General Assembly fast-tracks school takeover bill   HARTFORD, CT - Lawmakers overwhelmingly approved a bill calling for a state takeover of Hartford public schools in a dramatic first step toward addressing the issues raised by the Connecticut Supreme Court in Sheff v. O 'Neill. Gov. Rowland was expected to sign the bill by the end of the week. Heeeding the court's advice to put .Sheff v. O'Neill at the top of their legislative agenda, lawmakers acted quickly in approving a bill to fix the Hartford schools. Even with considerably more funding per student than most other school districts, Hartford schools perform at or near the bottom in Connecticut in terms of mastery test scores, attendance and graduation rates. The bill disbands Hartford's Board of Education and replaces it with a seven-member board of trustees that will be appointed jointly by the governor and legislative leaders. The new board will develop the district's budget and make recommendations on such matters as curriculum, parental and community involvement and school discipline. The trustees also will oversee the implementation of the Hartford Improvement Plan, which was developed by the state in 1996. Despite much opposition from labor unions, the bill also allows collective bargaining agreements to be reopened with the approval of a majority of union members. The bill also encourages the board to think "outside the box" in designing innovative programs for educational improvement, by allowing for waivers from most state laws and regulations governing education. Measures to hold schools accountable for student academic achievement were taken out of the school takeover bill and are expected to be voted on later. Under another bill approved by the Education Committee, the state Board of Education could put poorly performing school districts on notice and require the implementation of a school improvement plan. If a district failed to make progress in improving the quality of the schools, the state could place it on probation and require implementation of a state-designed improvement plan. The bill also provides for a state takeover of a school system if the General Assembly declares the district to be in crisis. CBIA supports measures to hold educators responsible for the academic success of their students. A comprehensive accountability system should include performance targets for schools with rewards for schools that exceed them; assistance for those schools that are unsuccessful; and sanctions, such as dismissing poorly performing educators and administrators, for those schools consistently unsuccessful in improving student achievement. Other bills approved by the Education Committee to address the issues raised by Sheff v. O'Neill include: HB-6890, which creates a statewide, voluntary public school choice program to give parents more options about where to educate their children. The bill also expands the number and size of charter schools that may be approved by removing the cap on student enrollment and the restrictions on the locations of charter schools. Charter schools are public schools created by teachers, businesses, or other groups that operate independently of local boards of education and are free from most state educational mandates. CBIA supports eftorts to introduce greater competition into public schools by expanding choice programs, charter schools and opportunities for regional cooperation. Introducing competition into our educational system will help bring positive changes in the quality of our public schools. HB-5461 provides resources for effective early childhood programs in order to hetter prepare students for school. Early childhood programs such as Head Start provide children with strong foundations for academic success. Many studies confirm that children receiving clfective early childhood education are less likely to drop out, get involved in drugs and crime, or wind up on the welfare rolls. HB-5489 implements the recommendations of the Task Forcc on Educational Technology, which cxpand the availability and use of tcchnology in our public schools. Basic skills in most of today's workplaces include computer literacy and proficicncy. CBIA supports cfforts to help ensure that all of Connecticut's students graduate from high school with strong computer skills. This report comes from the Conecticut Business and Industry Association's Government Affairs Report.