From:
Susan Kniep,
President
The Federation of Connecticut Taxpayer Organizations, Inc.
Website: ctact.org
Email: fctopresident@ctact.org
860-524-6501
December 26, 2004
The
Federation of Connecticut Taxpayer Organizations, Inc.
Proposes
Early High School Graduation Plan
Please Refer to the Hartford Courant Article
Below
The Federation of Connecticut Taxpayer Organizations,
Inc. is proposing that Boards of Education throughout the State consider a
multi-faceted approach to improving the educational system within their town. New policies should be formulated not only
for those students who have failed to meet the standards of the No Child Left
Behind Act, but should include enhancements for students who are excelling
within their school system and have hopes of furthering their educational
studies.
The Early Graduation Reward Plan, recently proposed for
Connecticut Schools by Yankee Institute, has been implemented within other
States. This plan provides high school
students with an opportunity to complete their studies within three consecutive
years. The Plan further rewards students with a financial subsidy which they can apply
to their college studies.
As the former Mayor of East Hartford, and President of the East Hartford Taxpayers Association, I am pleased to announce that we
have kicked off our campaign in the Town of East Hartford.
The Yankee Institute
within their publication which can be found at the following website http://www.yankeeinstitute.org/pdf/Early_Grad_Reward.pdf estimates that East Hartford, based on a per pupil
annual cost of $9,990, could realize the following savings: $602,632 based on a 10% early graduation,
$1,506,581 based on a 25% early graduation, or $3,013,161 based on a 50% early
graduation. Anticipated
savings in other towns are also contained within Yankee Institute’s report.
An example of savings to
a town and reward to a student is as follows…. If it costs $10,000 to educate a
student for one year, or $40,000 for a four year high school program, a three
year program would reduce that cost to $30,000.
The student would be given a
$3,000 or $4,000 tuition subsidy, while local taxpayrs
would save $7,000 or $6,000.
As East Hartford and other communities focus on improving
the standards of their schools which failed to meet the requirements of the Federal No Child Left Behind Act, students who
are excelling and approaching high school should be given the opportunities as
proposed in the Early Graduation Plan.
This Plan should be made known to students and their parents as they
enter their Freshman year or earlier, and a plan of action for Fast Track
graduation should be implemented based on the capability of each student.
A similar plan has been implemented in Texas and can be found at the following website: http://www.collegefortexans.com/cfbin/tofa2.cfm?ID=2.
With the recognition
that this plan will ultimately provide a cost savings at the State level as
well, The Federation of Connecticut Taxpayer Organizations will ultimately encourage
State officials to develop a State scholarship program which can be accessed by
students who embrace the Early Graduation Plan as another funding source toward
their college studies. The state scholarship program could include either
a low interest loan program or direct subsidy depending upon income criteria. Suggested
funding for the State Scholarship Program include: encouraged donations from private
corporations and individuals; requiring donations from corporations and
individuals receiving state grants or subsidies; and/or providing taxpayers
with an opportunity, when completing their tax forms, to donate to the
fund.
For Connecticut to compete nationally and globally, our focus should be
on producing a highly skilled and educated work force. However, the cost of public education in Connecticut is escalating beyond the taxpayers’ ability to pay. As such, new and innovative approaches to structuring
and funding education must be explored. The aforementioned proposal not only meets
this need but also addresses the escalating cost to students of furthering
their education upon graduation from high school.
Recently, the East Hartford
Taxpayers Association offered several suggestions for improving East Hartford’s
educational system which included (1)
Freeze Salaries and Benefits for Two Years, (2) Provide Accountability
of Teachers and Administrators to Taxpayers (3) Execute A Contract with Parents
to share the Responsibility for Educating their Child to include overseeing
homework, attendance, etc. (4) Subject Service and Product Contracts to Carefully
Monitored Competitive Bid and Financial Audits and (5) Revise State Binding Arbitration Laws.
Through the implementation
of the Early Graduation Plan in conjunction with similar proposals as
referenced, The Federation of Connecticut Taxpayer Organizations believes educational costs can be
contained locally and statewide. A
further benefit is afforded to students who assume the three year challenge, are
eager to further their education, yet lack the financial means to do so.
*******
A Year Less Of High School?
Taxpayers' Group Sees Way To Save By
Offering Incentive
December 27, 2004
By JIM FARRELL, Courant Staff Writer
EAST HARTFORD -- A local taxpayers' group is hoping the school board can save
money by encouraging students to graduate from high school in fewer than four
years.
School officials say they are intrigued by the idea - which would provide a
college scholarship for students who graduate early - but they are skeptical
about the savings that advocates say could exceed hundreds of thousands of
dollars annually.
Article continued at the following website:
http://www.ctnow.com/news/local/hc-ehdgrad1227.artdec27,0,2258192.story