final black and latino caucus ccjef presentation final

ConnCANMay 1, 2023

CCJEF v. Rell“Schools are for Kids”

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ConnCANMay 1, 2023

CCJEF v. Rell Ruling SummaryJudge Moukawsher gave the state 180 days to develop “rational, sustainable and verifiable” plans to:

• Distribute education dollars via a student-centered funding formula and a method for school construction spending

• Define elementary and secondary education so that all students graduate from high school ready for college and careers

• Link student outcomes to hiring, promotion, pay and evaluation systems for teachers, principals and superintendents

• Identify, provide and fund special education services2

ConnCANMay 1, 2023 3

Nationally, 99% of the 11.6 million jobs created post-recession economy, went to people with some

college education.

Carnevale, Anthony P., Jayasundera, Tamara & Gulish, A., America’s Divided Recovery: College Haves and Have-Nots, Georgetown Univ.: Ctr on Educ. and the Workforce (2016), available at: https://cew.georgetown.edu/cew-reports/americas-divided-recovery/.

ConnCANMay 1, 2023 4A student who is eligible for free/reduced price meals or is an English Language Learner or a student with a disability is included in the “High Needs” category.

But too few kids are on track to college readiness.

Only 39% of 11th grade students are ready for college level work in math.

State Dept. of Educ., 2015-16 CT School Day SAT, available at: http://edsight.ct.gov/.

ConnCANMay 1, 2023

Design A Student-Centered Funding System

• No funding formula in use = irrational, unsustainable, unverifiable, unfair

• 11 different funding methods with little relationship to student need = inequitable funding levels across similar districts, schools, and students• CT’s funding model for schools of choice is out of line

with regional and national practices• Public charter schools receive nearly $4,000 less per

student than host districts, even though they educate students with similar levels of need

Fund students fairly based on their learning needs across all types of schools.

“The system cannot work unless the state sticks to an honest formula that delivers state aid according to local need” – CCJEF Ruling

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ConnCANMay 1, 2023

Fix Funding and Accountability

• Target resources and interventions to highest-need districts, schools

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Pair funding reform with a differentiated accountability system.

• Provide higher performers with greater autonomy and flexibility

Mass. Dep’t of Elementary & Secondary Educ., Framework for Dist. Accountability and Assistance (2012), available at: http://www.mass.gov/edu/docs/ese/accountability/framework.pdf.

ConnCANMay 1, 2023

Define Education: Readiness

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Maintain progress on college and career ready standards and objective measures about student progress towards them (CT Core Standards, SBAC and SAT). • Students and educators are rising to the challenge: in just

one year, more CT students met or exceeded standards on SBAC

(+3.3 percentage points in ELA, +3.9 percentage points in math)Modernize high school exit requirements• VT, ME, RI, CO and others are adopting flexible pathways

and proficiency-based diplomas that allow students to demonstrate mastery through multiple measures

Increase transparency: publish data on postsecondary entrance and completion rates, by high school

“The lack of substantial and rational high-school-graduation standard has resulted in unready children being sent along to high school, handed degrees, and left- if they can scrape together the money-to buy basic skills at a community college.” – CCJEF Ruling


Existing state-funded preschool programs serve less than 2/3 of low-income childrenDevelop a quality ratings system for early childhood providers and target dollars so high needs families can choose and access high-quality providers.Implement a statewide early warning system to identify students at risk so that schools and districts can intervene.• MA Early Warning Indicator Index: K-12 system to identify students who are at

riskExpand early reading interventions.

Define Education: Readiness

ConnCAN, Early Childhood Education in Connecticut: Analysis and Implications, 2015, available at: http://www.conncan.org/research-and-policy/Reports.


Strengthen CT approach to school turnaround• Example: MA law

enabled turnarounds like Lawrence, MA

Increase access to and equitably fund high-quality public school options• Example: Stanford U.

study found Boston charter schools have a positive effect that equates to over 200 additional learning days in math, 150 days in reading each school year

Define Education: State Role“So it is with Connecticut’s schools. Many soar, but some sink…in fact, 2015 NAEP results show that poor children in 30 other states did better in math than Connecticut’s poor-including children in places like Arkansas and Mississippi…” – CCJEF Ruling

Lawrence Public Schools, Our Way Forward (2014), available at: https://www.lawrence.k12.ma.us/users/0files/LPS/Misc/140923_LPS_MCAS_2014_Results.pdf.

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ConnCAN

Connect Staffing Systems to Student Outcomes“Connecticut's teacher evaluation and compensation systems are impermissibly disconnected from student learning.” – CCJEF Ruling

Connect student outcomes to how we prepare, certify, evaluate, support, pay, and promote teachers and leaders.

ConnCAN, Teacher & Administrator Contract Database: Trends – Get the Graphs, available at: http://teachercontracts.conncan.org/

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Connect Staffing Systems to Student OutcomesFully implement an evaluation system tied to multiple measures, including student achievement growth.Require student-focused employment provisions to protect students and high quality teachers and leaders. • Research from cities such as Washington D.C. shows that

evaluation systems tied to multiple measures, including student growth, can dramatically improve the quality of teaching and learning

ConnCAN, Teacher & Administrator Contract Database: Trends – Get the Graphs, available at: http://teachercontracts.conncan.org/


Ensure preparation programs and certification pathways emphasize clinical practice and demonstrated effectiveness over seat time. Hold preparation programs accountable.Simplify and streamline certification and licensure reciprocity policies.Encourage compensation systems that offer accelerated growth, pay and career ladders.• DE: out-of-state candidates who demonstrate successful

experience are eligible for a continuing license without additional coursework or testing

• RI: candidates must complete at least 12 weeks of student teaching with cooperating teachers who have demonstrated effectiveness

• TN: candidates must complete clinical practice experience via 15 weeks of full-day student teaching, full year internship or job-embedded experiences

• FL: local school districts cannot prioritize elements not associated with effectiveness when developing their salary schedules

• DC: LIFT program, a 5-stage career ladder, provides leadership, advancement for high-performing teachers

Connect Staffing Systems to Student Outcomes


Take Action Now“It [the state] certainly can’t say it’s hands are tied when it tied the knots itself.” – CCJEF Ruling

Visit our website, conncan.org, to learn more.

• Improvements are possible• Our kids cannot wait any longer for the quality education they

deserve• ConnCAN stands with you ready to be a resource

Thank You!

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CONTACT US

Liam Sweeney, Director of Government [email protected]

The Connecticut Coalition for Achievement Now (ConnCAN) is a nonprofit organization founded in 2005. We believe that all of Connecticut’s children deserve a high-quality education and works to change state and local policy to make that vision a reality. We conduct research and work with communities to inform and advocate for policies that will lead to excellent schools for all students. We are committed to promoting student-focused policies that ensure all students have equal opportunity and access to an excellent education.

mailto:[email protected]