Public education in Connecticut

in Connecticut

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K-12 education in Connecticut

Education facts

State superintendent: Charlene Russell-Tucker

Number of students: 550,954

Number of teachers: 43,931

Teacher/pupil ratio: 1:13

Number of school districts: 170

Number of schools: 1,148

Graduation rate: 85.5%

Per-pupil spending: $16,631

See also

Connecticut Department of Education • List of school districts in Connecticut • Connecticut • School boards portal

Public education in the United States Public education in Connecticut Glossary of education terms

Note: The statistics on this page are mainly from government sources, including the U.S. Census Bureau and the National Center for Education Statistics. Figures given are the most recent as of June 2015, with school years noted in the text or footnotes.

The Connecticut public school system (prekindergarten through grade 12) operates within districts governed by locally elected school boards and superintendents. In 2013 Connecticut had 550,954 students enrolled in a total of 1,148 schools in 200 school districts. There were 43,931 teachers in the public schools, or roughly one teacher for every 13 students, compared to the national average of 1:16. There was roughly one administrator for every 224 students, compared to the national average of one administrator for every 295 students. On average Connecticut spent $16,631 per pupil in 2012, which ranked it fifth highest in the nation. The state's graduation rate was 85.5 percent in 2013.^[1][2][3]

Common Core[edit]

Common Core, or the Common Core State Standards Initiative, is an American education initiative that outlines quantifiable benchmarks in English and mathematics at each grade level from kindergarten through high school. The Connecticut State Board of Education adopted the standards on July 7, 2010. Full implementation was set to be achieved in the 2013-2014 academic year.^[4][5]

In September 2014 Connecticut Governor Dannel P. Malloy (D) wrote a public letter to the U.S. Department of Education requesting that 11th-grade students not be required to take a Common Core-aligned statewide standardized test. Malloy argued that high school juniors in Connecticut already take multiple standardized exams, such as the ACT and SAT, and claimed that those students are "overtested." This letter came after a June 2014 announcement that, in order to support implementation of the Common Core, Connecticut schools needed to spend an additional $15 million. Despite these statements, there had been no significant changes to Common Core implementation in the state as of July 2015.^[6][7]

General information[edit]

See also: General comparison table for education statistics in the 50 states and Education spending per pupil in all 50 states

The following chart shows how Connecticut compared to three neighboring states with respect to the number of students, schools, teachers per pupil and administrators per pupil for the 2012-2013 school year. The chart also displays that information at the national level. Compared to its neighboring states, Connecticut had the highest spending per pupil at $16,631.

Further comparisons between these states with respect to performance and financial information are given in other sections of this page.

Schools by type[edit]

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School board elections portal Glossary of education terms School choice on the ballot Education on the ballot

See also: Number of schools by school type in the United States

Of the 98,454 schools in the United States, 89,031 were classified as regular schools. After regular schools, magnet schools and charter schools were the most prevalent non-traditional schools in the country, at 6,079 and 5,986, respectively.

The table below breaks down each of the different types of schools in Connecticut and nearby states. Also listed are the numbers of schools in each state that are classified as "Title I" schools. These are public schools that have been specially targeted to correct achievement gaps in public schools.^[8]

In Connecticut, there were 1,035 regular schools as of 2013. Magnet schools were the second most prevalent type of school in the state, with 69 schools classified as such.

Demographics[edit]

See also: Demographic information for all students in all 50 states

The following table displays the ethnic distribution of students in Connecticut as reported in the National Center for Education Statistics Common Core of Data for 2012-2013.^[9]

During the 2012-2013 school year, just over half of all students in K-12 public schools nationwide were white. About a quarter of the students in the country were Hispanic, with black students making up about 16 percent of the student population.

In Connecticut, the majority of students were white. White students totaled 328,144, which was about 59.6 percent of the student population in the state. There were 112,461 Hispanic students in Connecticut, which accounted for about 20.4 percent of the student population.

Enrollments by region type[edit]

See also: Student distribution by region type in the United States

According to the National Center for Education Statistics, about 30 percent of all public school students in the country attended city schools during the 2012-2013 school year. About 40 percent attended suburban schools. Approximately 11.5 percent of all students attended schools in towns, while about 18.7 percent attended rural schools.^[10]

A majority of students in Connecticut attended suburban schools during the 2012-2013 school year. Approximately 84.8 percent of the state's students attended city or suburban schools, compared to the approximately 15.1 percent who attended rural or town schools.

