State Rep. Douglas McCrory of Hartford promotes education reform legislation at a State Capitol press conference. McCrory was recently honored by the Connecticut Early Childhood Alliance for his work on behalf of children

McCrory received the recognition for showing a strong commitment to early childhood issues both in his district and at the legislature.

"Rep. McCrory was chosen as a 2012 Children’s Champion for demonstrating a strong level of commitment to early childhood through leadership on policy issues during the 2012 legislative session, and active involvement on local early childhood initiatives," said Maggie Adair, Executive Director of the CT Early Childhood Alliance.

McCrory, who works as a high school vice principal, was a vocal proponent of education reforms passed by the legislature. Among the sweeping reforms to public education, the legislation (SB 458) creates 1,000 new pre-K School Readiness seats, focused in high need, low-performing communities. It also creates a pilot program to enhance literacy for students in kindergarten through third grade.

“Investments in early childhood education are a solid investment in our children’s futures and a good deal for taxpayers,” said McCrory. “I want to thank everyone at the Connecticut Early Childhood Alliance for this recognition and for all the great work they do on behalf of our children.”

The Connecticut Early Childhood Alliance is a statewide membership and advocacy organization committed to improving developmental outcomes in the areas of learning, health, safety and economic security for children ages birth to eight.

“The unfortunate truth is that adhering to traffic laws apparently isn’t enough,” McCrory said. “For people of color, getting pulled over because of where you are driving and how you look is a sad reality. In my community it’s called ‘DWB’ – driving while black.”

The bill modifies the 1999 Racial Profiling Prohibition Act championed by the late Sen. Alvin Penn of Bridgeport, which requires police departments to forward data on traffic stops to the African-American Affairs Commission (AAAC) to assess for evidence of racial profiling. The new law sets standards for reporting the information and shifts responsibility for its analysis to the governor’s budget office, which has more staff and resources available than AAAC.

In addition, the legislation also allows the state to withhold public safety-related funds from communities that don't comply. A 2011 analysis of more than 100,000 traffic stops by dozens of local police departments found that black and Hispanic drivers are significantly more likely to receive a ticket or a court date than white drivers stopped for the same offense.

“There is still work to do, but this is a good step toward addressing concerns about profiling,” said McCrory.

Previously passed by the Senate, the bill now goes to Governor Dannel P. Malloy who indicated he would sign it into law. “This is a real problem that deserves a real solution, and my administration is committed to carrying out the spirit and letter of this law,” said Gov. Malloy.

“The Artists Collective serves as a cultural welcome mat to our community, and I’m happy to support them,” said McCrory. “This project is a great example of how government can partner with organizations that are ready, willing and able to uplift and enrich lives.”

The Artists Collective was founded in 1970 by world renowned alto-saxophonist, composer and educator Jackie McLean as an interdisciplinary arts and cultural institution serving the Greater Hartford area. Artists Collective programs expose students and the community at large to great and too often overlooked artists of the past and present, while offering training in the performing arts including dance, theatre, music and visual arts to over 1,200 students per year.

“With many school budgets having to cut extracurricular activities, particularly in the arts, places such as the Artists Collective become more critical,” said McCrory, Vice-chair of the legislature’s Education Committee. “The Artists Collective has been a longstanding and respected institution in Hartford, and is well deserving of the state’s support.”

Specifically, the grant will be used for new rooftop HVAC units, flooring and masonry repairs as well as energy efficiency measures including windows and doors.

For more information on the Artists Collective, call (860) 527-3205 or visit them online at artistscollective.org.

Gov. Malloy, Martin Luther King, III, Rep. McCrory at the State Capitol to support legislation strengthening voting rights.

“Voting is the foundation of our democracy and we need to do everything we can to encourage greater participation,” said McCrory. “While some states are looking to limit voting, it is an honor to have Martin Luther King, III join us here in Connecticut as we work to protect and expand voter rights.”

The legislature recently passed a resolution for an amendment to the state Constitution that would remove restrictions on absentee ballot voting. The resolution is an early step in a long process that would eliminate barriers to absentee ballot voting, thus paving the way for consideration of progressive reforms such as early voting and no-excuse absentee ballot voting.

McCrory said the resolution is part of a comprehensive voter reform package that also includes proposals for online and Election Day voter registration and a bill to increase penalties for voter intimidation and vote tampering.

Governor Dannel P. Malloy will participate in the event and answer questions on his education reform proposal.

“We are at a crossroads with deciding how the state should close the achievement gap and fix our failing schools,” McCrory said. “I strongly encourage parents, educators and all those interested in the future education of our children to come by and join the conversation.”

Smith Whiley & Company, a specialized investment management and financial services firm in Hartford, is introducing its fourth sponsored investment fund and will retain 12 jobs and create three more. To fund the marketing cycle for this new product launch, it is receiving a $100,000 matching grant and a $250,000 Job Creation Incentive Loan.

“Job creation is critical to encouraging long-term economic growth and that is what makes the Small Business Express program a solid investment for the state,” said Rep. McCrory. “It’s great to see a Hartford company adding jobs and I hope more of our local small businesses will apply for and qualify for this new program.”

