Connecticut S.B. 929

Connecticut S.B. 929

Closing the Achievement Gap/Early Literacy

Sec. 1 - Establishes a task force to address the academic achievement gaps in Connecticut by considering effective approaches to closing the achievement gaps in elementary, middle and high schools. Requires the task force to submit a master plan to the General Assembly by July 1, 2012. Provides that the task force must terminate on January 1, 2020.

Sec. 2 - Establishes an Interagency Council for Ending the Achievement Gap (the council) to assist the achievement gap task force, in the development of the master plan to eliminate the academic achievement gaps in Connecticut, implement the provisions of the master plan, and, if necessary, make recommendations for legislation relating to the master plan to the joint standing committee of the General Assembly. Directs the council to submit annual progress reports on the implementation of the master plan to the General Assembly.

Sec. 3 - Permits local or regional boards of education for schools designated as low-achieving under state law to increase the number of school sessions each year and the number of school hours each day in order to improve student performance and remove the school from the list of low-achieving schools.

Sec. 4 - Provides that the summer reading program required in priority school districts must be offered to children enrolled in kindergarten who are determined by their school to be substantially deficient in reading based on measures established by the State Board of Education. Directs each priority school district to require the schools under its jurisdiction to assess the reading level of students enrolled in kindergarten at the end of the school year and in grades 1-3 at the beginning, middles and end of the school year (assessment was previously only required in grades 1-3 at the middle and end of the school year). Required individual reading plans must be monitored by school literacy teams that will consist of, but not be limited to, teachers, school reading specialists, internal or external reading consultants, the school principal and the provider of the additional instruction. Adds kindergarten to the grade range for which priority school districts may require students found substantially deficient in reading to attend summer school.

Sec. 5 - Permits the Commissioner of Education to identify schools to participate in a pilot study for the purposes of promoting best practices in early literacy and closing the academic achievement gaps.

Sec. 6 - Provides that the required statement of educational goals (which identify specific expectations for students in terms of skills, knowledge and competence) prepared by the board of education be annually established.

Sec. 7 - Requires, on and after July 1, 2011, any person applying for a certification in the endorsement area of elementary education to achieve a satisfactory evaluation on the appropriate State Board of Education approved mathematics assessment in order to be eligible for such elementary education endorsement.

Sec. 8 - Requires, not later than July 1, 2012, the Department of Education to approve and make available model curricula and frameworks in reading and mathematics for grades prekindergarten to grade four, inclusive, for use by boards of education for school districts or individual schools identified by the department as having academic achievement gaps.

Sec. 9 - Requires the Connecticut School Reform Resource Center (the Center) to provide a program of professional development activities for teachers to educate such students that includes research-based child development and reading instruction tools and practices. Requires the Center to develop strategies for assisting such students who are in danger of failing and develop culturally-relevant methods for educating students whose primary language is not English. http://www.cga.ct.gov/2011/ACT/PA/2011PA-00085-R00SB-00929-PA.htm

Source:
http://www.cga.ct.gov

Status: Signed into law Status Date: 07/01/2011

Connecticut S.B. 929
Closing the Achievement Gap/Early Literacy
Sec. 1 - Establishes a task force to address the academic achievement gaps in Connecticut by considering effective approaches to closing the achievement gaps in elementary, middle and high schools. Requires the task force to submit a master plan to the General Assembly by July 1, 2012. Provides that the task force must terminate on January 1, 2020. Sec. 2 - Establishes an Interagency Council for Ending the Achievement Gap (the council) to assist the achievement gap task force, in the development of the master plan to eliminate the academic achievement gaps in Connecticut, implement the provisions of the master plan, and, if necessary, make recommendations for legislation relating to the master plan to the joint standing committee of the General Assembly. Directs the council to submit annual progress reports on the implementation of the master plan to the General Assembly. Sec. 3 - Permits local or regional boards of education for schools designated as low-achieving under state law to increase the number of school sessions each year and the number of school hours each day in order to improve student performance and remove the school from the list of low-achieving schools. Sec. 4 - Provides that the summer reading program required in priority school districts must be offered to children enrolled in kindergarten who are determined by their school to be substantially deficient in reading based on measures established by the State Board of Education. Directs each priority school district to require the schools under its jurisdiction to assess the reading level of students enrolled in kindergarten at the end of the school year and in grades 1-3 at the beginning, middles and end of the school year (assessment was previously only required in grades 1-3 at the middle and end of the school year). Required individual reading plans must be monitored by school literacy teams that will consist of, but not be limited to, teachers, school reading specialists, internal or external reading consultants, the school principal and the provider of the additional instruction. Adds kindergarten to the grade range for which priority school districts may require students found substantially deficient in reading to attend summer school. Sec. 5 - Permits the Commissioner of Education to identify schools to participate in a pilot study for the purposes of promoting best practices in early literacy and closing the academic achievement gaps. Sec. 6 - Provides that the required statement of educational goals (which identify specific expectations for students in terms of skills, knowledge and competence) prepared by the board of education be annually established. Sec. 7 - Requires, on and after July 1, 2011, any person applying for a certification in the endorsement area of elementary education to achieve a satisfactory evaluation on the appropriate State Board of Education approved mathematics assessment in order to be eligible for such elementary education endorsement. Sec. 8 - Requires, not later than July 1, 2012, the Department of Education to approve and make available model curricula and frameworks in reading and mathematics for grades prekindergarten to grade four, inclusive, for use by boards of education for school districts or individual schools identified by the department as having academic achievement gaps. Sec. 9 - Requires the Connecticut School Reform Resource Center (the Center) to provide a program of professional development activities for teachers to educate such students that includes research-based child development and reading instruction tools and practices. Requires the Center to develop strategies for assisting such students who are in danger of failing and develop culturally-relevant methods for educating students whose primary language is not English. http://www.cga.ct.gov/2011/ACT/PA/2011PA-00085-R00SB-00929-PA.htm
Source: http://www.cga.ct.gov
Status: Signed into law	Status Date: 07/01/2011