Search Results

SMC IN ACTION NOTE: THIS PAGE IS CURRENTLY BEING DEVELOPED (APRIL 2022) OUTREACH Jazz Festival Tabling ADVOCACY Effort to Expand Open Choice in Glastonbury (2014) COMMUNITY BUILDING Design Challenge To play, press and hold the enter key. To stop, release the enter key.

WHY INTEGRATION? NOTE: THIS PAGE IS CURRENTLY BEING UPDATED (MARCH 2022) Studies consistently show that racially, culturally, and economically diverse schools are strongly associated with a range of short and long term benefits for all racial groups. This includes gains in math, science, reading, and critical thinking skills and improvements in graduation rates. Research also demonstrates that diverse schools are better equipped than high-poverty schools to counteract the negative effects of poverty. Over the long-term, students who attend diverse schools are more likely than students from homogeneous schools to choose diverse colleges, neighborhoods, and workplaces later in life. They possess better critical thinking skills and analytical ability and are more likely to form cross-racial friendships. Learn more about this research >> RELATED RESOURCES The Spivack Archive is a searchable database of 500+ entries that concern the effects of school and classroom ethnic, racial, and socioeconomic (SES) composition on specific outcomes. Amicus Brief of 553 Social Scientists in Support of School Integration (PICS) Still Looking to the Future: Voluntary K-12 School Integration by the NAACP Legal Defense and Education Fund and the Civil Rights Project (2008) Integrating Suburban Schools: How to Benefit from Growing Diversity and Avoid Segregation by the Civil Rights Project (2011) To play, press and hold the enter key. To stop, release the enter key.

SMC Updates < Back December 2014 Meeting Who: Speaker: Superintendent Dr. Beth Schiavino-Narvaez What: SMC Updates Where: When: December 13, 2014 at 3:00:00 PM Join us for a conversation with Hartford Public Schools’ Superintendent Dr. Beth Schiavino-Narvaez about her vision for Hartford schools and how we can build upon the dramatic progress made in recent years to provide an increasing number of Hartford students with access to quality, integrated education. We’ll also review the final draft of our legislative and advocacy agenda for 2015 and discuss the details of Sheff enrollment for the 2014-15 school year. Sheff Movement Office 75 Charter Oak Avenue, Building #1 Hartford, CT 06106 (If you are using GPS, type the address as 146 Wyllys Street) Directions and a map with parking options marked. Previous Next

HISTORY OF SHEFF MOVEMENT COALITION Community activism has been at the heart of the Sheff v. O’Neill case from the start. Concern and outrage over segregated and unequal conditions in the Hartford, Bridgeport, and New Haven schools led to the formation of a statewide organization in the late 1980s, called the Connecticut Coalition for Educational Equity. The coalition brought together parents, educators, faith leaders, and community activists and also included several of the plaintiffs in the Sheff case. After the Sheff case was filed, the coalition became increasingly focused on the Hartford region. Community organizing and activism continued throughout the different stages of the case, as exemplified by the defiant community march following the initial defeat in the superior court, and the celebration at the Horace Bushnell Congregational Church (now called Liberty Christian) following the 1996 Supreme Court victory. In the early 2000s, as the Sheff remedy started to grow, the current Sheff Movement coalition emerged, based on two important insights: first, that parents and children in the growing two way interdistrict system had become untethered from the traditional school district structures and needed a voice and a coalition focused on their interests, and second, that by bringing all of the stakeholders in the system together on a regular basis, we could keep an open flow of information, reach consensus and alignment on goals, and spot and address implementation issues at an early stage. We also understand how important it is to build community support outside the context of lawyers and courts and litigation. Under the leadership of co-chairs Jim Boucher and Elizabeth Horton Sheff, the Sheff Movement coalition has been meeting regularly now for about 20 years, usually on a monthly basis. To play, press and hold the enter key. To stop, release the enter key.

