Gov. Malloy: Removing Bureaucratic Barriers is Key to Achieving Academic Excellence

Press Release

Governor Dannel P. Malloy today announced members of the Red Tape Review and Removal Task Force, the group that will study how the state can remove bureaucratic barriers to academic excellence. In January, the Governor announced his plan to reduce state education mandates and to unleash innovation by empowering local districts to improve student achievement.

"While there are certainly districts that need help to turn their schools around, many districts throughout our state are doing great work and we in government need to get out of their way," Governor Malloy said. "The work of this task force will look at our bureaucratic policy with an eye toward removing the policies that inhibit innovation."

Governor Malloy has directed State Department of Education (SDE) Commissioner Stefan Pryor to evaluate the way in which the department operates and to examine state policies that hinder effectiveness and impose unnecessary burdens on the department and local school districts. SDE is already analyzing the forms local districts are asked to fill out, with the goal of eliminating one-third of the required paperwork in the first year. SDE is also examining current state policies and mandates to streamline its business practices.

"The state's role in education should be as a partner, not a barrier, in helping educators prepare students for success. When state regulations, statutes, or practices hinder school districts' efforts, we need to examine ways to reduce that burden," Commissioner Pryor said. "The task force established by the Governor today will empower educators and practitioners to examine the areas where the state may be impeding student achievement and to recommend thoughtful ways of ameliorating the problem."

The Red Tape Review and Removal Task Force includes the various stakeholders who are most impacted and who will bring forward best practices from around the state, including:

Municipal Chief Elected Officer: Michael Tetreau (First Selectman, Fairfield)
Superintendent: Freeman Burr (Superintendent, Shelton Public Schools)
Board of Education Member: Ronald Goldstein (Chair of Board of Education, Colchester)
Special Education Professional: David Scata, (Director of Special Education & Pupil Services, East Haddam)
Principal: Donald Macrino (Principal, Waterford High School; Board of Directors, National Association of Secondary School Principals)
School District Business Administrator: Charles Zettergren (Director of Finance and Operations, Rocky Hill Public Schools)
Regional Education Leader: Danuta Thibodeau, Ph.D. (Executive Director, Education Connection Regional Educational Service Center)
Special Education Teacher: Sharron Solomon McCarthy (New Haven Public Schools)
General Education Teacher: Tasia Kimball (Amity Regional School District)

The task force will solicit input from all stakeholders, specifically boards of education, superintendents, teachers, school leaders, parents, and community leaders as appropriate.

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