Six Education and Business Groups Call On Lawmakers To Improve SB 24

April 4, 2012 • Press Releases

“Lack of urgency” in new bill considered unacceptable

HARTFORD—Six education and business groups* today released a joint analysis of revisions to Senate Bill 24 and suggestions for improving the bill to meet the challenges in Connecticut’s school system.

The group first came together in February to release a joint statement of support for significant education reform proposals. Since that point, the Education Committee worked out a version of S.B. 24 that does not reflect all stakeholder input, lacks urgency and will not bring about the bold reforms Connecticut must undertake if we are to close our worst-in-the nation achievement gaps and prepare all students to participate in the 21st century economy.

This joint analysis revisits the priority areas in our original statement, outlines how the original S.B. 24 was stripped to the point where it stands today, and offers recommendations for ensuring that the final version of the bill will be legislation that leads to the fundamental reforms Connecticut’s students need.

Our coalition believes that this situation can—and must—be improved.  Bipartisan leadership and a collective effort of all stakeholders, in partnership with Governor Malloy and Education Commissioner Pryor, can help restore the tenets of bold reform to S.B. 24. We hope lawmakers will consider these responsibilities seriously and do what it takes to enact meaningful reform this year.

* The groups are: Connecticut Association of Public School Superintendents (CAPSS), the Connecticut Association of Boards of Education (CABE), the Connecticut Association of Schools (CAS), the Connecticut Council for Education Reform (CCER), the Connecticut Business and Industry Association (CBIA), and the Connecticut Coalition for Achievement Now (ConnCAN).

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