In his historic and sweeping decision on Connecticut’s broken school funding system, Judge Thomas Moukawsher announced something we have been shouting from the rooftops for years – many of Connecticut’s kids are not getting the education they deserve and was promised to them under law. They’re languishing. Their rights are being violated. It’s unconstitutional, it’s unfair and finally it seems people have woken up and are taking notice.
Jeremiah Grace
Posted inCT Viewpoints
On their 20th anniversary, Connecticut’s charter schools deserve support
Twenty years ago this weekend, Gov. John Rowland signed a bill into law and by doing so changed the trajectory of the lives of thousands of Connecticut children. The bill he signed established public charter schools in the Constitution State and was a monumental step forward that has transformed the lives of tens of thousands of children, and it will continue to do so in the coming decades.
Posted inCT Viewpoints
School funding inequity is affecting charter schools, too
Connecticut’s education funding system is broken – with charter school students receiving on average $4,000 less in funding than their peers in district schools. And this disparity in funding hurts low-income children of color most because those are the majority of the students charters in Connecticut serve.
Posted inCT Viewpoints
Connecticut charter schools not really getting a funding increase
Let’s set the record straight. Public charter school students do not receive a funding increase in Gov. Dannel Malloy’s proposed budget. They will still receive the same state per-pupil grant that they have received for several years. Put simply: all public schools are flat-funded across the board. A recent story by the CT Mirror suggested otherwise, and we want to ensure the facts are front and center.
Posted inCT Viewpoints
Connecticut’s charter schools stronger than ever
2015 was a landmark year for public charter schools in Connecticut. A record 9,000 children are now enrolled in charters and two new schools opened in Bridgeport and Stamford, bringing the state’s total to 24. And a new study shows that accountability measures recently signed into law make Connecticut’s charter law stronger than ever. Moving forward, we must pay close attention to how public charter school students are treated compared to their peers. State leaders should read NACSA’s study on national charter laws and look to other states on how to bring approval process up to par. And they should also applaud themselves for the accountability measures passed this June.
Posted inCT Viewpoints
Connecticut charter school work is not done
Almost everyone remembers the first day of school. Families rush to get all the necessary back-to-school supplies and new-school clothes. There’s the anticipation of a new teacher, and new friends. There’s a chance to start fresh and put your best foot forward. And this new school year brings significant excitement for more than 1,000 new Connecticut charter school students just months after their families fought and won a battle for a spot in these schools of choice.
Posted inCT Viewpoints
School funding in Connecticut is fundamentally flawed, all agree
Connecticut’s funding system for all public schools is fundamentally broken. This dysfunction causes the incessant fighting over the state budget each year. Connecticut needs a funding solution for every school – charter, district, magnet, and the rest – that ensures that all students have the resources they need to learn.
Posted inCT Viewpoints
CT Legislators must deliver on charter school promises in Bridgeport, Stamford
Last week, the state’s Appropriations Committee proposed a budget that includes cuts of more than $20 million dollars to public charter schools — including funding for Capital Prep Harbor and Stamford Charter School for Excellence — two approved schools that families have been demanding and are counting on. This budget would stifle the progress we’ve made in the past few years and would hurt the future of children across our state.
Posted inNews
Op-Ed: CEA rhetoric not helping kids, public schools are
The CEA’s recent Op-Ed, “Connecticut charter schools a good idea gone awry,” made a bunch of claims that aren’t only false, they’re dishonest and frankly insulting to parents who are exercising their right to choose a school for their children.
Posted inCT Viewpoints
CEA rhetoric not helping kids, public schools are
The CEA’s recent Op-Ed, “Connecticut charter schools a good idea gone awry,” made a bunch of claims that aren’t only false, they’re dishonest and frankly insulting to parents who are exercising their right to choose a school for their children.
Posted inNews
Op-Ed: Governor must maintain focus on kids
There is an urgent need for more public school options in the state of Connecticut, and families expect the governor to work with them to move the ball forward.
Posted inCT Viewpoints
Governor must maintain focus on kids
There is an urgent need for more public school options in the state of Connecticut, and families expect the governor to work with them to move the ball forward.
Posted inEducation
When charters and districts collaborate, parents and kids win
Hartford is a national example of the success that is possible when school districts and public charter schools collaborate — and parents and students benefit most. The Hartford Board of Education has voted to expand its nationally recognized collaboration with Achievement First, which currently operates three public charter schools in the city, serving students from […]