In total, EXP will provide $100 million to help the state’s small businesses hire more employees and fund capital investments. The program, administered by the Department of Economic and Community Development (DECD), offers loans and matching grants to Connecticut companies with fewer than 50 employees at the time of application.

“This program responds to the needs of Connecticut’s small business community, encouraging expansion and job growth here in our state,” Governor Malloy said. “Businesses of every kind are using these funds to leverage their own investments, so their companies can develop new products, serve new markets, become more competitive and – most importantly – create new jobs.”

For more information on EXP or to apply for the program, visit the Small Business Express Program web page or contact Michelle Lugo at DECD at 860-270-8052 or Michelle.Lugo@ct.gov.

McCrory participated in the workshop, which featured panel discussions on improving low performing school districts and promoting excellence in teaching.

“Achieving equal educational opportunity is a challenge that requires real reforms,” McCrory said. “This forum was a great kick-off to the debate that lies ahead as we seek bold and innovative changes.”

Specifically, McCrory wants to make universal pre-school available for all children and the state’s education funding formula adjusted to provide more resources to failing school districts. He also supports stronger teacher evaluations that are not simply based on standardized test scores. “Parental involvement will also always be a critical part of any successful equation,” McCrory said.

The achievement gap refers to the disparity of academic performance between groups of students, especially by ethnicity and socioeconomic status. According to the National Assessment of Educational Progress project, Connecticut’s achievement gap is among the largest in the nation, particularly between white and African-American students.

“To successfully attack the achievement gap, we cannot continue to try to smooth things over by simply rounding off the edges,” McCrory said. “Real change is the only way to provide all students with the tools to succeed.”

“Whether you are considering proposals dealing with energy, clean water or air pollution, good environmental policies are also good for our economy,” said McCrory. “We all have a stake in preserving our environment and are dependent on its resources.”

McCrory backed a major energy reform bill designed to lower Connecticut’s electricity costs, while moving the state toward cleaner and more efficient energy usage. The new law takes a number of steps to grow jobs in new clean energy industries by supporting zero emission electric generation projects like solar, wind, hydro with renewable energy credits and establishing a residential solar photovoltaic program.

The annual environmental scorecard grades state lawmakers based on how they vote on significant environmental legislation. This year the scorecard grades legislators' votes on 12 bills that came up this year. McCrory is one of only 29 state representatives—less than 20% of the Connecticut House—to earn a rating of 100%.

CTLCV co-Chair David Bingham said of the legislators who received high scores "despite the pressures of economic distress, they upheld policies that are critical to providing clean air and water and make Connecticut an inviting state to do business.”

Formed in 1998, the bipartisan CTLCV works on laws that affect Connecticut's air, water, wildlife, open space, transportation, energy choices, and health.

State Representatives Douglas McCrory (D-Hartford), Marie Lopez Kirkley-Bey (D-Hartford), Matthew Ritter (D-Hartford, Bloomfield) and Senator Eric Coleman (D-Bloomfield) said a $1 million grant was recently approved by the state Bond Commission for the Hartford Economic Development Corporation (HEDCo) for a North Hartford Community Revolving Loan Program.

“The struggling economy has caused many banks to be more reluctant to provide credit and that just makes things tougher for small and minority-owned businesses trying to survive,” said McCrory. “This fund will help fill the void that is currently hurting any potential for job creation in the North End of Hartford.”

“I’m very proud that this much needed funding is going to help local businesses create jobs right here in Hartford,” said Kirkley-Bey. “This money will be made available to businesses owned by African Americans and other people of color that traditional lenders all too often ignore.”

A major focus will be placed on providing loans to create construction opportunities for minority contractors. About 110 jobs are estimated to be created or retained as a result of the program.

“This loan program is a critical part of the equation for encouraging economic growth in Hartford’s North End,” said Ritter. “The economic potential here is enormous, but it has been difficult for businesses to obtain traditional financing.”

“Small businesses are the engines of job creation in our economy, generating up to 65 percent of all new jobs nationwide over the past 15 years,” said Coleman. “A persistent problem throughout this recession has been a lack of available credit for small businesses to expand and take on new projects and new employees. I am very pleased that new funds have been approved for loans to small businesses in Hartford’s North End.”

HEDCo, Inc is a non-profit community development financial institution providing loans and technical assistance for small businesses looking to expand or locate in Hartford.

“We are really excited to gain these new funds to help create opportunities for small businesses to grow and create jobs for the community," said Sam Hamilton, HEDCo Executive Director. “I very much appreciate the delegation’s effort to bring this important grant to fruition.”

For years, Melba Flores lagged behind her New Haven public school classmates in learning to read; it was not until her family brought her to a private tutor that she finally made progress.

"I wondered if I would ever catch up," Melba said, now a freshman at Cooperative Arts and Humanities High School in New Haven.

Education experts say Melba's story is common. In the state's cities, it is common to have only one out of every seven students reading proficiently, according to the State Department of Education.

One problem, education advocates say, is that teachers don't get assessments of their students' reading skills and needs until well after halfway through the school year.

