November 15, 2013
State Representative Susan Johnson praised Governor Dannel P. Malloy and State Department of Education Commissioner Stefan Pryor for funding over $24 million in grant requests to bring more computers into classrooms and increase Internet bandwidth. This investment provides vital support to students, teachers, and school districts as local efforts accelerate to complete the transition to the Common Core State Standards and the accompanying computer-based Smarter Balanced assessments.
"I am very pleased the state is providing much needed funding to support school districts and students", said Rep. Susan Johnson (D-Windham). "The $349,525 Windham is receiving will go a long way to help implement the Common Core State Standards."
"Investments in education are an investment in stronger communities and our state's future prosperity. Ensuring students are prepared to compete in a global economy and to excel in 21st century careers means that we must strive to equip them with the knowledge, skills and tools they will need," said Governor Malloy. "I believe in the Common Core Standards and do not want to impose unfunded costs on municipalities for technology-related expenditures necessary to implement these standards, which is why we secured additional funding in response to districts' needs and concerns."
The State Department of Education received 128 applications, covering 126 cities and towns across Connecticut, in response to the request for proposals issued in July. Requests far-exceeded the original $10 million grant allocation, which prompted today's announcement to seek additional bond funding.
"Supporting a successful transition to the Common Core State Standards means ensuring that schools and classrooms are equipped with the right tools. Technology enhancements are necessary to enable students to benefit from the next generation of computerized adaptive assessments. But, even more importantly, these tech improvements provide essential tools for ever more engaging teaching and learning in today's classrooms," said Commissioner Pryor. "As districts complete their transition to the new standards and assessments, this grant offers significant support. We are grateful that, thanks to Governor Malloy, we are able to provide this assistance to all those requesting aid."
Since the adoption of the Common Core Standards by the State Board of Education in 2010, local districts have been transitioning their curricula to match this new set of higher, clearer, fewer expectations for what students should know in a given grade. Along with this new set of standards, will come new assessments aligned to the lessons being taught in math and English language arts classrooms.
Replacing the traditional paper-and-pencil-administered CMT and CAPT assessments, these new tests, the Smarter Balanced Assessment System, will be administered on computers or other computing devices. This assessment transition makes the need to purchase new computers and upgrade technology more significant for districts.
In 2014-15, every public school district will administer the Smarter Balanced Assessment System and the state will sunset the administration of the math and English language arts CMT and CAPT tests. Districts will, however, continue to administer the science CMT and CAPT assessments.
The State Department of Education issued the technology grant request for proposals in July 2013. Awards must be used for the purposes of purchasing new computing devices, inter-school bandwidth, or inter-district bandwidth and are determined in accordance with a town wealth measure based on a 20 percent-80 percent sliding scale.