Investing in What Works

November 2024
Michael Duffy 

Connecticut’s State Education Commissioner, Charlene Russell-Tucker visited our Partner School East Hartford Middle School last month. Fellows at East Hartford tutor students in math. The Commissioner was joined by her staff as well as two members of the Connecticut State Board of Education Erin Harris and Donald Harris.

The Commissioner observed Fellows tutoring students and talked to Fellow Ebony McMillan about her experience tutoring students in middle school math. Do you remember how to divide fractions? Ebony does!

The leader of the tutoring program at the school, Bob Janes, delivered a presentation to the group, which also included East Hartford Superintendent Thomas Anderson and East Hartford Principal Joe Pearce. Bob’s presentation focused on achievement data from last Spring which showed that students who had the support of a Fellows dramatically outpaced their classmates in math who didn’t have a Fellow.

John Scianimanico who is the executive at the State Education Department who championed the initiative that resulted in the creation of high-dosage tutoring programs at several dozen public school districts across Connecticut must be pleased at the success of the tutoring program in East Hartford, which has only been in place for less than a year. I know Khadija Marks, a former Fellow and now a seasoned member of GO’s program team is particularly proud of this program. Khadija assisted in getting the tutoring effort in East Hartford up and running over the last ten months.

In between observing tutorial sessions, I mentioned to Commissioner Russell-Tucker that with the state on track to run another budget surplus, perhaps there would be more support for high-dosage tutoring. She smiled and said, “We’ve got to invest in what works.”

Let’s see what the next session of the Connecticut General Assembly brings, but here’s to hoping that Governor Lamont and state legislators act to sustain programs like GO’s partnership in East Hartford that is demonstrating measurable progress for the kids.