SMC Updates < Back May 2016 Meeting Who: Led by SMC Staff/Leadership What: SMC Updates Where: SMC Offices - 75 Charter Oak Ave. 06106 When: May 21, 2016 at 2:00:00 PM Previous Next

SMC Updates

Online Community Conversation: The culture war over America's racial reckoning and its place in public education < Back Glastonbury MLK Community Initiative: Community Conversation Past Event Who: Panelist: John Brittain, Paquita Jarman-Smith, Mark Pazniokas When: May 9, 2022 at 11:00:00 PM Where: Virtual: Register Required Online Community Conversation: The culture war over America's racial reckoning and its place in public education Glastonbury MLK Community Initiative Online Communitcy Conversation about racial reckoning in public education. More Info Register Previous Next

EVENTS PAST EVENTS Racial Equity in Education: Honoring the Achievements of John Brittain THURSDAY, March 31, 2022 ( 6 - 7:30 PM ) UConn School of Law Starr Reading Room or Via Zoom About Event Join the UConn School of Law to celebrate John Brittain and reflect on his many significant achievements as a faculty member, including the landmark 1996 Connecticut Supreme Court decision in Sheff v. O’Neill that successfully challenged the segregation of Hartford-area public schools. This event is part of the Centennial and Diversity Month celebrations at the law school. Speaker John Brittain, Olie W. Rauh Professor of Law, University of the District of Columbia David A. Clarke School of Law More Info/Register Register PUBLIC INFORMATION MEETING SATURDAY, March 19, 2022 ( 10 - 11:30 AM ) Meeting Agenda 1. Welcome 2. Sheff Agreement Update 3. Introduction of Speakers 4. GH Magnet School System Julie Goldstein Salvatore Menzo, Ed.D Sarah Vocca, Ph.D Download Meeting Materials Goodwin University Magnet School System HPS Magnet Schools of America Download Download SHEFF IN THE NEWS WNPR’S “WHERE WE LIVE” DISCUSSES CHALLENGES TO INTEGRATION IN CONNECTICUT OCTOBER 24, 2018 “In the 1996 landmark Sheff v. O’Neill case, the Connecticut Supreme Court found that minority students in Hartford’s public schools “suffered daily” due to racial and economic segregation. Now, 22 years later — Connecticut’s magnet school solution to Sheff’s desegregation mandate has been held up as a model for integration around the country. Yet many […] HARTFORD COURANT OP-ED: LAWSUIT THREATENS SHEFF DESEGREGATION GAINS OCTOBER 16, 2018 In July 1996, the Connecticut Supreme Court issued Sheff v. O’Neill, a landmark school desegregation ruling. Based on the principles established in the U.S. Supreme Court’s Brown v. Board decision, the state Supreme Court ordered the state to remove the barriers that denied students of all races in Hartford and its suburbs the opportunity to […] UNIVERSITY OF HARTFORD MAGNET SCHOOL AMONG 5 CT NATIONAL BLUE RIBBON SCHOOL AWARDEES OCTOBER 3, 2018 The U.S. Department of Education named five Connecticut schools as 2018 National Blue Ribbon Schools, including four public schools and one parochial school. The schools received the awards for high academic performance or for great progress in closing the achievement gap during the past five years. The University of Hartford Magnet School, a Capitol Region Education Council […] “THE HILL”: CONNECTICUT’S EFFORT TO INTEGRATE HARTFORD SCHOOLS IS WORKING, BUT MUST BE PROTECTED JULY 23, 2018 “More than 60 years after the Supreme Court’s landmark ruling in Brown v. Board of Education, most public schools in America’s major cities remain starkly divided by race and class. But, the magnet schools in Hartford, Connecticut, are exceptions. While no place is perfect, the Hartford region has achieved racial integration that is largely unknown […] SMC NEWS AND UPDATES NEW NCSD PUBLICATION ADDRESSES SCHOOL INTEGRATION JULY 20, 2019 The National Coalition on School Diversity’s publication (The State of Integration 2018) addresses the Hartford context. Read the “Pacific Legal Foundation Continues Its Efforts to Gut Integration” on pgs. 21-25.

