December 15, 2011

GOV. MALLOY "DISAPPOINTED" BY U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION DECISION ON RACE TO THE TOP FUNDS; SAYS HE IS DETERMINED TO MOVE FORWARD ON EDUCATION REFORM

(HARTFORD, CT) - Governor Dannel P. Malloy expressed disappointment today over the news that the U.S. Departments of Education and Health and Human Services did not award Connecticut $49.99 million in Race to the Top-Early Learning Challenge funding.

The funds would have helped strengthen ongoing state initiatives in early learning, and to establish a comprehensive, integrated early childhood education and care system focused on high-need children from birth to age five. Connecticut's application was submitted in October.

"High-quality education for all of Connecticut's children is a top priority for my administration, and we should be pleased with the strong application that we submitted; it will serve as a roadmap as we move forward on education reform," said Governor Malloy. "However, we were aware going in that we were at a disadvantage-a lack of investment over the past decade meant that we did not have the infrastructure in place, or have a well-developed or coordinated early learning system. That will change. This federal funding would have accelerated our efforts, but we are determined to move forward to improve early learning in Connecticut and keep our commitment that all of Connecticut's students receive a high-quality education."

Connecticut has several initiatives in place geared towards strengthening the state's early learning and development programs. Governor Malloy issued Executive Order No. 11, which established an Early Childhood Office, and signed Public Act 11-181, which established a coordinated system for early childhood care and education. The Governor also pledged to open 1,000 new high-quality early childhood spaces for high-need children, create a new governance structure to help coordinate the systems involved in bringing services to high-need children, and strengthen current state resources that encompass early childhood health, nutrition, education and development.

Nearly 25 percent of Connecticut children enter Kindergarten unprepared to learn. Connecticut's early learning and development initiatives under the Race to the Top proposal would have cut that number in half and set a goal to have 90 percent of high-need children current on well-child physician's visits to promote better development outcomes.

"Over the past 11 months we've been aggressive about bring federal dollars back to Connecticut," said the Governor. "We have been awarded hundreds of millions of dollars for several transportation projects that will significantly improve our infrastructure and boost the economy. We will go back to Washington for education funding at every opportunity."

Governor Malloy has said that the next legislative session will be focused on education.

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For Immediate Release: December 15, 2011

Facebook: Office of Governor Dannel P. Malloy