QUALITY EDUCATION = COMPETITIVE WORKFORCE

SUPPORT GOVERNOR MALLOY’S EDUCATION REFORM AGENDA

FACT:

Connecticut has the largest achievement gap among income groups nationally.

FACT:

All students deserve equal access to a quality education to ensure they are career ready.


In order to stimulate job growth, we must prepare a sustainable and qualified workforce based on a public education system that graduates high-performing students.  Right now, nearly half of third graders in low-performing schools are lagging behind their peers in reading proficiency.  Given the intense global competition for jobs and capital investment, Connecticut must take the appropriate and bold steps outlined in Governor Malloy’s reform agenda to strengthen our education system so that all students can graduate with the skills and experience demanded by the private and public sectors.

Connecticut starts its reform effort from a position of strength with a talented corps of teachers and administrators and engaged parents – all dedicated to the goal of high-performing schools and fully prepared graduates.  Despite our strengths, we are simultaneously and painfully aware of our state’s shameful achievement gap.

Closing the gap will require at minimum:

• Intervention in the early grades to reverse deficient performance,
• Turning around failing schools,
• Preparing, certifying and retaining effective educators and school leaders,
• Supporting alternative public school options,
• Focusing on science and math to meet the demand of growing industries and
• Providing greater funding transparency.
  

We endorse these goals and ask our legislature to do the same.