Contact: Maria Zone
Corporate Communications
(860) 275-7243
mzone@cptv.org
www.cptv.org

Today’s Children In Tomorrow's World will be rebroadcast on March 19 at 10 PM and March 22 at 1 PM.

HARTFORD, Conn. (January 13, 2009) – Connecticut has public schools, magnet schools, charter schools, small schools, big schools and a lot of people thinking about our schools. So what’s the problem with education in Connecticut? It’s falling behind. It’s losing ground. The state educational system is not preparing Connecticut schoolchildren for the workforce of the future. That’s the focus of a Connecticut Public Television (CPTV) documentary entitled Today’s Children in Tomorrow’s World, an eye-opening look at the state of education in Connecticut. The documentary will be rebroadcast on March 19 at 10 PM and Sunday, March 22 at 1 PM.

Forty years ago, America’s graduation rate was the highest in the world. Now it’s fallen to 19th. According to Chris Bruhl, president & CEO of the Business Council of Fairfield County, this is a very real concern.

“We're locked in a global economic competition in a way we have never been before, and increasingly, we understand that this competition is knowledge based,” said Bruhl. “It’s not about low-cost production, low-cost labor. The raw materials now are brain power and the ability to think and innovate.”

Today’s Children in Tomorrow’s World examines the very real concern that Connecticut is losing its competitive edge because it is not preparing today’s students to be educated citizens and skilled workers in tomorrow’s economy.

Ten years ago, Connecticut was one of the top states in the country in terms of academic performance. However, over the past decade, the state’s standing has dropped dramatically. By 2005, Connecticut had fallen to 23rd in the nation for 8th grade reading and 31st in math.

“Education – from preschool to post-secondary and the professional trades – is absolutely critical to Connecticut’s future, and we need to work collaboratively if we are to prepare our students and our state to thrive. The imperative has never been greater,” said Dr. David G. Carter, chancellor of the Connecticut State University System.

Jennifer Boyd, producer, director and writer of Today’s Children in Tomorrow’s World, asserts that there are two achievement gaps in Connecticut – the gap between the cities and suburbs and the gap between the state and the rest of the world.

“This documentary serves as a wake-up call,” said Boyd. “We’re falling behind, and I’m not sure anyone is paying attention.”

Today’s Children in Tomorrow’s World is a “Connecting Our Communities” production of CPTV, produced in conjunction with Emmy Award-winning independent producer Jennifer Boyd, in partnership with the Connecticut State University System. Additional support is provided by Aetna.

CPTV is a media service of the Connecticut Public Broadcasting Network (CPBN, www.cpbn.org). It is a locally and nationally recognized producer and presenter of quality public television programming, including UConn Women's Basketball, original documentaries and educational programming. CPTV has built a reputation as a leader in children’s programming, including playing an historic role in bringing Barney & Friends™, Bob the Builder™ and Thomas & Friends™ to public television. The station offers 11 hours of positive, nurturing children’s programs each weekday, reaching 50,000 to 70,000 households daily. The Connecticut Public Broadcasting Network also includes WNPR, an affiliate of National Public Radio, Public Radio International and American Public Media. WNPR serves over 200,000 listeners in Connecticut, New York and Rhode Island with news and information. Its award-winning local programming includes The Faith Middleton Show and Where We Live. Overall, the network brings a broad spectrum of public affairs, entertainment, sports and educational programming to viewers, listeners and readers. For more information, visit www.cptv.org and/or www.wnpr.org.

Production Credits
Executive Producer: Jay Whitsett, CPTV
Producer: Jennifer Boyd of Boyd Productions, LLC

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