SDE: Secondary School Reform in Connecticut

Secondary School Reform in Connecticut
 
  {Three high school students with graduation caps and gowns on}
 "We have a responsibility to our children to prepare them for the demands of the 21st Century. Outdated structures and approaches in our high schools must be replaced with engaging, content-rich experiences that will enable our students to achieve at higher levels and to compete successfully in the world economy."
 
Mark K. McQuillan
Commissioner of Education
 
 
The State Department of Education has begun the process to reform Connecticut's secondary schools and bring to students new supports, new experiences and more rigorous graduation requirements.
 
 
Connecticut's Proposal for Reform 
 
 
 
 (Brochure) [pdf] 478KB 
 
(Raised Bill No.944)
 
An Act Concerning High School Reform (Substitute Bill No. 6488)
 
 
{boy doing algebra with a green and blue algebra book next to him}
 
Facts about High School Education
 
 
 
 
Key Elements of the Reform
 
Why Secondary School Reform Must Be Comprehensive Reform including Student Engagement, Rigor, Student Support, and Improved Learning Environment:
 
 
Reality Check surveys by Public Agenda, Inc. have found that most parents believe their child is doing all right in school. Nearly seven in 10 believe their child will have the skills needed to succeed in college, and six in 10 say their child is getting a better education than they did.
 
Parents certainly don't think their local schools are flawless. They support efforts to increase math and science courses (67 percent) and say it's "crucial for today's students to learn higher level math skills" (62 percent).
 
But their biggest concern isn't academics. It's social problems and student behavior. When asked about the most pressing problem facing local high schools, 73 percent of the parents said "social problems and kids who misbehave" compared to only 15 percent who said "low academic standards." Low income parents are even more concerned. Nearly three-quarters worry "a lot" about protecting their kids from drugs and alcohol, compared to 56 percent who worry a lot about low quality public schools.
 
So solving the math and science problem means addressing both types of concerns about what goes on in school: growing tomorrow's scientists and keeping an eye on how they behave.  Because there's no way of solving this math and science equation unless everyone gets on the same page.

  1. Capstone Projects
    What is a Capstone Project? [Doc]
     
    Capstone Presentation [ppt]
     
    Connecticut Essential and Recommended Practices [Doc]
     
    Connecticut Mission and Overview [Doc]

     
  2. Student Success Plans
    Individualized Student Success Plan Begins in the 6th Grade [Doc]

    Connecticut Career Pathways - This guide serves as a resource for educators and provides important links to in-depth information. It provides students with direction as active informed participants in the development of their personalized roadmaps to future career success. 
  3. Student Support/School Environment
    Integrated Approach to Address Health, Well-Being and School Environment
                      Task Force Summary
    The educational needs of secondary students include addressing their overall health and wellbeing.  Engaged students who graduate successfully and become productive and contributing members of their communities not only have high levels of academic prowess and the technological skills to live and work in the 21st century, but importantly they will also lead healthy and balanced lives.  A quality secondary school experience recognizes these critical aspects of the “whole child.”  This committee is charged with addressing individual students’ physical, emotional and behavioral health and wellbeing, as well as ensuring that schools provide rigorous learning environments that are physically and emotionally safe.
  1.  
    Resources
     
     
    What Other States are Doing
     
    Achieve is an independent, bipartisan, non-profit education reform organization based in Washington, D.C. that helps states raise academic standards and graduation requirements, improve assessments and strengthen accountability.
     
    Colorado
    NEW COLORADO STANDARDS FOCUS ON COLLEGE AND WORKFORCE READINESS — The Colorado State Board of Education and the state’s Higher Education Commission took broad steps toward aligning secondary and post-secondary education standards. The move was made as part of a three-year transformation of Colorado’s education system that will also include a new testing system to evaluate students’ knowledge of the standards, possible elimination of the Colorado Student Assessment Program, and altering high school diplomas  to include an honors diploma that  indicates college prep courses taken by students. Detailed standards for each grade are  also expected to be adopted by the State Board of Education by the end of the year. Source: Denver Post (7/1/2009)
     
    It’s an exciting time for education reform in Delaware and across the nation. The planets are aligned. The time is right.
     
    Reform in the middle grades has led to the increased interest in high school reform.
     
    Task Force Recommends Integration of 21st Century Skills Throughout K12 System
     
    To ensure Michigan's students have the skills and knowledge needed for the jobs of the 21st Century global economy, on April 20, 2006, Governor Jennifer M. Granholm signed into law a rigorous new set of statewide graduation requirements that are among the best in the nation.
     
    Graduation Requirements - A proposal for new high school graduation requirements has been approved by the New Jersey state board. The proposal includes the phase-in of additional requirements in mathematics, science and economics, and financial literacy. Following a 60-day public comment period, the updated graduation requirements could receive final passage as early as June.
     
    Texas
    MEASURES TOUGHEN GRAD REQUIREMENTS, CUTS THIRD-GRADE EXAM — Gov. Rick Perry approved a new accountability system for Texas schools that includes tougher graduation requirements, new college-readiness indicators, eliminates a mandate that 3rd graders had to pass the state's TAKS test to be promoted, and changed the state's quality rankings of schools. In addition, the legislation eliminates the requirement that school districts must spend 65 percent of their operating budgets on classroom instruction. Source: Education Week (6/26/09)  
     
    Board of Education Adds Graduation Benchmark to High School Accreditation Standards - New Accountability Requirement Effective in 2011-2012 School Year
     
     
    News
     
     
     
    Schedule a Presentation
     
    Contact:   
     
                   Email:     thomas.murphy@ct.gov  
     
                Office of the Commissioner
                   Connecticut Department of Education
                P.O. Box 2219
                Hartford, Connecticut 06145-2219
     
                   Telephone:      (860) 713-6525
     
     
     
     
     
       




Content Last Modified on 11/18/2009 11:18:34 AM