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Vol. 24, No. 3 March, 2020

March is BOE Member Appreciation Month! Lisa Steimer Sr. Staff Associate for Professional Development and Communications, CABE March is Connecticut Board of Education Member Appreciation month. This is the perfect opportunity to say “thank you” to the hard-working and dedicated board members in your district.

We encourage you to recognize the time and effort they devote to board business during the course of the year. Use #BoardAppreciationMonth and #THANKYOU when thanking your Board members on social media.

See BOE APPRECIATIONpage 3 This year we have added to the Connecticut Board of Education Member Appreciation toolkit facts about Connecticut’s Board of Education members and quotes you can use in recognizing Board members. You

View from the Capitol

Patrice McCarthy Deputy Director & General Counsel, CABE

4CABE Board Adopts Strategic Plan, Code of Conduct 8 Survey Results from NSBAC Show Public Support for Public Schools 11 Lockhart Named CABE Diversity Committee Chair 12 College Board Launches the Opportunity Scholarship performance in education and workplace settings.”

ACT also noted an increased workforce need in SEL skills in 2030 by an estimated 24 percent.

Connecticut’s State Board of Education has adopted the Collaborative of Academic and Social and Emotional Learning (CASEL) K-3 guidelines that were briefly discussed at this national event. http://bit.ly/2OJelRK. During the Advocacy Institute, FCC Commissioner Jessica Rosenworcel briefed members on the “homework gap”. She referenced Hartford and the need it had in 2017 and likely still has, to provide internet access to students outside of school so they don’t fall behind their suburban counterparts.

Participants attended a workshop on IDEA that asked board members to lobby for HR1878 and its companion, S.866, which would provide full funding for the federal share (40 percent) of IDEA by 2028.

Please join CABE’s efforts and lobby your federal representatives on this important issue! Connecticut Association of Boards of Education Inc. 81 Wolcott Hill Road Wethersfield, CT 06109-1242 The February State Board of Education meeting included action on the renewals of four charter schools. The Stamford Charter School for Excellence was given the maximum renewal of five years. Amistad Academy, Elm City College Prep and Achievement First Bridgeport Academy were all given renewals of two years and placed on probation. See STATE BOE MEETINGpage 3 State Board of Education February Meeting March is “Music in Our Schools” month. Members of the CABE Board of Directors and staff attended the National School Boards Association’s (NSBA) Equity Symposium and its Advocacy Institute in February.

One of the Equity workshops by the American College Test (ACT) on social and emotional learning and ELL students discussed the needs beyond the academic that must be addressed in the classroom before a student can move on to learning from educators and classmates.

Students need confidence, a sense of belonging, assistance with goal setting and to develop or maintain a pride in their culture. According to ACT, the SEL skills needed are “interpersonal, self-regulatory and task related behaviors important for adaption to and successful CABE and NSBA Sheila McKay Sr. Staff Associate for Government Relations, CABE inside Patrice McCarthy Deputy Director & General Counsel, CABE The Legislature is off to a quick start, with a flurry of committee meetings, public hearings and deadlines. Many legislative leaders have voiced support for addressing social and emotional learning as well as minority teacher recruitment and retention, which is good news for public education.

Testimony can be submitted in person or electronically for any of the public hearings.

CABE’s Day on the Hill on March 11, 2020 is the perfect time to continue conversations you had with your legislators during the legislative breakfasts. The deadline for the Education Committee to report out bills is March 23.