The State of Connecticut provided seed monies to create an Internet hub consortium, to develop bid specifications for all school buildings and to expand staff development initiatives already in place in the district. The Town of Stratford bonded for four million, two hundred thousand dollars to support the broad scope of the project, which will be completed in December of 1999. In the 1997-98 school year, the school district worked with consultants to develop bid specifications for the infrastructure upgrade of all buildings. The Jostens Integrated Learning System is installed in several elementary schools and a middle school. These learning systems have been effective in helping to improve student scores on the Connecticut Mastery Test.
Teachers also use the system for enrichment.
To attract students as part of Stratford's racial balance plan and to fulfill the mission of the school, special programs and services have been developed. Stratford Academy maintains a strong focus in the areas of Literacy, Mathematics and Science. Admission to Stratford Academy must be made through formal application. To better serve students during this period in their lives, exemplary middle schools divide the student population into smaller groups of students who remain with the same teachers and counselors throughout the year. Teams of teachers regularly meet to discuss student achievement, plan units of instruction that integrate several disciplines, and increase parental contact.