A recent exchange between the governor’s budget chief and the co-chair of the legislature’s Education Committee was telling.
CCJEF vs. Rell
Posted inEducation, Money
Education funding reform: More for the cities — or maybe less
As proposed, Gov. Dannel P. Malloy’s state budget would be a financial boon for Connecticut’s cities, but nothing in it ensures that any additional money headed their way will go to their troubled schools. Here are the major elements of the educational funding plan that state and municipal leaders must address in the weeks ahead.
Posted inEducation, Money, Politics
Some education aid increases might not be spent on schools
In his new budget Gov. Dannel P. Malloy is proposing to increase state education grants to 52 cities and towns with struggling schools by about $230 million, but it will be up to the municipalities to determine whether to actually spend it on their schools – or use it to close their own local budget shortfalls or make up for other state budget cuts.
Posted inEducation, Money
Malloy proposes shaking up state education aid
NEW BRITAIN — Standing in the library of an elementary school that was at the center of a recent school-funding trial, Gov. Dannel P. Malloy Monday released his plans for redistributing existing levels of state education aid in ways he said would help the most impoverished school districts.
Posted inEducation
School funding reform: Ideas and challenges aplenty
With the governor set to lay out his proposals for education aid this week, numerous advocacy groups, rank-and-file legislators and a group suing the state over school funding have been pitching changes they would like to see. The bulk of the ideas are not new – but most would be controversial or expensive.
Posted inEducation, Justice
State orders probe of special ed system that ‘sounds…broken’
When educators were unable to help Susan Davis’s 8-year-old autistic son calm down at school, he was put into a four- by six-foot, custom-built box. That and other stories convinced the State Board of Education to order a six-month review of special education delivery in Connecticut.
Posted inEducation, Money, Politics
Malloy begins making a case for changes to local school funding
Malloy, a Democrat, has been reminding everyone that Connecticut covers the entire cost of municipal teachers’ pensions in both affluent and impoverished school districts, and those costs are escalating quickly. This has left many local leaders worried their overall state aid may be cut to help close the 8 percent deficit in the next state budget.
Posted inEducation, Money
Malloy budget chief: Scale back aid for local school construction
Gov. Dannel P. Malloy will push to scale back spending on local school construction projects in the next state budget because Connecticut is on pace to exceed its borrowing limit.
Posted inEducation, Justice
State appeal of education ruling: 5 things to know
State attorneys have submitted a brief to the Connecticut Supreme Court in an effort to persuade the justices to throw out much of a Superior Court order deeming the state’s educational funding system unconstitutional. Here are five things to know about the state’s case as it moves forward.
Posted inEducation
Another push to delay linking teacher evaluations with test scores
More time is needed before requiring that teachers be evaluated based in part on student test scores, says the panel the State Board of Education relies on for advice in such matters. The state board has pushed back the deadline for doing so year after year, and the last time members said it would be the last.
Posted inNews
Feds have concerns with judge’s special education ruling
The U.S. Department of Education wrote the state’s education commissioner this week to share concerns about a state judge’s order telling Connecticut lawmakers to reassess what level of services students with significant disabilities are entitled to.
Posted inEducation, Justice
Troubled schools on trial: Will a scathing court decision lead to action?
While changing the way the state distributes school aid among towns may draw substantial support from legislators and the governor, they have shown little interest in, or have outright rejected, changing other polices a Superior Court judge found unconstitutional. Last of seven stories.
Posted inEducation, Justice
Troubled schools on trial: Special education driving costs and controversies
The rate at which students are identified for special education varies drastically across school districts, and school officials differ on whether that’s because districts are over- or under-indentifying students. But they agree the rising cost to educate these students has outpaced inflation and crowds out other supports for students. The state judge presiding over a recent school funding trial blamed the state for not enforcing clear mandates on who is entitled to special education. Sixth of seven stories.
Posted inEducation, Justice
Troubled schools on trial: What does a high school diploma prove?
A seeming paradox – rising graduation rates coupled with low standardized test scores and high demand for remedial courses in college – was among the reasons that a Hartford Superior Court judge ruled that the state fails to provide students with the education the state constitution says they are entitled to. Fifth of seven stories.
Posted inEducation
Troubled schools on trial: Who’s in charge? State vs. local control
Introducing bold reforms or enforcing standards to aid struggling students in poor districts have largely stalled at the state Capitol or the State Department of Education amid conflict over policy, local control or whether resources are adequate. Fourth of seven stories.