A Connecticut State Department of Education financial analysis of Hartford magnet school operations found that the district is not funding magnet schools as required by the law and a court order that developed a new educational ecosystem to end racial, ethnic and economic segregation in Hartford schools.
Justin Cleary, associate accounts examiner for the Office of the Internal Audit for the CSDE, and Matt Venhorst, staff attorney for the CSDE, presented the report’s findings to the state Board of Education.
The 1989 Sheff V. O’Neill lawsuit over the disparity in education between Hartford students and their suburban peers brought about a new educational ecosystem, creating both the Open Choice program to bus Hartford students to suburban schools and the CREC magnet schools.
The historic agreement promised to meet the demand for school choice by adding 2,737 seats for Hartford students in magnet programs and surrounding districts.
“We have to have these magnetic high quality 21st century schools with appealing extracurriculars in order to attract students and create integration educational opportunities for students of different backgrounds to attend,” said Venhorst referring to the stipulation in the Sheff agreement.
Legislation passed in 2009 requires additional funding for Sheff region magnet schools.
“The estimated per pupil across Sheff operators should be equal but Hartford’s is significantly less than CREC and Goodwin’s because of the local share,” Venhorst explained in his presentation to the board, referring to the local taxes schools receive.
Venhorst said to ensure a fair funding formula it may require a legislative proposal.
Hartford’s 21 magnet schools are funded through a magnet school operating grant, Education Cost Sharing grant and local funding. Cleary said 18,799 students attend magnet schools.
Preliminary findings in the report found that more funding was going toward neighborhood schools – referring to public schools assigned to students based on where they live – than magnet schools.
“In 2019 operating funding for magnet schools was approximately $650 per pupil less than neighborhood schools,” Cleary said in his presentation. “By 2024, this funding gap increased to $3,300 per pupil.”
Overall, he added total budgets for all revenue sources on a per student basis have been significantly less for magnet schools compared to neighborhood schools.
From 2019 to 2024 the gap in student enrollment and high-need student populations between magnet and neighborhood schools reduced significantly. Even so, during the same time frame operating funding per student for neighborhood schools increased by 21% more than magnet schools, Cleary told the Board.
He said during that time period magnet schools received approximately between $9 to 12 million compared to neighborhood schools, which received more than $35 million.
Budget deficits over the years have negatively impacted Hartford schools leading to layoffs, lower salaries and a more challenging environment. This has contributed to the chronic teacher shortage.
Last June, the state Department of Education stepped in to oversee the district’s finances amid allegations that some state grant money was left unused.
Hartford Superintendent Andrae Townsel, who assumed the role this summer, said in an email that he learned of the information recently and is reviewing the findings carefully.
“Hartford Public Schools is committed to equity in both resources and outcomes and we will work collaboratively with our partners, the Board of Education, and the Connecticut State Department of Education to address the concerns raised,” he said.
“While I cannot speak to the historical factors that led to these funding differences, I can assure you that our district remains focused on ensuring every Hartford student, whether in a neighborhood or magnet school, has access to high-quality educational opportunities. We view this as an opportunity to strengthen our systems and reaffirm our commitment to fairness and transparency.”
Townsel said the district’s next step will be to engage “all stakeholders and take corrective action where necessary so that our schools are positioned to serve students at the highest level.”
Hartford Board of Education Chair Jennifer Hockenhull said because the board just learned of the report and doesn’t have access to the full report she has no comment at this time.
Carol Gale, president of the Hartford Federation of Teachers, said that she is aware that over the years Hartford has invested less and less into the magnet themes in schools, which are specialized curriculum.
She cited the Kinsella Magnet School of Performing Arts and how the district has reduced its number of offerings.
As a result, she said, the school is not able to give students the full experience of what it means to be a performing arts school.
