Robert Britto
Ed.D. USP '99
Robert Britto, 6th Cohort; Superintendent, Baldwin Union Free School District
As Superintendent of the Baldwin Union Free School District in Baldwin, New York, Dr. Robert Britto has worked with the Board of Education to establish the goal of expanding the district's organizational capacity to achieve in all schools clear and high academic expectations, rigor in a thinking curriculum, and ongoing fair and credible evaluations. In his capacity as Superintendent, Dr. Britto oversees a budget in excess of $100 million for a school system comprised of nine schools.
Prior to his tenure in Baldwin, Dr. Britto served as the Assistant Superintendent of Schools for four years in Bridgeport Connecticut where focused much of his time improving literacy in the district. Dr. Britto also served as an administrator in the Magnet School Assistance Program in Providence, Rhode Island for two years. Before entering USP, Dr. Britto was a teacher, assistant principal and principal within the Providence Public Schools.
Dr. Britto received his doctorate and masters in Administration, Planning and Social Policy from the Harvard University Graduate School of Education. His thesis was entitled Responding to the District-wide Implementation of New Academic Standards: A Case Study of Principals' Behaviors and Teacher's Reactions. He also received a masters from Middlebury College in Spanish Literature and Hispanic Studies. Dr. Britto bachelors is from Providence College where he majored in secondary education and modern languages.
Britto's thoughts on the USP program:
"The Urban Superintendents Program (USP) at Harvard provided a broad array of challenging experiences and supportive resources that have enabled me to understand deeply and communicate effectively the intersection of knowledge, skills and dispositions necessary to lead a school district. Experiences included intense coursework, special projects, and a six-month internship with a superintendent. Resources ranged from a world-class faculty and unsurpassed research facilities to an intellectually powerful cohort of fellow students.
The understanding of issues confronting urban educators and ability to address them that I learned and refined through the Urban Superintendents Program played a critical role in my successful candidacy to the position of superintendent. I regularly draw on my Harvard experiences and network of USP colleagues to sustain the momentum and ethos that define my work with my Board of Education, district staff, and community at large."
