State Senator Patricia Billie Miller, a Stamford native, was elected to the state senate for the 27th district in a special election in 2021. She had previously served in the General Assembly from 2009 to 2021 representing Stamford’s 145th Assembly District.
Through her tenure in the legislature, Senator Miller has been a strong advocate for education reforms that help address and improve Connecticut’s education opportunity gap. She has learned and seen firsthand the disproportion of students’ achievements and the role that literacy plays in their success or failure. She believes giving teachers the right tools to help them address disparities is a step in the right direction.
Senator Miller championed a new law that took effect in 2021 that will require school districts in the state to have a reading curriculum that focuses on the “science of reading” by 2023. Her objective is to improve literacy outcomes for students in grades K-3. The legislation also creates the Center for Literacy and Reading Success which will be a hub for state and local work related to literacy. This ‘Right to Read’ act, calls for the state to provide $12.8 million in funding for the hiring of reading coaches in school districts where students are falling.
Senator Miller believes reading is fundamental to the success of each and every student. She believes every child has a right to read and with this legislation, each student would be given the same tools to learn and granted the same opportunity for success, regardless of their zip code.
The Creation of Center for Literacy Research and Reading Success at the state Department of Education will oversee the reading curriculum for Connecticut students in grades PreK-3
