The Condition of Education in Connecticut 2013-2014 'A'l'l-t DEPARTMENT CIT- Foreword The Condition of Education in Connecticut is the Connecticut State Department of Education’s (CSDE) yearly status report on public education in the state. It fulfills the requirements under Section 10-4(b) of the Connecticut General Statutes. The Condition of Education presents indicators that describe the progress of the public education system, the characteristics of its students and educators, and the resources expended. The report also incorporates key indicators around student engagement and student readiness for college and careers. Next year, the CSDE will incorporate results from the new Smarter Balanced assessments into its updated accountability system. This system will include multiple measures of a student’s experience – including academic achievement, chronic absenteeism, college and career readiness, and a well-rounded education. Such a holistic approach will ensure that the accountability system more fully represents the successes achieved by our students, teachers, school leaders, and district administrators. It will also inform program improvement efforts that are aimed at closing Connecticut’s achievement gap. Dr. Dianna R. Wentzell, Interim Commissioner Connecticut State Department of Education i Contents Section Page Foreword i The Education System 1 Schools by School Type 2 Students 3 Public School Enrollment 4 Public School Enrollment by Race/Ethnicity 5 Economic Need 6 Full-day Kindergarten Enrollment 7 Special Education 8 English Language Learners 9 Languages Spoken at Home 10 Connecticut’s Adult Learners 11 Educators 12 Certified Staff Members 13 Demographics of School Staff 14 Instruction and School Climate 15 School Discipline 16 Chronic Absenteeism 17 Time Students with Disabilities Spent with Nondisabled Peers 18 Access to Advanced Placement Courses 19 Adult Education Programs Resources and Budgeting 20 Expenditures 22 College and Career Readiness 23 SAT Reasoning Test 24 Advanced Placement 25 Connecticut Physical Fitness Assessment 26 Graduation Rates 27 Adult Education Diplomas Granted 28 College Enrollment of Connecticut Public High School Graduates 29 College Completion in Six Years 30 21 The Education System The Education System Number of Operating Public Elementary and Secondary Schools by School Type School Type (maximum grade range in parentheses) Count Pre-K Only Elementary Schools (PK-6) Elementary & Middle School Grades (PK-8) Elementary, Middle, & High School Grades (PK-12) Middle Schools (6-8) Middle & High School Grades (6-12) High Schools (9-12) Total 36 543 139 26 137 51 229 1,161 Schools Count Public Elementary & Secondary 1,040 Regional Educational Service Centers 58 Public Charter 18 CT Technical High Schools 17 Endowed Academies 3 State Agency 25 Adult education programs include 44 local school districts, two regional educational service centers and 11 cooperating eligible entities that serve all 169 towns in Connecticut per state statute. Twelve other organizations are funded solely through federal grant initiatives. 2 Students Students Public School Enrollment Statewide enrollment has steadily declined since 2004-05. In 2013-14, enrollment was 5.5 percent lower than it was in 2004-05. Connecticut Public School Enrollment (PK-12) 600,000 Number of Students Enrolled 575,000 550,000 525,000 500,000 475,000 450,000 425,000 400,000 2004-05 2005-06 2006-07 2007-08 2008-09 2009-10 Academic Year 4 2010-11 2011-12 2012-13 2013-14 Students Public School Enrollment by Race/Ethnicity As the overall number of students has decreased over the past decade, the percentage of students who are from racial and/or ethnic minorities has risen. Most of this growth has been in the Hispanic population. In October 2010, 37.8 percent of students represented racial or ethnic minorities; in October 2013, that percentage was 41.6. Historically, nonwhite populations were concentrated in a small number of schools, but over the years the state’s districts are becoming increasingly diverse. Nonwhite students made up 70 percent or more of the demographic in 301 schools, and 20 percent or less of the demographic in 415 schools. American Indian/Alaska Native Hawaiian/Pacific Native 0.3% Islander 0.1% Asian 4.7% Black/African American 12.9% White 58.5% Hispanic/Latino 21.2% Two or more races 2.4% Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander American Indian/Alaska Native Two or more races Asian Black/African American Hispanic/Latino White Distribution Analysis of Nonwhite Students by School, 2013-14 5 Students Economic Need Connecticut’s student body is composed of more low-income students than ever before. The CSDE uses eligibility for free or reduced-price meals under the National School Lunch Program as an indicator of poverty, since federal nutrition program eligibility is based on household size and income.