January 19, 2007 |
2007-R-0099 | |
QUESTIONS FOR STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION NOMINEES | ||
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By: Soncia Coleman, Associate Legislative Analyst | ||
STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION (CGS § 10-1; 10-4a)
• Consists of nine voting members who serve staggered four-year terms, the commissioner of higher education who serves as a nonvoting ex-officio member, and two nonvoting student members who serve one-year terms.
• Appoints the commissioner of education, who administers the Department of Education.
• Has general supervision and control of the educational interests of the state, including preschool, elementary, and secondary education; special education; and vocational education. The educational interests of the state, as defined by law, are that (1) each student have an equal opportunity to receive a suitable program of educational experiences; (2) each school district finance at a reasonable level at least equal to the state's minimum expenditure requirement an educational program designed to achieve this end; (3) in order to reduce racial, ethnic, and economic isolation, each school district provide educational opportunities for its students to interact with students and teachers from other
racial, ethnic, and economic backgrounds and may provide such opportunities with students from other communities; and (4) statutory mandates relating to education within the State Board of Education's jurisdiction are implemented.
• Sets state educational policy in collaboration with the governor and the General Assembly.
• Oversees the state technical high schools.
• Authorizes charter and interdistrict magnet schools.
• Adjudicates complaints against local boards of education that fail to implement the state's educational interests.
• Serves as the final administrative appeal board for issuing and revoking teaching certificates and other educational credentials needed to work in Connecticut public schools.
QUESTIONS FOR NOMINEES
1. Connecticut's tradition of local control is especially strong in education. How do you see the State Board of Education's role compared to that of local boards of education? How does the state board influence education policy?
2. Connecticut's Mastery Test (CMT) and Academic Performance Test (CAPT) scores highlight a continuing achievement gap between minority and low-income students and white, middle-class students. What steps should the State Board of Education recommend to close this gap, particularly in light of the federal No Child Left Behind Act's requirements?
3. What school-based strategies would you propose or support to address non-educational problems, such as poverty, that affect students' abilities to learn and benefit from school?
4. To mark the fifth anniversary of his signing the No Child Left Behind Act into law on Jan. 8, President Bush invited leading members of Congress to discuss his goal of revising the law on schedule by the end of the year. What are some key issues that you believe should be addressed in the reauthorization, if any?
5. Do you think standardized test results should be the basis for making decisions about student promotion and graduation? How, if at all, should the results be used to judge teacher performance?
6. There has been considerable conflict over the role, mission, and effectiveness of the state's technical schools. How much emphasis should the schools place on academics as compared to vocational skills?
7. What education policies should the state adopt to address the shortcomings that employers continually cite in the job readiness of the state's high school graduates?
8. The Education Cost Sharing (ECS) formula has been heavily criticized as being unfair and ineffective. Do you agree that the state's education funding system should be completely revamped? What should the goals of any state education funding formula be?
9. What are the key components to a successful interdistrict magnet school and what can the state do to replicate successful charter and magnet school programs in the traditional public schools?
10. Connecticut has not met the goals of the most recent Sheff vs. O'Neill settlement agreement. What are some of the more concrete methods the board could employ to encourage more districts to participate in measures to meet its obligations (such as opening interdistrict magnet schools, sending interested students to other schools, and providing more seats in schools for students from other districts)?
SC: ts