As the SAT’s influence wanes, colleges and high schools could place more emphasis on students’ performance in AP courses and on AP tests—which are also administered by the College Board, says Casey Cobb, a professor of educational policy at the University of Connecticut’s Neag School of Education.

Why have suicide rates increased among teens in U.S. since the start of the COVID-19 Global Pandemic? A licensed psychologist and Neag School Board of Trustees Distinguished Professor, Sandra M. Chafouleas, joins us for a discussion and to share her thoughts on the mental health struggle of teenagers in schools.

“To boost student achievement and teacher morale, research shows you need highly educated and experienced school principals and district leaders,” says Richard Schwab, dean emeritus of the Neag School and professor in educational leadership. “Thriving businesses invest heavily in leadership development. They commit to training employees who show leadership potential. As in business, effective leaders in education require the right skills and proper support.”

Connecticut education Commissioner Miguel Cardona moved a step closer to becoming President Joe Biden’s education secretary Thursday, as the Senate’s education committee voted 17-5 to advance his nomination to a vote in the full Senate.

“I came from Hartford and that I grew up just like they did, and I finished school and I have my doctorate. That’s an expectation. It’s not something that’s a far reach for them. I’m letting them know, no this is the norm. This is what you can do if you choose,” says Tayarisha Batchelor.

For Batchelor, leading the next generation of movers and shakers is her biggest achievement.

Paul Freeman ’09 Ed.D. is in his 10thyear as the superintendent of Guilford (Conn.) Public Schools and has almost 30 years of administrative and teaching experience in schools in Connecticut. Freeman earned an Ed.D. in 2009 from the Neag School of Education. In addition to having recently been named the state’s Superintendent of the Year by the Connecticut Association of Public School Superintendents (CAPSS), he had been recognized in 2014 by the Neag School as Outstanding Superintendent of the Year.

Connecticut education Commissioner Miguel Cardona will appear before the Senate’s education committee Wednesday for a hearing on his nomination to serve as the next U.S. education secretary under President Joe Biden.
UConn professor Casey Cobb, an education policy expert, said the hearing will provide an opportunity for Americans to learn more about Cardona’s priorities —especially since he only entered the public eye on a national scale in late December.

The University of Connecticut has been awarded a $179,000 grant from the US Department of Education’s Office of Postsecondary Education for a new research project centered on reimagining dual-language education. The project’s purpose is to improve the ability of dual-language programs to promote the equitable bilingualism and biliteracy development of all students through a greater focus on sociocultural competence.

Another concern is that the popularity of these programs in white, affluent districts will lead to the schools being less focused on the needs of ELLs. The University of Connecticut, Cardona’s alma mater, has recently been awarded a $179,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Postsecondary Education to address these concerns by promoting a greater focus on sociocultural competence.

“As a coordinator of this class, I felt completely invigorated to be a member of the University of Connecticut,” says Milagros Castillo-Montoya, a professor of higher education and student affairs at the Neag School. “I did not know how it was going to turn out. But, I am so excited that we have a University leadership right now that removed all barriers to make happen. I feel like I am at a university that is not just talking the talk, but really engaging in the hard work we need to do and investing the time, money, and resources of all sorts to make change happen.”