Press Releases
09/19/2017
Gov. Malloy: Republican Budget Significantly Reduces Funding for the State’s Most Struggling Schools, Ignoring Court Order
Governor Says State Has Obligation to Improve Educational Opportunities for All Students
(HARTFORD, CT) – Governor Dannel P. Malloy today said that the biennial state budget that was introduced by legislative Republicans and adopted last week by the General Assembly significantly reduces – and in some cases completely eliminates – funding streams for the state’s highest need and lowest performing school districts, ignoring a court order to create a more equitable education aid funding system and putting into jeopardy ongoing efforts to close the achievement gap.
The Governor, who plans to veto the bill when it is transmitted to his office in the coming days, said that he wants to work with lawmakers to adopt a budget that ensures a more equitable education system for students who live in all areas of the state, regardless of their zip code.
“For decades, we have not provided sufficient support to the students who need us the most and as a result, we have seen achievement gaps widen,” Governor Malloy said. “The Republican budget pulls the rug out from under school districts that are starting to turn the curve by eliminating many of our education reform initiatives, while at the same time directing increased funding to our most affluent districts. We cannot risk rolling back the progress we have made over the last several years. The time for bold action to continue our improvement efforts and address the issue of fair funding in our education system is now – and the Republican budget jeopardizes that goal.”
The Republicans’ adopted budget:
- Eliminates or significantly reduces funding for the state’s major intervention programs in the highest need school districts, including:
- Eliminates funding for the Commissioner’s Network, the state initiative that aims to turn around some of our lowest-performing schools.
- Eliminates $150 million in dedicated funding for Alliance Districts – that aid would now go directly to municipality as part of main ECS funding formula instead of being targeted to educational interventions designed to close achievement gaps in our most challenged districts that educate most of our students with complex needs.
- Reduces funding of Priority School District grants by $23 million over the biennium.
- Significantly impacts the state’s ability to meet requirements under the approved federal Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) plan, putting over $100 million in federal Title 1 funds in jeopardy.
- Eliminates K-3 Reading Assessment Program.
- Eliminates talent development funding that supports our educators’ continued professional growth.
- Eliminates the School Based Diversion Initiative, which is having a real impact on keeping students engaged in school and reducing school-based arrests.
- Eliminates bilingual education as a stand-alone grant.
The Governor noted that in recent years, the state has seen significant improvements in educational outcomes, including:
- The statewide overall graduation rate has reached 87.4 percent, up from 82.7 percent in 2011 and significantly higher than the national average of 82.3 percent. The graduation rate for Alliance Districts is up to 78.3 percent, up from 71.2 percent in 2011.
- In 2015-2016 school year, the number of chronically absent students dropped to 9.6 percent, down from 10.6 percent the year before and 11.5 percent in 2012-2013. This decline means that over 10,000 more students are attending school on a daily basis than four years ago.
- Connecticut students continue to be among the top readers in the nation, according to National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) results.
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