Academic performance[edit]

Education terms
For more information on education policy terms, see this article.
School board elections portal Glossary of education terms School choice on the ballot Education on the ballot

NAEP scores[edit]

See also: NAEP scores by state

The National Center for Education Statistics provides state-by-state data on student achievement levels in mathematics and reading in the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP). The chart below presents the percentage of fourth and eighth grade students that scored at or above proficient in reading and math during school year 2012-2013. Compared to three neighboring states (Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Rhode Island), Connecticut students fared worse nearly across the board than those in Massachusetts and New Hampshire, but better than those in Rhode Island.^[11]

Graduation, ACT and SAT scores[edit]

See also: Graduation rates by groups in state and ACT and SAT scores in the United States

The following table shows the graduation rates and average composite ACT and SAT scores for Connecticut and surrounding states during the 2012-2013 school year. All statements made in this section refer to that school year.^[11][12][13]

In the United States, public schools reported graduation rates that averaged to about 81.4 percent. About 54 percent of all students in the country took the ACT, while 50 percent reported taking the SAT. The average national composite scores for those tests were 20.9 out of a possible 36 for the ACT, and 1498 out of a possible 2400 for the SAT.^[14]

Connecticut schools reported a graduation rate of 85.5 percent during the 2012-2013 school year, second highest among its neighboring states.

In Connecticut, more students took the SAT than the ACT in 2013, earning an average SAT score of 1,532.

Dropout rate[edit]

See also: Public high school dropout rates by state for a full comparison of dropout rates by group in all states

The high school event dropout rate indicates the proportion of students who were enrolled at some time during the school year and were expected to be enrolled in grades nine through 12 in the following school year but were not enrolled by October 1 of the following school year. Students who have graduated, transferred to another school, died, moved to another country, or who are out of school due to illness are not considered dropouts. The average public high school event dropout rate for the United States remained constant at 3.3 percent for both school year 2010–2011 and school year 2011–2012. The event dropout rate for Connecticut was lower than the national average at 1.9 percent in the 2010-2011 school year, and 2.1 percent in the 2011-2012 school year.^[15]

Educational choice options[edit]

See also: School choice in Connecticut

School choice options in Connecticut included charter schools, inter-district and intra-district open enrollment policies and some online learning programs. In addition, about 10.89 percent of school-age children in the state attended private schools in the 2011-2012 academic year, and an estimated 2.67 percent were homeschooled in 2012-2013.

Developments[edit]

Espinoza v. Montana Department of Revenue (2020)[edit]

Espinoza v. Montana Department of Revenue
Espinoza v. Montana Department of Revenue
Media coverage and commentary
U.S. Supreme Court 2019-2020 term
Blaine Amendment (U.S. Constitution)
Blaine amendments in state constitutions
School choice on the ballot
Education on the ballot

See also: Espinoza v. Montana Department of Revenue

On June 30, 2020, the U.S. Supreme Court decided Espinoza v. Montana Department of Revenue, which concerned whether the government can exclude religious institutions from student-aid programs. The case related to Article X, Section 6 of the Montana Constitution, also known as Montana’s Blaine Amendment.^[16]

In its 5-4 opinion, the court held that the application of Article X, Section 6 violated the free exercise clause of the U.S. Constitution. The majority held Article X, Section 6 barred religious schools and parents who wished to send their children to those schools from receiving public benefits because of the religious character of the school.^[17]

The case addressed the tension between the free exercise and Establishment clauses of the U.S. Constitution—where one guarantees the right of individuals' free exercise of religion and the other guarantees that the state won't establish a religion—and the intersections of state constitutions with state law and with the U.S. Constitution.

Connecticut is not one of the states with a Blaine Amendment.

Funding and expenditures[edit]

See also: Connecticut state budget and finances

Breakdown of expenditures by function in fiscal year 2013
Source: National Association of State Budget Officers

According to the National Association of State Budget Officers (NASBO), states spent an average of 19.8 percent of their total budgets on elementary and secondary education during fiscal year 2013. In addition, the United States Census Bureau found that approximately 45.6 percent of the country's school system revenue came from state sources, while about 45.3 percent came from local sources. The remaining portion of school system revenue came from federal sources.^[18][19]

Connecticut spent approximately 14.1 percent of its budget on elementary and secondary education during fiscal year 2013. The state school systems' revenue came primarily from local funds. Connecticut had the greatest spending per pupil during fiscal year 2013 when compared to its neighboring states.

