MCC President Fires Back at CREC

The following is a statement from : 

The Jan. 27 of the Journal Inquirer featured an article,  "," that contained strong allegations about MCC and our relationship with Great Path Academy, our middle college high school, and its management company, CREC (Capital Region Education Council). This article was factually incorrect in many areas and lacking accurate information in others. I wanted to share with you my response to these accusations because it is important that MCC's supporters have the facts.

Leaders at CREC say they refused to renew a contract to manage  because of concerns over how the alternative high school is operating at MCC.

Response: CREC was not offered the opportunity to renew a contract with MCC to operate GPA. The former Board of Trustees of Community-Technical Colleges authorized a notification of non-renewal to CREC in June 2011, so that an RFP process could be opened with new contract language. Both CREC and Hartford Public Schools submitted a proposal in response to the RFP and Hartford was selected as the management entity. Both were interviewed as part of the process. The contract with Hartford would begin with the school year 2012-2013 for a period not to exceed five years. 

Cafeteria Space, Space Available for After-school Help, Composition of the GPA Board, Disagreement Regarding Behavioral Issues.

Response:

• With the growth in the number of students at GPA and MCC, there was limited cafeteria seating for all students. At the request of CREC, MCC worked with the principal of GPA to come up with a plan to expand seating in the Lowe Student Services Center and that seating is reserved for GPA students during their lunch hour. It is not a roped off space. In addition, CREC told MCC its cafeteria didn't meet the special requirements of a high school lunch program, i.e. free and reduced cost meals, appropriate food choices. Subsequently, MCC worked with the principal to design a servery in which the students could get appropriate food choices and prices could be managed, also located in the Lowe 1st floor lobby and adjacent to the new café seating area.

• MCC and GPA share space in the Jonathan M. Daube Building. In order to accommodate GPA students needing after-school help, MCC offered private study spaces in the Learning Resource Center. Additionally, MCC and GPA have an agreement that GPA would have priority scheduling of the Community Commons located in GPA, one of the few large meeting spaces on campus, as long as it is secured at the beginning of the academic year to ensure that space is available for them. GPA faculty and staff may also schedule smaller spaces throughout the college. 

• The make-up of the GPA Governing Board is identified in the original contract and also in the By-Laws that have been drafted by a working committee of the Board; those By-Laws are set to be approved shortly. Both MCC and GPA have identified members appropriate to forming a partnership between the entities. As a vendor, CREC never had a seat on the GPA Board; the new draft of the by-laws adds the principal as an ex-officio member.

• MCC sought to have authority over GPA student behavior by having GPA students held to the college's Student Code of Conduct. However, the college was unsuccessful in getting legislation passed that would assist in these matters. Currently, the college's police department responds to all behavioral issues. The college also has a Risk Assessment Team that makes recommendations and monitors student behavior; both MCC and GPA staff are members of the team. If there is an issue that is referred to the home school for adjudication, both college and GPA representatives are present.

Rifts Resulting from MCC Having a High School on Campus

Response:  is committed to Great Path Academy and promotes the middle college concept. Deans at the college have worked with high school staff and faculty to build an understanding of the concept as many staff and faculty did not understand this mission. Additionally, MCC asked to review all marketing material to ensure that not only was GPA marketed as MCC's middle college high school and not as CREC Great Path Academy, but that they contained a complete and clear explanation of the middle college model.

Recently, several GPA students have been placed in college courses without proper vetting at the high school and, in fact, the number of students successfully completing college courses declined in recent years. Those who took college courses were less successful than most other high school partnership students from the College's service district.

The number of students enrolled in the school rose when GPA moved into its new building in 2009, but CREC has not been able to meet their enrollment target of 325 students. 

State Funding Concerns

Response: The Department of Public Works managed the $28 million construction project and budget, not MCC.

Hartford Public Schools Takes Over Management of GPA

Response: MCC issued an RFP for a management entity in Fall 2011. A new contract was never offered CREC, therefore they never had an opportunity to refuse to sign it. However, the old contract has a clause for a one-year transition period which, in this case, expires June 2012; CREC signed that terminal contract.

Issues on Behalf of Students: Gallucci's and Douglas' Comments on Child Advocacy

Response: The RFP was issued, not in retaliation for CREC's "advocacy for children," but because CREC's contract was coming to an end and the college wanted to examine options regarding management of GPA in which a stronger collaboration and partnership could exist. There have been issues with CREC regarding contract violations; these included the hiring and evaluation of the principal, the hiring of other staff, and the approval of the Operations Plan. Other concerns of the college include the turn-over of principals for the school, the disengagement between staff of GPA and the college, and the lack of communication and engagement between the college and CREC. 

Student Arrests, Gallucci's Statement on 'Excessive Student Arrests'

Response: GPA has had its share of student behavioral issues, both arrests and incidents, and the college feels that CREC hasn't responded adequately to the college's concerns and expectations of student behavior. Arrests are made according to law; most incidences, however, do not culminate in an arrest. By law, all incidents and arrests are recorded. In response to these issues, the college assigned a dedicated school resource officer who is a sworn police officer. 

Students were not banned from the cafeteria unless that was an individual sanction imposed through disciplinary action; GPA students, as a whole, were never banned from the cafeteria. At one point, the former principal suggested that 10th graders eat in the GPA building, which he implemented. The reassignment of cafeteria space, as addressed earlier, was in response to a direct request from CREC to better meet school lunch program requirements. 

Granby

Response: It is expected that some district schools may decide not to participate on the Governing Board going forward. It is unfortunate, though, that a school district would not want to be engaged in the governance of a magnet school to which it is sending its students. It should be noted that, even if a school district chooses to withdraw from the Board, its students are still welcome at GPA. This year GPA has one student from the Granby District.

The RFP Process

Response: As a public entity, MCC follows all laws regarding the issuing of an RFP. The college is responding to an FOI request regarding the RFP and selection process, assisted by System legal counsel as well as the Attorney General's Office.

The decision to choose Hartford Public Schools to manage Great Path Academy is in the best interest of the students, families, and the school districts with which we partner. Hartford is nationally recognized for the quality of its magnet schools and the success of their students. They have a proven record of managing these types of schools, and have demonstrated success with another community college having a similar governance model: Capital Community College and Capital Preparatory Magnet School. And, since nearly 30 percent of GPA students come from Hartford, this only serves to strengthen our relationship with the city schools' administration.

ManchesterCommunity College believes deeply in the middle college high school model and the potential inherent in the college's partnership with Great Path Academy. We continue to be committed to GPA's students, their families and their collective success.

Sincerely,

Gena Glickman
Chair, Great Path Academy Governing Board
President, Manchester Community College