Whether it’s the loss of a favorite teacher, cuts to services like tutoring or mental health support, or even the complete shutdown of their school, almost every public school student in Connecticut will feel some type of impact from the expiration of federal pandemic relief funding.
By cutting the legislature’s historic, bipartisan investment in K-12 education made just eight months ago, the governor is proposing a budget built on broken promises while turning his back on the needs of students, families, and educators throughout the state.
Thanks to widespread, bipartisan support, next year will see the second-largest investment in K-12 education in Connecticut’s history. Along with increases to numerous grants, an additional $150 million will be delivered to students across the state for the 2024-25 school year.
The budget passed today is a historic leap forward for Connecticut’s public schools, its communities, its teachers, and, most importantly, its students. It provides the largest single investment in K-12 education in the past 10 years, and the second largest investment in our state’s history. It also brings Connecticut one step closer to enacting a student-centered funding system for all students.
The budget proposal released yesterday by Senate Republicans is disappointing. The proposal fails to prioritize K-12 education and falls far short of making the investments necessary to meet the urgent needs of students, families, educators, and communities.
We applaud House Republicans for releasing a budget proposal that prioritizes K-12 public education, makes significant investments in Connecticut’s students and communities, and provides additional funding for special education.