Keep Stratford Academy A Magnet School

Recently in an effort to "save money,” the Stratford Board of Education has proposed redistricting elementary school zones and de-magnitizing Stratford Academy. Board members and school officials are claiming that by turning Stratford Academy into a neighborhood school the town could save a lot of money on transportation costs. However, as one speaker at the last BOE meeting pointed out, this move will eliminate just 3 buses. The BOE will vote on what Chairman Lazaro referred to as a “realignment,” by July 1st. This change, if passed would then be implemented immediately for the 2018-19 school year and would send every child attending Stratford Public Schools back to their neighborhood schools, regardless of their current school pathways to ensure proper racial balancing.

Studies show that non-traditional school transitions have a negative impact on test scores, behavior, and can cause social-emotional issues. In a recent Study conducted in 2009 by Notre Dame University, researchers noted, “New students coming into the classroom require more time from the teacher, decreasing teacher availability for the rest of the class...routines are disrupted as the pace of instruction slows to accommodate new students, who may be behind in the curriculum."
Therefore, these transitions can impact the entire school community negatively.

This Study from 2012 compares reading and math scores in a year when students changed schools, and a year when they did not. They found changing schools was associated with lower test scores. The results of the study also found that important social ties were fractured when students change schools causing behavioral and socio-emotional issues that directly and indirectly impacted students’ ability to learn.

There are many positives to having a magnet school in a community. Magnet schools are defined as a type of public school that, while still part of the local public school system, has a particular curricular focus. Magnets offer innovative curriculum, encourage diversity, family involvement, and promote academic success. Intra-magnet schools, like Stratford Academy, are exclusive to the town as only resident children are able to attend. This makes Stratford attractive to potential home buyers as well. Why would we De-magnitize our only magent school? Why would we dismantle a program that is working instead of replicating it? Perhaps we should keep Stratford Academy a magnet school and look into making other elementary schools magnet schools with varying focuses that promote and celebrate the diversity of the talents our students possess. For example, why not a marine magnet at Lordship School to take advantage of our hometown shoreline and a forest magnet at Chapel to help to build an appreciation of one of our town’s greatest natural resources?
Currently, 42% of neighborhood students are enrolled in Stratford Academy. How will that percentage change with this new change? There must be better ways to save money than to uproot our children and potentially cause them harm. The Board of Education must complete an operational audit before they decide on this measure. It is a matter of trust now. Transparency is not complementary; it is now vital and critical. We have reached the tipping point on this issue. Now, we all must stand up and fight for our own children and every other child in town. We must fight together, united, for what is best for our town as a whole.