Connecticut Education Reform

SB 458, 54: An act concerning educational reform PA 12-50: an act concerning requirements for early childhood

educators

Enhance families’ access to high-quality early childhood education opportunities

Authorize the intensive interventions and enable supports necessary to turn around Connecticut’s lowest performing schools and districts

Deliver more resources targeted to the districts with the greatest need provided they embrace key reforms that position students for success

Expand the availability of high-quality school models including traditional, magnet, charter, and others

Unleash innovation by removing red tape and other barriers to success, especially in high-performing schools and districts

Ensure that our schools are home to the very best teachers and principals—working within a fair system that values skills and effectiveness over seniority and tenure

Six Guiding Principles

As a “competitive district”, TPS will be eligible for some of the 250 seats (out of 1000 total)

Facilities study for early childhood expansion Tiered Quality Rating and Improvement System

for home, center, and school-based early child care and learning

Pilot study to promote best practices in early literacy

New K-3 statewide reading assessment State-wide reading plan for K-3 Creation of intensive reading instruction program

High quality early childhood education opportunities

All certified employees working in K-3 (i.e. teachers & administrators) must take and pass a SBE-approved practice reading instruction exam annually

State-developed professional development plan in reading instruction◦ Based on reading assessment data◦ Differentiated to address teacher needs◦ Identify mentor teachers◦ Establish a vision for the “model classroom”◦ Be job-embedded◦ Inform principals to be better supervisors

Impact for schools and teachers

Commissioner's Network of 25 lowest-performing schools

Establish school-based “Turnaround Committees”; Commissioner may also impose a plan

Schools can be turned over to outside school operators to be run in 6 of 25 sites (RESCs, universities, non-profits, charter management organizations)

Intensive Interventions

School Performance Index Five Categories (1 is best, 5 is worst) Based on students’ weighted performance

on statewide mastery tests in math, reading, writing, and science

Weighted by achievement growth, change over time, graduation and drop-out rates

Some alternative will be used for secondary schools where data is not available

Determining school status

Category 3 schools may be required to provide:◦ Early education opportunities◦ Summer school◦ Extended day◦ Weekend classes◦ Tutors◦ Targeted PD

Consequences

Operational and instructional audits Required achievement/improvement plans State direction of the use of state and

federal funds Incentives to attract high quality staff Reconstitution or transfer of staff Required model curriculum Establishment of school schools or

academies

Potential interventions for Category 4 & 5

Inter-district school choice Possible appointment of superintendent or

special master by commissioner Ask union to re-open contract to revise

employment conditions Expedited arbitration to allow for

implementation of improvement plans Possible school governance councils Possible reconstituted school boards

More interventions

Increase ECS funding by $50M with $39.5 M targeted to 30 lowest-performing districts (Alliance districts)

Accountability for funding low-performing districts: no discretion in how additional state provided funds are spent

Common Chart of Accounts as a budgetary template for better transparency of spending

Target resources and accountibility

Increase funding for charters Expand efforts of charters to serve priority

student populations including ELL, dual-language, special education, minority, special needs

Incentives to BOEs including start-up and operating grants for charters

More funding for Ag-Science, vocational-technical, and magnet schools

District must publicize school choice options on their websites

School models

CommPACT schools Social Development model RESC management or governance School reorganization model

◦ Themed academies◦ Required block scheduling for math and literacy◦ Frequent student assessment

Turnaround school models

Low performing schools may offer employment to top students in state teacher education programs early in the hiring season

Category 1 & 2 schools may be excused from completing some data collection for SDE

Reduce the number of data forms collected by the SDE by one-third

Create a Red Tape Review Task Force

Remove red tape

Annual performance evaluations with growth in student achievement as a primary factor in accordance with framework developed by Performance Evaluation Advisory Council

Four ratings for teacher performance: exemplary, proficient, developing, below standard

Remediation plans for all developing and below standard

New evaluation system piloted by 8-10 districts Elimination of current system of CEUs and establish

new guidelines for PD models which job-embedded coaching as predominant form of training

Quality teachers and principals

Tenure based on effective practice not years of service

“Ineffective” (not incompetent) is standard for dismissal

Shortened timelines for terminating teachers deemed ineffective by teacher evaluation plan: fair, speedy, and manageable, reduced timelines

Utilizes outside “validators” to review performance of most and least effective teachers

Establishes a “distinguished educator” designation

Efforts to assure quality

Increase the number of family resource centers and school-based health clinics in Alliance districts

Physical exercise requirement for Grades K-5: 20 minutes in a regular school day

Municipal Aid for New Teachers: grants to hire top graduates

Open Choice program incentive (Sheff districts)

Study of small district issues Extension of Minimum Budget Requirement

Other items

Family Resource Centers & School-based health clinics

Open choice incentives School performance indices, actions regarding

low-achieving schools, reconstitution of local BOE Turnaround plan referees School governance councils Approval of new charter schools Teacher evaluation programs Teacher evaluation and support pilot program Intensive reading instruction program

Timeline: 2012

New school readiness program spaces Early childhood education facility study Early childhood quality rating and improvement system Early literacy pilot extension New statewide reading assessments Professional development in reading Uniform system of accounting and chart of accounts Study of small district issues Alliance districts Changes in professional development for educators ECS grant increases for some districts MBR requirement Grant increases for non-Sheff magnet schools Per-student grant for Vo-Ag centers K-3 reading program Requirement to pass reading instruction test Pre-literacy course

2013

Teacher reading exam Municipal aid for new teachers program Commissioner’s Network schools State and local charter funding Charter school opt-out lottery study Neag study of pilot program (teacher evaluation) Evaluation training SDE audit of evaluation programs Teacher tenure and termination Summer school and extended day grant phase

out for former priority school districts

2014

Expanded classroom experience requirements for teacher prep programs

Professional educator certificate changes

2015 and beyond

Physical exercise requirement for K-5 School district cost saving grants Exemplary schools Disseminating information on school options Collective bargaining and turnaround plans Non-profit educational management organization requirements Accountability law and school governance councils Distinguished educator designation Ongoing evaluation training School superintendent certification waivers Special education payments for children in DMHAS Changes in technical high school system SDE website information Study of disproportionality of minority students in special education School incentive program to improve reading Information sharing system

Implementation date not specified