Lawmakers Should Give These Education Bills an ‘A’ (for Adopt)

Many positive education bills in this legislative session can help ensure students in Connecticut graduate with the skills they need to achieve successful careers.
HB 5072 is an important start to the conversation about aligning certificate programs with the Connecticut State College and University system.
While the proposal includes a number of requirements, at its heart the bill is geared toward ensuring students understand the types of programs available in the system.
The ultimate goal is to promote consistent graduation certificates so that employers can clearly understand the skills graduates bring to the table.
SB 24 gives independent colleges the flexibility to react quickly to the needs of Connecticut’s employers by allowing them to streamline the process of program approval.
Allowing independent colleges to react quickly to the education needs of employers is key to ensuring we continue to provide the skills employers need to be competitive.
Another bill (HB 5423) establishes a committee aimed at recruiting more middle and high school students into manufacturing careers.
It’s very important to identify innovative means to recruit more students into the manufacturing pipeline to ensure that our employers have the talent they need.
On the other hand, CBIA is opposing SB 380, a bill that permanently de-links teacher evaluations from standardized measures of student growth.
The legislature established the Performance Evaluation Advisory Committee to address the teacher evaluation system.
Lawmakers should allow PEAC’s group of key stakeholders including superintendents, board of education, principals and teachers to finish its work before considering a proposal like SB 380.

For more information, contact CBIA’s Jennifer Herz (860.970.4404) | @CBIAjherz