† The percentage of eligible students rose last year to an all-time high of 37.1 percent. To better support these students, 749 schools across the state participated in the USDA School Breakfast Program in 2013-14, a 20 percent increase from 2011-12. Percentage of Students Eligible for Free or Reduced Priced Meals 38 36 Percent Eligible 34 32 32.9 30 28 26 26.6 24 26.9 27.3 28.7 34.4 35.2 36.7 37.1 30.3 22 20 2004-05 2005-06 2006-07 2007-08 2008-09 2009-10 2010-11 2011-12 2012-13 2013-14 Academic Year Public Schools Participating in the USDA School Breakfast Program 800 Number of Schools 700 670 624 749 600 500 400 300 200 100 0 2011-12 2012-13 Federal Fiscal Year (October Data) 2013-14 † In 2013-14, a family of four needed to earn less than $30,615 for a child to receive free meals and less than $43,568 to receive reduced-price meals, according to the USDA Food and Nutrition Services. 6 Students Kindergarten Enrollment The number of school districts offering full-day kindergarten has been growing in recent years. In 2013-14, nearly 88 percent of kindergarteners were enrolled in full-day kindergarten across the state. This represents an all-time high and an increase of 25 percentage points from 2011-12. Percentage of Students Enrolled in Full-Day Kindergarten 100% 87.8% 90% Percentage of Kindergartners 80% 70% 73.6% 62.8% 60% 50% 40% 30% 20% 10% 0% 2011 2012 Academic Year 7 2013 Students Special Education In 2013-14, there were 66,132 Connecticut public school students in Grades K-12, or 12.4 percent of total enrollment, who required special education services. The special education incidence rate has risen slightly over the past four years from 11.6 percent in 2010-11. Students with Disabilities Enrollment The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) requires investigation of disproportionate representation in the identification of students with disabilities, by race and ethnicity. In 2013-14, district-level investigations revealed that the most common groups that were disproportionately identified were the following: white students with autism or with learning disabilities and Hispanic students with speech/language impairments. Of the districts with data of concern, upon investigation none were found to have disproportionate identification as a result of inappropriate policies, practices, or procedures. At the state level, black/African American students are found to be almost twice as likely as their nonblack peers to be identified with emotional disturbance and intellectual disability, although only one district had data of concern in this area. Prevalence of Students with Disabilities K-12 25% 20% 15% 11.5% 11.6% 11.6% 11.6% 11.7% 12.1% 12.4% 2007-08 2008-09 2009-10 2010-11 2011-12 2012-13 2013-14 10% 5% 0% Academic Year 100% Percentage of Students with Disabilities, Ages 6-21: Disability Type by Race/Ethnicity, 2013-14 White 90% Percentage of SWD 80% Two or More Races 70% Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander Hispanic Latino of any race Black or African American Asian 60% 50% 40% 30% 20% 10% 0% Autism Serious Emotional Disturbance Intellectual Disability/MR Learning Disability Other Health Other Disability Impairment 8 Speech/ Language Impairment American Indian or Alaska Native Students English Language Learners The percentage of students who are English Learners (EL) has been increasing slightly since 2009-10. In 2013-14, 5.9 percent of Connecticut's public school students were English Learners. Eight hundred eighty-seven schools had fewer than 10 percent EL population. There were 210 schools whose student body was composed of 10 percent or more English Learners. 10% Percentage of Students who are English Language Learners Percentage of Students who are ELL 9% 8% 7% 6% 5.5% 5.6% 5.6% 5.8% 5.9% 2009-10 2010-11 2011-12 2012-13 2013-14 5% 4% 3% 2% 1% 0% Academic Year Distribution of English Language Learner Rates by School, 2013-14 9 Students Languages Spoken at Home In the 2013-14 school year, Connecticut’s English Learners student subpopulation spoke 136 different non-English languages. While most districts only had to accommodate a few languages, there were 35 districts whose EL student subpopulations spoke 20 or more different non-English languages.* The table below shows the most prevalent languages spoken in these students’ homes. 