SUPPORTERS We are grateful to all of our supporters--past and present--for their generous contributions to and partnerships with the Sheff Movement. FUNDERS William Caspar Graustein Memorial Fund Norflet Progress Fund Hartford Foundation for Public Giving Fund for Greater Hartford Individual Donors COLLABORATORS & PARTNER ORGANIZATIONS Capitol Region Education Council (CREC) Hartford Public Schools Hartford Federation of Teachers Connecticut Education Association (CEA) National Coalition on School Diversity (NCSD) IntegrateNYC (INYC) - learn about the 5Rs of Real Integration State Education Resource Center (SERC) Greater Hartford Interfaith Coalition on Equity and Justice Connecticut Center for A New Economy Our Piece of the Pie Greater Hartford Literacy Council Connecticut Coalition for Justice in Education Funding (CCJEF) West Hartford Initiative on Racial and Ethnic Diversity (WHIRED) Center for Children’s Advocacy - Sheff v. O'Neill materials NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund (LDF) - Sheff v. O'Neill materials Connecticut Fair Housing Center AFFILIATIONS The Sheff Movement is a member of the National Coalition on School Diversity.

OUR BOARD Elizabeth Horton Sheff Co-Chair Elizabeth Horton Sheff is a justice seeker. Throughout her many years of community activism, she has advocated on many civil rights fronts, including championing the rights of persons who reside in public housing; those infected or affected by HIV/AIDS; families marginalized by economic challenges and grandparents raising grandchildren. Horton Sheff is also known for her role as named plaintiff of Sheff vs. O’Neill, the successful landmark civil rights lawsuit, with mandate to provide equal access to quality, integrated public education in Connecticut. She served on the City of Hartford, Court of Common Council from 1991-1995 and 1999-2001. During her tenure there, Ms. Horton Sheff initiated the “Campaign for Civic Pride,” which increased citizen access to and participation on City Boards and Commissions; promoted jobs and wealth building opportunities for Hartford residents and businesses in city assisted projects; created and led the city-wide literary effort “Keep Them Reading” campaign; encouraged community policing through strengthening the city’s Civilian Police Review Board; and hosted “Community Council,” a monthly public access television show through which she kept Hartford residents informed of resources available and happenings in Hartford city hall. Ms. Horton Sheff is a trained licensed nurse and a graduate of the Hartford Seminary Black Ministries Certificate Program. She holds an Associate and a Bachelor’s degree from Charter Oak State College, and a Masters of Education, Educational Technology degree, from the University of Hartford. She is the recipient of numerous awards and recognitions, including a Doctorate of Humane Letters granted by the University of Hartford in 2013. Jim Boucher Co-Chair James “Jim” Boucher is co-chair of the Sheff Movement Coalition and has been active in the Sheff Movement for two decades. Jim also served two terms on Hartford’s City Council, from 2004-2012. During that time, he was the majority leader and chaired the Council’s Education Committee. He was selected to serve on the Hartford School Board, State Trustees Overseeing Hartford Board of Education from 2000-2002. Jim’s extensive experience includes working to strengthen positive youth development in the Greater Hartford region as well as years of successful experience as a leader of a multi-service community organization. Jim received his M.S.W. in Policy and Planning from the University of Connecticut School of Social Work, and his B.A. in Political Science from the College of the Holy Cross, Worcester, MA. Jim resides in Hartford, CT with his wife Kristen. Jim has two adult daughters Kara and Nicole Boucher. Patricia Beckett Patricia (Patti) S. Beckett is a Connecticut native with a long history of involvement in education and social support programs. A graduate of Hartford Public High School, she earned a BA in ED from Arizona State University, then an MS in marriage and family counseling at Central Connecticut State University. She has taught at both elementary and technical schools, directed a young parent’s program, been involved in counseling in various settings and managed an independent family business. Patti has volunteered in a number of capacities with her church and in the community. She is a widow, with four adult children, twelve grandchildren, and two great-grand sons. Sam Gloeckner Sam Gloeckner is a certified public accountant licensed in Ohio and Connecticut. Sam is Manager in Ernst & Young's International and Transaction Tax Services practice. Sam has been the treasurer for Sheff Movement and a member of