Attorneys from the NAACP Legal Defense Fund, the ACLU and the Center for Children’s Advocacy filed a motion Thursday in the Connecticut Superior Court in Hartford seeking to void the Hartford Public Schools contract with Caissa K12. The contract, approved by the Hartford Board of Education on Feb. 17, would pay the firm $935 for each new student it recruits—or for each no‑show student who enrolls by Oct. 1.
The plaintiffs contend the agreement violates the 2022 settlement of the landmark Sheff v. O’Neill desegregation case, which promises an out‑of‑district placement for any Hartford child who wants one. Martha Stone, founder and special counsel for the Center for Children’s Advocacy, warned that “if the district is successful in recruiting students back to the city schools, it has the potential to totally dismantle the entire Sheff agreement that we have spent over 30 years trying to achieve racial and economic integration,” according to the Hartford Courant.
Hartford school officials argue the contract does not breach the settlement. They say the district’s budget deficit has grown because it must cover tuition and transportation costs for students who leave Hartford schools for choice programs. Superintendent Andrae Townsel said, “For choice to be meaningful, every Hartford family deserves to know what Hartford Public Schools offers, regardless of where their child currently attends school,” and cited the Hartford Promise program as a way to make college more affordable.
Critics of the recruitment effort also voiced concerns about the messaging. Elizabeth Horton Sheff, a civil‑rights activist and named plaintiff in the original Sheff case, said the superintendent’s outreach implied that families who choose out‑of‑district schools are “disloyal to Hartford,” calling that approach “manipulative.” State Senator Maryam Khan, who serves on the Education Committee, noted that Hartford schools have faced dwindling resources, vacant classrooms and unfilled para‑educator positions, adding that “special education resources are slim.”
Board of Education Chairperson Shonta Browdy defended the district’s outreach, stating, “Every school operator in the Sheff region engages Hartford families to share what is offered in their school and Hartford wishes to do the same. We would be doing a disservice to Hartford resident families by not making them aware that if you attend one of our 11 Hartford public high schools, have a 93% attendance rate and maintain a 3.0 GPA, you….”
The court will now consider the motion to void the Caissa K12 contract. A ruling could determine whether the district’s recruitment strategy proceeds or is halted, directly affecting how Hartford families receive information about local school options versus out‑of‑district choices.
Sources: courant.com, courant.com, courant.com
