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North Hartford Promise Neighborhoods project reports early gains in attendance and readiness
Summary
Dr. Paul Dorin updated the board on the federally funded Promise Neighborhoods initiative in North Hartford, describing a community‑led care navigation model, data infrastructure and early indicators showing improved kindergarten readiness and reduced chronic absenteeism.
Dr. Paul Dorin presented the North Hartford Promise Neighborhoods (Help Me Go) project, funded by a U.S. Department of Education Promise Neighborhoods grant, and described a community‑driven model to link families with services and measure outcomes.
Dorin said the project shifted from creating new programs to integrating and coordinating existing community assets with family navigators and care coordinators. He said the initiative emphasized community co‑production: residents are embedded in governance and approve priorities. The program established a resource map and a mobile app to make local services discoverable on phones.
On outcomes, Dorin reported early improvements in indicators the grant tracks: kindergarten readiness approaching district levels, reductions in chronic absenteeism within set targets, and rising four‑year adjusted graduation rates in targeted neighborhoods. He acknowledged the work is young (planning took two years) and emphasized the partnership with the State Department of Education, Hartford data partners and university researchers to ensure rigorous evaluation.
Dorin told the board the project is in year five of a five‑year grant and outlined sustainability plans, including strategic and business planning to scale elements of the model across Hartford and potentially statewide. He invited board members and other stakeholders to provide feedback on scaling and long‑term funding strategies.
Board members praised the data work and stressed the need to show cost benefit and return on investment to attract sustained funding.