15 Most Prevalent Non-English Languages in Connecticut Schools, 2013-14 Language Number of Students with Non-English Dominant Language Spanish 51744 Portuguese 2993 Polish 2276 Mandarin 2197 Creole-Haitian 1800 Arabic 1789 Albanian 1281 Vietnamese 1251 Urdu 1198 Russian 856 Gujarati 789 French 755 Serbo-Croatian 679 Cantonese 668 Bengali 651 *School districts must provide all English language learners with services to assist them in becoming proficient in the English language. Schools that have 20 or more students who are not proficient in English and speak the same language are required to offer a program of bilingual instruction in the following school year. 10 Students Connecticut’s Adult Learners† Connecticut’s adult education programs operate in their local communities to assist adults in obtaining the knowledge and skills necessary for employment, self-sufficiency and citizenship; becoming full partners in the educational development of their own children; and completing their secondary school education. Connecticut law requires that adult education services be provided by local school districts free of charge to any adult, 17 years of age or older, who is not enrolled in a public elementary or secondary school program. In 2013-14, Connecticut adult education programs served 24,571 adult learners. Total Adult Education Enrollment 35,000 31,185 31,243 28,539 Number of Learners 30,000 26,096 25,662 2011-12 2012-13 25,000 24,571 20,000 15,000 10,000 5,000 0 2008-09 2009-10 2010-11 2013-14 Fiscal Year † Note: Data represent unduplicated counts; individuals are reported only once regardless of the number of classes in which they were enrolled. For example, if a student is enrolled in four different high school completion classes, he or she is counted one time. Note: The Total Enrollment for years 2011-2012 and later does not include those learners enrolled only in Spanish GED programs. Source: Connecticut Adult Reporting System (CARS) database and Statewide Program Profile 2013-14. 11 Educators Educators Certified Staff Members General education and special education teachers combined constitute 81.3 percent of Fulltime Equivalent (FTE) certified staff. The ranks of regular classroom teachers have declined by 1.8 percent since 2007-08, while the number of FTE administrators rose by 4.9 percent over the same period. Certified Staff Members: Full-time Equivalent by Assignment Type, 2013-14 0.1% 11.3% 0.2% 6.7% 6.3% 5.4% Administrators Adult Education Counselors, Social Workers, Psychologists General Education Teachers Instructional Specialists Other Professionals Special Education 70.0% Total Full-time Equivalent† Certified Staff Count = 51,915.55 † Full-time equivalent (FTE) is derived by dividing the amount of time a person works by the time required of a corresponding full-time position. A full-time position is considered to be 1.0 FTE. For example, a teacher who works two of the five days per week would be a .4 FTE (2 days/5 days = .4 of full time or .4 FTE). 13 Educators Demographics of School Staff While Connecticut’s student population is somewhat diverse, with nonwhite students comprising 41.6 percent of the student body, Connecticut’s teaching force is quite homogeneous. Nearly 92 percent of certified school staff are white, 3.6 percent are Hispanic/Latino, 3.5 percent are black, and 1 percent are Asian. Only 0.1 percent of certified staff are Native American. Certified School Staff by Race/Ethnicity, 2013-14 Asian 1.0% Hispanic 3.6% Native American 0.1% White 91.7% 14 Black 3.5% Instruction and School Climate School Climate School Discipline The Connecticut State Department of Education collects sanction data, which includes in-school suspensions (ISS), out-of-school suspensions (OSS), and expulsions (EXP). Districts are required to report all incidents that result in a sanction. In the 2013-14 school year, 7.5 percent of all students received at least one ISS, OSS or EXP sanction. Black or African American and Hispanic students are suspended at substantially higher rates than their white counterparts. 50% Percentage of Students 45% Suspension/Expulsion Rates by Race/Ethnicity, 2013-14 40% 35% 30% 25% 20% 17.3% 15% 10% 7.5% 5% 0% 11.9% 10.1% 8.2% 7.6% 4.1% 1.8% State Average American Indian or Alaska Native Asian 2011-12 Black or African American 2012-13 16 Hispanic Native Two or More Latino of any Hawaiian or Races race Other Pacific Islander 2013-14 White School Climate Chronic Absenteeism Chronic absenteeism is defined as missing 10 percent or greater of the total number of days enrolled in the school year for any reason. It includes both excused and unexcused absences. Several research studies have highlighted the association of chronic absenteeism to student academic achievement and high school graduation. Factors that contribute to chronic absence include inadequate healthcare, high family mobility, low maternal education, food insecurity, ineffective parent engagement, and high levels of community violence. Connecticut’s state wide chronic absenteeism rate for students in Grades K-12 was 10.7 percent in 2013-14. This translates to over 56,000 students. There was considerable variation among districts, as well as among factors such as race/ethnicity, free or reduced-price meal eligibility, special