CAPTION above: Vernon Superintendent Dr. Joseph P. Macary speaks with, left to right, Connecticut Commissioner of Education Charlene M. Russell-Tucker, Rockville High School senior Grace Johnson and state Rep. Kevin Brown of Vernon.
The state Department of Education on Thursday released the 2024-2025 Next Generation Accountability System results, which showed positive trends for Connecticut schools and a sharp increase for the Vernon Public Schools.
The Next Generation system offers a comprehensive view of school district performance across 12 indicators and looks beyond test schools and graduation rates to determine how well schools support student learning and well-being.
Rockville High School senior Grace Johnson speaks to the state education commissioner, legislators and others on Thursday at the Legislative Office Building in Hartford.
Connecticut Commissioner of Education Charlene M. Russell-Tucker and Chief Performance Officer Ajit Gopalakrishnan released the results Thursday at the state Legislative Office Building in a program that focused on postsecondary readiness and highlighted the growth in dual-credit programs across Connecticut. Such programs are growing across the state. They enable high school students to earn college credit while also obtaining the credits they need to graduate from high school.
Superintendent of Schools Dr. Joseph P. Macary and Rockville High School senior Grace Johnson spoke to the commissioner and her staff as well as state legislators and officials from the University of Connecticut, the state college and state university system, the Connecticut Conference of Independent Colleges, and the state Office of Workforce Strategy about the dual-credit program at Rockville High School and its benefits to students and the community.
State Commissioner of Education Charlene M. Russell-Tucker listens as Rockville High School senior Grace Johnson speaks on Thursday at the Legislative Office Building in Hartford.
Rockville High School offers 51 dual enrollment classes and the class of 2025 earned 2,567 college credits, which translated into those students’ families saving $1.5 million in college tuition. Add to that $427,150 in scholarships that went to 82 members of the class of $2025, the result is nearly $2 million in savings.
“In Vernon we believe in return on investment … and our return on investment is all about the students and their learning outcomes,” he said. “We see a direct correlation between dual-enrollment and four-year college graduation rates. The more we invest in this, the more we’re investing in our students.”
Vernon Superintendent of Schools Dr. Joseph P. Macary speaks to the state education commissioner, legislators and others on Thursday at the Legislative Office Building in Hartford.
Johnson, one of the top 10 members of Rockville High School’s Class of 2026, told the commissioner and others that she began taking dual enrollment courses as a sophomore, and that the experience has been beneficial and provided her with opportunities to gain valuable insight into her possible career pursuits. “I was able to job shadows and gain real world experience,” she said. “It helped me navigate through different fields.”
The course offerings at Rockville High School are diverse and provide students with a range of options. The sciences and mathematics are well represented in dual-enrollment courses, as are courses such as Social Issues in Sports, Introduction to Human Rights, Environmental Science, American Studies, Biotechnology, Plant System Fundamentals, Animal Behavior, Advanced Creative Writing, Public Speaking and Digital Media Design.
Left to right, state Commissioner of Education Charlene M. Russell-Tucker, Rockville High School senior Grace Johnson, Vernon Superintendent of Schools Dr. Joseph P. Macary, and state Rep. Kevin Brown of Vernon.
Johnson said she can take courses that are not on her track and gain new experiences and knowledge.
Dr. Macary said it is essential to diversify the pathways students experience in school to include non-college bound options.
The message across Connecticut is for students to go to four-year colleges. That’s not ideal and Rockville is working to diversify options. He cited a recent conversation with U.S. Rep. Joe Courtney of Vernon, who said Electric Boat in Groton is going to need 5,000 welders over the next many years to build submarines.
“We want to send the message to students that a four-year degree is not the only option,” Dr. Macary said.
The state and local districts need to work harder focusing students on options other than four-year degrees, he said.