Robert Cotto, Jr. - Perspective: School Board Member, Teacher, Parent

The speaker, a former Hartford Board of Education member, shares their journey from being a teacher to joining the school board in 2010. They discuss the challenges of transitioning from teaching to governance, uncovering issues with test score reporting, and advocating for transparency. The experience led to a deeper understanding of educational systems, influencing their work with parents and broader educational reform efforts after leaving the board in 2017.

What motivated the speaker to run for the school board in Hartford?

• Interest in school choice and funding issues

• A desire to improve test scores

• A wish to become a principal

• A need to relocate to Hartford

What critical issue did the speaker uncover regarding test scores?

• Test scores were inflated by including extra credit

• Students with disabilities were excluded from overall scores

• Test scores were not recorded at all

• Scores were only based on sports performance

How did the school board initially react to the speaker's findings about test scores?

• They praised the speaker for the discovery

• They denied the findings

• They ignored the issue completely

• They immediately took action to correct it

What was one of the consequences of the issues raised by the speaker?

• The speaker was promoted to a higher position

• New schools were opened without proper planning

• All schools in Hartford were closed

• The school board was dissolved

After leaving the school board, what did the speaker focus on?

• Writing a book about their experiences

• Starting a new career in politics

• Working with parents and broader educational issues

• Becoming a principal in another district