I’m writing today in advance of what normally would be the last week of our state’s legislative session. To keep you informed, below please find an update on both the state’s legislative plans and our advocacy efforts.
Updates from the State Capitol
As I’m sure you are aware, on Friday, April 24, the regular session of the Connecticut General Assembly was officially canceled. A special session for the General Assembly is forecasted for June, though it is not officially scheduled. We will keep you updated as we learn more, in the meantime, we will continue to engage legislative allies and leaders to advocate for your schools.
Additionally, on April 30th the Governor announced the re-opening plan for the state, with select business and other openings starting May 20th. At this time we do not have an update on the remainder of the school year but we anticipate an announcement soon. Moreover, today New York State Governor Andrew Cuomo announced that he is extending mandatory closure for all New York state schools through the remainder of the academic school year. In keeping with the regional approach that northeastern states have adopted during the COVID-19 crisis, we expect a similar announcement will be made by Governor Lamont in the coming days.
Finally, the State Board of Education meeting scheduled for May 7, 2020, has been postponed to May 13, 2020. We do not anticipate that charter renewals will be included on this meeting’s agenda.
Updates on our work
With legislative session paused, we have found new ways to engage our delegations remotely. We are continuing to build relationships and show appreciation of their leadership during this time. Our community engagement team is also continuing their close work with families and school staff through writing letters, meeting via Zoom and more! In keeping with this, if you are interested in having a legislator virtually visit your classrooms or record a keynote speech for your virtual graduation, email us at membership@ctcharters.net. We would be happy to help facilitate this on your behalf.
Adding to our engagement and advocacy work, last week, I sent a letter to the board of The Partnership for Connecticut, advocating for the importance of including your charter students in their laptop donation program. To read this letter, click here.
On Wednesday, May 27, 2020, we will be hosting a virtual leader convening to address charter school leadership questions and concerns. Please reserve this date on your calendars and watch your inbox for further details on timing and registration.
Additionally, I was honored to be included on a virtual Facebook live panel with Connecticut and national leaders, hosted by the CT Parents Union and the National Parents Union, on the importance of effectively protecting school choice and educational freedom during and post COVID-19. To watch this panel, click here.
Share stories with our team: We know you are working hard to meet students’ needs in many ways, and continuing to bring joy to our families and communities. Feel free to share stories with us, both big and small and we will share them on social media and with local media. National Charter Schools Week is a little over a week away and we look forward to promoting this community of great schools to celebrate.
Lastly, we encourage you to continue to review 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, please do not hesitate to reach out if you have any questions.