"Teachers are lacking a tool kit," said Elaine Zimmerman, executive director of the Connecticut Commission on Children. "It's a nightmare. We have to identify the problem earlier and figure out how to solve it rapidly."

Current law mandates school districts in the state with the greatest academic shortcomings, known as  priority school districts, evaluate each students' reading level halfway through and at the end of the school year.

Because those assessments are still done on paper, education advocates say it can take up to a month for teachers to get the results.

That means teachers do not have an overview of which reading skills their students are struggling with and where they should focus their attention until a few months before the end of the school year.

For students like Melba, that was too late. Each year she was passed onto the next grade and fell farther behind. Her family finally sent her to a tutor funded by the non-profit group New Haven Reads. Melba's tutor, Tanya Smith, said the waiting lists for assistance are months long.

Members of the Black and Puerto Rican Caucus have proposed an overhaul in how the state's priority school districts assess students' progress in reading.

A proposal drafted by the the caucus would require assessments be done also at the start of the school year and begin assessments in kindergarten. It also creates a pilot program for five school districts to stop using an aged pen-and-paper assessment tool and use technologically savvy assessments.

"Assessments will be turned around in 30 minutes," said Zimmerman. "No more waiting for results or taking up teacher's valuable time filling out this very time consuming paperwork."

Amy Radikas, a consultant with the State Department of Education, said she believes the current method is successful in measuring whether students are where they should be, but updating the system is sure to help.

"The technology is out there, we should embrace that," she said. "It would definitely be a time saver for [teachers]. That's time that can go to other tasks."

Rep. Douglas McCrory, who has been a vice principal in Hartford Public Schools for years, said reading problems are the number one contributor to the achievement gap that exists between low-income students and their more affluent peers. Connecticut has long been plagued with having the largest achievement gap in the nation.

"Teachers need immediate feedback so they can go in their [classroom] tomorrow and fix the problem," the Hartford Democrat said. "This has been kicking our behind for the last 30 years."

"We are wasting time," echoed Rep. Jason Rojas, D-East Hartford, and also a member of the caucus. "If we are going to close the achievement gap it's going to start with [teaching] reading."

The co-chairman of the legislature's Education Committee agrees the current reading assessment is failing.

"It's a blunt instrument that is really not good enough," said Rep. Andy Fleischmann, D-West Hartford. "How do any of the pieces fall into place if you don't get this right?"

The Appropriations Committee is expected to hold a public hearing on the caucus's bill in the next few weeks.

State Rep. Douglas McCrory greets local residents at Hartford's Northend Senior Center
during a lunch meeting on available energy assistance programs.

“Winter presents special challenges for everyone, but for many seniors on fixed incomes being able to afford their energy bills can be overwhelming,” said McCrory. “Programs such as Operation Fuel exist solely to help people stay warm and keep the lights on, yet not every one knows about it or how to get assistance.”

The lawmakers were joined by representatives of Operation Fuel and local community fuel banks, who explained what type of assistance is available and where to call for help. Operation Fuel is a private non-profit organization that helps families in need pay for home energy costs.

“Energy assistance is a critical part of our public safety net, and our responsibility includes making sure people know what help is available,” said Ritter. “The Northend Senior Center is a great place to bring people together to hear about the various assistance programs that are out there.”

Operation Fuel provides grants up to $350 to households with incomes up to 60% of the state’s median income. This translates into a maximum yearly income of $31,712 for a single person and $60,988 for a family of four.

“The combination of the frigid temperatures and tough economy has made it more important than ever that we fight to protect these programs for our seniors,” said Deputy Speaker Marie Lopez Kirkley-Bey (D-Hartford) “No one, least of all seniors, should have to choose between food and heat.”

“Programs that assist people in need are useless if they are not utilized by those they were meant to help,” said Representative Kelvin Roldán (D-Hartford). “It is important not only to support our constituents, but to make sure they know what is available to them. I thank my Hartford colleagues and Speaker Chris Donovan for his steadfast commitment to our communities.”

“As energy costs continue to rise, our vulnerable citizens, many of whom are seniors struggle to pay their electricity and heating bills,” said Speaker Donovan. “There are a number of programs available to help, but people need to hear about them and that is why we are here today.”

There are three local community fuel banks in Hartford serving Operation Fuel clients: Three Angels Adventist on Woodland Street, the Community Renewal Team on Wethersfield Avenue and the Salvation Army on Washington Street. For more information call 860-243-2345.

“Providing educational opportunity for all students is one of the top responsibilities of government and represents an ongoing challenge,” McCrory said. “I’m looking forward to building upon the education reforms we accomplished last year and continue raising the bar again.”  

Among legislation McCrory worked on in 2010 was a new law aimed at addressing the state’s achievement gap and giving parents a greater say in their children’s education.

McCrory, a Democrat, was also named to the budget-writing Appropriations Committee and the Higher Education & Employment Advancement Committee.

“Doug’s input and expertise will be invaluable as we continue to work to increase educational opportunities and create jobs,” Speaker Donovan said. “Doug is also a tireless advocate for his district and is always looking for ways to improve the quality of life for the residents of Hartford.”