LEARN-ing to Close State’s Achievement Gap

Closing Connecticut’s education achievement gap is the shared goal of the legislature’s Black and Puerto Rican Caucus and partners in Campaign LEARN (Leadership in Education, Achievement, and Reform Now) partners.

It’s a significant challenge, because the gap between minority students’ performance in Connecticut and the state’s average is the widest in the U.S. At a press conference this week, the groups introduced 10 key policy goals that are designed to improve many aspects of education in Connecticut and that will be included in legislation this year.

The groups held town meetings around the state to gain input from residents about their experiences with schools and generate ideas on how to close the achievement gap. Among the campaign’s goals are:

• Higher standards for all students, providing incentives for Advanced Placement courses
• Developing effective teachers and administrators through evaluations linked to students’ progress
• Excellent school leaders by promoting an alternative route to certification for principals
• Improving parent-teacher communication by having more conferences

CBIA has been working with the caucus on expanding student participation in Advanced Placement courses through its Project Opening Doors (POD). POD is a program initiated in 2007 to increase the number of Advanced Placement courses in math, English, and science and the number of low-income, minority and other underrepresented students enrolled in those rigorous courses.

Connecticut results on AP tests in fact have climbed dramatically—with significantly greater representation of minority students.