its board since February 2021. Sam and his wife Kayla are residents of West Hartford. Norma Neumann-Johnson Norma Neumann-Johnson, Director of the Breakthrough Training Institute (breakthroughtraininginstitute.com ), runs training courses and workshops in the powerful tools of mindfulness and brain science for parents, teachers, schools and communities. Her background includes several decades founding, designing, and being the principal of one, of the two Breakthrough Magnet Schools run by the Hartford Board of Education, known as "Global Schools for Students of Character." Norma testified in the Sheff vs. O'Neill court case for the plaintiffs and has participated in the Sheff Movement Coalition for the past two decades, serving on the Board of the SMC since 2016. Leslie Cayer Ohta Following college, Leslie taught Chemistry and Physics in the Philippines as a Peace Corps volunteer, and lived in Japan for five years, where she taught English and was a copy editor. Leslie was a U. S. Department of Justice attorney for over 30 years, where she handled a large variety of civil and criminal cases. Prior to her retirement, she volunteered to serve for a year in Iraq as a Federal Prosecutor. Leslie has done volunteer work in Uganda, South Africa, Malawi, Kenya, Thailand, the Czech. Republic, Bosnia, and on a Navajo Indian Reservation. In addition, Leslie has been involved with The Children’s Law Center, The Children’s Law Center, Lawyers for Children America, Connecticut Veterans Legal Center, the Glastonbury Rotary Club, the Glastonbury Democratic Town Committee, Glastonbury League of Women Voters, and the Glastonbury Board of Education. Currently, Leslie is on the following Boards of Directors: ABC House, which provides housing and a high school education for minority students; the Glastonbury MLK Community Initiative; and the Board of Probus, which provides support to intellectually and developmentally disabled individuals. In addition, Leslie is on the Steering Committee for the Catalyst Fund of the Hartford Foundation for Public Giving. Leslie is also involved with the League of Women Voters and the Social Justice Committee of TALK, a Glastonbury non-profit which addresses social justice issues; and serves on the Missions and on the Refugee committees of the Congregational Church of South Glastonbury. Jessica Pepin Jessica Pepin is a Hartford native and has worked in education for over 20 years as a School Counselor & Administrator. She earned her B.A. from Central Connecticut State University in Sociology and Criminology and graduated from the Honors Program. After studying the criminal justice system she decided that education and early intervention would be where she focused her energy. She returned to Central Connecticut State University to earn her Masters and 6th Year degrees in School Counseling and Educational Leadership. She is currently an Elementary Assistant Principal for Capitol Region Education Council. She is also licensed as a LPC, Licensed Professional Counselor, in the state of Connecticut. Jessica has been steadfast in her commitment to equity in education and teacher development. Duane P. Pierre Duane P. Pierre is the Executive Director and founder of ParaDYM Academy, Inc, a tech ed program that combines critical conscious youth development with vocational training in the digital arts and sciences. Duane is a CCSU alumni with a BA in Communication who retains close professional ties to the University, particularly with the Department of Communication, the Office of Community Engagement and the Office of Continuing Education. Duane has been an instructor and an educator for over 21 years, including 3 years teaching at theJournalism and Media Academy in Hartford, CT for 3 years. Duane also works with youth in Title I school districts, charter and magnet schools throughout Connecticut. He is also a parent with 3 children who have either graduated or currently attend a Hartford magnet school. Rev. Dr. Chinma Uche Rev. Dr. Chinma Uche is a Math and Computer Science teacher at CREC Academy of Aerospace and Engineering. She holds Bachelor and Master of Science degrees in Mathematics, a Doctor of Philosophy in Biomathematics (Epidemiology), and a Master of Divinity degree from Drew University Theological School. Three of Dr. Uche’s four children attended CREC magnet schools, thereby benefiting from the work of the Sheff Movement Coalition (SMC). Dr. Uche brings to the SMC board her experience advocating for access to quality Computer Science Education for all K-12 students, her experience as a teacher-leader and teacher-trainer, training teachers to bring Computer Science to their classroom across the nation. Dr. Uche also serves her community as a Pastor in the New Room Parish of the United Methodist Church.