education status, and ELL status. Chronic Absenteeism Rates by Race/Ethnicity Percentage of Students Chronically Absent 25 20 18.1 15.7 15 12.2 10.6 10.9 10 2011-12 7.2 6.4 2012-13 2013-14 5 0 American Indian or Alaska Native Asian Black or Hispanic Native Two or More African Latino of any Hawaiian or Races American race Other Pacific Islander White Chronic Absenteeism by High Risk Subgroups Percentage of Students Chronically Absent 25 20 18.1 18.5 18.0 19.9 15.7 15 9.1 10 2012-13 2013-14 5 0 2011-12 Black or African American Hispanic Latino of any race Student's with Disabilities ELL Students 17 Eligible for Free Eligible for Priced Meals Reduced Priced Meals Instruction Time Students with Disabilities Spent with Nondisabled Peers For students with disabilities, time spent with nondisabled peers is an important indicator of access to the general curriculum. It is also a demonstration of students being educated in their least restrictive setting; this complies with the federal Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) requirement that students with disabilities be educated with their nondisabled peers to the maximum extent appropriate. While 69.6 percent of all students with disabilities spent at least 80 percent of time with nondisabled peers, there is significant variation across the primary disability types. Of all students with an intellectual disability (ID), only 35.6 percent spent 80­ 100 percent of their time with nondisabled peers in 2013-14, compared to 79.6 percent of students with a learning disability (LD). Similarly, 45.3 percent of students with an emotional disturbance (ED) spent 80-100 percent of their time with nondisabled peers, compared to 85.1 percent of students with a speech or language impairment (SLI). Percent of Students (K-12) who Spend 80-100% of Time with Nondisabled Peers by Primary Disability Type, 2013-14 Percentage of time SWD Spent with Nondisabled Peers 90% 85.1% 79.6% 80% 74.9% 70% 60% 51.6% 50% 47.6% 45.3% 40% 35.6% 30% 20% 10% 0% Autism ED ID LD OHI* Primary Disability Type *Other Health Impairment (OHI) 18 Other SLI Instruction Access to Advanced Placement Courses An increasing number of schools are making Advanced Placement exams available to their students. In 2013-14, 16.8 percent more schools offered AP exams than a decade earlier. Number of Schools Offering Advanced Placement Exams 180 175 172 169 170 Number of Schools 166 165 167 162 159 160 155 166 174 154 153 150 145 140 2004-05 2005-06 2006-07 2007-08 2008-09 2009-10 2010-11 2011-12 2012-13 2013-14 Academic Year 19 Instruction Adult Education Programs Adult learners participate in one of the following state-mandated adult education instructional programs: citizenship preparation; English as a second language (ESL); adult basic literacy education; or one of three secondary school completion programs (i.e., General Educational Development (GED), Adult High School Credit Diploma, or National External Diploma). In 2013-14, 61 percent of adult learners participated in basic literacy or secondary school completion programs, while 39 percent of learners participated in ESL or citizenship programs. Adult Education Enrollment by Program Type, 2013-14 1.2% Adult Basic Education (ABE) / General Education Development (GED) Preparation Citizenship 26.5% 33.4% English as a Second Language (ESL) 2.7% Adult High School Credit Diploma Program National External Diploma Program 36.2% Source: Connecticut Adult Reporting System (CARS) database and Statewide Program Profile 2013-14. 20 Resources and Budgeting Resources and Budgeting Expenditures In 2013-14, the state’s overall school expenditures (excluding investments in land, buildings and debt) totaled $8.4 billion. Instructional staff and services represented a majority of the total expenditures; 56 cents out of every education dollar was devoted to this area. Expenditures† by Category 2013-14 Instruction and Educational Media Services 3% Other 1% Administration and Support Services 11% Plant Operation and Maintenance 10% Instructional Supplies and Equipment 2% Instructional Staff and Services 56% Students Tuitioned Out 5% Student Support Services 6% Transportation 6% † A portion of the cost of students tuitioned out was sent to other Connecticut public school districts and, therefore, is also included under the various expenditure categories. 