District Partner 2017-present
ERS is partnering with Hartford Public Schools (HPS) to support the new superintendent, Dr. Leslie Torres-Rodriguez, in developing and implementing a District Model for Excellence, a plan to reconfigure the school network and dramatically change the resource environment in which schools operate.
District Facts
Students: 20,874
Full-Time Classroom Teachers: 1,568
Work Focus
Spring 2017:
- Strategic System Snapshot: Analyzed the district’s enabling conditions and practices; from the opportunities identified, HPS chose to focus on the development and implementation of a district master plan, which has the potential to deliver:
- A redesigned network of schools with more equitable access to rigorous instruction and programmatic excellence
- Fewer resource barriers in schools and greater financial sustainability for the system as a whole
- A stronger system of central systems and supports that equips school leaders with the tools they need to implement best-practice school designs
- School programs designed with collective input from the entire HPS community
Fall 2017:
- Comprehensive Study: Synthesized preliminary analysis, existing reports, and stakeholder input to help senior leadership prioritize strategic actions and to incorporate them into the master planning process; ERS also collected pressing analytic questions—the answers to which helped guide the planning process.
- Master Planning Support: Helped HPS leadership deeply understand the nature of resource use across its current school network, designing a sustainable plan for redesign that meets community priorities, and enables high-quality engagement with members of the community
Winter 2017-18:
- School Network Redesign: Supported HPS in creating the District Model for Excellence (DME), a plan for reconfiguring the school network to dramatically change the resource environment in which schools operate; this plan was approved by the board in January 2018
Spring 2018:
- School Design: Working with HPS on the design of the reconfigured and co-located Rawson Elementary and MLK Middle, for the 2018-19 year; working with central office leaders to define the supports required for the design process. Key outputs of the work include:
- Gaining clarity on the vision and priorities for SY18-19 and their implications for strategic school design;
- Developing a coherent school design strategy that aligns with the school vision and leverages the critical benefits of reconfiguration as envisioned in the DME
- Supporting HPS around key school design decisions, including scheduling and teacher teaming
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