Connecticut Commentary: Red Notes from a Blue State

The news from Connecticut’s education front is not good. According to a piece in CTMirror , SAT results show that “One-third of high school juniors are not reading and writing well enough to begin taking college courses or start a career, statewide SAT results released Monday show. Math results are even more dire – 59 percent failed to meet the college- or career-ready standard.” The figures indicate that the yawning “gaps in achievement between minority students and their white peers” have not improved. Ajit Gopalakrishnan, Bureau Chief Connecticut State Department of Education Performance Office, said the scores show slight improvements for minority students but there is still work to be done.” The locution “still work to be done” is one of those polite phrases that hide a multitude of sins. Some colleges have added an  “adversity index” to their SAT exams. High School juniors in Connecticut are failing to meet “career ready standards” for reasons other than...