From managing the Connecticut Partnership Plan that provides robust health insurance to 52 districts around the state to making healthcare more affordable for paraeducators, Connecticut Comptroller Sean Scanlon is committed to doing what he can to make education a more competitive career choice.
On the latest episode of CEA’s podcast, Scanlon sat down with CEA President Kate Dias and Vice President Joslyn DeLancey to discuss how his office can help educators across the state and why he thinks it’s so important for government to make sure people can afford to go into public service.
“I spend a lot of time thinking about our workforce, and specifically the recruitment and retention crisis that I think we’re facing in public service today—not just with teachers, but cops, firefighters, everything,” he said.
Scanlon said that young people are facing high housing costs and accrue significant debt to attend college, leaving them unable to afford a career in public service.
“If we don’t solve that problem, we’re going to see this continued crises of fewer teachers in our schools, fewer cops on the beat, fewer firefighters answering those calls,” he said. Salaries are negotiated at the local level, but the state can step in to enhance the benefits offered to public employees.
“We need to make sure that people who take the public service path get the best possible benefits. That means pensions and secure retirements, that means the best health care benefits you can get,” Scanlon said.
Listen to the entire episode below or wherever you get your podcasts.
