High Expectations

Connecticut receives 0 out of 4 points for expanding high-quality preschool and full-day kindergarten opportunities. Although not yet sufficient to meet need, Connecticut has continued to make meaningful progress in providing preschool opportunities to low-income students. In 2013, the state funded 1,000 slots for school readiness programs,14 and the 2015 budget funded another 1,020 slots15. CCER estimates that there are approximately 5,500 needed slots that have yet to be funded.16 Additionally, the legislature approved funding for a competitive ten-year plan called Smart Start in 2014. This program provides $205 million over 10-years to fund subsidies for public school districts to expand early childhood programming. Districts may receive funding for renovating classrooms to accommodate preschool programs, and to cover annual operating expenses.17

Although not required by law, most of Connecticut’s Alliance Districts have actually implemented full-day kindergarten programs. As of the 2013-2014 school year, only three Alliance Districts did not provide full-day kindergarten programs for their students.18 Connecticut should build on this progress to require all-day kindergarten in all of the lowest-performing schools.

Finally, Connecticut must develop a quality rating and improvement system (QRIS) to monitor the effectiveness of early childhood programs. A strong QRIS would both publicly rate the quality of early childhood programs and provide these programs with a track for improvement. Legislation passed in 2012 requires the development of a QRIS for early childhood programs.19 In 2013, $2.1 million were allocated in state bonds to fund the development of a framework for the QRIS,20 and the legislature also allocated additional funding in 2015 focused on improving the quality of early childhood programs. However, these increases in funding are insufficient to meet the requirements of the new system, and Connecticut still lacks a QRIS.

2(a) EXPAND HIGH-QUALITY PRESCHOOL AND FULL-DAY KINDERGARTEN TO ENSURE SCHOOL READINESS RUBRIC

Connecticut receives 1 out of 3 points for maximizing parental involvement. The Connecticut State Department of Education (CSDE) has been developing strategies to involve parents in the educations of their children. The state’s new teacher evaluation and support system requires school districts to include parental feedback in teacher evaluations, thereby providing parents with an accessible method of involving themselves in the education of their children.21 Additionally, Connecticut requires the lowest-performing schools in the state to have school governance councils.22 Each of these advisory groups must contain at least seven members who are parents or guardians elected by the parents or guardians of students attending the school.23

In 2013, the CSDE piloted a program of Parent Academies in some of the Alliance Districts, and this pilot was extended in 2014. These are programs resulting from small, competitive grants provided in partnerships with not-for-profit organizations. They are designed to encourage parents to support learning at home and in school.24 However, this remains a relatively small program.

The state should increase its strategies to maximize parental involvement, particularly for all of the Alliance Districts, with the strategic deployment of a more robust funding level for competitive grants.

2(b) MAXIMIZE THE POWER OF PARENTAL INVOLVEMENT RUBRIC

Connecticut receives 3 out of 4 points for aligning statewide curricula with high standards. Over the last few years, the CSDE has established a statewide plan for the implementation of the Common Core.

In 2012, the CSDE appointed a Chief Academic Officer. This official is responsible for overseeing standards implementation, as well as the assessment of curriculum and instruction. Under this leadership, the CSDE and the Connecticut State Board of Education (CSBE) have developed a plan for districts to align curricula with the Common Core by the 2014-2015 school year.25 Additionally, the CSDE has partnered with LearnZillion to build a cohort of teachers from across the state who will serve as Common Core ambassadors.26 Finally, Governor Malloy established an Educators’ Common Core Implementation Taskforce in 2014, a 25-member group tasked with identifying challenges and making recommendations associated with Common Core implementation.27 In response to the recommendations of the Taskforce, Governor Malloy launched the “Connecticut Core Initiative,” designed to provide public schools with additional resources to implement Common Core, continue an open dialogue with stakeholders, and fund professional development programs for educators.28

As part of its efforts to implement the Common Core, the CSDE has also created a website that includes model curricula and lesson plans for district, school, and classroom use.29 Included on the website are professional development opportunities for educators to learn about how to use these new standards in their classrooms.30

However, the implementation of Common Core can only be successful if it is implemented with fidelity across all school districts. One of the goals set for Connecticut’s Alliance Districts (as articulated through statute31 and through instructions to these districts32) is to implement Common Core. Ultimately, the Commissioner of Education has the option to withhold current year funding if an Alliance District’s plan does not satisfy him, and to penalize the district (in the future) if the funding is not spent according to plan.33

In order to ensure that curricula are actually aligned with the new standards, the CSBE should consider acting on its authority to audit curricular materials in the lowest-performing schools.

