels we are pushing too hard. 'Hartford's schools are on the rise, making serious gains, so what are you upset about?' Some critics complain that we are moving too fast and not bringing enough people into the reform. That's why we're forming school governance councils."