Message from Dr. Sasha Douglas, Superintendent of CREC Magnet Schools
At CREC, we remain deeply committed to providing your child with an excellent, theme-based education in a safe and inclusive environment that brings Hartford and suburban students together. Despite challenges from the state and other school districts, our focus remains entirely on the high-quality, integrated learning your child receives every day. You are an essential part of our 60-year legacy of excellence, and we ask you to help us protect this mission by sharing your CREC Story with state leaders. Your voice is the most powerful tool we have to ensure that the promise of school choice remains a priority for the Hartford region.
Did You Know?
When a student chooses CREC, their home district keeps approximately $7,500 of the state funding, while CREC receives just under $4,000 to provide their education in full.
The Foundation: Sheff v. O'Neill & Equity
The Mission
Context: The Sheff settlement is a judicial matter resulting from a 1989 landmark CT Supreme Court case. The court case was led by parents seeking to ensure that every child has an equal educational opportunity in a diverse setting. Because all interdistrict magnets are public schools, they follow the same strict laws and regulations as any local neighborhood school.
Goal: To provide Hartford students access to integrated, high-quality public school settings in the Hartford region.
The Sheff program is a partnership with the CT State Department of Education (CSDE). CREC acts as a neutral body, requested by the state to provide regional infrastructure.
The CREC Council is comprised of regional school board representatives from CREC's 34 member districts. This ensures that CREC remains a collaborative vehicle for the region, not an independent actor. Decisions are guided by local elected officials, ensuring our schools reflect our community’s values.
CSDE manages the student selection process through the Regional School Choice Office (RSCO). Selection is computer-based and completely transparent.There are no entrance exams or academic requirements for admission.
The Impact
Exceeding Averages: For the 2024-25 school year, CREC’s Sheff magnet schools served approximately 23% students with disabilities. This is a higher percentage than both the state average (18%) and the Hartford average (21%).
CREC schools serve a higher percentage of students with disabilities than the state average, proving our commitment to every learner.
Why it Matters: Our schools are built on the belief that a diverse, inclusive classroom benefits every student. We don’t just “take” students; we invest in their specific needs.
Regional Benefits: Magnet Schools and Open Choice
The Hartford Region Open Choice Program has grown to serve over 2,300 Hartford students with 27 suburban districts participating in the integrated model.
CREC Magnet Schools have over 9,000 students receiving a robust, integrated, theme-based education.
Our schools are part of a diverse regional network of 42 magnet schools—including those operated by CREC, Goodwin University, and local districts like Hartford, Bloomfield, and East Hartford—all working together to fulfill the Sheff mandate.
CREC is a non-profit Regional Educational Service Center (RESC), and our schools do not “make money” for the agency. Our schools and Open Choice operate efficiently despite flat state funding since 2010.
Maintaining high-quality choice programs requires a continued state investment that keeps pace with the rising costs of providing a premier education.
For over 60 years, CREC has been a leader in providing high-quality, integrated education through our Magnet Schools and the Open Choice program. However, the future of these programs is at a critical juncture:
State Funding Frozen: Magnet school funding was frozen this year.
Proposed Budget Cuts: Governor Lamont has proposed removing $12 million from next year's budget specifically for magnet schools like ours.
No Local Tax Base: Unlike traditional school districts, CREC does not have a local tax base to offset these rising costs.
The loss of stable funding endangers theme-based programs and essential school resources, jeopardizing the quality of education. To ensure a sustainable future, we support a "Student-Centered Funding" model that allocates resources based on student choice, making the Sheff mandate a regional priority and protecting against annual budget cuts.
The Call to Action: How you can help!
Your Voice is our most powerful tool!
Policy is often driven by data, but it is moved by human experience. When you share your “CREC Story,” you transform an abstract budget line into the face of a child who is thriving in an integrated, theme-based environment.
The future of school choice—our Magnet schools and Open Choice—depends on the CT General Assembly hearing directly from the families who live our mission every day.
We are looking for photos, videos, and testimonials to share with legislators and on our official social media channels. Your real-life experiences are the most powerful way to show why our schools must be protected.
What we are looking for:
Photos: Your student in their school, working on a project, or participating in a theme-based activity (STEM, Arts, etc.).
Short Videos: A 30-second clip of your student (or you!) answering: “What is your favorite thing about your school?” or “How has Open Choice/Magnet schools changed your life?”
Record Horizontally: If filming a video on a phone, turn it sideways (landscape) for the best fit on screen. We’ll take care of optimizing for vertical formats.
Find the Light: Face toward a window or a bright light source so we can see your faces clearly.
Be Specific: Instead of saying “I like school,” try “I love my school because I get to learn about [Theme/Subject] every day.”
Written Testimonials: A few sentences about why you chose a CREC school and what it has meant for your child’s growth and future.
How to Submit Your Content:
Please send your files directly to us so we can feature them in our regional advocacy campaign:
Email: Send your photos, videos, or text to your Family Engagement Coordinator, Principal, or directly to our Communications department at communications@crec.org.
Direct Message: Send them to your school’s inbox on Facebook or Instagram or right to CREC @crecexcellenceineducation on Facebook or @creceducation on Instagram.
Note: By submitting your content, you are giving CREC permission to use these materials for social media, legislative presentations, and advocacy materials to support our school funding.
