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In the News
February 6, 2012
Wall Street Journal

 Connecticut would pump more money into charter schools and increase their numbers under a legislative proposal Gov. Dannel Malloy plans to unveil Monday.

February 5, 2012
Hartford Business Journal Online

 Thanks to its strong educational system and manufacturing industry, Connecticut will pace America’s high tech-sector for the next generation.

January 25, 2012
Hartford Courant

 After about two years of wrangling, a group representing teachers, school administrators and school boards agreed Wednesday on a new way to evaluate teachers that places a strong emphasis on student achievement.

Members of the state Performance Evaluation Advisory Council said the breakthrough in their discussions on the contentious issue occurred in the past few months under the leadership of Education Commissioner Stefan Pryor.

January 25, 2012
Connecticut Mirror

Years of disagreement have stalled efforts to grade teachers and dismiss those who are ineffective. That all changed Wednesday when a group of educators -- including teachers' unions, superintendent and school board groups -- agreed on how to properly evaluate teachers so those who are struggling are identified and put on a path to improve or be dismissed.

 

January 24, 2012
Associated Press

 Connecticut's policies to improve the quality of teaching in its public schools are mediocre at best, and particularly fall short in efforts to keep the best teachers and remove those who are ineffective, according to a new nationwide assessment of states' regulations. 

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Lawmakers act quickly with first step towards Race to the Top success

Raised Bill No. 5421 will put more superstar principals in CT schools
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE -- March 08, 2010
Contact: 
Karen Rutzick, ConnCAN
Tel: 
203-772-4017 x19
Cell: 
202-406-0456
Email: 
Karen.Rutzick@conncan.org
Hartford, Conn

Just days after Connecticut was rejected from round one of Race to the Top, the Connecticut Coalition for Achievement Now (ConnCAN) applauds lawmakers for taking the first concrete step to boost Connecticut’s competitiveness for the Race to the Top by introducing a bill to establish alternative certification pathways for school administrators.

Just like Teach for America created an alternative pathway for some of Connecticut’s most promising college graduates to teach in urban schools, H.B. 5421 would establish an alternative certification route for Connecticut’s principal corps.

The bill will have a public hearing in front of the education committee at 3:30pm on Monday, March 8.

“Rejection from round one of Race to the Top handed the baton in this relay race from the governor to the legislature,” said Alex Johnston, Chief Executive Officer of ConnCAN. “This new bill to put more superstar principals in school offices shows that the legislature is already running with that baton. There is still a lot longer to run, and many more important bills to introduce and pass, but I’m very encouraged by this development.”

Proposed legislation would direct the Departments of Higher Education and Education to establish alternative certification pathways for principals by:

  • Using selective admissions standards.
  • Allowing providers operating independently from institutions of higher education to train principals.
  • Not requiring applicants to have more than a bachelor’s degree.
  • Allowing participants to demonstrate mastery of coursework by exams or experience.
  • Providing supervised, school-based experiences through a district-funded one-year residency as an assistant principal under the guidance of a certified principal.
  • Allowing at least two years of successful work experience involving management to substitute for the one- year residency.
  • Including as a condition of program admission not more than 30 months of previous teaching experience.

Text of the bill is available at http://www.cga.ct.gov/2010/TOB/H/2010HB-05421-R00-HB.htm. Detailed policy goals and other information are available on www.ourracetothetop.org. 

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