ADVOCATING FOR STUDENTS AND TEACHERS

President Trump today signed an executive order to dismantle the U.S. Department of Education. While he can’t shutter the department without congressional approval, it seems likely that he’ll have the votes in Congress to do so.

CEA Aspiring Educators are speaking out at a public hearing of the legislature’s Education Committee today, letting lawmakers know why it’s so important that education students receive pay for student teaching.

“Books open doors to new worlds, and every child deserves that opportunity,” says CEF President Joslyn DeLancey. That dedication to getting books into the hands of Connecticut children inspired CEF’s second annual Read Across Connecticut Blue Back Book Drive that brought hundreds of families to West Hartford this month.

President Trump has slashed half of the U.S. Department of Education’s workforce in a direct attack on America’s students, educators, and the future of public education—and Connecticut’s attorney general is fighting back.

CEA Racial & Ethnic Diversity Affairs Commission members Faith Sweeney and Luanelly Iglesias share why you should attend the CEA Summit on Diversity in the latest episode of CEA’s podcast.

“Stop calling teachers heroes and start paying us as professionals,” Hamden teacher Cinzia Lettieri told legislators today. She was among the more than 20 educators and aspiring educators testifying before the Education Committee on a bill that would establish a minimum teacher salary and secure state funding to increase pay for all educators.

To help you teach about the Women’s Rights Movement and women’s achievements throughout our country’s history, check out these lesson plans, educational resources, and other information.

“Now more than ever, it’s important to highlight the strength of our diversity,” says Erin Daly, president of NEA-Danbury, whose culminating celebration of Black History Month recognized the role educators play in promoting equity and inclusion.

After reaching a compromise with legislators earlier this week, Governor Ned Lamont today signed into law an additional $40 million in special education funding for this fiscal year.

Teacher certification in Connecticut hasn’t seen major changes since the 1990s, but that’s going to change soon. Jennifer Rodriguez and Elsa Batista are Newington teachers who are sitting on the Connecticut Educator Preparation and Certification Board, and in the latest episode of CEA’s podcast they talk about the work of the Board and the importance of educators’ voice in updating the certification standards. 

Teachers, parents, and community members across Connecticut wore Red for Ed yesterday during the Champions for Public Education Day of Action, and many elected officials joined them—drawing attention to the resources and funding schools need to support students.

Protect our kids. That’s the message thousands of teachers, parents, community members, elected officials, and others are sending across Connecticut today during CEA’s Champions for Public Education Day of Action, part of a national movement to support public schools.