K-12

A state board has ruled that the school bus drivers hired by Newtown Public Schools are not part of a labor organization because they are independent contractors, a decision that could have an impact on districts across the state. The State Board of Labor Relations wrote in a 14-page decision that the drivers are not […]

New London — The State Board of Education has extended the appointment of special master Steven Adamowski to the New London school district for three more months. Adamowski, who was appointed to a one-year term July 1, 2012, will remain with New London through Sept. 30. He was charged by the state to help the New […]

The State Board of Education on Monday decided they would not be meeting in private to discuss the Bridgeport leadership drama. A judge last month ruled that Paul Vallas — the district’s superintendent — does not have the proper qualifications to run the district. In April, the state board approved an independent study created for Vallas to complete at the University […]

A superior court judge ruled Wednesday that the superintendent of Connecticut’s largest public school system must vacate his job immediately. Brigeport Superintendent Paul Vallas had been hoping he could remain on the job while the city appealed an earlier ruling by the same judge that found he does not qualify for the job. Gov. Dannel […]

What does U.S. Education Secretary Arne Duncan think about the recent court decision that the superintendent of Connecticut’s largest public school system is not eligible to run Bridgeport schools? “A superintendent is told he can’t hold his job. That’s fascinating to me,” Duncan told The Huffington Post. Vallas has said he intends to appeal the Superior Court judge’s ruling.  State law […]

Bridgeport Superintendent Paul Vallas has signed a resolution with the local teachers’ union for the “successful implementation” of the school panels mandated by state law aimed at increasing teacher and parental involvement in the lowest-performing schools. The resolution follows Vallas and Gary Peluchette, the president of the Bridgeport Education Association, meeting in Hartford with the state’s […]

Looks like officials at the State Department of Education have changed their minds about not releasing the applications of those seeking to open new charter schools in the state. The department has now made available three of the seven pending applications. (See the application for the charter in Waterbury here, Norwalk here and Windham/Willimantic here.) The move to release […]

Connecticut may soon become the 15th state to forbid school districts from requiring students to participate or observe animal dissections. The state House of Representatives Wednesday voted 131-8 in support of a bill that requires students be offered an alternative following their parents’ signing off on them not participating in the dissection lesson. The Humane […]

As seven groups vying to open new charter schools in the state wait to find out if the State Board of Education will approve their applications so they can open, a child advocacy group is calling on the board to release the applications. “Without access to the application documents, the public will not be able […]

Allan Taylor has again become the chair of the state board charged with implementing the governor’s statewide education reforms. Taylor was nominated to the State Board of Education and named chairman by Gov. Dannel P. Malloy. The nomination was approved by the General Assembly last month. The 11-person State Board Education has recently experienced some turnover, […]

Turns out the additional funding that the federal government is willing to provide the state-run technical high schools to offer more healthful meals is not a big enough carrot for the 16-school district to bite. The State Board of Education Wednesday unanimously voted to opt out of the national “Healthy Food Certification” program that would […]

Several school districts in Connecticut have placed armed police officers or security guards in their schools in response to a gunman killing 26 children and educators at Sandy Hook Elementary School last December — a move Gov. Dannel P. Malloy said he supports. However, the governor does not expect the state to provide any funding […]

State officials have settled a longstanding lawsuit with the U.S. Department of Education following charges that the State Department of Education “submitted false claims for payment” by misrepresenting the number of children that qualified for special education services. The settlement requires the state pay the federal government $4.5 million. The settlement resolves overpayment by the […]