This hour, two education leaders discuss turnarounds of a very different type. In Bloomfield, not too many years ago, students struggled with some of the worst math scores in the state, and only about half of students went on to colleges. Those numbers have improved substantially over the last few years. We talk about the successes with the school superintendent, James Thompson.
Meanwhile, Jumoke Academy, a Charter school company in Hartford was the site of a state and federal investigation last year. It showed that the head of the schools’ management company had falsified his education credentials, and that the organization suffered from “rampant nepotism” and questionable financial records.
The scandal prompted a new “transparency” law for state charter schools. Now, a new director has taken over; we talk with him.
GUESTS:
- Dr. James Thompson, Jr. - Superintendent of Bloomfield Public Schools
- Dr. Troy Monroe - Executive Director of Jumoke Academy, Hartford