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Hartford Survey Looks At The Reasons Parents Chose In-Person Learning

Joe Amon
/
Connecticut Public Radio

Back in August, families with children in Hartford Public Schools responded to an online survey aimed at finding out the reasons behind their decision to send their kids back to school.

According to Hartford Public Schools data, 10,000 students in the district are learning remotely, while 8,000 have returned to the classroom. Robert Cotto Jr., a researcher at Trinity College, surveyed 155 families on why they chose either in-person education or remote learning for the fall semester. 

He found that 57% of families responded no to in-person school and 43% said yes. For parents like Lupita Contreras, an essential worker at a supermarket, there’s no choice but to send her children back to school.

“I am determined to send my children to school and take the classes there, and it is an individual decision,” she said in Spanish. “Because there are many of us who work every day and there is no other option but to have them go back to school. We have already prepared the children. We’re telling them how to take care of themselves, how to take precautions and everything, and for the moment, we’re going to keep moving forward.”  

Credit Robert Cotto Jr., Ed. M., M.A. / Trinity College
/
Trinity College

Kirsis Gil also chose in-person learning for her children, an 11-year-old and 8-year-old who attend school Windsor and Rocky Hill. Gil, who was preparing to return to her job as a school bus driver, said she wasn't happy about needing to choose in-person learning. 

“Yes, unfortunately, yes, child care is too expensive. It’s tough [to] have them out of town, and I’m working out of town, too. It’s tough,” said Gil. 

Regardless of which option they chose, families were most concerned with safety. However, families who selected in-person learning most often cited the need to work and a lack of access to resources like day care and teachers' support as reasons for their choice.

 

Brenda Leon is a corps member with Report for America, a national service program that places journalists into local newsrooms. 

 

Brenda León is a corps member with Report for America, a national service program that places journalists into local newsrooms. Brenda covers the Latino/a, Latinx community with an emphasis on wealth-based disparities in health, education and criminal justice.

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SOMOS CONNECTICUT is an initiative from Connecticut Public, the state’s local NPR and PBS station, to elevate Latino stories and expand programming that uplifts and informs our Latino communities. Visit CTPublic.org/latino for more stories and resources. For updates, sign up for the SOMOS CONNECTICUT newsletter at ctpublic.org/newsletters.

SOMOS CONNECTICUT es una iniciativa de Connecticut Public, la emisora local de NPR y PBS del estado, que busca elevar nuestras historias latinas y expandir programación que alza y informa nuestras comunidades latinas locales. Visita CTPublic.org/latino para más reportajes y recursos. Para noticias, suscríbase a nuestro boletín informativo en ctpublic.org/newsletters.

The independent journalism and non-commercial programming you rely on every day is in danger.

If you’re reading this, you believe in trusted journalism and in learning without paywalls. You value access to educational content kids love and enriching cultural programming.

Now all of that is at risk.

Federal funding for public media is under threat and if it goes, the impact to our communities will be devastating.

Together, we can defend it. It’s time to protect what matters.

Your voice has protected public media before. Now, it’s needed again. Learn how you can protect the news and programming you depend on.

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