22 College and Career Readiness College and Career Readiness SAT Reasoning Test† The SAT is one of the nation’s most commonly used college readiness assessments. Beginning with the 2006 administration of the SAT, the test consists of three sections, with the addition of a writing assessment to the previously existing mathematics and critical reading (formerly verbal) assessments. All three assessments are graded on a scale of 200 to 800 points. The College Board has determined a composite score of 1550 to be representative of career and college readiness. Overall, 44.7 percent of the 2014 Connecticut public high school senior class who took the SAT met the college and career readiness standard. This is a slight decline from 2013 when 45 percent of the senior class who took the SAT met the standard. As with other measures of student achievement, varying performance levels are evidenced among students from different racial/ethnic backgrounds; 13 percent of black or African American and 20 percent of Hispanic students met the standard as compared to 55 percent of white students and 57 percent of Asian students. 100% Percent of Seniors who met the Career and College Readiness Standard by Race/Ethnicity Percentage of Seniors who Took the SAT and are College and Career Ready 90% 80% 70% 60% 50% 57.1% 55.1% 2012 44.7% 2013 40% 2014 29.8% 30% 19.8% 20% 13.4% 10% 0% Overall American Indian or Asian, AsianAlaska Native American, or Pacific Islander Black or African American Student Groups † The source for these data is the College Board. 24 Hispanic White College and Career Readiness Advanced Placement† The Advanced Placement (AP) program is a rigorous high school program of college-level courses and examinations. Connecticut was ranked second nationwide with 30.8 percent of its 2014 high school graduates scoring 3 or better on at least one AP exam during high school and ranked most improved in the nation with an increase of 14.4 percentage points over the last decade. While the traditional performance gaps evidenced in other metrics were also evidenced in these data, there were some bright spots. Twelve Connecticut districts also made the AP Honor Roll, which recognizes and honors those outstanding school districts that simultaneously increase access to AP coursework while increasing the percentage of students earning scores of 3 or higher on AP exams. The districts were East Granby, Fairfield, Greenwich, Montville, Newington, Oxford, Region 1, Region 8, Region 17, Region 16, Ridgefield, and Stratford. † The source for these data is the College Board. 25 College and Career Readiness Connecticut Physical Fitness Assessment The Connecticut Physical Fitness Assessment program (CPFA) includes a variety of healthrelated physical fitness tests designed to assess muscle strength, muscular endurance, flexibility, and cardiovascular fitness. Statewide, only slightly more than half of students in the tested grades (4, 6, 8 & 10) met the “Health” standard on all four assessments in 2013-14. Percentage of Students Reaching Health Standard of CT Physical Fitness Assessment 100 Percentage of Students Passing all Four Fitness Assessments 90 80 70 60 50 50.6 51.1 51.1 2011-12 2012-13 2013-14 40 30 20 10 0 Academic Year 26 College and Career Readiness Graduation Rates The four-year graduation cohort rate is the percentage of first-time ninth graders who graduate in four years or less with a regular high school diploma. Overall, Connecticut’s four-year graduation rate has increased over the past four years from 82.7 percent for the cohort of 2011 to 87 percent for the cohort of 2014. The graduation rates for students who are black, Hispanic, or eligible for free or reduced-priced meals has increased at a rate that is greater than the state average. However, the four-year graduation rates for English Language Learners and students with disabilities continues to be substantially lower and has only shown modest improvement in the past four years. Four-year Cohort Graduation Rates by Student Characteristics Percentage of Students Graduating in Four Years 100 90 87.0 92.2 90.1 93.5 84.1 78.6 80 75.9 74.0 70 65.2 63.0 60 50 40 30 20 10 0 All Students Male Female Black/African American Hispanic White Asian Eligible For Free or ReducedPriced Meals ELL Special Education Students by Characteristics 2011 2012 2013 2014 Source: CSDE data and calculations Note: The race categories that were created in 2012—Native American or Alaska Native, Hawaiian or Pacific Islander, and Two or More Races are not included in the above graph because they do not yet have prior years of data. To see the complete data, please go to: http://www.sde.ct.gov/sde/cwp/view.asp?a=2758&q=334898. 