“Let’s speak bluntly: many parts of our system of public education are broken.”
“Let’s be honest with ourselves, and let’s speak bluntly: many parts of our system of public education are broken.”
– Gov. Malloy introduces the topic of education in his State of the State Address
The 2012 Legislative Session is now underway. For those of us who insist time and again that the only way to bring lasting changes to Connecticut is to introduce a portfolio of reforms that link issues of policy, funding and action to the needs and experiences of the students (rather than the adults) – our time is now.
In the past few weeks, Governor Malloy and Commissioner Pryor have unfolded a bold and impressive proposal for education reform that is highly aligned with the recommendations put forth by the Connecticut Commission on Educational Achievement, CCER’s precursor organization, in its 2010 Report. From intensive school turnaround strategies to forward-thinking models of educator preparation, certification, evaluation, compensation, retention, and professional development – we believe the Governor is on the right track. What follows is a discussion of a few of the areas of alignment between CCER’s recommendations and Governor Malloy’s education proposals:
Commissioner’s Role in Turnaround, Part 2: New Authority Needed
Recently, the Connecticut Council for Education Reform (CCER) highlighted Massachusetts’ five-tiered Framework for District and School Accountability, and explained why it might be a useful model for Connecticut. Given the importance of a clearly defined and effective intervention framework for Connecticut, we’ve asked Jesse Dixon, the Director of the Office of District and School Turnaround in Massachusetts, to share three main takeaways from Massachusetts’ process and success with their school-turnaround plan and intervention framework.
In 2010, the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education began a partnership with nine districts to turn around the Commonwealth’s lowest performing 34 schools. A new law was passed in January that gave flexibilities to superintendents to turn around the schools, but required each school to turn around in three years or face state takeover.
Teacher and Administrator Preparation: Another SBE Opportunity
Did you know research has shown that teacher quality is the most important factor in the academic achievement of students? Or that in 2010, the CT State Department of Education identified an “urgent need” for effective school leaders in the state? Given the importance of teacher and school leader effectiveness, we think it’s time to explore the programs that prepare Connecticut's educators.
Powers of the SBE, Part 3: Student Achievement in Evaluations
The final State Board of Education superpower that we’ll look at for this week is the ability to require that student growth be given significant weight in teacher and principal evaluations.
Now let’s take a time-out to talk about what we mean when we say “student growth” because we know this phrase alarms some interested parties.
Education Reform Will Be Focus of Legislative Session
By: Dr. Joseph Cirasuolo, Executive Director of Connecticut Association of Public School Superintendents
It has taken some time, but, the Connecticut education community has begun to accept the notion that real and fundamental change to our public education system is not only necessary, but essential if we want to help our children succeed. This is not the time to tinker around the edges, but to take major steps toward restructuring what we do, how we do it and who will take responsibility for improving student achievement in our state. We expect that education reform will be a major theme of the next session of the General Assembly and it is important that all of us engage in the discussion about how we can restore Connecticut’s place as a leader in public education and in student achievement.