The state of Connecticut is known for many things—beautiful state parks, good ocean views, flavorful food, and one of the greatest universities in the world. Unfortunately, Connecticut is also known for having the largest education gap in the country.

With the brunt of this gap borne by cities like New Haven, the New Haven public schools have proposed a reform called “New Haven School Change.” A major project for the city this year, the reform has become a focus for the entire New Haven community—including Yale.

To this end, the Yale College Democrats, New Haven Action, and Dwight Hall have teamed up to launch a lobbying campaign for New Haven School Change. The first step of this campaign is the aldermen’s vote on the recently union-approved teacher’s contract. Part of this contract is an approval of and endorsement for the proposed school reform. In other words, on Mon., Nov. 2, the aldermen will—by voting on the contract—also be voting de facto on the reform. On the evenings of Oct. 26 and 27, phonebanks were held to reach out to parents, give them more information, and encourage them to attend a Board of Aldermen hearing on Thurs., Nov. 4 that will focus on the educational situation. As co-president of New Haven Action Daniel Hornung, JE ’12, related, “To get the reform passed, the aldermen need to hear from the people it affects.” So far—report the phonebankers—parents have been receptive.

The centerpiece of the reform is the creation of a tier system for the schools. Schools in the first tier will be given more freedom to make their own decisions, and the necessary changes will be made based on what the teachers and principals deem appropriate. The schools in the second tier will be given various tools to improve their structures, and the schools in the third tier will have much more contact with and influence from policymakers in the city. Some schools will be placed in a group called “third tier turnaround,” made up of those schools deemed in need of major reform. They will face dramatic changes, including the rehiring of many personnel.

Although these categorizations will allow for an efficient way to improve New Haven education, it is emphasized that the individual needs of schools must not be overlooked. “Each school will be treated as an unique entity, and that is key,” said Ben Stango, PC ’11, the lobbying coordinator for the Yale College Democrats.

New Haven School Change also seeks to create union evaluations of teachers’ performances. This includes not only test scores, but also peer reviews. These evaluations will strive to keep the individual context of each school in mind. That way, schools in low-income neighborhoods will not be punished. Finally, the reform also addresses the implementation of the Promise Scholarship. Already active and rather successful in cities like Pittsburgh and Kalamazoo, the program provides a scholarship to any public two- or four-year in-state college for those students who meet a minimum GPA requirement. A key idea here is that if the reform can pass, it will mean more funding from the federal government.

The Oct. 29 hearing and the Nov. 2 vote are only the first steps in a long process of truly and permanently improving New Haven’s situation, though. Eventually, the case will have to be taken to Hartford. In order to get the reform approved, there needs to be a change in state legislature. “We envision this will be a big part of this year,” said Jacob Doctoroff, SY ’11, Co-President of New Haven Action,

The ultimate goal in the process of education improvement is for Connecticut to apply for educational funds available through the federal government. According to Stango, “This requires pressure on our reps, the reps of Hartford, and on all involved.” The goals of New Haven’s educational reform are widespread and necessarily long-term.

The stakes of these efforts are large. Corresponding appropriately to its educational inequalities, Connecticut is also the state with the biggest wealth disparity. Students who drop out earn an average of less than 28,000 dollars per year, and this vicious cycle of education and wealth inequality is particularly troubling. The goal is to stop the cycle from perpetuating itself: to decrease the drop-out rate and even out the education balance. “Everybody is entitled to the same education,” said Hornung.

And why should Yale students care about New Haven’s public school system? Educational problems contribute to other problems in the city as well. When there is an educated population, the crime rate tends to decrease. In a broader sense, an effective education is crucial to the creation of effective citizens. “Education is the crutch of everything else in the country,” said Stango. “America cannot lead if its population hasn’t been educated.”