Sen. Boucher Talks Education In Ridgefield

Education reform has been long awaited in Connecticut, and state officials have been working lately to make it happen.

State Sen. Toni Boucher presented before the Ridgefield Board of Education Monday evening her comparison between Gov. Dannel Malloy's education bill and the education committee's, of which she is a ranking member -- there were, of course, several differences.

"There are two places where you can make a lasting difference in this world," Boucher said, "in the home and in the school, and sometimes the home fails, which is why I take education so seriously."

Boucher distributed several documents to the public, including information shown here:

Evaluation:

While Malloy's original bill included a four-tier system to rate teachers with consequences and awards, the committee's rating system would not attach any consequences.

Recruitment & Preparation:

Malloy's bill would offer tuition reimbursements and grants for top college graduates to teach in high-needs schools, while the committee would have that eliminated. Also, admission to teacher preparation programs would require a B GPA under the committee's bill, as opposed to the governor's proposed B+.

Dismissal:

Under Malloy's plan, dismissal is linked to teacher evaluation results, whereas the education committee's proposal would not do so.

Tenure:

Malloy's bill would connect earning and sustaining tenure to job performance, whereas the education committee's plan would remove the link between tenure and evaluation, and educators could retain tenure indefinitely regardless of job performance, according to the documents distributed by Boucher.

"Education is in danger in this state," Boucher said. "We can't rest on our laurels, and we can't allow other states and other countries to surpass us."