During the “SY 26 Reflections and Looking Ahead to SY 27” segment, Amy D’Angelo outlined a strategic shift for Achievement First and Amistad Academy toward focusing more on student outcomes rather than classroom inputs. The plan includes revising training and expectations for leaders, implementing direct-to-teacher professional development to address content knowledge gaps, and using internal assessments aligned in part to SBAC standards to get better proficiency data. Clear topline goals are being set, including an 80% proficiency target for grades 3–8 in Connecticut with a 10% annual increase.This indicates a likely need for high-quality professional development, curriculum-aligned training, assessment tools, and data platforms, even though no specific vendors or procurements were mentioned yet. Providers of PD, instructional coaching, assessment systems, and data analytics can engage early as the district refines these initiatives for SY 27.

Focus areas include direct-to-teacher PD, leader training, internal assessments, and outcome-focused goals tied to SBAC-related proficiency benchmarks.