Two T‘s in a Pod

Episode 11: Senator Looney on Making a Big Impact for Schools in a Short Session

From providing more mental health supports for children to additional assistance with special education costs to improving air quality in schools Senate President Martin Looney discusses many of the State Senate's education priorities with CEA President Kate Dias and Vice President Joslyn DeLancey in the latest episode of CEA's Podcast. 

Episode 12: Education Commissioner on Mental Health Supports for Students and Educators

Remote learning, improved mental health supports for students and teachers, and recruiting and retaining more teachers of color are just some of the topics Education Commissioner Charlene Russell-Tucker discusses with CEA President Kate Dias and Vice President Joslyn DeLancey as a guest on Two T’s in a Pod.

Episode 13: Senator McCrory on Education Wins This Legislative Session

This year’s legislative session resulted in a number of important wins for Connecticut students, teachers, and schools. CEA President Kate Dias and Vice President Joslyn DeLancey discussed many of those wins with co-chair of the legislature’s Education Committee, Senator Doug McCrory, while also looking ahead to legislation they hope lawmakers will pass in the 2023 session.

Episode 14: Back-to-School as a New Teacher

CEA President Kate Dias and Vice President Joslyn DeLancey chat with Sara Azukas, the former chair of CEA's Aspiring Educator Program, who recently started her first year as an elementary school teacher in Region 15. In this August conversation, they talk back-to-school, discuss the many advantages of CEA's Aspiring Educator Program, and talk about how the union supports young teachers as they begin their careers.

Episode 15: Taking Care of Teachers So They Can Take Care of Students

CEA President Kate Dias and Vice President Joslyn DeLancey discuss attracting and keeping teachers in the classroom with Bloomfield Local President and elementary interventionist Gail Jorden.
In this episode, recorded at the beginning of the school year, the three talk financial incentives the state and districts can offer teachers, such as pandemic pension credits, housing credits, tax credits, and addressing low salaries caused by step freezes. They also discuss teaching conditions and workplace culture considerations that are essential to recruiting and retaining educators.

Episode 16: Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion for the Union

Westport educator Faith Sweeney is taking a year away from her school to serve as an NEA Teaching Fellow to support CEA and local union's diversity, equity, and inclusion agendas. Listen to her discuss her plans for the year ahead with CEA President Kate Dias and Vice President Joslyn DeLancey. 

Episode 17: Fixing Social Security for Teachers with Congressman John Larson

GPO and WEP—they sound like alphabet soup, but the federal Government Pension Offset and Windfall Elimination Provision spell disaster for teachers. These federal acts, enacted 40 years ago, reduce or entirely eliminate the Social Security benefits teachers and their spouses receive upon retirement.
Congressman John Larson has a bill before Congress that would repeal GPO and WEP, as well as expand and strengthen Social Security benefits, and ensure that wealthier Americans pay their fair share. He and Education Association of Preston President Susan Strader join CEA President Kate Dias and Vice President Joslyn DeLancey for this episode to discuss how GPO and WEP hurt teachers and how Larson's bill will help.

Episode 18: Rep Currey Talks Education Issues the Legislature Is Planning to Address

Requiring a minimum starting salary for Connecticut teachers, ensuring more play-based learning, lessening the role of standardized tests, improving teacher evaluation—these are just some of the legislative initiatives that CEA President Kate Dias and Vice President Joslyn DeLancey discuss with State Rep. Jeff Currey, the new co-chair of the legislature's Education Committee.

Episode 19: The Challenges Facing Special Education

Danielle Fragoso, a Madison special education teacher, and Pam Penn, an East Hampton speech-language pathologist, join CEA President Kate Dias and Vice President Joslyn DeLancey to talk about the many challenges facing special educators and forcing many from the classroom, including CT-SEDS, the new special education data system.  

Episode 20: Sharing Your Story with Legislators

With two months left in the legislative session it's a vital time for teachers to be having conversations with their lawmakers. In this episode, CEA President Kate Dias and Vice President Joslynn DeLancey talk with the co-chairs of CEA's Legislative Commission, Milford teacher Kellie Choquette and East Hartford teacher Kim Knapp, about CEA's legislative priorities and how members can best share their stories with legislators.