OUR COMMITMENT OUR MISSION The Sheff Movement is a coalition of parents, students, educators, and community members working to assure full access to quality integrated educations for every child in the Hartford region. We envision a society where all children have access to high-performing, well-resourced, integrated schools in inclusive, prosperous communities; where capable, caring teachers and administrators reflect the diverse student body; where children learn together, explore together, and play together; where identities are embraced, valued, and uplifted. OUR GOALS The Sheff Movement is a coalition of parents, students, educators, and community members working to expand awareness about Connecticut’s successful voluntary, two-way interdistrict school integration programs and promote improvement and expansion of these programs. Our ultimate goal is to promote quality, integrated education for all children. We do this primarily through outreach, advocacy, and community building activities. The Sheff Movement coalition’s efforts play an important role in supporting families whose children participate (or would like to participate) in our region’s integration programs. Our ultimate goal is to make quality, integrated education available to all students and families who want it. To that end, we aim to: Increase public awareness about Sheff v. O’Neill and, more generally, the importance of integration; Ensure that parents and policymakers have access to data and information that helps them make sound decisions about whether to support and/or participate in our region’s integration programs; Identify policies, practices, and attitudes that undermine ongoing efforts to provide quality, integrated education for all children and take steps to improve them; Grow a network of parents, educators, and community members who are willing to share their perspectives and experiences; and Provide a space for families, students, educators, and supporters to coalesce around a shared commitment to quality, integrated education for all. WHY SCHOOL INTEGRATION? Studies consistently show that racially, culturally, and economically diverse schools are strongly associated with a range of short and long term benefits for all racial groups. This includes gains in math, science, reading, and critical thinking skills and improvements in graduation rates. Research also demonstrates that diverse schools are better equipped than high-poverty schools to counteract the negative effects of poverty. Over the long-term, students who attend diverse schools are more likely than students from homogeneous schools to choose diverse colleges, neighborhoods, and workplaces later in life. They possess better critical thinking skills and analytical ability and are more likely to form cross-racial friendships. SCHOOL INTEGRATION IN CT Approximately 19,000 students participate in our region’s school integration programs, which have been developed in response to Sheff v. O’Neill. Students in Greater Hartford have the opportunity to participate in many different types of integration programs, including: interdistrict magnet schools, Open Choice, reverse choice, vocational-technical high schools, and the interdistrict cooperative grant programs. Interdistrict/Regional Magnet Schools See a listing of Greater Hartford’s interdistrict magnet schools here . Interdistrict magnet schools in Greater Hartford are part of the public education system, but generally offer a specialized theme or focus and are designed to meet Sheff v O’Neill integration goals. Most are built with state support and admission is by lottery. Magnet schools offer an academic focus or theme that may suit your child’s interests and talents. Magnet schools also offer improved academic achievement; diverse student body; higher attendance rates, graduation rates, and lower drop-out rates; and greater parental involvement. The regional magnet schools offer a far more racially and economically integrated student body than most non-magnet public schools in the region. Our magnet schools promote economic integration, which has a positive impact on student outcomes. Nearly 17,000 students in Greater Hartford attended Sheff magnet schools during the 2013-2014 school year. In Greater Hartford, there are a few different magnet school providers. There are 21 Hartford host magnet schools, 19 CREC magnet schools, 2 magnet schools operated by LEARN/Goodwin College , 2 magnet schools operated by Bloomfield Public Schools, and 1 magnet school operated by East Hartford. Hartford Region Open Choice Program The Open Choice program offers public school students in Hartford the opportunity to attend non-magnet public schools in suburban towns. Open Choice increases diversity in area towns and for participating Hartford students. Currently, 25 school districts in Greater Hartford voluntarily participate in the Open Choice program, which is managed by the Capitol Region Education Council (CREC). In 2013-2014, about 2,000 students participated in Open Choice. This program (known first as “Project Concern”) has been operating since 1966; its name later changed to “Project Choice” and is now called “Open Choice.” Reverse Choice Through a policy known as “reverse choice,” public school students in suburban communities can apply to attend non-magnet public schools in Hartford. Interdistrict Cooperative Grant Programs The Interdistrict Cooperative Grant (IDCG) Program is a competitive grant program that provides funding for programs that increase student achievement and reduce racial, ethnic, and economic isolation. The IDCG program is administered by the Connecticut State Department of Education, pursuant to Connecticut General Statutes Section 10—74d. The Sheff Integration Standard An integrated school, under Sheff standards, is a school with at least 25% white enrollment. Because lottery selection is not based on individual students’ race, this integration goal has also led to strong levels of economic integration in the magnet schools SUPPORTERS The Sheff Movement is grateful for current and past support from the following funders WILLIAM CASPAR GRAUSTEIN MEMORIAL FUND HARTFORD FOUNDATION FOR PUBLIC GIVING FUND FOR GREATER HARTFORD NORFLET PROGRESS FUND

