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.
If signed into law, the state’s Education Cost Sharing Grant, which supports all local and regional school districts, would be fully funded beginning in 2024-25. That means more than $275 million would be invested across 164 public school districts in the state.
CTNewsJunkie: Education Advocates: Accelerating ECS Funding Will Help Address Educational Inequities
Education advocates and state officials said they want the Connecticut legislature to address educational disparities experienced by the state’s less affluent school districts by supporting legislation that will accelerate increases in the state’s Education Cost Sharing (ECS) grants.
A bill currently being considered by the Connecticut General Assembly would revamp how the state determines its education funding distribution, which could potentially mean an additional $2.6 million for Middletown schools.
The legislature is now considering a bill that would leverage the state’s strong fiscal health to fully fund the formula, known as education cost sharing, in an effort to accelerate aid for underfunded districts and streamline the process by which need is calculated.
Parents and city officials gave public testimony this week to support legislation that would fully fund school districts with state money when federal COVID relief funds expire.