A bill that would increase education funding statewide while narrowing the gap between wealthy districts and poorer ones easily advanced out of the legislature's Education Committee on Friday, moving it one step closer to final passage.
House Bill 5003, cosponsored by dozens of Democratic lawmakers, would fully fund the state's Education Cost Sharing program by 2025 (as opposed to 2028 under current law), while also covering additional costs for high-need students at magnet and charter schools and within the state's Open Choice initiative.
According to an analysis from the nonprofit School + State Finance Project, the proposal would result in nearly $300 million in additional education funding for 157 Connecticut towns and cities, with the majority going to districts with large numbers of low-income students, such as New Haven, Hartford and Waterbury.