The legislative process can at times be slow-moving and frustrating, but persistent advocacy pays off. That’s certainly the case with teachers’ efforts to repeal the onerous Foundations of Reading Survey which, after years of educator advocacy, led to the Connecticut legislature’s 2025 passage of a bill eliminating the survey requirement.
For many years K-3 teachers were mandated to take the hours-long reading exam every two years as a condition of employment.
While the results were meant to inform professional development, says CEA Vice President Joslyn DeLancey, they did not in fact drive professional growth; the survey was simply a time-consuming process that took time away from teaching and learning how to better teach reading.
“Kindergarten through third-grade teachers were thrilled to hear of the removal of this burdensome and, what some would call punitive, mandate,” she says. “The time that was spent on this survey can now go to proper and equitable training as well as meaningful time with students.”
She added, “While we understand the need to ensure that we have strong reading instruction for our students, this biannual exam requirement did not contribute anything to this goal. This survey has been a barrier to certification for aspiring educators, particularly for people of color, and it is also culturally biased. Strong reading instruction comes from well designed and implemented professional development, removal of boxed literacy programs, and mindful and thorough evaluation and feedback from strong, smart, and sophisticated building administrators.”
“Passing good laws often takes more than a single legislative session,” says CEA Legislative Coordinator Louis Rosado Burch. “It can take months or years of organizing, education, and advocacy to build the critical mass of legislative
support needed to get laws across the finish line, and often additional time for laws to be fully implemented.”
Additional measures CEA is fighting for this upcoming legislative session, which runs from February 4 to May 6, include fairness in teacher terminations, protecting teachers’ personal information, and protecting teachers’ free speech rights.
Watch for more information about teachers’ legislative advocacy here and in CEA Action Alerts emails as the start of the legislative session approaches.