RESOURCES ARTICLES & PUBLICATIONS COVID19’s Impact on Urban School Districts The coronavirus crisis is showing us how regional approaches work; it’s time to apply those lessons to urban schools https://www.courant.com/opinion/op-ed/hc-op-stone-sheff-schools-coronavirus-0510-20200511-pnthqxzpzvb57at7m4jx7j6rle-story.html MARCH 6, 2017 Sheff Movement Legislative Priorities 2017 Sheff Movement’s three legislative priorities in 2017: Ensure that state education finance reforms strongly support and incentivize racial and economic integration both at the district and interdistrict levels. Develop a unified and sustainable statewide school integration program. Require that “progress toward racial and socioeconomic integration” be included in Connecticut’s education accountability systems. Interested in attending […] DOWNLOAD DATA & RESEARCH MARCH 2, 2015 Sheff v. O’Neill in the Universities: Another Impact of Connecticut’s Landmark Case A selection of the growing literature that has reviewed and discussed the implications of the Sheff case. DOWNLOAD DECEMBER 1, 2014 CREC: 2013 Student Achievement Overview by Sarah Ellsworth, Ph.D 2014 Capitol Region Education Council (CREC) released its 2013 Student Achievement Overview, finding that CREC magnet schools are outperforming schools across state in virtually all areas and for all subgroups on the CMT and CAPT. STORIES & MEDIA JANUARY 10, 2020 Hartford Courant : "Milestone Agreement in Sheff vs. O'Neill-school - Hartford " “Milestone agreement in Sheff vs. O'Neill school desegregation case adds 1,000 magnet school seats to ease racial isolation of Hartford students" NBC CT : Judge Approves Settlement in Sheff v. O'Neill, Hartford Public School Integration Case MARCH 17, 2017 Courant Op-Ed: “Big Gains, No Time to Let Down” “The plaintiffs in the Sheff v. O’Neill school desegregation case are more frustrated than anyone that a significant number of Hartford students of color remain in highly segregated, low-performing schools. We are now more than two decades past the Connecticut Supreme Court ruling that, as a result of racial and ethnic isolation in Hartford’s schools, […] FEBRUARY 27, 2017 Taking a closer look at Hartford’s Regional School Choice Lottery From FOX 61: HARTFORD — Hartford parents Susannah and Frank Marchese are anxiously awaiting the school lottery results for their 10-year-old-daughter, Nola, who will be entering sixth grade in the fall. The parents have been researching school options for their daughter since the fall, until submitting her into the Regional School Choice Office Lottery. “We […] FEBRUARY 24, 2017 Betances STEM Magnet School offers unique path to tech future HARTFORD — As part of FOX 61’s mission of HOPE — Helping Organizations Promote Education — Good Day Connecticut is exploring options for students in the Hartford area. In Thursday’s segment, we look at Betances Magnet School and the unique program they have to offer. Principal Tyrone Richardson and engineering teacher Michelle DeLisle talked with […] SEPTEMBER 11, 2015 The Courant: Brand-New Discovery Academy Magnet School Opens in Wethersfield Regional Cooperation Better Than Competition Christopher Hoffman September 3, 2015 © Hartford Courant WETHERSFIELD — After years of waiting and dreaming, students and staff of the Discovery Academy regional magnet school moved into their new state-of-the-art building Wednesday. “We are excited to be in our permanent home,” said Principal Lynn Toper, standing in the new […]