Prove demographics don’t
have to be destiny
We can’t remake our public schools without you.
We can’t remake our public schools without you.
ConnCAN needs your support right now to make sure that every child in Connecticut, regardless of race, ethnicity, or class, has access to a great public school.
By Linda Conner Lambeck
It's nearly century-old ceilings are covered with chipping paint and it's hardwood floors are warped. No matter that its tattered home dates to 1914, Hall School has something to celebrate.
Among elementary schools in the state where at least three-quarters of the student body has low-income or minority background, Hall students ranked first last year when it came to overall improvement on the Connecticut Mastery Test.
By Elizabeth Benton
Gov. M. Jodi Rell has formed a new commission aimed at closing the achievement gap between minority and low-income students and their white and higher-income peers.
The 11-member commission draws heavily from the business and philanthropic fields, and is led by Greenwich businessman and children’s book author Steven J. Simmons.
By Steven Greenhouse and Sam Dillon
A Rhode Island school board’s decision to fire the entire faculty of a poorly performing school, and President Obama’s endorsement of the action, has stirred a storm of reaction nationwide, with teachers condemning it as an insult and conservatives hailing it as a watershed moment of school accountability.
Three of Bridgeport public schools — Hall School, High Horizons Magnet School and Multicultural Magnet School — have been selected as 2010 ConnCAN “Success Story” schools.
ConnCan is the Connecticut Coalition for Achievement Now, a statewide education reform advocacy organization.
Each year, ConnCAN recognizes schools around the state that are leading the way in raising student achievement and helping to close Connecticut’s achievement gap.
By Robert Frahm
Hoping for a second chance at millions of dollars in federal stimulus money for school reform, state lawmakers enlisted the help Thursday of education groups whose views are often at odds.
State Campaign Director, Rhode Island
Contact:
Marc Porter Magee, Ph.D.
Chief Operating Officer
marc.magee@conncan.org
Those who insist that we cannot solve America’s education problems without first solving poverty have it exactly backwards: we will never solve poverty until we guarantee a great education for all our children. This belief inspires the work of the Connecticut Coalition for Achievement Now (www.conncan.org), which has emerged in the past five years as the pacesetting model of effective state-level education reform.
Our breakthrough success in Connecticut showed us what’s possible and is the inspiration for a new initiative to expand ConnCAN’s model of advancing the principles of choice, accountability and flexibility to other states. We are now hiring for our first state campaign outside of Connecticut and seek an exceptional individual to be the founding state campaign director of RhodeIslandCAN: The Rhode Island Campaign for Achievement Now.
Position
ConnCAN has distinguished itself with its energetic “we won’t fail” culture, a national-caliber team working on state-level problems, and a focused and committed board. As the state campaign director, this person will bring this winning formula to a new set of state challenges in Rhode Island. This is an extraordinary job and we are looking for an extraordinary candidate.
The director will serve as the “advocate-in-chief” in advancing policy changes, the spokesperson for the campaign, and the head of local fundraising. Backed up by extensive support from the ConnCAN team, the director will drive a statewide campaign to raise awareness about the need for education reform grounded in Rhode Island-specific research. During the first six months of 2010, the director will work in Connecticut alongside ConnCAN CEO Alex Johnston and COO Marc Porter Magee to learn the ins and outs of running an effective issue campaign. In the second six months, the director will help recruit two additional Rhode Island team members, a government relations manager and a community relations manager, to complete the three-person RhodeIslandCAN campaign team. The director will report to the CEO and COO.
The ideal candidate will possess boundless energy, be extraordinarily entrepreneurial, have excellent written and verbal communication skills, and be absolutely dedicated to fixing poverty by reforming public education.
Responsibilities
Salary is competitive and commensurate with experience. ConnCAN offers a comprehensive benefits package.
Interested candidates should send a cover letter and resume to marc.magee@conncan.org.
ConnCAN is an equal opportunity employer.
Download a PDF of the job description.
Internships
We offer internships throughout the year on an ad hoc basis. If you'd like to apply for an internship, please send a cover letter and resume to sarah.ganley@conncan.org.