Tag: CT Education

School Metrics Reveal More Students Staying in District: Is School-Choice Good for District?
Reform · Students

School Metrics Reveal More Students Staying in District: Is School-Choice Good for District?

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The Student Achievement and Special Populations Ad Hoc Committee met Monday to discuss the “district dashboard.” The dashboard was created by former Chief Operating Officer, Don Kennedy. It gives a snapshot of the district over the past three years and includes all sorts of data, including drop-out rates, attendance, suspension and several others. One metric… Continue reading School Metrics Reveal More Students Staying in District: Is School-Choice Good for District?

Is It Ok for the BEA Contract to Use the Term “Mentally Retarded Children?”
Bridgeport · Students

Is It Ok for the BEA Contract to Use the Term “Mentally Retarded Children?”

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Mayor Bill Finch told reporters earlier this year that Superintendent Paul Vallas has “never seen a contract as bad as this.” Believe it or not, Vallas may be on to something… I’m not quite sure what part of the contract he was referring to; however, after reviewing the contract myself, I noticed a few lines… Continue reading Is It Ok for the BEA Contract to Use the Term “Mentally Retarded Children?”

Carmen Perez-Dickson Termination Hearing: Were the Tapes Doctored?
Bridgeport · Students

Carmen Perez-Dickson Termination Hearing: Were the Tapes Doctored?

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During Friday’s termination hearing, Tisdale Principal Carmen Perez-Dickson claimed she thought the tapes were “doctored.” The three now infamous tapes allegedly show the Tisdale Principal “manhandling” two kindergarten students under her care. In order to protect the student’s identities, none of the tapes were released to the public. During Perez-Dickson’s retelling of the February 19th… Continue reading Carmen Perez-Dickson Termination Hearing: Were the Tapes Doctored?

Carmen Perez-Dickson Takes the Stand
Students

Carmen Perez-Dickson Takes the Stand

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After months of hearings, Jettie S. Tisdale Principal Carmen Perez-Dickson was finally given a chance to tell her side of the story during Friday’s four-hour special board meeting. Perez-Dickson was put on administrative leave back in 2012 after three tapes surfaced which allegedly show her “manhandling” two kindergarten students at Tisdale. During Friday’s hearing, Perez-Dickson… Continue reading Carmen Perez-Dickson Takes the Stand

Board Meeting on Teacher Contracts Ends Early
Bridgeport · Budgets

Board Meeting on Teacher Contracts Ends Early

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  The Board of Education met with City Council’s Budget Appropriations Committee Monday to discuss teacher and administrator contract negotiations. The meeting lasted only ten minutes and very little discussion took place. State statute requires the Board of Education to meet and “confer” with city fiscal authorities prior to the start of collective bargaining negotiations.… Continue reading Board Meeting on Teacher Contracts Ends Early

If Elected, Would Garner, Hennessey and Baker Oust Vallas Before Year’s End?
Bridgeport · Budgets · Reform

If Elected, Would Garner, Hennessey and Baker Oust Vallas Before Year’s End?

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The challenger slate, Howard Gardner, Dave Hennessey and Andre Baker, won Tuesday’s Democratic primary in a landslide. Many, including the Connecticut Post, are calling this victory proof of a growing anti-Vallas, anti-Finch consensus. I’m not certain we can assume that much, considering turnout was an anemic 11-12%. Most likely, Tuesday was the result of a… Continue reading If Elected, Would Garner, Hennessey and Baker Oust Vallas Before Year’s End?

Bridgeport · Reform

Park City Prep Charter School Model for Success?

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Are Bridgeport public schools failing our children? Critics of education reform tend to blame poverty and external factors as the main reasons students perform poorly in urban school districts. I do not want to discount poverty as a factor, which is certainly an issue that affects school performance. However, it’s clear that we could be… Continue reading Park City Prep Charter School Model for Success?

Reform · Students

Recent Study Concludes TFA Teachers Have Positive Impact on Student Achievement

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Teach for America has been hot-button issue in Bridgeport as of late. The district’s move to slightly increase the number of Teach for America (TFA) teachers employed became controversial at last month’s Board of Education meeting. A lot of the fear stems from the perception that TFA teachers are less effective in the classroom because… Continue reading Recent Study Concludes TFA Teachers Have Positive Impact on Student Achievement

Reform

New Study by CER: Are Expulsion Rates Really Driving Charter School Success?

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Charter school critics often point to high suspension and expulsion rates as the reasons charters tend to outperform their traditional public school counterparts. Anti-reform advocates have claimed that charters get rid of challenging students (English language learners, Special Ed, etc.) during testing by suspending or expelling them, which in turn artificially raises test scores. A… Continue reading New Study by CER: Are Expulsion Rates Really Driving Charter School Success?

Reform

Challenger Slate Leads BOE Race in Unofficial Results

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Unofficial results show the challenger slate winning Tuesday’s Board of Education Democratic primary by a 1,000 vote margin. The challenger slate beat out the endorsed slate almost 2-to-1 despite the endorsed slate’s initial 841 absentee ballot lead. Turnout was very low; roughly only 10-12% of Bridgeport Democrats voted in Tuesday’s primary. The challengers, Andre Baker,… Continue reading Challenger Slate Leads BOE Race in Unofficial Results