Presentation Transcript

1. Connecticut Education Reform

   SB 458, 54: An act concerning educational reform PA 12-50: an act concerning requirements for early childhood educators
2. Six Guiding Principles 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
3. High quality early childhood education opportunities As a “competitive district”, TPS will be eligible for some of the 250seats(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
4. Impact for schools and teachers 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
5. Intensive Interventions 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)
6. Determining school status 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
7. Consequences Category 3 schools may be required to provide: Early education opportunities Summer school Extended day Weekend classes Tutors Targeted PD
8. Potential interventions for Category 4 & 5 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
9. More interventions 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
10. Target resources and accountibility 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
11. School models 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
12. Turnaround 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
13. Remove red tape 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
14. Quality teachers and principals 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
15. Efforts to assure quality 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
16. Other items 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 (Sheffdistricts) Study of small district issues Extension of Minimum Budget Requirement
17. Timeline: 2012 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
18. 2013 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
19. 2014 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
20. 2015 and beyond Expanded classroom experience requirements for teacher prep programs Professional educator certificate changes
21. Implementation date not specified 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