Moving toward high school reform

(June 17, 2008) Educators, businesspeople and state policymakers have long been discussing the need to reform Connecticut’s high schools. The concern is that too many students in the state are graduating without the skills to succeed in today’s global economy — or are simply not graduating at all.

To produce graduates who are ready to pursue higher education or enter the workforce, schools need strategies that are proven, practical and realistic.

The State Department of Education (SDE), which has been working on this challenge for the past two years, has created three working groups comprised of educators, business members and policymakers to determine specifically how to improve Connecticut’s high schools. They are examining ways of:
• Raising academic standards, by updating curricula and instruction practices to teach students 21st-century skills
• Providing more varied and flexible educational opportunities with the development of “safety nets” and alternative systems of support
• Improving students’ communication and teamwork skills
• Allowing customized courses of study tied to students’ education or career goals.

In addition, the hope is that each student will formulate a “success plan” that reflects his or her interests and abilities. All of this will be tied together by greater accountability, with students, teachers and administrators playing essential roles in the effort to maximize students’ success.

The three working groups will continue to meet into the summer and are expected by July, to deliver a concrete plan and estimated implementation costs to the commissioner of education.

CBIA believes a quality education system is key to building a skilled workforce, providing good jobs and an excellent quality of life, and keeping Connecticut competitive.

For more information, contact CBIA’s Jesmin Basanti at 860-244-1929 OR jesmin.basanti@cbia.com.