Where We Live: The Education Session
The education commissioner discusses the future of education in Connecticut.
Governor Malloy has called this upcoming legislative session “The Education Session.”
You can see why. Connecticut has one of the worst achievement gaps in the nation. Students in wealthy, suburban schools do as well - or better - than any in the country.
Students in poor, urban schools, too often perform poorly on tests - drop out of schools at too high a rate - and aren’t prepared for college or work.
Malloy has laid out some plans to reform the schools - and the man he’s picked to accomplish the task is Stefan Pryor.
Pryor comes the very successful Amistad Academy and the charter school company Achievement First, which operates schools in Connecticut and New York.
Today, Pryor will answer your questions about school funding, early childhood education, teacher quality, and his own role in the charter school movement.
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We must replicate those schools that are effective, whatever the governance or management model.
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Rare Moment
Isn’t it human nature to procrastinate until a crisis envelopes you? Certainly, that has been the case in American education, from Sputnik to desegregation, from the national security argument posed in A Nation at Risk in 1983 to the cradle-to-prison-pipeline, to Connecticut’s dubious distinction today – having the nation’s largest achievement gap.
Our hope – indeed our plea – is that the powers-that-be will face up to our school improvement imperative and act with urgency (our specific views on this are well known and on our website at www.achievehartford.org). As witness to the steady struggle for hard-won gains here in Hartford, we know real change is not always pretty. But that’s not the goal.
By being proactive now, our state can exercise the courage and the will to do what’s best for kids. Education does not often occupy center stage. We have a rare opportunity to make substantive progress. No less than our children’s futures and our state and national quality of life are at stake.
Email from Michele
I was very interested in your program this morning (interviewing the state commissioner of education). The best example that I can think of with regard to the way that this state manages education is the technology schools system (completely run by the state). In my opinion, this system of schools in ct. has the potential to provide graduates ready to work in industry or go on to college level education in math, science, engineering etc. Further, tech schools provide students with a way of learning that is different from the traditional high school model. What has the state done with this system with so much potential? Continuously underfunded it and even considered doing away with the system completely. Equipment is years old, programs are cut whenever the thought arises. Whenever I hear state education representatives talk about what needs to be done with public education, I think of the way they deal with the tech schools of ct.
Email from Tarah
Mr. Pryor,
I would like to show your the curriculum from "WHY SCIENCE',which dr. akpalu has created around making teacher training more involved.
Could you please respond. Listening to the Where we live now.
Email from Eliana
Why aren't you talking about the Montessori method of education, which was proven decades ago to bring learning-challenged kids up to "normal" levels to say nothing of the fantastic way it teaches mainstream kids. I'm a parent of two children at the Montessori Magnet School at Annie Fisher, a public school in Hartford and couldn't be more pleased with the instruction.
It also solves the problem of teaching kids at their level. With the mixed-age classrooms (3, 4 5 yrs or 6, 7 8 yrs), a child who is a little behind is one of several older kids in the classroom, does work appropriate to their level, and is considered a leader in their classroom, rather than a dummy. And faster kids are also able to work at their level and are not slowed down in their studies. This is because of the individualized insturctional materials and the independent learning methods that they are instructed in.
I must say though, that excellent teachers are the key. A non-perfroming teacher would be devastating in this context, so good teachers are paramount.
Email from Will
A few minutes ago you were talking about poverty being the biggest factor in people falling behind. In particular there are rich and poor communities in the state. I live in NH where the poor towns sued the state and won allowing them to obtain funds from the wealthy communities. Why isn't this done in CT? I live and grew up in Darien, I got a great education. Not everyone has been this lucky.
Email from Brooke
In Connecticut, the vast majority of education reform focus has been placed on the achievement gap and bringing under performing districts up to proficiency level. While helping underperforming districts that fall below proficiency is indeed laudable, it again ignores those students with the highest potential who present across socioeconomic demographics in comparable percentages. In a state that has no legislative mandate for addressing the needs of gifted and talented students, we run the risk of these students in under-served communities once again being left behind if we are only focusing on bringing performance up to proficiency level without any focus being place on those with high ability potential. To his credit, Commissioner Pryor has shown an appreciation for this concern, so could he please share thoughts on how to ensure these children's needs are not ignored in broader education reform.
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