New Haven Independent

“If one examines the history of American Public Schools, it reflects a continuum of on-going reform initiatives intended to continually adapt to societal, economic and other environmental changes in order to serve its purpose. This continuum is fueled by the willingness of the school system’s leadership to undertake this difficult work. New Haven was selected, as all our partner districts were, based on a demonstrated evidence of readiness to engage in system reform and its capacity to improve. New Haven’s strategic plan reflects the district’s on-going commitment to continue on this journey of continuous improvement and reform.

“Our role has been to be an advisor and facilitator to our partner districts to help them build their on-going capacity to achieve successive levels of systemic reform. We did not presume that all levels of reform would be reached during our engagement with a district. However, by the conclusion of the engagement, our intent has been that the district is equipped with the strategies and action plans for district-wide reform. In that regard, the New Haven district has made important strides and is on track to make continued progress.

“In regard to your last question, it is the community’s voice that counts in that assessment. Parents of children attending New Haven Public Schools are and will be the best judges of whether the district’s educational reform efforts lead to their ultimate goal, which is increasing student achievement.”