CREC: About Us (Capitol Region Education Council)
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Capitol Region Education Council

About CREC

Connecting People and Resources for Quality Education

Since 1966, the Capitol Region Education Council (CREC), working with and for its member districts, has developed a wide array of cost-effective and high-quality programs and services to meet the educational needs of children and adults in Greater Hartford.

CREC Provides:

  • Ongoing professional development workshops for educators
  • High-quality educational programs for grades PreK-12 through 16 interdistrict magnet schools
  • School construction, operations and facilities services
  • Customized educational programming in the public school districts it serves
  • Cooperative purchasing and other business services
  • Specialized educational programs and facilities for students with hearing impairments, special needs and a variety of other physical and behavioral challenges
  • Preschool and care programs for infants and their families
  • Innovative partnership programs that help adults develop real, job-ready skills now

CREC Accomplishments

  • Regularly serves 33 member districts (34 towns) in Greater Hartford
  • Reaches additional towns/districts through a number of statewide services and programs
  • Assists approximately 12,000 students each year
  • Offers more than 120 educational programs annually to students and educators in Connecticut
  • Manages more than 40 facilities in nearly a dozen towns, including 16 interdistrict magnet schools

Background

CREC began as a grassroots organization of local school districts working together to solve common problems. It is one of six Regional Educational Service Centers (RESCs) established under Connecticut General Statute 10-66 a-n, which permits local boards of education to establish a RESC as a "public educational authority" for the purpose of "cooperative action to furnish programs and services."

Such intermediate units – that are smaller than state departments of education, yet larger than local school districts – are used to deliver services in about 40 states.

Funding

CREC is supported by local, state, federal and private funds. Local school districts become members of CREC with an annual fee of 20 cents per pupil. Each CREC program is discretely funded with a budget that completely supports its operation and contributes a proportionate share to CREC’s overall management and development.

Leadership

The governing Council of CREC is comprised of one representative from each of the 35 school districts in the Capitol Region. The representatives come from each district’s publicly elected board of education to form the CREC Council and to make policy decisions.

The Council elects a 10-person Board of Directors representing small, medium and large districts. The Board meets monthly as part of the Council, with an announced agenda that includes policy, programmatic, personnel and fiscal items. The control of the Capitol Region Education Council rests squarely at the local level.

Greg J. Florio became Executive Director at CREC in 2016, following a lengthy career at Cheshire Public Schools that included 12 years as Superintendent of Schools and 12 years as Assistant Superintendent. Since joining CREC, Dr. Florio has led many major initiatives including a complete assessment of the organization using a “Think Tank” model. This process has led to a redesign of the organization’s strategic planning model and process. Concurrent to the Think Tank work, CREC has also redefined its Mission, Vision and Core Values. Using extensive stakeholder input, CREC has developed a path for successfully serving the region with excellent educational programs and services.

CREC Member Districts

· Avon*
· Berlin*
· Bloomfield
· Bolton*
· Bristol
· Burlington
· Canton*
· Cromwell*
· East Granby*
· East Hartford
· East Windsor*
· Ellington*
· Enfield*
· Farmington*
· Glastonbury*
· Granby*
· Hartford*
· Harwinton
· Manchester
· New Britain
· Newington*
· Plainville*
· Portland*
· Rocky Hill*
· Simsbury*
· Somers*
· Southington*
· South Windsor*
· Suffield*
· Vernon*
· West Hartford*
· Wethersfield*
· Windsor
· Windsor Locks*

* Hartford Region Open Choice Program Partnering Districts

Elementary Schools

Magnet Middle and High Schools

Student Services Schools

©2023 Capitol Region Education Council
111 Charter Oak Avenue, Hartford, CT 06106   •   (860) 247-CREC

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