While Connecticut ranks among states with the highest levels of education spending, most of that does not derive from the state itself but from municipal budgets.
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 are at a critical point for public education in our state. We know we cannot continue with business as usual or return to a pre-COVID “normal” that did not work for a large portion of our state’s students, families, and communities. We must change how we support our public schools, empower educators, and set all students up for success.
State Representatives Jeff Currey and Kathleen McCarty join FOX 61's "The Real Story" to discuss H.B. 5003 and the need to fix Connecticut's broken and disjointed education finance system.
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.