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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, Domus, CREC, 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 2008, 63 percent of eight grade students performed at goal on the Connecticut Mastery Test. In 2007, 92 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 as the state with the largest achievement gap in the nation. 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 shockingly low achievement among poor and minority students. In 2008, the percent of eighth grade students in our districts achieving goal on the Connecticut Mastery Test hovered around 30. In Hartford Public Schools, 29 percent of ninth grade students graduate from high school. Additionally, 37 percent of graduating seniors in our districts go on to a four year university.

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 12,000 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. Each year corps members have the potential to close the achievement gap by 10%, more as our impact and region grow.

At a Glance

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

Achievement First

CREC Charter Schools

Jumoke Academy

New Beginnings Family Academy

Domus Charter Schools

Ethnic Breakdown-Student Population-New Haven
52% African-American
11% Caucasian
35% Latino/Hispanic
1% Asian-American
<1% Native American
<1% Other

Ethnic Breakdown-Student Population-Bridgeport
45% Latino/Hispanic
42% African-American
9% Caucasian
3% Asian-American
1% Native American

<1% Other

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

<1% Other

Ethnic Breakdown-Student Population-Domus Charter Schools
30% Latino/Hispanic
63% African-American
7% Caucasian
<1% Asian-American
<1% Native American

<1% Other

Ethnic Breakdown-Connecticut
13% African-American
70% Caucasian
13% Latino/Hispanic
4% Asian-American
<1% Native American
<1% Other

Percentage of Students Qualifying for Free/Reduced-Price Lunch
77% New Haven
95% Bridgeport
70% Hartford

93% Domus Academy