Larson: CREC to Receive Federal Funding to Support Student Achievement, Diversity in Hartford Region Schools
For Immediate Release: September 27, 2010
Contact: Paul Mounds 860-278-8888
LARSON: CREC TO RECEIVE FEDERAL FUNDING TO SUPPORT STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT, DIVERSITY IN HARTFORD REGION SCHOOLS
FUNDING TO HELP ACHIEVE GOALS OF LANDMARK SHEFF VS. O'NEILL CASE
Hartford, CT- Today, U.S. Congressman John B. Larson announced that the Capitol Region Education Council (CREC) has received a multi-year competitive federal grant to promote high achievement and diversity in the classroom for students attending the specialized magnet schools in the Greater Hartford region.
The grant, provided by the U.S. Department of Education under the Magnet School Assistance Program, will equal approximately $3.7 million in the first year for an anticipated total for the three year grant of approximately $11.5 million. In all, the funding will support the development of eight CREC managed magnet schools in Hartford, Windsor, and East Hartford and aid to achieve guidelines set forth by the 2008 Sheff vs. O'Neill Stipulation and Order for desegregation in Hartford's public school.
Congressman Larson said, "CREC, under the leadership of Executive Director Dr. Bruce Douglas, has developed innovative and groundbreaking schools that offer the students of Greater Hartford a place to cultivate their educational skills and prepare for their future. This funding will support CREC's and the region's mission to establish eight new magnet schools in the area, all of which are to offer a specialized curriculum and focus of studies in fields of today and tomorrow."
"Across the nation, our schools are not living up to their promise to our students. We can no longer stand idle as our students fall behind their counterparts on the international stage in the sciences, mathematics, and technology," added Congressman Larson. " It will take innovative initiatives in education and improved schools to lay the groundwork to cultivate successful students and promote local economic growth. I was proud to support CREC's application for funding as it will have a significant role to enhance the overall quality of education provided to our children."
Earlier this year, Congressman Larson wrote a letter of support (copy of letter: https://bit.ly/cKmER1) for CREC's grant application to Secretary of Education Arne Duncan citing that CREC's magnet schools will "show improvement in reading, mathematics, and writing each year for all students."
"It is a great day for the State of Connecticut. This award will allow the Sheff initiatives to take another giant step in the right direction; and, it will save the State nearly $11.5 million that it would have otherwise had to contribute to the desegregation efforts of Sheff v. O'Neill," said Bruce Douglas, PH.D, Executive Director of CREC. "Funds will go to provide resources to new and existing magnet schools, to innovate curriculum and professional development, marketing, recruitment and outreach services. Having these additional resources will result in improved high quality, integrated education for our children. We are long overdue for such good news."
The Magnet School Assistance Program provides funding to school districts based upon their schools' ability to achieve desegregation reforms and provide students an opportunity to meet challenging academic content and achievement standards.
The eight schools to benefit from the grant are the following:
Mary M. Hooker: Environmental Sciences, Hartford, CT
Annie Fisher STEM: Engineering and Math, Hartford, CT
Hartford Magnet Middle/High School: Early College, Hartford, CT
Pathways to Technology: Technology/Problem-Based Learning, Windsor, CT
CREC Museum Academy: Museum Studies, Hartford, CT
CREC Aerospace, Engineering, Biomedical and Advanced Mathematics Academy, Hartford, CT
CREC Medical Professions and Teacher Preparation Magnet School, Hartford, CT
Connecticut River Academy: Environmental Studies, East Hartford, CT
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