Race to the Top – Early Learning Challenge
$50 million in federal funding is available to improve early childhood education. “I know we can do this.” That’s the message from Governor Dannel P. Malloy to members of Connecticut’s…
New School Year Brings Both Hope and Uncertainty
I’ve laid low this summer, mostly watching the long drawn out run up to final passage of the so-called EduJobs bill in the Senate. Secretary Duncan has kept his promise…
The Movement Towards National Standards
Connecticut’s State Board of Education voted to adopt the Common Core State Standards earlier this month and many other states are doing the same. The National Governors Association Center for…
Governor Rell Signs Sweeping Education Reform Legislation
CEA leaders were among invited officials at a signing ceremony today at Hockanum School in East Hartford. Governor M. Jodi Rell signed into law a comprehensive education reform policy bill…
Key Reform Efforts Critical to State’s Revised RTTT Application
Connecticut’s twice-delayed in-school suspension law and the State Department of Education’s (SDE) proposed secondary school reform plan are both important links to the state’s success in its second Race to…
The Blueprint: A Rose by Any Other Name
The Obama administration officially conveyed it’s blueprint for reauthorization to Congress last week, even while seeking ideas from teachers. So what else is new, you might ask? Apparently, while seeking…
Education Reform in the News: Are Teachers Ignored?
Race to the Top finalists were announced last week and, probably not coincidentally, teachers and education have been in the news recently. Newsweek and the New York Times Magazine, mainstream…
Stakeholders Come Together to Discuss Next Steps for RTTT
It’s expected to be over a month before Connecticut policymakers can separate fact from fiction regarding why the state was not named a finalist in the Race to the Top…
President Wants ESEA Reauthorized This Year
I’ve been “offline” for over a month enjoying a bit of the freedom that comes with retirement. On the national education policy front January was a relatively quiet month as…
State Board May Consider Charter School Funding at February Meeting
The full State Board of Education (SBE) will get a report on Wednesday, February 3, from its Legislation and Bylaws committee regarding a proposal for a “money follows the child”…