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 event this week featured a presentation by Erika Haynes, director of community engagement for the School and State Finance Project, an organization looking to “increase awareness about Connecticut’s education finance system and the need for an equitable, unified funding formula that treats all students fairly and strengthens schools and communities."
Gov. Ned Lamont has released budget revisions that he said amounted to a $402.5-million investment in schools, but not all are pleased with the changes. The Connecticut General Assembly will hear public testimony Thursday afternoon on the schools budget, but education groups and officials are pointing to what they say are omissions or problems with the governor’s proposal.
Connecticut’s spending on state employee pay has grown in recent years – reaching a record high of about $4.9 billion each of the past two years, according to an analysis of data from the state Comptroller’s office.