BRIDGEPORT -- Gov. Dannel P. Malloy's personal pitch for an education reform package, which has riled teachers and won charter school support, finally reached the city Wednesday.
Both groups -- teachers with "Stand for Public Education" signs and charter school fans with t-shirts that proclaimed they were public schools too -- filled the seats in Central High School's auditorium for a town hall meeting to explain his plan.
Since it was introduced, Malloy's plan has been knocked down considerably by the General Assembly's Education Committee.
The governor is working behind the scenes with legislative leaders on a compromise. Malloy told the Central crowd that without his bill, the school district won't see a promised $4.4 million in new funding and the state most likely won't get a waiver of the federal No Child Left Behind testing requirement.
"What we are trying to do is turn around chronically failing schools. It won't happen overnight," he told them. "We've been studying failure for 20 years. It is time to study success."
During the hourlong session, Malloy also fended off concerns his reform efforts may benefit for-profit entities.
Greg Furlong, a Bryant School fifth-grade teacher and a parent, said he is concerned that Leeds Global Partnership, hired to assist in developing the reform plan, may lead to his tax dollars being used to help an equity firm provide profit.
"I am not for bringing for-profit schools to the state, period," Malloy said.
Unlike some crowds Malloy has faced around the state, this one was loud and enthusiastic, but polite.
Mary Krotki, a sixth-grade teacher at Tisdale School, told Malloy he could come into her classroom any time.
"But what is not OK," she said, "is when you say you want to make us highly effective teachers. We already are."
"You and I agree," Malloy said, adding later: "I stand in a city where 45 percent of the kids reasonably cannot be expected to get a high school diploma. We don't find that acceptable."
The governor said his plan would evaluate teachers, in part, on how much their students learn. It is based on an evaluation framework approved by leaders of the Connecticut Education Association and American Federation of Teachers. Malloy's plan also ties teacher effectiveness to five-year contract renewals. Over the past two days, more than 1,500 teachers have rallied at the state capitol against the plan.
One of them was Gary Peluchette, president of the Bridgeport Education Association, who like other union leaders in the room, did not get his name selected as a speaker during the hour-long event.
Some teachers did speak.
Herminio Planas, who teaches math at Central High School, told Malloy he was concerned the evaluation plan would drive good teachers from the profession. Malloy said he understands he can't hold teachers accountable for things that happen before students reach them. "But we have got to do better. You know that and I know that," he said. "We are trying to come up with a system that measures growth."
Furlong asked Malloy how he can roll out an evaluation program without testing it.
Malloy said what he is trying to do what the union leadership wants -- establish guidelines and carry them out.
"If we start in September there would be no ramifications for several years to come. We would start on trial basis," he said.
Bryan Curillo, a sixth-grader at Park City Prep Charter School, asked Malloy what he would do for charter schools.
Malloy wants to increase funding for charter schools, replicate what works and encourage the development of local charter schools.
Malloy's plan would also increase preschool slots. Several parents in the audience shouted that they hoped it would mean more textbooks in the classroom as well. Malloy said all new funding would be targeted.
A five year school improvement plan approved by the city's Interim School Superintendent Paul Vallas does call for more textbooks. The plan also counts heavily on the funding that would come from Malloy's plan and a provision in the bill that would require the city to chip in a larger percentage of the school budget as well.
Both groups -- teachers with "Stand for Public Education" signs and charter school fans with t-shirts that proclaimed they were public schools too -- filled the seats in Central High School's auditorium for a town hall meeting to explain his plan.
Since it was introduced, Malloy's plan has been knocked down considerably by the General Assembly's Education Committee.
The governor is working behind the scenes with legislative leaders on a compromise. Malloy told the Central crowd that without his bill, the school district won't see a promised $4.4 million in new funding and the state most likely won't get a waiver of the federal No Child Left Behind testing requirement.
"What we are trying to do is turn around chronically failing schools. It won't happen overnight," he told them. "We've been studying failure for 20 years. It is time to study success."
During the hourlong session, Malloy also fended off concerns his reform efforts may benefit for-profit entities.
Greg Furlong, a Bryant School fifth-grade teacher and a parent, said he is concerned that Leeds Global Partnership, hired to assist in developing the reform plan, may lead to his tax dollars being used to help an equity firm provide profit.
"I am not for bringing for-profit schools to the state, period," Malloy said.
Unlike some crowds Malloy has faced around the state, this one was loud and enthusiastic, but polite.
Mary Krotki, a sixth-grade teacher at Tisdale School, told Malloy he could come into her classroom any time.
"But what is not OK," she said, "is when you say you want to make us highly effective teachers. We already are."
"You and I agree," Malloy said, adding later: "I stand in a city where 45 percent of the kids reasonably cannot be expected to get a high school diploma. We don't find that acceptable."
The governor said his plan would evaluate teachers, in part, on how much their students learn. It is based on an evaluation framework approved by leaders of the Connecticut Education Association and American Federation of Teachers. Malloy's plan also ties teacher effectiveness to five-year contract renewals. Over the past two days, more than 1,500 teachers have rallied at the state capitol against the plan.
One of them was Gary Peluchette, president of the Bridgeport Education Association, who like other union leaders in the room, did not get his name selected as a speaker during the hour-long event.
Some teachers did speak.
Herminio Planas, who teaches math at Central High School, told Malloy he was concerned the evaluation plan would drive good teachers from the profession. Malloy said he understands he can't hold teachers accountable for things that happen before students reach them. "But we have got to do better. You know that and I know that," he said. "We are trying to come up with a system that measures growth."
Furlong asked Malloy how he can roll out an evaluation program without testing it.
Malloy said what he is trying to do what the union leadership wants -- establish guidelines and carry them out.
"If we start in September there would be no ramifications for several years to come. We would start on trial basis," he said.
Bryan Curillo, a sixth-grader at Park City Prep Charter School, asked Malloy what he would do for charter schools.
Malloy wants to increase funding for charter schools, replicate what works and encourage the development of local charter schools.
Malloy's plan would also increase preschool slots. Several parents in the audience shouted that they hoped it would mean more textbooks in the classroom as well. Malloy said all new funding would be targeted.
A five year school improvement plan approved by the city's Interim School Superintendent Paul Vallas does call for more textbooks. The plan also counts heavily on the funding that would come from Malloy's plan and a provision in the bill that would require the city to chip in a larger percentage of the school budget as well.