New Haven, Conn.–Today, the Connecticut State Department of Education released its annual scorecard for schools and districts in Connecticut. This is the first year this new accountability system is fully implemented, as approved by the U.S. Department of Education as part of Connecticut’s Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) waiver in 2012.
“This report is an important tool that allows parents, district and school leaders, and other stakeholders to get a “snapshot” of how Connecticut’s school and districts are performing. It allows us to see where we are doing well and where we need to continue to improve,” said Jeffrey Villar, executive director of the Connecticut Council for Education Reform.
“This year’s scorecard shows that significant gaps in achievement continue to persistent between low-income children and their more affluent peers,” said Villar, “but there are’bright spots’ in this year’s report. For example, the number of ‘focus’ schools—schools that have particularly poor performance amongst Black, Hispanic, and low-income subgroups—has decreased from 55 in 2012 to 42 schools in 2013.”
“Perhaps the most important takeaway here is that we need to be vigilant about implementing the landmark education reforms that came out of the 2012 legislative session,” Villar concluded. “They remain our best hope of getting to a day when every child in Connecticut receives a first class education.”
About the Connecticut Council for Education Reform
The Connecticut Council for Education Reform (CCER) is a statewide, non-partisan, 501(c)(3) organization that works to close the achievement gap while raising academic outcomes for all students in Connecticut. The achievement gap is the disparity in academic achievement between minority and children and their peers. We support reforms that advance best practices and innovations in education to ensure that every child has an exceptional education. We do our work primarily by: (1) advocating for state policies and state and local practices that research shows have the best chance of raising achievement for high-need student populations; (2) working directly with districts to build strong systems that will support reform efforts; and (3) raising public awareness about the need to affect long-term, sweeping change in the public education system. Our Board of Directors is comprised of prominent business and civic leaders who are deeply committed to our mission.
For more information on CCER, go to www.ctedreform.org.
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Contact: Nicki Perkins
Nicki.Perkins@ctedreform.org
C: 203.506.5799
O: 203.859.6615
