Rising Together!

Welcome to the Rising Together for Better Schools Initiative

At Bridgeport Public Schools, we are taking a bold stance to ensure our students receive the education they deserve. We're closing six schools that pose safety risks and drain taxpayers' funds. These schools, including Bridgeport Learning Center, Hall, Edison, Bryant, Dunbar and Cross have long struggled to meet basic educational standards. Today, we're changing the narrative. By prioritizing safety and security, delivering high-quality instruction, and exercising responsible fiscal stewardship, we're ushering in a new era of student-centered education. We're addressing long standing issues of building safety, inadequate facilities, and dismal academic performance head-on. It's time to put students first, with their interests guiding every decision we make. 

Join us in Rising Together for Better Schools, where transparency, courage, and innovation pave the way for a brighter future for all.

State of the Division of Academics

At the May 13, 2024, regular meeting of the Board of Education, Chief Academic Officer Jennifer Murchison presented a State of the Academic Division, analyzing data for every academic area and the usage of our curricular programs throughout the district.

Key Takeaways             

• Standardized testing shows significant deficits in student progress in all academic areas.
• BPS has spent millions of dollars on high quality academic programs, curricula, and materials. However, BPS has generally not contracted for professional development in how to effectively use the programs, and most are not being implemented with fidelity across the district.
• Multilingual learners represent 28% of our student population. We have been failing to implement the Lexia English program which we purchased, and which is proven to work, with fidelity. This has resulted in 88% of our multilingual learners scoring below proficient on Las Links standardized testing, which is only available in English.
• Over several decades, due to budget deficits, BPS cut most coaching and curriculum director positions, which has resulted in insufficient support for teachers. In addition, BPS has focused on developing principals as building managers, rather than as instructional leaders.
• Now BPS has to rebuild systems that used to exist but have not existed for years:
  • Invest in developing our teachers’ capacity.
  • Pivot administrators from being building managers to instructional leaders.
  • Support teachers and administrators with implementation and monitor that implementation.
• By grounding every decision we make on our core values, we will rise together:
  • We prioritize data-drive REFLECTION to inform decision-making and growth.
  • We are dedicated to providing high-quality Tier 1 INSTRUCTION.
  • We are committed to providing EQUITABLE opportunities for students.
  • We offer strategic SUPPORT through professional development, observation, coaching, and feedback for teachers and leaders.

Link to BPS State of the Academic Division PowerPoint