The Connecticut General Assembly convened on February 5th with Governor M. Jodi Rell gaving her final budget proposal. The Governor proposed an $18.9 billion budget for the next fiscal year and there appears to be much opposition surrounding some of the proposal contained in the budget.
The Connecticut Federation of Catholic School Parents is concerned with a 10% reduction or $877,000 in state funding for local municipalities to provide nursing coverage and transportation services to Connecticut’s private and religious schools. You may recall we faced this same proposal last year and were able to defeat it.
Both of these services are mandated by the state. Many of our schools are currently dealing with inadequate nursing coverage and a reduction in funding could lead to further erosion of this vital service. This proposal could also cause disruption to our schools if local municipalities choose to reduce bus services. This could result in increased time on buses for our students or new school hours. Local municipalities may demand that our schools have the same schedule as public schools in terms of starting and ending dates for our school year, which is their right. In the end, this is an unfunded mandate which would require towns to provide these services with less state funds.
I will continue to monitor this situation very closely.
Tax Credit Scholarship and Textbook Loan Program
Our proposal to create a tax credit scholarship and textbook loan program were introduced by Senator SamCaligiuri (R-Waterbury). The tax credit proposal has been assigned SB 40 and the textbook bill has been assigned SB 39.
Certification of Nonpublic School Teachers
During the June 19, 2009 Special Session of the Connecticut General Assembly Public Act 09-1 was passed, An Act Concerning Educator Certification and Professional development and Other Education Issues. The purpose of the bill was to make it easier for people to become certified teachers. Unfortunately a provision was placed in the bill at the last minute that will no longer allow non-public school teachers to secure Professional Educator Certification. The provision was implemented without consultation of private or religious schools.
Professional Educator Certification is the highest level of certification granted to a teacher in Connecticut. This proposal would not become effective until July 1, 2012. I am working closely with members of the Education Committee to have this provision repealed.
Permit College Students to Obtain State Certification by Student Teaching in Private or Religious Schools
Currently student teachers are not allowed to obtain state certification in Connecticut’s private and religious schools. Massachusetts and New York allow student teachers to obtain certification at Catholic schools. The student teaching experience is one of the most important components of the teacher certification process. Allowing college students to student teach in a private or religious school setting would provide them with the skills to serve others and further the values and practices of their profession.
It would also allow our Catholic schools to identify candidates and provide additional training to our teachers that act as mentors to these students. I am working closely with members of the Education Committee on this issue.
Municipal Level
At the local level, we have had many meetings across the state to ensure our Catholic schools receive the services to which they are entitled. Our Catholic schools are entitled to nursing and busing from local and state government. The Federation will continue to work with many of our schools to ensure our students receive adequate nursing coverage.
In addition, the Federation is working with many of our schools to create a local textbook loan program and ensure that additional special services, such as speech therapy and social workers, continue to be provided at our schools.
Federal Level
NCLB
In Washington, the Federation has been working with our Congressional delegation and the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops on the reauthorization of No Child Left Behind. Our Catholic schools benefit from Title I, Special Education, Title II, Teacher Training and Education Technology, and Title IV, Safe and Drug Free Schools. President Obama recently proposed an overhaul of the No Child Left Behind law that focused on the public school accountability system. It remains unclear how this proposal will impact our Catholic schools, but I will continue to monitor this very closely.
Our message is simple, we want our schools to be treated equitably and we want the Title programs to be funded properly.
Spending Bill
In a major blow to Washington, D.C., President Obama signed a $447 billion spending bill that ends the DC Opportunity Scholarship Program. This program provided vouchers to lower and middle-income students to attend a private or religious school. The spending bill also eliminated funding for next school year for Title IV, Safe and Drug Free Schools.
Important Dates
February 8 – February 12, Catholic Schools Civics Week
February 24 -
9:00 am to 12:00 pm, Catholic Schools Day at the Capitol
4:00 pm to 6:00 pm, Liaison Training – Room 1A, Legislative Office Building
6:00 pm to 8:00 pm, Legislative Reception – Atrium 2, Legislative Office Building
Grassroots
I encourage all of you to inform your fellow parents, family and friends about the Federation’s Grassroots Advocacy Network. Please direct them to our website and click on Catholic School Parents Grassroots Advocacy Network SIGN-UPto join.
