Rep. Delnicki Hails New Loan Program for Teacher Recruitment

HARTFORD, CT – Today, State Rep. Tom Delnicki (R-14) joined Gov. Ned Lamont and the Connecticut Higher Education Supplemental Loan Authority at the State Department of Education building to announce the launch of the Connecticut Higher Education Supplemental Loan Authority (CHESLA) and the Connecticut State Department of Education (CSDE)’s new initiative — The Alliance District Teacher Loan Subsidy (ADTLS) Program which looks to help address the significant need across the state to recruit and retain educators in Alliance Districts.

This program offers an interest rate subsidy on Alliance District Teacher Refinance Loans (to refinance existing private student loan debt) to teachers in any of Connecticut’s Alliance District public schools. The program is designed to attract, support, and retain high quality educators who reflect the racial, ethnic, and linguistic diversity of Connecticut students. You can apply now.

Rep. Delnicki said, “Although South Windsor is not an alliance district, I am committed to help teacher recruitment and retainment so our students can have a broad, diverse and quality education.”

Back in 2021, Rep. Delnicki was an original co-sponsor of the legislation (Public Act 21-62).

A review of the last five years of work in this area indicates the following three focus areas and corresponding strategies have yielded positive results:

• Increasing pathways to certification by providing ongoing support to both traditional and alternate route educator preparation programs;
• Assisting districts with recruiting, hiring, and retaining a diverse educator workforce; and
• Supporting candidates to attract and recruit the next generation of Connecticut educators.

There is a wide range of evidence to support the benefits of a diverse teacher workforce for students of all races/ethnicities, including its positive impact on strengthening schools, reduced dropout rates, improved college admissions, and achievement gains. In May, Governor Lamont announced that, over the last five years, school districts in Connecticut have hired more than 1,900 educators of color, exceeding the goal set by the State Board of Education to increase the number of educators of color from 8.3 percent to 10 percent – approximately 1,000 positions – between 2017 and 2021.

Here is a list of the Alliance Districts in the state.