SB 458, 54: An act concerning educational reform PA 12-50: an act concerning requirements for early childhood educators

 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

 As a “competitive district”, TPS will be eligible for some of the 250 seats (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

 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

 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)

 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

 Category 3 schools may be required to provide: ◦ Early education opportunities ◦ Summer school ◦ Extended day ◦ Weekend classes ◦ Tutors ◦ Targeted PD

 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

 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

 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

 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

 CommPACT schools  Social Development model  RESC management or governance  School reorganization model ◦ Themed academies ◦ Required block scheduling for math and literacy ◦ Frequent student assessment

 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

 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

 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

 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 (Sheff districts)  Study of small district issues  Extension of Minimum Budget Requirement

 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

 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

 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

 Expanded classroom experience requirements for teacher prep programs  Professional educator certificate changes

 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