Hartford Desegregation Case, Sheff v. O'Neill, Settles

Today, Connecticut Governor John Rowland and plaintiffs' attorneys announced settlement of the Sheff v. O'Neill desegregation case. If approved by both the General Assembly and the trial court judge, the settlement will result in the state spending $245 million over four years to establish eight additional magnet schools in Hartford and promoting other programs that bring together students in Hartford and its suburbs. Of this total, $200 million will be bonded for renovation or new buildings for the eight schools. The settlement also includes a process for planning more remedial measures beyond the four-year time frame.

A remedy in this rare, state constitution-based desegregation case has been pending since the Connecticut Supreme Court's decision, 678 A.2d 1267, in 1996, that the laws establishing school district boundaries in the Hartford area were unconstitutional.

Prepared January 22, 2003