State funding for the city’s public school system has increased for the current fiscal year and for the following year. However, those monies still fall short of what advocates say is considered full funding under the state-determined formula.
The School + State Finance Project, a New Haven-based non-profit, analyzed the state budget adopted by lawmakers in June. That analysis looked specifically at the distribution of Education Cost Sharing Grant monies received by the Meriden Public Schools and other local school systems statewide.
Based on figures in the biennial state budget lawmakers passed last month, Meriden is slated to receive more than $71.87 million in state ECS monies for fiscal 2024, which began July 1. In fiscal 2025, the city is slated to receive just over $78.03 million. Both levels are still below fully funded, according to the School + State Finance project’s analysis, although in 2025, the funding gap will be reduced.
For example, fiscal 2024’s level is 86.6% of the city’s fully funded grant amount, a figure the School + State Finance Project reported is set at more than $82.77 million for both the current and next fiscal year. Fiscal 2025’s funding level is just over 94.3% of that overall amount.