Published by schoolfinance101
Bruce D. Baker is Professor in the Department of Teaching and Learning at the University of Miami and co-director and creator of the School Finance Indicators Database. Widely regarded as the nation's leading scholar on the financing of public elementary and secondary education, he has served as an expert witness in school funding litigation in more than a dozen states and has advised legislatures nationwide on funding formula design. His influence extends beyond the United States: he is collaborating with the World Bank on a global indicator system for evaluating educational adequacy. A 2024 Fellow of the American Educational Research Association, he is the author of three books from Harvard Education Press, most recently Segregation & School Funding (2026, with Matthew Di Carlo), and nearly 90 peer-reviewed journal and law review articles.
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So, I’m also a jazz musician (mostly past life) and currently listening to jazz on Pandora. A piece by tenor saxophonist Joel Frahm comes on, reminding me further of the disparities in Connecticut. On this piece Joel Frahm is playing with high school friend Brad Mehldau – graduates of Hall HS in West Hartford, a relatively affluent HS with a long history of great jazz. This brings to mind other CT jazz musicians, like pianists Gary Versace and Kevin Hayes, both of whom have impressive credits – especially Gary these days. Both of these stellar jazz pianists are graduates of Greenwich HS – also a great jazz program… and also an affluent suburb. Can someone help me identify all of the jazz standouts, past downbeat student music award winners, etc. from poor CT districts? (there must be some?)