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Teachers look forward to being part of a productive partnership with policymakers, administrators, parents, and community leaders in the wake of U.S. Department of Education Secretary Arne Duncan’s announcement yesterday that Connecticut has secured a waiver from No Child Left Behind (NCLB).

“We are ready to think creatively about how to use federal flexibility to help all students succeed,” said CEA President Phil Apruzzese following the announcement. “NCLB’s overreliance on testing and negative labels did not promote the thoughtfulness that is necessary to develop effective strategies for school improvement. It’s our expectation that we will be working closely with education stakeholders to develop sound accountability and support systems to replace NCLB mandates.”

CEA Executive Director Mary Loftus Levine said, “With this waiver program, the federal government has acknowledged that NCLB took schools in the wrong direction from teaching to the test to imposing requirements that had little basis in research. The best ideas don’t come from Washington or outside consultants or bureaucrats; they are ground-up reforms that embrace collaboration and proven ideas that work.”

Provisions of Connecticut’s new school reform law, signed by the governor on May 15, were predicated on getting the federal waiver. Loftus Levine continued, “There is great potential in our new law, since it recognizes how misguided the NCLB focus on testing truly was. As the new law is implemented, Connecticut has to be careful about the choices it makes. We need to keep one thing at the forefront of our thinking: Teachers, students, and schools should be judged on multiple indicators with the support and resources to get reform done right.”

Federal officials getting out of the way
At a Hartford news conference announcing the NCLB Waiver, Secretary Duncan said his goal with the waiver is “to get out the way” so that states can develop “locally tailored solutions” as education stakeholders roll up their sleeves and work together to identify the best plans.

According to state and federal officials the waiver will provide that Connecticut:

• has greater flexibility with Federal Title 1 dollars, meaning that the state can now use that money to fund programs and reform models that are right for Connecticut and gets it to the students who need it;

• avoids a situation where nearly half of the state’s public schools would have been deemed  “failing” – setting in motion massive restructuring and possibly even school closures; and

• creates a system that more accurately measures student achievement across all levels.

“Receiving a waiver from the No Child Left Behind Act will ensure that Connecticut has the flexibility to implement a reform plan that fits our state, one that is not bound strictly by federal mandates,” Governor Dannel P. Malloy said.  “For years, while other states implemented education reform plans, Connecticut stuck to the old way of doing things and many of our students suffered for it.  But the debate we had over the last few months sent a powerful message – that we were finally serious about turning around struggling schools.  Now that we have a reform plan in place, we will begin working in earnest to close the nation’s largest achievement gap.

According to Secretary Duncan Connecticut’s waiver application was among the strongest submitted.  He noted the importance of the state’s new reform law saying it was a “huge step.” Governor Malloy referred to the new laws as a tool set that the state can use to close the achievement gap.

Connecticut Education Commissioner Stefan Pryor said, “This waiver application captures the education reform activities Connecticut is genuinely and vigorously in the process of pursuing.  From Common Core implementation to low performing school turnaround to educator evaluation, we were able to convey Connecticut’s authentic agenda in our presentation to the federal Education Department.  We’re proud that our state’s application has been approved and we’re very grateful for the flexibility Secretary Duncan is enabling us to exercise in pursuit of our Connecticut agenda.”

CEA President Phil Apruzzese attends the education bill signing at the Capitol today.

Teachers’ commitment to students and public education was a clear presence at the State Capitol today as Governor Dannel P. Malloy signed Connecticut’s new education reform law. What a difference teachers make when they advocate through political action.

This spring, legislator after legislator commented on the volume of communications they received from teachers. CEA President Phil Apruzzese said, “My thanks to all my colleagues. Whether you made phone calls, sent e-mails, sent postcards, or met with legislators back home or at the State Capitol, you made the difference. Our rallies in April, where 2,000 of you showed your spirit and character, were spectacular events that will go down in CEA’s history books.”

In a Hartford Courant article today, Senate President Don Williams is quoted as saying that listening to teachers made a big difference. “It was critical to resolving the differences,” he said, “and it made perfect sense because I think only teachers could have given input necessary to resolve it, because they are the ones in the classroom.”

The difference between the governor’s original bill and what was enacted is remarkable and the scope and timing of the new law ensures proper planning and implementation. Some changes will not commence until July 1, 2013, while the implementation date of others is in 2014.

After the bill signing ceremony, Education Commissioner Stefan Pryor said the “Initial bill was rough around the edges, but the legislative process polished it and helped create a better bill.”

Please extend your thanks to legislators, especially Senate President Don Williams, House Speaker Chris Donovan, and Education Committee Co-Chair Senator Andrea Stillman, for their leadership and tireless efforts in legislative negotiations. The Senate adopted the legislation in a 28-to-7 vote, while the House of Representatives voted unanimously for the measure. Teachers also appreciate the job that Education Committee Co-Chair Andrew Fleischmann did managing the House floor debate.

Please use the link and phone numbers below to contact your legislators who supported positive education reform and thank them.

www.cga.ct.gov/asp/menu/CGAFindLeg.asp

Senate Democrats  1-800-842-1420           Senate Republicans  1-800-842-1421

House Democrats  1-800-842-1902            House Republicans  1-800-842-1423

Statement from CEA Executive Director Mary Loftus Levine

In the wake of news reports that the U.S. Department of Education is aware of the legislative debate underway in Connecticut and is monitoring the developments relative to approving Connecticut’s waiver application, CEA Executive Director Mary Loftus Levine today issued comment.

She emphasized that the U.S. Department of Education required compliance with collective bargaining laws and respect for teachers’ voices in effective school reform in its guidelines prepared for states seeking waivers from the No Child Left Behind (NCLB) act.

The federal guidelines can be found at www.ed.gov/esea/flexibility. They say, “Nothing in these principles shall be construed to alter or otherwise affect the rights, remedies, and procedures afforded school or school district employees under Federal, State, or local laws (including applicable regulations or court orders) or under the terms of collective bargaining agreements, memoranda of understanding, or other agreements between such employees and their employers.”

Loftus Levine said, “This clear direction from Washington is just one more reason why the governor’s original education bill is a dangerous experiment. By running roughshod over teachers’ collective bargaining rights, it is clear today that the governor’s proposal would jeopardize our waiver application.”

Loftus Levine continued, “In sharp contrast, Substitute SB 24 provides a better path consistent with priorities being established in Washington. We simply have to get reform done right in Connecticut.”

Loftus Levine is a member of the state Performance Evaluation Advisory Council (PEAC). State Education Commissioner Stefan Pryor urged the council to approve a teacher evaluation framework (even though guidelines and the total evaluation system have yet to be developed) to enable Connecticut to qualify for a waiver. When the State Board of Education approved the framework, the commissioner expressed optimism that it was consistent with requirements promulgated in Washington.