Revenue breakdowns[edit]

See also: Public school system revenues in the U.S. to compare all states.

According to the United States Census Bureau, public school system revenues totaled approximately $598 billion in fiscal year 2013.^[19]

In Connecticut, the primary source of school system revenue came from local funds, at $5.8 billion. Over half of Connecticut's revenue came from local sources, which was similar to revenue trends in neighboring states.

Expenditure breakdowns[edit]

See also: Public school system expenditures in the United States

According to the National Center for Education Statistics, public school system expenditures totaled approximately $602 billion in fiscal year 2012.^[20]

Public education expenditures in Connecticut totaled approximately $10.3 billion in fiscal year 2012. Compared to its neighboring states, Connecticut had the second highest total expenditures during fiscal year 2012.

Personnel salaries[edit]

See also: Public school teacher salaries in the United States

According to the National Center for Education Statistics, the average national salary for classroom teachers in public elementary and secondary schools declined by 1.3 percent from the 1999-2000 school year to the 2012-2013 school year. During the same period in Connecticut, the average salary decreased by 1.4 percent.^[22]

Organizations[edit]

State agencies[edit]

The Connecticut State Department of Education serves as the "administrative arm of the Connecticut State Board of Education." The Department of Education distributes funds to the state's school districts.^[23]

The Connecticut Commissioner of Education is the executive officer of the Department of Education. The Commissioner is recommended by the State Board of Education and appointed by the governor to four-year terms. Dianna Wentzell was appointed to the position in 2015.^[24]

The State Board of Education is composed of 13 members.

• At least two members must have experience in manufacturing or a trade offered through the Technical High School System.
• One must have a background in vocational agriculture.
• Two must be nonvoting Grade 12 student members.

Voting members of the board serve four-year terms, while the nonvoting student members serve one-year terms. The Commissioner of Education serves as an ex officio member of the board. All members are appointed by the governor.^[25]

Unions[edit]

In 2012 the Fordham Institute and Education Reform Now assessed the power and influence of state teacher unions in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. Their rankings were based on 37 different variables in five broad areas: resources and membership, involvement in politics, scope of bargaining, state policies and perceived influence. Connecticut ranked 17th overall for union power and influence, or "strong," which was in the second of five tiers.^[26]

The main unions related to the Connecticut school system are the Connecticut Education Association (CEA), an affiliate of the National Education Association (NEA), and AFT Connecticut, an affiliate of the American Federation of Teachers. For the 2003 tax period, CEA had: $16.56 million in total revenue, $12.45 million in total expenses and $32.22 million in total assets.^[27] For the same period, AFT Connecticut had: $4.36 million in total revenue, $4.53 million in total expenses and $3.75 million in total assets.^[28]

The teacher unions have repeatedly brought the "Project Opening Doors" program to court for offering financial incentives for passing AP tests to students and teachers.^[29]

List of local Connecticut school unions:^[30]

• Connecticut Education Association
• AFT Connecticut
• Norwalk Federation Of Teachers
• West Hartford Education Association
• New Haven Federation of Teachers
• AFT Local 4200
• Hartford Federation of Teachers, Local 1018

Taxpayer-funded lobbying[edit]

See also: Connecticut government sector lobbying

The main education government sector lobbying organization is the Connecticut Association of Boards of Education and the Connecticut Association of School Personnel Administrators.

Studies and reports[edit]

State Budget Solutions education study[edit]

See also: State spending on education v. academic performance (2012)

State Budget Solutions examined national trends in education from 2009 to 2011, including state-by-state analysis of education spending, graduation rates and average ACT scores. The study showed that the states that spent the most did not have the highest average ACT test scores, nor did they have the highest average graduation rates. A summary of the study is available here. The full report can be accessed here.

Quality Counts 2014[edit]

See also: Education Week survey

Education Week, a publication that reports on many education issues throughout the country, began using an evaluation system in 1997 to grade each state on various elements of education performance. This system, called Quality Counts, uses official data on performance from each state to generate report cards for all 50 states and the District of Columbia. The report card in 2014 used six different categories:

1. Chance for success
2. K-12 achievement
3. Standards, assessments and accountability
4. The teaching profession
5. School finance
6. Transitions and alignment

Each of these six categories had a number of other elements that received individual scores. Those scores were then averaged and used to determine the final score in each category. Every state received two types of scores for each of the six major categories: A numerical score out of 100 and a letter grade based on that score. Education Week used the score for the first category, "chance for success," as the value for ranking each state and the District of Columbia. The average grade received in the entire country was 77.3, or a C+ average. The country's highest average score was in the category of "standards, assessments and accountability" at 85.3, or a B average. The lowest average score was in "K-12 achievement", at 70.2, or a C- average.

