Clarifying Misconceptions About Governor Malloy’s Education Bill (SB 24)
With all of the coverage of Governor Malloy’s education bill, also known as SB 24, we’ve noticed that there are some misconceptions surrounding the content of the bill and what it actually proposes. Therefore, this is the first in a series of posts that seek to clarify some of the misconceptions and inaccuracies regarding interpretation of Governor Malloy’s Education Reform Bill (SB 24) that we’ve come across.
A Connecticut High School Student Testifies in Support of the Governor’s Education Bill
Edwin Rosales is a Junior at Norwalk High School. At last week's public hearings, as various parties spoke up to voice their opinions about the Governor's Proposed Bill, Edwin's testimony stood out to us as an important reminder that students' needs must be the primary determinant when developing education policy. We are grateful that Edwin has permitted us to publish his written testimony below.
Senate Bill 24 Testimony, February 21, 2012
Chairwoman Stillman, Chairman Fleischmann, and members of the education committee, thank you very much for having me here today. My name is Edwin Rosales, and I am currently a junior at Norwalk High School in Norwalk CT. I am here to support Senate Bill 24.
Education has always been an important part of my life, and it is what is driving me towards success. I believe that my experience in the Norwalk Public Schools has not been a bad one, though I also believe it has not been the best.
How a Bill Becomes a Law and the Role of the Public Hearing
Introduction of New Bills
Every new piece of legislation begins as a bill before a specific committee, depending on the subject matter of the bill. (For example, education related matters for grades K-12 would be introduced in the Education Committee of the General Assembly.)
Once the specific committee of cognizance receives and reviews a bill, the committee decides to take one of the following actions:
Unpacking the Governor’s Proposal to Reform Tenure
“And so when I say it’s time we reform teacher tenure, I mean it.”
– Governor Malloy in his State of the State Address, February 8, 2012
We began this week by taking a look at Connecticut’s teacher tenure policies– how they work (or don’t) and why they need to be reformed. Today, we’re going to look at the specifics of Governor Malloy’s plan for reforming tenure, based upon his proposed bill, which is currently being reviewed by the Joint Committee on Education.
“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:
Our Thoughts on the Governor’s Call to Simplify Teacher Certification
Rae Ann Knopf, Executive Director of the Connecticut Council for Education Reform
We at the Connecticut Council for Education Reform applaud Governor Malloy for acting swiftly to eliminate unnecessary barriers faced by Boards of Education and Superintendents as they work to place the most effective teachers and principals in our schools. Revising Connecticut's teacher certification and employment policies as Malloy has proposed will facilitate the raising of student achievement by
helping to ensure that we have great teachers and leaders working side-by-side on behalf of Connecticut's children. Similarly, creating
flexibility in support of reciprocity with other states will open the doors for Connecticut schools to attract the best and brightest from across the country. These most recent proposals are highly aligned with many of CCER's 65+ policy recommendations on how to close Connecticut's achievement gap while raising academic excellence for all students. The momentum is truly building for meaningful education reform in Connecticut this year and we salute Governor Malloy and his administration for leading the way.
Our New Executive Director Shares What Excites Her About Working at CCER in CT
Rae Ann Knopf recently joined the Connecticut Council for Education Reform (CCER) as its new Executive Director. After formally introducing her at CCER’s press conference at the State Capital yesterday, we’ve asked Rae Ann to share her thoughts on assuming the leadership role at CCER and what excites her about CCER’s role in supporting education reform efforts in the state.
This is, perhaps, the most exciting time in education that our country has ever known: it’s a time when the citizens of this nation have openly begun to demand a dynamic education system that will ensure a transformative learning experience for every child.
In particular, the circumstances in Connecticut this year make it ripe for educational reform because we have two of the key ingredients necessary to propel the needed changes:
Connecticut’s Year of Education Reform
For advocates of comprehensive education reform in Connecticut, 2012 holds tremendous promise. Governor Dannel P. Malloy has proclaimed this year as “The Year of Education Reform” in Connecticut. He got a jump on the calendar in late December when he outlined his bold principles for reform in a letter to the state’s legislative leaders.
Malloy continued to build on that momentum by convening a multi-stakeholder workshop, bringing together national thought leaders, local education advocates and other interested parties to Central Connecticut State University. The workshop addressed key issues such as low-performing schools and districts, cultivating the best teachers and principals, college and career readiness, and school finance.
Fixing the Education Cost Sharing Grant: Some Simple First Steps
By: Orlando J. Rodriguez, Senior Policy Fellow for Connecticut Voices for Children
To his credit, Governor Malloy has asked the Education Cost Sharing (ECS) Task Force to advance “a bold agenda for school finance reform.” While a comprehensive review of education funding is important to address potential shortcomings in the ECS formula, there are simple and common sense reforms that can be implemented in the short term to better match state funding to local needs and ensure that local education dollars are spent on their intended purpose.
What is the ECS Task Force?
The Education Cost Sharing (ECS) Task Force was created in legislation that passed during the 2011 Legislative Session. Over the last few months, the ECS Task Force has been studying how Connecticut distributes education grant funds across the state. The current formula is more than twenty years old, and has, by all admissions, become too complicated. The ECS Task Force's charge is to develop recommendations on ways to change how education funding is allocated to each municipality.
The ECS Task Force members have spent the last few months learning about the ECS formula and all of the changes, additions and compromises that have been made to it over time. Under