“I came from humble beginnings,” Jane Swift said, describing her time as a work study student at Trinity College, who scrubbed meal trays in the lower level of Mather Hall.
The former Governor of Massachusetts and current Chief Executive Officer of Middlebury Interactive Languages said she had two advantages: a mother who valued education and having English as her native language.
Swift was the keynote speaker at the Center for Latino Progress 35th Anniversary Breakfast this morning at Trinity College.
Earlier this year the Hartford Board of Education approved an $887,190 contract with Middlebury for online English Language Learning curricula and teacher support services. Swift said that Middlebury would begin as a pilot in Hartford Public Schools‘ this year, with the online modules being introduced during the “immersive summer academy.” The online component would continue to be used during the school year.
“We have had a persistent and a stubborn achievement gap,” Swift said. “I don’t think we can afford to wait for Congress to do something important.”
Instead of waiting, she proposed that the answers could be found in what she described as “small companies.”
“There are some advantages to Common Core,” namely, its ability to help those businesses reach students, she told the room full of current and former mayors, state representatives, half the Board of Education, and just about every other mover and shaker in the area.
“I believe testing is good,” Swift said. “We need to assess skills. . . at appropriate points in time.”
With the introduction of this new “product,” there are questions about how we will know if it is effective. Swift said “there are no good assessments 
for [English Language Learners] that can be leveraged,” but that the existing testing methods would be used. A consultant will be brought in on June 18th to help Middlebury and the Hartford Public Schools with accountability.
“We’ll be constantly evaluating our progress,” she said.
Also speaking at the event, Yazmín Pérez, who came here from Mexico when she was fifteen. Now living in a suburban town in Connecticut, Pérez came here for “economic opportunity.”
She volunteered at her child’s school, completed her GED in three months, and is at Capital Community College working toward becoming a school teacher. She credits the Center for Latino Progress with helping her find resources.
“To stop and wait for things to happen is a waste of time,” Pérez said.
The Center for Latino Progress (née Connecticut Puerto Rican Forum, Inc.) offers programs for youth and adults.