MOVING FORWARD IN 2026
CAPSS envisions local and state leaders working together to achieve the following goals that elevate Connecticut’s public schools and ensure every child benefits from a world-class education.
1. Elevate the Stature of Connecticut's Public Schools and the Education Profession
A. Public Schools
Public education is Connecticut’s greatest public asset — and it must be recognized, celebrated, and prioritized. The value, impact, and return on investment of our schools must be publicized and championed.
CAPSS advocates for a multi-year public information initiative to emphasize:
- The critical importance of public education in all aspects of human life and the future;
- The historical success of compulsory schooling with public funding and accountability;
- The need for a strong, equitable and successful system that serves all children with free and appropriate education;
- A continuous reporting of “success stories”, progress, and innovations from Connecticut schools;
There is, presently, no true counter-balance to the daily onslaught of negative information on the problems of schools and young people. All media prefers stories of failure to those of success. The fact is that the vast majority of students are succeeding, every day, in many different ways and are the backbone of the Connecticut and USA success of continuous progress in the social and economic growth.
All schools, institutions, organizations and individuals have a role to play in presenting the facts on Connecticut public schools’ success. This will require a renewed focus on engaging families and community leaders and partner organizations in documenting these successes.
B. Education Profession
While all educators face real challenges, they also experience profound joy and meaning in shaping children’s lives. That joy deserves equal visibility and must be included in the public information initiative suggested above.
At the heart of any educational enterprise is the continuous, daily teacher-student interaction. Nothing is more important to the future success of public education in Connecticut than the quality of its teaching force. The need for a more diverse workforce is absolutely essential, as is listening to the voices of educators on how to improve and grow the profession.
However, physical and psychological conditions that teachers are often experiencing in our schools is of serious concern.
The salaries of Connecticut public school educators should be increased. The pandemic of 2020-22 helped prove how much education is harmed when there is no continuous, demanding and supportive teaching provided to each student. We are facing a crisis. There is a present shortage of teacher candidates, a projection of even greater shortages over the next 10 years, and a negative salary differentiation between the teaching profession and other bachelor’s degree occupations.
Raising total compensation, particularly for starting teachers in every town, must be considered. Connecticut must also address the issues of certification, professional development, student teaching, teacher shortages, teacher evaluation, appropriate use of non-certified staff, the work hours of the day and year, advancement, mentoring, diversity and more. These factors are all part of the “total condition” of the education profession, and every one of them needs clarification and greater expectations.
A Historical Lens
Connecticut led the nation in 1986 with a Teacher Salary Enhancement Act (TSEA) that elevated all starting salaries and increased compensation to all teachers. It was also equity-based with greater state funds provided to school districts with the greatest need and the least local capacity to pay. For at least 20 years thereafter, the TSEA helped bring more highly-qualified young people into the public schools as teachers.
After the increase in teacher salaries, college students choosing education as their major had higher SAT scores than previously, and student achievement in Connecticut in the later 1990’s, when compared to other states and the nation, was at an all-time high level.
It has been 40 years since the leaders of this state have taken the bold step to demonstrate “We want the best for our children”. Today’s students can and will do better than we have done if we invest more in their future NOW.