Connecticut State Department of Education

???? The number of educators of color in CT has now increased to 6,506 (12.1%), up from 4,372 (8.3%) in 2015-16, thanks in part to to programs like... ? The Aspiring Educators Diversity Scholarship ? TEACH CT ? Educators Rising While there is still more work ahead, this milestone is worth celebrating as we continue our commitment to fostering diversity within the educator workforce! LEARN MORE: https://lnkd.in/erD4Bjm6

DID YOU KNOW... Enhanced Reciprocity is transforming the way out-of-state educators bring their talent to Connecticut!

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We are excited to announce the launch a groundbreaking Model K-12 Digital Citizenship Curriculum and an innovative A.I. pilot program across 7 school districts! Read all about it here: https://lnkd.in/ekiNSW53

Governor Ned Lamont is right! #LEAPWorks! Evaluation studies have confirmed that 6 months after the first #LEAP home visit, attendance rates improve by approximately 10% points for students in Grades K-8 and by nearly 15% points for students in Grades 9-12!

Commissioner Charlene M. Russell-Tucker and members of the Connecticut team (Carolyn Kielma, Irene Parisi, and Ron Michaels) serving on The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine Collaborative for Advancing Science Teaching and Learning in K-12 (CASTL-K12) recently participated in its launch. To learn more about CASTL-K12, check out the press release: https://lnkd.in/epZFrYZB It is awesome to have a science teacher – and Connecticut Teacher of the Year! – on the Connecticut team! As part of the event, Commissioner Russell-Tucker, a member of the CASTL-K12 steering committee, moderated a panel entitled “Reflections on a Decade of Research.” As she noted in her opening, the panel discussion brought together researchers and practitioners to “explore how we can strengthen the bridge between what we know and what we do.” Check out the research base here: https://lnkd.in/eus9vgw9

Today, Governor Ned Lamont announced that his proposed 2025 budget will include an increase in funding for towns and cities to provide special education services for students with disabilities, as well as the creation of a new program that incentivizes municipalities to provide special education programming to students in-district or on a regional basis >> https://lnkd.in/epgBGg3C

Today, Ned Lamont and Commissioner Charlene M. Russell-Tucker met with Bridgeport educators who shared with us their passionate and powerful perspectives on the challenges facing Bridgeport schools We are SO grateful for their time, ideas and valuable insights. Watch about it here https://lnkd.in/e-XjYRwW

Earlier this week, we notified the State Board of Education on the status of our ongoing study to better understand annual rate-setting by providers for special education services to students who are outplaced by school districts. This initiative, initiated by Commissioner Charlene M. Russell-Tucker in 2024, aims to address the financial unpredictability associated with these specialized services and help districts better manage their budgets. “Establishing a predictable and transparent process for special education costs is essential to ensuring that districts can focus their resources on providing the best educational opportunities for all students,” said Commissioner Charlene M. Russell-Tucker. “This initiative represents an important step toward addressing a long-standing challenge, and we are committed to working with our partners to develop a framework that supports financial sustainability.” Many states, including Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, and Vermont, have implemented annual rate-setting processes for private special education providers. To better understand the considerations with rate-setting and guide Connecticut’s effort, the CSDE has commissioned a study through the Center for Connecticut Education Research Collaboration (CCERC). This study will connect with educators in other states, including at state agencies, districts, and private special education providers to better understand: 1) The potential advantages and disadvantages of rate setting. 2) Stakeholder perspectives on the benefits and challenges of fixed rates. 3)Best practices and pitfalls from other states. 4) The most effective approaches to establishing and implementing a rate-setting framework. Superintendents across the state have expressed support for the concept of rate setting, recognizing its potential to provide much-needed stability and predictability to district budgets. Their advocacy aligns with Commissioner Russell-Tucker’s initial vision to explore a structured framework that benefits students and districts alike.

Next Thursday, Jan. 16, Charlene M. Russell-Tucker and Louise Dube will lead an #EdHomeroom webinar with The The Hunt Institute on how schools can leverage civic engagement to build stronger connections. To attend, register at https://ow.ly/Bz3450TTywY