Connecticut received a score of 87.5, or a B+ average in the "chance for success" category. This was above the national average. Excluding the chance for success category, the state's highest score was in "school finance" at 86.8, or a B+ average. The lowest score was in the teaching profession at 70.8, or a C- average. Connecticut's school finance score was the highest when compared to its neighboring states, narrowly beating Rhode Island's score of 86.5. The chart below displays all of the scores of Connecticut and its surrounding states.^[31]

Note: Click on a column heading to sort the data.

School districts[edit]

See also: School board elections portal

District types[edit]

Connecticut has three types of school districts: regional school districts, city school systems and town school systems. Regional school districts are organized by a joint referendum of two or more towns and are considered separate local governments with the ability to determine fiscal needs and appropriate funds. City and town school systems, however, are dependent upon their municipal governments and must seek approval from the city or town budget-making authority on financial matters.^[32]

School board composition[edit]

Connecticut school board members are generally elected by residents of the school district, although if there is a vacancy, the remaining school board members must appoint someone to serve the vacant position's unexpired term.^[33] School boards may have three, six, nine or twelve members, with a third of the members up for election every two years, allowing members to serve six-year terms.^[34]

Term limits[edit]

Connecticut does not impose term limits on school board members.^[35]

Elections[edit]

See also: Connecticut school board elections, 2021

No Connecticut school districts within Ballotpedia's coverage scope are holding school board elections in 2021.

Path to the ballot[edit]

To qualify as a school board candidate in Connecticut, an individual must:^[36]

• Be a registered voter.
• Not be employed by the district he or she seeks to represent.

School board candidates can file to get on the ballot in a number of ways. They can file with an established political party, petition onto the ballot or become a write-in. If petitioning or becoming a write-in candidate, nomination documents must be filed with the town clerk of the municipal government corresponding to the school district election.^[37]

Campaign finance[edit]

Candidates must file a Registration by Candidate (SEEC Form 1) with the town clerk of their local municipality within 10 days of becoming a candidate. On that form, candidates must designate if they will be registering a candidate committee or filing an exemption from forming a candidate committee. To file the exemption from forming a candidate committee, candidates must indicate one of the following:

• A town committee or political slate committee will be their sole funding source.
• They will be funding their campaign using personal funds.
• They do not intend on receiving or spending any funds, including their own money.
• They do not intend on receiving or spending funds in excess of $1,000.

All candidate committees and any candidates who filed exemption from forming a candidate committee but spent over $1,000 for their campaign from personal funds must file periodic disclosure statements detailing campaign finances with their town clerks.^[38]

Recent legislation[edit]

The following is a list of recent education bills that have been introduced in or passed by the Connecticut state legislature. To learn more about each of these bills, click the bill title. This information is provided by BillTrack50 and LegiScan.

Note: Due to the nature of the sorting process used to generate this list, some results may not be relevant to the topic. If no bills are displayed below, no legislation pertaining to this topic has been introduced in the legislature recently.

Education ballot measures[edit]

See also: Education on the ballot and List of Connecticut ballot measures

Ballotpedia has tracked no ballot measures relating to education matters in Connecticut.

In the news[edit]

The link below is to the most recent stories in a Google news search for the terms Connecticut education policy. These results are automatically generated from Google. Ballotpedia does not curate or endorse these articles.

See also[edit]

• Historical public education information in Connecticut
• Connecticut state budget and finances
• Connecticut Department of Education
• List of school districts in Connecticut
• School choice in Connecticut
• Charter schools in Connecticut
• Connecticut
• Education Policy in the U.S.

External links[edit]

• Connecticut State Department of Education (CSDE)
• Connecticut State Board of Education
• Connecticut School Choice (CSDE) (dead link)
• Connecticut School and District Data (CSDE)
• Connecticut Education Staff Data and Salaries (CSDE)
• Connecticut Distance Learning Consortium
• Connecticut Virtual Learning Center

Footnotes[edit]

	v • e State of Connecticut Hartford (capital)
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