Branford Public Schools Achieves Level 1 Certification in Marzano High Reliability Schools Framework

BRANFORD, CT — Branford Public Schools announced Wednesday that it has achieved Level 1 certification
as a High Reliability Schools District, becoming the first municipal K–12 public school district in Connecticut to earn this distinction across all of its schools.

Developed by Marzano Resources, the nationally recognized HRS framework provides a research-based roadmap for continuous improvement and creating the conditions necessary for sustained student success.

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Dr. Christopher Tranberg, Superintendent of Branford Public Schools, emphasized the significance of this achievement for the district.

"The High Reliability Schools framework is designed to help schools do more of what works and less of what does not," said Dr. Tranberg. "Grounded in decades of educational research, HRS provides schools with both the autonomy and support needed to continuously improve outcomes for students. I am incredibly proud of our principals, teachers, and school-based teams whose commitment and hard work
made this recognition possible."

Built on more than 50 years of educational research, the HRS framework outlines five progressive levels of performance that schools must master to become high-reliability organizations where all students acquire the knowledge and skills necessary for success in college, careers, and life. Through the
framework's leading and lagging indicators, educators assess, monitor, and validate the effectiveness of their practices to ensure every student has the opportunity to succeed.

Level 1 certification recognizes that a school has established a safe, supportive, and collaborative culture, the essential foundation upon which all other levels of the HRS framework are built. Research demonstrates that a strong school culture is a prerequisite for high levels of student learning and
achievement.

"As schools progress through the HRS levels, they experience a complete transformation in how they operate," said Dr. Robert J. Marzano, co-founder and chief academic officer of Marzano Resources. "Schools collect evidence, monitor performance, and validate their results as they move through each level of the framework."

By utilizing the HRS framework and its performance indicators, schools can align multiple initiatives into one cohesive system that drives sustained, positive, and measurable improvements in student achievement.

Building on this accomplishment, Branford Public Schools has already begun preparing for the next phase of the process. All schools are actively engaged in the work required to pursue Level 2 certification, which focuses on effective instruction in every classroom, with the formal launch of the Level 2 process scheduled for spring 2027.