It’s a pivotal moment for the large Connecticut school district.
Amid the recent appointment of a new superintendent at Hartford Public Schools, the Hartford Board of Education chairperson announced she is stepping down from her role.
Jen Hockenhull was appointed chair in June 2024, and led board members through the last year of Dr. Leslie Torres-Rodriguez as superintendent. She said she is stepping down for personal reasons to spend more time with her family but will remain on the board in a non-leadership role.
Hartford Mayor Arunan Arulampalam said that Hockenhull was a “dedicated partner” to strengthen the district’s schools. But he also acknowledged the long hours and often thankless work that goes into becoming the chairperson.
Shontá Browdy, one of the longest serving board members, has been elected as the new chairperson, according to Hartford Public Schools. Browdy is set to become the first-ever member of the Working Families Party to lead the city’s school board.
“I am deeply honored by the trust my fellow board members have placed in me,” Browdy said. “At the end of the day, our work must always put students first. I want to thank my colleagues for their support, and this proves we can come together across perspectives for the children of Hartford Public Schools. They deserve nothing less than our unity and our very best.”
Her election comes at a pivotal moment for Hartford Public Schools amid the leadership change. The board voted to confirm Dr. Andraé Townsel, who previously served as superintendent of Calvert County Public Schools in Maryland, to lead the district back in June after Torres-Rodriguez stepped down at the end of the school year. She held the position since 2017.
Struggling CT city school district finds new leader. He currently serves as a superintendent in Maryland
The district has struggled in the past few years with a lack of funding that has given rise to a number of problems impacting student achievement. Budget deficits necessitating layoffs, lower salaries and a more challenging environment have created a chronic teacher shortage that has exacerbated staff burnout and hastened retirements and defections to suburban districts.
In June 2024, the Connecticut State Department of Education stepped in to oversee the district’s finances and ensure it was leveraging all available resources amid allegations that some state grant money was left unused. In recent years, the board has been vocal about the urgent need for more state and local funding, citing the challenges of educating Hartford students amid years of continued budget cuts.
The district serves about 16,770 students. According to the state Department of Education,13,230 of the students are eligible for free or reduced price lunch and 4,005 are English language learners.
Hockenhull said being the chair of the Hartford Board of Education “was an absolute honor. I am grateful to Mayor Arunan and City Council for appointing me to the Board of Education in 2024 and for their support over the past 15 months. I am also grateful to the board members who are dedicated to supporting the students in Hartford each and every day.
“My decision to step down from the chair position for personal and family reasons was an incredibly difficult decision to make. I look forward to continuing to support the school district, the board members, and the Hartford community,” Hockenhull said.
“There is much to look forward to for upcoming school year — we have so much palpable energy in Hartford Public Schools right now. Dr. Townsel is breathing new life into the district. I look forward to seeing how his energy helps bring the message to our residents about the incredible opportunities we have in Hartford Public Schools,” Hockenhull said.
“As a parent and as a community member, I have had the opportunity to see first-hand what is available to our deserving students. I hope that others begin to see this too. There is a lot of work ahead of us as a community, but I believe the future is bright and I am grateful to be part of Hartford!”
Arulampalam extended his “sincere gratitude” to Hockenhull for her service to Hartford Public Schools and the community. “Leading the Board of Education is a challenging and often thankless job, and I want to acknowledge Jen’s commitment to our students, families, and educators,” he said.
“Jen has been a dedicated partner in our efforts to strengthen our schools and the fiscal health of our district. I am grateful for her steadfast leadership during the search for our new superintendent, Dr. Andraé Townsel, and for her relentless advocacy for our students during budget negotiations and through her contributions on Hartford’s Blue Ribbon Commission on Education,” Arulampalam added.
Arulampalam did not comment on Browdy’s appointment to chairperson. Earlier this year, Browdy criticized Arulampalam for what she described as “mayoral overreach” in the superintendent hiring process, accusing the mayor of interfering in the selection process.
The Courant reached out to Browdy for comment but she could not be reached in time for this story to run.
Stephen Underwood can be reached at sunderwood@courant.com.