Connecticut’s education chief visited a Fairfield elementary school on Tuesday to highlight an example of how suburban school districts can better cater to a diverse student population.
Fairfield’s McKinley Elementary School, which has the town’s most diverse student population, provides an inclusive environment for students, said Commissioner Charlene Russell-Tucker.
“It feels like a family," Russell-Tucker said. "Everyone is working together, students are working together, probably because of the model that’s presented to them. And that’s what we need in education throughout the entire state of Connecticut."
Fairfield and other suburban towns are under a state mandate to address the racial imbalance in the Connecticut public schools.
There is a state grant program available to encourage school systems to work across district lines to reduce the racial, ethnic and economic isolation of students.
“Test scores and data do not reflect the wonderful tapestry of learning and pride and self-confidence and the adaption to diversity that McKinley school offers," said State Senator Tony Hwang (R-Fairfield), who invited Russell-Tucker to visit the school.
