West Hartford Schools Earn Prestigious Award

WEST HARTFORD, CT — Conard and Hall high schools were among the 41 high schools in Connecticut to recently win the 2019 College Success Award by GreatSchools, a national nonprofit organization that provides information on educational opportunities to parents.

The award recognizes 1,722 schools across 25 states that have a successful track record of graduating students who later enroll in two or four-year college, are ready for college-level coursework, and persist on to their second year.

"I am determined to let businesses throughout the world know that if they are looking for a top-rated workforce that comes prepared with the skills needed to work in advanced, 21st century jobs, Connecticut is the place they want to establish a presence," Gov. Ned Lamont said in a news release. "Connecticut has the best public school teachers in the country who are fueling their passion for excellence into results for their students, and their efforts are showing results."

"Congratulations to these Connecticut high schools for adopting the practices necessary to prepare their students to graduate, attend college and perform and achieve at the college level," Commissioner Dianna Wentzell said in the release. "Together, by providing the necessary student supports and increasing student access to rigorous coursework for all students, we are delivering on our promise of equity and excellence for all Connecticut students and positioning them for success in college, career and life."

Jon Deane, CEO of GreatSchools, said "these Connecticut schools are providing their students with a high-quality public education that equips and empowers them with the skills to forge a path to bright futures."

The recent release of the results for the state's Next Generation Accountability System for 2017-2018 showed that the number of students demonstrating college and career readiness increased for the second year in a row.

The system includes two indicators that measure students' preparation for postsecondary and career readiness. One indicator evaluates whether students in grades 11 and 12 have participated in coursework during high school that prepares them for success in college and/or careers. Another indicator evaluates whether students in grades 11 and 12 have attained benchmark scores on at least one of the most prevalent college/career readiness exams.