ABOUT

Interdistrict magnet schools were created as a result of the landmark Sheff v. O’Neill civil rights claim made on behalf of school-aged residents in Hartford.

On July 9, 1996, the Connecticut Supreme Court decided Sheff in favor of the plaintiffs and declared, “the uncontested evidence of the severe racial and ethnic isolation of Hartford’s schoolchildren demonstrates that the state has failed to fulfill its affirmative constitutional obligation to provide all of the state’s school children with a substantially equal educational opportunity.”

There are 16 CREC magnet schools, 21 Hartford host magnet schools, 4 magnet schools operated by LEARN/Goodwin College, 2 host magnet schools operated by Bloomfield Public Schools, and 1 host magnet school operated by East Hartford.

CREC is supported by local, state, federal, and private funds. Local school districts become members of CREC with an annual fee of 20 cents per pupil. Each CREC program is discreetly funded with a budget that completely supports its operation and contributes a proportionate share to CREC’s overall management and development.

The governing Council of CREC is comprised of one representative from each of the 35 school districts in the Capitol Region. The representatives come from each district’s publicly elected board of education to form the CREC Council and to make policy decisions. 

The Council elects a 10-person Board of Directors representing small, medium, and large districts. The Board meets monthly as part of the Council, with an announced agenda that includes policy, programmatic, personnel, and fiscal items. The control of the Capitol Region Education Council rests squarely at the local level.

CREC Council Overview

In January 2026, Desi Nesmith became CREC's fifth Executive Director. Desi Nesmith became Assistant Executive Director of CREC in 2024 after serving as assistant superintendent for Bloomfield Public Schools and holding senior leadership roles at the Connecticut State Department of Education, including deputy commissioner and interim commissioner. Throughout his career, he has led major statewide initiatives, supported underperforming districts, and worked to expand educational equity and access for students and families. A nationally recognized educator and former award-winning principal, Nesmith brings a lifelong commitment to education shaped by both professional achievement and a family legacy in teaching. 

CREC (Agency) Overview