I’m writing with an update on both the state COVID-19 response and our advocacy efforts.
Updates from the State Capitol
On May 8, 2020, Governor Lamont released his plan and guidance for reopening the state. Schools are not included in this plan, however, on May 11, the Reopen Connecticut Advisory Group held a roundtable discussion to address education. It is important to note that no members of the school choice community were included in the Governor’s advisory group. We expect that there will be additional guidance on education released in the coming days.
As a reminder, the State Board of Education meeting took place on May 13, 2020. To read our recap of this meeting, click here.
Finally, the deadline to participate in the US Census is quickly approaching. This census determines federal funding to states and municipalities. Right now, more than $675 billion is on the line. An accurate census count is paramount to schools getting the funding they need to serve every child who walks through their doors. Please consider sharing this link with your school communities to help our state receive our fair share of funding!
Updates on our work
This week, I sent a letter to members of the Black and Puerto Rican Caucus (BPRC), advocating for the importance of supporting our state’s black and brown students throughout this crisis and beyond. To read my letter to the BPRC, click here. Among other actions, we continued our outreach to our leaders, continued engagement of our legislative allies and participated in the BPRC town hall on education disparities in communities of color.
Sunday, May 10 marked the beginning of 2020’s National Charter Schools Week. In celebration of this, and to highlight the inequities our students are facing both during and outside of this pandemic, I wrote the following letter which was published in the Connecticut Mirror. To read this letter, click here. Additionally, our team submitted regional LTEs signed by school leaders and community members throughout the state.
How is your school community in this crisis? Share your stories with us, both big and small and we will share them on social media and with local media.
NCB Connecticut is looking to celebrate Connecticut’s class of 2020! Submit photos of your graduating seniors to shareit@nbcconnecticut.com and include their name and school! If any of your seniors are continuing their education, please include the school they will be attending and their program of study. Some of the photos and details submitted will be shared throughout NBC’s newscasts and on their social media pages @nbcconnecticut!
Lastly, a reminder about the resources available to all charter schools on our Coronavirus Resources Page.
We will continue to provide you with important updates as we become aware of them. In the meantime, let us know how else we can support you.