“We strongly believe that Connecticut’s K-12 public education system must not only emphasize rigorous, well-rounded academics and citizenship, but also evolve to meet the needs of the state’s economy. In addition to providing pathways to college through demanding academic coursework and dual enrollment opportunities, we acknowledge and embrace the immense potential of K-12 public education to offer career pathways that align to the state’s workforce needs. To realize this promise, we commit to working with higher education, business/industry, state agencies, and community organizations to expand existing career pathways and create new ones that will engage students in areas such as advanced manufacturing, engineering, information technology, health sciences, finance and education. Evolving our programs to offer more pathways to rewarding careers is not only prudent, but also our collective responsibility.
“College and career pathways are not mutually exclusive; many students who explore careers seek postsecondary education or training to further their skills while others who are singularly focused on college will benefit from gaining exposure to potential careers. Furthermore, one pathway is no less rigorous than the other; much of the academic pre-requisites are the same while their unique requirements are equally demanding. Ultimately, regardless of a student’s path, our goal is to equip all students with options for success and happiness in their lives beyond high school.
“Together, we stand committed to engaging as a community of educators and leaders with the singular goal of providing the best opportunities for the 530,000 students we serve.”
Miguel A. Cardona, Ed.D.
Commissioner, Connecticut State Department of Education (CSDE)
Frances M. Rabinowitz
Executive Director, Connecticut Association of Public School Superintendents (CAPSS)
Robert Rader
Executive Director, Connecticut Association of Boards of Education (CABE)
Glenn Lungarini
Executive Director, Connecticut Association of Schools (CAS)
Jan Hochadel
President, AFT Connecticut
Jeff Leake
President, Connecticut Education Association (CEA)
# # #
AFT Connecticut represents approximately 30,000 professionals across the state, including PreK-12 teachers, paraeducators and education support personnel in 32 local and regional school districts. For more information, visit www.aftct.org or follow the labor federation on Twitter at @AFTCT and on Facebook at AFT Connecticut.
Click here for a print version of joint statement.
