“Doldrums” is defined as a “state or period of inactivity, stagnation.”   The summer doldrums are referred to as a period where folks take it easy, take vacations, and when school kids hang out and complain that they are bored.  I’m not sure how this is possible in this day and age; I haven’t been bored since the summer of ’74.

When applied to the Hartford Board of Education and its role in Hartford Public Schools’ summer programs process, it is a period where they are inactive and stagnant – more than usual, if that is possible.

HPS’ summer programs process begins usually in April when Superintendent Torres-Rodriguez creates the agendas for several Board Committee meetings, dusting off the previous year’s slide presentations which inform Board members about the programs being offered for students in a number of summer programs, how the details of each program align with some school based theoretical phrase, and where HPS applies its version of success to the previous year’s summer programs.

You can view this year’s summer programs informational presentations at HPS’ BoardDocs site.  The presentations were made on April 6 at a Family & Community Engagement Committee meeting, and on April 26 at a Teaching and Learning Committee meeting, and the May 4th Family & Community Engagement Committee.  This link, “Sometimes Ten Months Just Isn’t Enough,” also has some information on summer programs.

The part of the process we are concerned with here is the RFP (Request for Proposals) bidding process whereby HPS awards contracts to outside providers to provide services for HPS students enrolled in one of five summer programs (a K-5 Early Start, a Middle School program, an ESY program for students on IEPs, a Summer Bridge program, and a Credit Recovery program).

Outside providers looking to do business with HPS over the summer, if they are not already contracted, must submit a bid through the City of Hartford’s “Planet Bid” platform.  A list of “prospective” bidders for this year’s programs can be downloaded here. 

These are the folks which I assume are the folks HPS’ engagement and partnership chief, Nuchette Black-Burke referred to at the April 6th Familly & Community Engagement Committee meeting as having been mailed invitations to bid. 

Ms. Black-Burke stated that the bidding is open “to any provider in the city.”  I assume she means providers that are based in the city of Hartford.  Eventual winning bidder 2-4-1CARE states on its website that it is based in West Hartford.  Acting like it’s a 90° day in August, the Board did not raise a question about this bid requirement.

The “bid package” has been removed from the Planet Bid platform, so we are unable to view what an RFP for providing summer services to HPS looks like.  My question is, did members of the Board have any input into the creation of these RFPs?  Did members of the Board even receive, review, or approve any RFPs?  Based on what has occurred at the Board’s public meetings, no, they did not.

Having access to the RFPs would help the Board and the community understand how HPS is assessing the work done by those awarded summer contracts.  The image below shows an email sent by one bidder to HPS, and HPS’ answer.

During the May 4th Board meeting, Board Member Walker expanded on the assessment angle and raised a question to which he received an incredible answer.  Mr. Walker wanted to know if students who attend the summer programs are tracked into the next school year’s first semester to show that the summer learning has had some effect. 

Ms. Burke replied that although there has been some discussion on how to do that, the district has not come up with a system to track learning growth by those who went through summer learning programs.   However, Ms. Burke did state that there are surveys given out to middle schoolers where they are able to say that they have “developed” problem solving skills and social emotional learning skills due to their attending the summer programs.  Great.

At the May 4th Board meeting, Ms. Black-Burke stated that a priority for the district was to have summer providers “really, really, build” on the idea of a “culture of attendance.”  However, in response to an email sent by a bidder (see 2.2 below), attendance was not added as a “program initiative.” 

Despite 46 prospective providers being invited to bid, HPS claimed at its May 4th Family & Community Engagement Committee meeting that only 12 “interested partners” submitted bids.  From these 12 submitted bids, the Superintendent chose 7 who she will then tell the full Board (full as in if Mr. Shmerling shows up) at the next Regular Meeting, these are the folks I want you to approve for a summer contract.  And, like it’s a 90° day in August, they will limply comply.

Did the Board have access to all submitted bids?  Did the Board have any input as to which of the 12 bidders ought to receive consideration for a contract?  Looking at things with a public, transparent lens, we can state, no, they have as much information and input on the awarding of these contracts as I do in choosing what the next daily number will be.

At the May 4th meeting, Ms. Black-Burke stated that the chosen 7 will provide services for students in the K-5 Early Start program and the Middle School program.  There was no mention of who, if any, outside providers “in the city” would be providing services to students enrolled in the Bridge, ESY, or Credit Recovery programs, yet these programs were included in the Planet Bid description, seen below.

While HPS teachers and staff provide the bulk of the heavy lifting for the Bridge, ESY, and Credit Recovery programs, in years past they have offered the students in these programs field trips, virtual lessons, and youth development and recreation events through community-based organizations (CBO).  Including these programs in the bid description assumes they will once again offer non-instructional activities for these students and are seeking CBOs to run the show.  Where are the bids?  Who will provide the services?

And, like it’s a 90° day in August, the Board yawned, squinted, and went back to sleep.

Anyone looking through the hot, hazy grey of August and HPS will note that the same 7 chosen by the Superintendent to provide summer “enrichment” programs to HPS students this year are the same 7 chosen for last year’s summer edu-fest, revealed by the slide below taken from the Board’s August 2022 Teaching & Learning Committee meeting.