Skip To Main Content

Home

Three young girls, dressed in colorful and casual attire, are sitting together on a bench in what appears to be a school or community setting, with shelves and lockers visible in the background.
The image shows a group of people, including a woman in a pink patterned top, a woman in a white shirt, and a young boy, standing in what appears to be a doorway or entryway.
A group of young people, wearing matching black t-shirts, stand together in a scenic outdoor setting with colorful autumn foliage and buildings in the background.
A group of people, some holding awards, standing in front of a purple backdrop with various text and logos.
Two young girls, one with blonde hair and the other with dark skin, are sitting at a table and engaged in an activity, with a blurred background of what appears to be a classroom or similar setting.
A group of diverse individuals, including adults and children, gathered in a colorful and vibrant classroom setting.
The image shows a booth or display for an organization called %22Open Choice%22, with two women sitting at the booth and various promotional materials and banners visible in the background.
A group of children, some with their parents, are gathered in a classroom setting, engaged in various activities and interactions.
A group of people, both adults and children, are standing in front of a historic-looking trolley car on a grassy field, surrounded by trees and other buildings in the background.
Three smiling children standing in front of a colorful mural on a building, with a yellow school bus in the background.


For more than 60 years, the Hartford Region Open Choice Program (formally Project Concern) has been offering Hartford students the opportunity to attend public schools in suburban towns, and suburban students the opportunity to attend Expeditionary Learning Academy at Moylan, Global Communications Academy, and Renzulli Academy schools in Hartford, at no cost to the students' families. The Capitol Region Education Council (CREC) manages the Hartford Region Open Choice Program on behalf of the CT State Department of Education Regional School Choice Office (RSCO). The goal of the Hartford Region Open Choice Program is to improve academic achievement and reduce racial, ethnic, and economic isolation.

Mission: To partner with districts to ensure participating students are supported, empowered, and positioned for educational success.

Vision: Through participation in the Hartford Region Open Choice Program, every district provides inclusive educational experiences where all students are valued and able to thrive. 

Explore

Announcements & Events

Single Featured Item

Open Choice 60th Anniversary
60th Open Choice Program-Cities, Suburbs & Schools Project at Trinity College (opens in new window/tab)

“1966: The Women Behind Project Concern” explains how Project Concern, launched in 1966 in Hartford, Connecticut, was an early voluntary school-integration effort that bussed minority students to suburban schools to access better opportunities. Two women—Marjorie Little, who helped recruit families and support students, and Mary Kennedy, a suburban teacher who became an advocate—were central to its success amid local opposition. The program ran until 1998 and eventually evolved into today’s Open Choice Program, continuing its mission of voluntary inter-district schooling.

Source: 1966: The Women Behind Project Concern, Cities, Suburbs & Schools Project at Trinity College (April 2016).

Read More about 60th Open Choice Program-Cities, Suburbs & Schools Project at Trinity College (opens in new window/tab)