Issue Position: Education

Issue Position

Lawmakers put a three-year moratorium on using standardized assessments to determine a student's ability to graduate, beginning with this current school year when students were assessed using the New England Common Assessment Program (NECAP). This would affect seniors graduating prior to 2017.
The General Assembly approved bills stating that any teacher who is, upon an initial evaluation, rated "highly effective" or given a number "4" mark or the equivalent would only need to be evaluated once every three years. A teacher rated as "effective" or given a number "3" mark would need to be evaluated only every two years. Any teacher who scores a lesser rating could be subject to annual evaluations.
The General Assembly approved legislation to provide full education aid funding for children enrolled in full-day kindergarten, beginning with the 2016-17 school year.
Legislators moved the layoff notification date for teachers from March 1 to June 1 in order to avert situations where school districts send layoff notices to every teacher in February to provide maximum flexibility in the face of budget uncertainties ahead.

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