Education Reform

The unfortunate consequence of Connecticut’s policy choices is that children who are born and raised in low-income households face daunting challenges and, research shows, have trouble overcoming them. While Connecticut’s overall student performance appears strong (87% graduation rate), the achievement gap betrays the truth; upper class families boost overall numbers and urban youth are left stranded in poor educational environments.

Connecticut has a serious problem when it comes to educating some of its most vulnerable citizens. In a state with prestigious private schools and top-ranked colleges and universities, low-income students who attend public schools perform more poorly than their counterparts around the country. The only other state where school children are worse off is Alabama. Dacia Toll, co-CEO of Achievement First Charter Schools, shared this sobering reality at the Yankee Institute for Public Policy’s Milton Friedman Legacy Day Luncheon held in Avon on August 29.

The Yankee Institute honored the legacy of Dr. Milton Friedman on Wednesday, July 31 with a luncheon and policy discussion led by Jason Bedrick of the Cato Institute. The New Britain Herald’s Scott Whipple called the event the best free lunch in central Connecticut. Mr. Bedrick, the Director of the ...

The Avon Taxpayers Association asked the Yankee Institute to conduct a comparative analysis of compensation levels for Avon public sector employees. Specifically, the Avon Taxpayers were interested in how compensation for unionized teachers compared to comparable positions in private institutions, particularly given the current economic recession. An association member advised ...