27 Students Adult Education Diplomas Granted Connecticut offers three pathways for adult learners to attain a high school diploma: (1) pass the General Educational Development (GED) Tests; (2) earn adult education credits toward an adult high school diploma; or (3) demonstrate 100 percent mastery on the National External Diploma Program (NEDP) assessments. In 2013-14, a total of 3,650 individuals earned diplomas through these adult education pathways. Earning a diploma through adult education enables individuals to pursue postsecondary education/training opportunities and participate more fully in Connecticut’s workforce. The decline in GED State diplomas in 2013-14 is attributable to the start of a new GED assessment in January 2014. This new assessment is aligned to college- and career- ready standards (i.e., the Common Core State Standards) and delivered via computer. As adult education programs continue to strengthen GED preparation by delivering instruction that is aligned to the new content and technological standards, it is expected that more adults will be better prepared to take and succeed on this new assessment. Adult Education Diplomas Granted, 2013-14 3,500 3,191 3,147 3,026 3,000 3,006 2,698 Number of Diplomas 2,500 2,000 1,953 1,945 1,896 1,700 1,578 1,500 1,496 GED State HS Diplomas 1,384 Adult High School Credit Diplomas 1,000 500 277 399 328 416 308 321 2012-13 2013-14 National External Diploma Program Diplomas 0 2008-09 2009-10 2010-11 2011-12 Academic Year Source: Connecticut Adult Reporting System (CARS) database and Statewide Program Profile 2013-14 28 College and Career Readiness College Enrollment of Connecticut Public High School Graduates In spring 2013, Connecticut public high schools graduated more than 38,000 students. Of these graduates, 73.0 percent enrolled in higher education within a year of graduating as compared to 69.7 percent for the class of 2007. The college enrollment rate of females (78.9 percent) from the high school class of 2013 was substantially higher than that of males (67.8 percent). College Enrollment at Any Time During the First Year After High School 85% Percentage of Students Enrolled in College 75% Female 65% Overall Male 55% 45% 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 Year of High School Graduation Source: National Student Clearinghouse Student Tracker reports 29 2012 2013 College and Career Readiness College Completion of Connecticut Public High School Graduates Forty-seven percent of the 2008 high school graduating class graduated from college with an Associate’s, Bachelor’s or higher degree within six years. That percentage is up slightly from the 2007 graduating class when 45.6 percent of students graduated from college in six years. The college completion rates vary among different student groups. For example, 52.3 percent of females graduated in six years as compared to 40.8 percent of males. Variations also exist between students from different racial/ethnic backgrounds; 60.1 percent of Asian students and 53.8 percent of white students completed college within six years as compared to 24.4 percent of black/African American students and 21.4 percent of Hispanic/Latino students. However, a higher percentage of students completed college within each student group from the class of 2008 than the class of 2007. Black/African American students experienced the greatest increase in college completion rates among the student groups. College Completion in 6 Years 70% 60.1% 60% 53.8% Percentage of Students who Completed College 52.3% 50% 47.0% 40.8% 40% Class of 2007 30% 24.4% Class of 2008 21.4% 20% 10% 0% Overall Female Male Asian Black of African Hispanic/Latino American Student Groups Source: National Student Clearinghouse Student Tracker reports and CSDE calculations. 30 White STATE OF CONNECTICUT Dannel P. Malloy, Governor STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION Allan B. Taylor, Chairperson Theresa Hopkins-Staten, Vice Chairperson Michael Caminear, Student Megan Foell, Student Erin D. Benham Terry H. Jones Estela López Maria I. Mojica Stephen P. Wright Gregory W. Gray (Ex Officio) President, Connecticut Board of Regents for Higher Education Robert Trefry (Ex Officio) Dr. Dianna R. Wentzell Interim Commissioner of Education The Connecticut State Department of Education is committed to a policy of equal opportunity/affirmative action for all qualified persons. The Connecticut State Department of Education does not discriminate in any employment practice, education program, or educational activity on the basis of race, color, religious creed, sex, age, national origin, ancestry, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, disability (including, but not limited to, intellectual disability, past or present history of mental disorder, physical disability or learning disability), genetic information, or any other basis prohibited by Connecticut state and/or federal nondiscrimination laws. The Connecticut State Department of Education does not unlawfully discriminate in employment and licensing against qualified persons with a prior criminal conviction. Inquiries regarding the Connecticut State Department of Education’s nondiscrimination policies should be directed to: Levy Gillespie Equal Employment Opportunity Director/American with Disabilities Act Coordinator Connecticut State Department of Education 25 Industrial Park Road Middletown, CT 06457 860-807-2071 Levy.Gillespie@ct.gov