Connecticut Supreme Court to hear landmark education case

HARTFORD, Conn. (AP) — A judge's landmark ruling that declared Connecticut's system for funding its public schools unconstitutional is set to go before the state Supreme Court.

Justices are scheduled to hear arguments Thursday in the state's appeal of the ruling. The hearing comes as Democratic Gov. Dannel P. Malloy and legislators are mired in a budget impasse that includes debate over how the state should distribute education aid to cities and towns.

In September 2016, Superior Court Judge Thomas Moukawsher ordered state officials to develop plans for an overhaul of the state's public education system within six months, saying a huge gap in test scores between students in rich and poor towns shows parts of the system are unconstitutional.

Moukawsher ordered the state to submit proposed reforms to the court to revamp its formula for providing education aid to cities and towns, develop a statewide high school graduation standard such as a test, make eighth-graders show they have acquired the skills to move on to high school, and replace what he called a weak statewide system of teacher evaluation and compensation.

Read more: http://www.nhregister.com/news/education/article/Connecticut-Supreme-Court-to-hear-landmark-12222826.php