2(c) ALIGN STATEWIDE CURRICULA TO HIGH STANDARDS RUBRIC

Connecticut receives 1 out of 4 points for identifying students who are falling behind and providing them with appropriate academic interventions.

In 2012, as part of a kindergarten to grade 3 literacy pilot program, specific academic interventions were required for students who did not read proficiently.34 These interventions included mandated summer school and individualized instruction.35 This pilot program has been extended through FY 2015-2016, after which the CSDE will report on the success of the pilot.36 The CSBE also approved a new “Menu of Research-Based K-3 Universal Screening Reading Assessments” in its July 2014 meeting. This is intended to provide the guidance needed to implement a universal assessment of K-3 reading proficiency beginning in FY 2015-16, which would serve as a precursor to academic interventions.37

In addition to these measures and to providing the Scientific Research-Based Interventions (SRBI) model currently being implemented, Connecticut must require districts and schools to offer low-achieving students additional opportunities for academic intervention. Such interventions might include summer school, customized learning experiences, extended day programs, in-school tutoring, or Saturday academies. Once these offerings are in place, legislation should be established to require students to attend such programs if their assessment results and other indicators show they have fallen behind.

2(d) IDENTIFY AND SUPPORT LOW-ACHIEVING STUDENTS EARLY IN THEIR ACADEMIC CAREERS RUBRIC

Connecticut receives 0 out of 4 points for measuring student progress frequently.

Connecticut’s implementation of the Common Core will be accompanied by a standardized test that is aligned to those standards, called the Smarter Balanced Assessment. This test promises to make student results available more quickly so that they can be used to impact instruction.38

Additionally, the Smarter Balanced Assessment is designed to include optional formative assessments. In fact, in 2014 the Performance Evaluation Advisory Council (PEAC) recommended—and the State Board of Education approved—amending the educator evaluation and support system, so that any test included in an educator evaluation must have benchmarks leading up to that test.39 This type of formative test will allow teachers to use test results throughout the school year to inform their instructional practices and address the learning needs of individual students.40 While many districts in the state participated in a “field test” of this new assessment this year, the complete Smarter Balanced Assessment is not yet available.

Besides making assessment results available in a timelier manner, the CSDE should also establish statewide instructional and school climate benchmarks—ideally to be implemented in all schools, but particularly in the lowest-performing districts. In 2012, the CSDE received a waiver from the Elementary and Secondary Schools Act (more commonly known as No Child Left Behind), based in part on an agreement to use assessment benchmarks to hold school districts accountable for student learning outcomes.41 Connecticut has since provided schools with performance goals for improved student achievement, increased high school graduation rates, and reduced achievement gaps.42 Annually, the state measures the progress each district makes towards its performance targets through a District Performance Index (DPI).43 However, this year, because Connecticut is moving to a new form of assessment, the DPIs will not be implemented.

In 2012, Connecticut also began to implement biennial school climate surveys,44 which could potentially lead to the establishment of school climate benchmarks.

2(e) MEASURE STUDENT PROGRESS FREQUENTLY RUBRIC

Connecticut receives 1 out of 4 points for setting high expectations for what students should know and be able to do.

Connecticut adopted the Common Core State Standards in 2010.45 Shortly thereafter, many districts began working to implement the Common Core, and, in the 2013-2014 school year, the CSDE began to ramp up its efforts to support statewide Common Core implementation.46 With the statewide implementation of the Common Core, Connecticut has established a standard for proficiency in subject-matter knowledge in Reading and Math for all grade levels.

Connecticut has yet to implement exit exams to ensure that students have mastered the necessary skills for success before graduating from high school. Existing legislation states that, beginning with the class of 2020, high school students will have to take and pass end of year tests in Algebra I, Geometry, Biology, American History, and grade 10 English.47 However, these tests and interventions have yet to be implemented. When they are eventually implemented, Connecticut should also provide pre-assessment supports and post-assessment retake opportunities.

2(f) SET HIGH EXPECTATIONS FOR WHAT STUDENTS SHOULD KNOW AND BE ABLE TO DO RUBRIC