By Mark Pazniokas and Jacqueline Rabe Thomas
UPDATE Gov. Dannel P. Malloy declared victory tonight in his long, contentious push for education reforms, announcing a compromise agreement at a televised press conference with legislative leaders who promised quick passage, beginning with an overnight debate in the Senate.
Gov. Dannel P. Malloy announces education agreement tonight. Ctmirror.org photo
The governor stepped before the cameras at 10 p.m., ending a day of negotiation and rumor, flanked by Democratic leaders and urban lawmakers to outline his revised approach to turning around 25 low-performing city schools.
[Debate on the bill began in the Senate at about 1:20 a.m Tuesday and continued until 3:45 a.m. when it passed 28 to 7.]
Malloy said the reforms will allocate nearly $100 million for public schools.
“This is a big issue—maybe the biggest we’ll tackle, because it involves our children. And with any big issue, especially when you’re trying to change things, it’s hard. Change is hard,” Malloy said. “But we have achieved change, and our children will benefit. We will not fix what’s broken overnight—we can’t. But we will begin to.”
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