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This weekly segment by Democrats for Education Reform CT looks at the top education stories Democrats are watching, providing bite-sized analysis and links to recent articles. On the roster this week: Connecticut’s response to a weekend of mass shootings; a look at CT’s SAT scores; school immunizations; and ongoing education mentions on the presidential trail.
The Nation in Mourning
Like so much of the country, we are devastated by the losses in the dual mass shootings this past weekend in El Paso, TX and Dayton, Ohio. We stand with the Democratic leaders of our state who--in the wake of Connecticut’s school massacre at Sandy Hook Elementary--took sweeping steps to make our state a safer place, and are now calling for a gun reform effort nationwide.
Coverage of CT politicians calling for change (Hartford Courant | CTNewsJunkie)
Persistent Gaps on SAT
SAT scores released this week show persistent achievement gaps in Connecticut, where the data indicate that Black and Hispanic students are less likely to have acquired the skills in K-12 needed to succeed in college or career. Additionally, statewide results show one-third of all Connecticut high school juniors appear to be unprepared, based on SAT benchmarks. In math, one in four students is significantly behind, while in reading, it's one in five, according to the Hartford Courant.
More on School Immunizations
In May, the Connecticut Department of Public Health released data showing that 102 CT schools were failing to meet the minimum immunization levels recommended by the National Centers for Disease Control. This is due to high rates of exemptions from the state’s school vaccination requirements. Democratic leaders have therefore asked the state's Commissioner of Public Health, Renee Coleman-Mitchell, to offer an opinion about whether religious exemptions to vaccines should be repealed. This week, several Republican lawmakers issued a letter saying that it would be improper for the Commissioner to weigh in. You can read our response here.
Info on school immunizations in CT (1 Pager - ERN CT | Amy’s Op Ed - CT Mirror)
Education Mentions On the Presidential Trail This Week