Malloy gives Charter School Industry another seat on the CT State Board of Education
A News Update from Jonathan Pelto and Wendy Lecker
While Connecticut’s public schools continue to suffer from inadequate state funding and Governor Dannel Malloy and his administration strive to undermine, dismiss and destroy the CCJEF school funding lawsuit that would finally ensure that Connecticut meets its State Constitutional obligation to provide all students with a quality education, Malloy’s corporate education reform initiative has fueled an unprecedented growth of charter schools in Connecticut. The Charter School Industry now collects in excess of $100 million a year from Connecticut taxpayer.
Privately owned and operated, but funded with taxpayer dollars, Connecticut’s Charter Schools have consistently failed to educate their fair share of students that require special education services and English Language Learners who aren’t fluent in the English Language.
Achievement First, Inc., the large charter school chain with schools in New York, Connecticut and Rhode Island, earned national notoriety when news broke about theshocking number of kindergarten and first graders suspended at their schools. The charter school company’s failure to provide special education students with appropriate services has generated investigations in both Connecticut and New York.
The truth is that while the Connecticut State Board of Education is legally obligated to regulate charter schools but have had a very shoddy track record when it comes to fulfilling those duties.
After taking office, Malloy’s Commissioner of Education (a co-founder of Achievement First, Inc.) and the Governor’s political appointees to the State Board handed Malloy gives Charter School Industry another seat on the CT State Board of Education - Wait What?: