Our elected officials have some big math problems to solve this year, from an unsustainable $3.7 billion deficit to zero job growth. Education is the most important investment we make in our state's future, but it's where we're getting the worst return on our money. Low-income students are further behind in Connecticut than in every other state,…

The research is clear: teachers are the most important factor in raising student achievement in schools. If Connecticut is serious about closing our worst-in-the-nation achievement gap and raising academic performance for all students, there must be an excellent teacher in every classroom. Connecticut's budget crisis will likely lead to widespread…

This paper presents Connecticut Coalition for Achievement Now's (ConnCAN's) annual report for 2011. For those who believe that Connecticut's public education system is in need of major repair, 2011 was a tough year. Despite the best efforts and bold intentions of ConnCAN and other like-minded individuals and organizations, the status quo…

The Connecticut Coalition for Achievement Now (ConnCAN) kicked off 2010 with its legislative campaign, "Our Race to the Top." This campaign resulted in the passage of a slate of progressive education reform bills. During the summer months, it ran the "Vote for Ed" campaign, which put the issue of Connecticut's struggling public education system…

Teachers are the most important factor in whether a student achieves in the classroom, so closing the achievement gap means improving the effectiveness of our teachers and their principals. But right now, no one really knows how effective our teachers are. The Obama administration recognizes that many states' evaluation systems are broken, and the…

Thirty years ago, the Connecticut Supreme Court forced our state to take stock of its system for funding schools. Our poorest towns had thousands of dollars less per child to spend. Today, our poorest districts spend roughly the same as our richest, but Connecticut's poor children still score far below their wealthy peers. Our school finance…

This paper presents Connecticut Coalition for Achievement Now's (ConnCAN's) annual report for 2009. Contents of this annual report include: (1) The Beginning; (2) Our Vision; (3) What We Do; (4) Getting Results; (5) Research--Action; (6) What's Next; (7) Take Action; and (8) The Organization. [For "ConnCAN Annual Report 2008: Faces of Change," see…

This paper presents Connecticut Coalition for Achievement Now's (ConnCAN's) annual report for 2008. The pages of this report are filled with the "Faces of Change" in Connecticut education. These students, teachers, principals, community leaders, and parents are working in their own ways to fix Connecticut's public schools. Over the past four…