Andy Fleischmann

Biography

In September of 1994, Andy Fleischmann won a six-way primary—the most competitive primary in Connecticut that year—to become the Democratic candidate for the 18th District Assembly seat. He has won every general election since then, and is now serving his ninth term in the House of Representatives.

Andy serves as Chairman of the Education Committee, Chairman of the Appropriations Subcommittee for Elementary and Secondary Education, and is senior member of the  Government Administration & Elections Committee.

Last year, Andy led the fight to enact sweeping education reforms to help ensure that all of Connecticut’s children have access to a top quality education that prepares them for the 21st century workplace.

The new law raises academic standards, improves the supply of top quality school leaders, increases parental involvement in schools, and establishes an expanded data system to track students’ academic growth, from pre-kindergarten through high school graduation, while protecting the privacy of their records.

Teacher and administrator evaluations will now be linked to student academic growth—so that, for the first time, evaluations reflect how much students learn—and schools can see the best ways to improve instruction. High school graduation requirements have also been restructured to ensure students have the English, math, and science skills needed to succeed in college or the 21st century workplace.

Andy has led efforts on a number of other bills in recent years to reform the education system. These have included empowering the State Education Commissioner to reorganize failing schools and school districts, bringing Teach for America to Connecticut, and modifying the teacher certification system to make it easier for great school teachers, principals and superintendents to come to Connecticut.

Andy helped win passage of the largest increase in state support for education in over 20 years by eliminating the cap on Education Cost Sharing (ECS) funding for dozens of communities in Connecticut in 2007. He was also a key player in developing legislation that expanded after-school programs, enhanced early childhood education, and increased state support for special education.

In 2005, following an eight-hour debate, Andy won passage of one of the nation’s first and strongest school nutrition bills.  That year, Andy was also the House’s leading proponent of legislation empowering the Attorney General to sue the Federal government for its failure to fund the mandates of the No Child Left Behind Act. He helped draft legislation that established Connecticut’s Early Childhood Education Cabinet. And, as a leading advocate of campaign finance reform, Rep. Fleischmann was proud to help win passage of the nation’s strongest campaign finance law during the 2005 special legislative session.

Andy’s awards and honors include:

An alumnus of Hall High School in West Hartford, Andy received a bachelor’s degree from Princeton University, graduating from its Woodrow Wilson School of Public Affairs cum laude, Phi Beta Kappa. He earned a master’s degree in history from Stanford University, where he focused on issues in modern U.S. public policy.

When the House is not in session, Andy serves as President and CEO of Nutmeg Big Brothers Big Sisters, a non-profit agency that provides children in need with mentors who help them reach their highest potential. He, his wife and two daughters live near Bishop's Corner in West Hartford.