Mind the gaps
Encyclopedia
Mind the Gaps is a state-level legislative campaign created by the Connecticut-based education advocacy organization ConnCAN
. The stated goal of the campaign is to support "three commonsense school reforms—funding to grow high-performing public charter schools, teacher quality and education transparency—to help close Connecticut’s achievement gap."
The campaign was launched on February 5, 2009 alongside the website www.PleaseMindtheGaps.org. In its first official release, it uncovered budget gaps that it claimed would result in the loss of 695 seats for students in the state's charter schools. The website includes details of the policy agenda, a blog and a video produced by Kevin Munn featuring the principals of Elm City College Prep in New Haven, CT and Macdonough School in Middletown, CT.
Both the campaign name and logo reference the famous phrase Mind the Gap
from the London Underground
rapid transit system.
ConnCAN
(Connecticut Coalition for Achievement Now) is an American
think tank
and state-level education advocacy group
founded in January 2005, with offices in Hartford, Connecticut
and New Haven, Connecticut
.
Among the 48 board and advisory board members are Richard C. Levin, president of Yale University
, Allan Taylor, chair of the Connecticut State Board of Education, and Ron Howard
, Co-Chairman of Imagine Entertainment
.
ConnCAN
ConnCAN is an American think tank and state-level education advocacy group founded in January 2005, with offices in Hartford, Connecticut and New Haven, Connecticut....
. The stated goal of the campaign is to support "three commonsense school reforms—funding to grow high-performing public charter schools, teacher quality and education transparency—to help close Connecticut’s achievement gap."
The campaign was launched on February 5, 2009 alongside the website www.PleaseMindtheGaps.org. In its first official release, it uncovered budget gaps that it claimed would result in the loss of 695 seats for students in the state's charter schools. The website includes details of the policy agenda, a blog and a video produced by Kevin Munn featuring the principals of Elm City College Prep in New Haven, CT and Macdonough School in Middletown, CT.
Both the campaign name and logo reference the famous phrase Mind the Gap
Mind the gap
"Mind the gap" is a warning to train passengers to take caution while crossing the gap between the train door and the station platform. It was introduced in 1969 on the London Underground...
from the London Underground
London Underground
The London Underground is a rapid transit system serving a large part of Greater London and some parts of Buckinghamshire, Hertfordshire and Essex in England...
rapid transit system.
ConnCAN
ConnCAN
ConnCAN is an American think tank and state-level education advocacy group founded in January 2005, with offices in Hartford, Connecticut and New Haven, Connecticut....
(Connecticut Coalition for Achievement Now) is an American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
think tank
Think tank
A think tank is an organization that conducts research and engages in advocacy in areas such as social policy, political strategy, economics, military, and technology issues. Most think tanks are non-profit organizations, which some countries such as the United States and Canada provide with tax...
and state-level education advocacy group
Advocacy group
Advocacy groups use various forms of advocacy to influence public opinion and/or policy; they have played and continue to play an important part in the development of political and social systems...
founded in January 2005, with offices in Hartford, Connecticut
Hartford, Connecticut
Hartford is the capital of the U.S. state of Connecticut. The seat of Hartford County until Connecticut disbanded county government in 1960, it is the second most populous city on New England's largest river, the Connecticut River. As of the 2010 Census, Hartford's population was 124,775, making...
and New Haven, Connecticut
New Haven, Connecticut
New Haven is the second-largest city in Connecticut and the sixth-largest in New England. According to the 2010 Census, New Haven's population increased by 5.0% between 2000 and 2010, a rate higher than that of the State of Connecticut, and higher than that of the state's five largest cities, and...
.
Among the 48 board and advisory board members are Richard C. Levin, president of Yale University
Yale University
Yale University is a private, Ivy League university located in New Haven, Connecticut, United States. Founded in 1701 in the Colony of Connecticut, the university is the third-oldest institution of higher education in the United States...
, Allan Taylor, chair of the Connecticut State Board of Education, and Ron Howard
Ron Howard
Ronald William "Ron" Howard is an American actor, director, and producer. He came to prominence as a child actor, playing Opie Taylor in the sitcom The Andy Griffith Show for eight years, and later the teenaged Richie Cunningham in the sitcom Happy Days for six years...
, Co-Chairman of Imagine Entertainment
Imagine Entertainment
Imagine Entertainment is a film and television production company founded in 1986 by director Ron Howard and producer Brian Grazer.Its productions include the television series 24 and Arrested Development and the films Apollo 13 , A Beautiful Mind and The Da Vinci Code .-Organization:Karen...
.
External links
- Mind the Gaps website
- ConnCAN website (uses some FlashAdobe FlashAdobe Flash is a multimedia platform used to add animation, video, and interactivity to web pages. Flash is frequently used for advertisements, games and flash animations for broadcast...
) - Campaign video