State's Education Funding Plan Could See Revisions

A bill in the Connecticut General Assembly could change how the state funds public education.

The bill is designed to speed up fully funding the state's Education Cost Sharing formula, which determines how to equitably distribute state education funding.

Initially, the program was to be fully phased in by 2028, but this bill would speed implementation to 2025. It would also fund high-need students at magnet and charter schools through the state's Open Choice initiative.

Subira Gordon, executive director of the group ConnCAN, feels the primary challenge to ensuring it comes through are competing priorities, but she believes money from funds from the state's multibillion-dollar surplus can address education funding.

"For the fiscal condition of the state right now, where we have huge surpluses, we don't think we should be competing," Gordon asserted. "We shouldn't be competing with others for the resources that are necessary. Without a quality education, every other one of these social safety nets will increase, and essentially we will end up spending more money."

Gordon argued there should be more conversations with government officials about the importance of education funding. The bill has a swath of support from legislators in both houses of the General Assembly. During a hearing on the bill earlier this month, teachers and school superintendents said the bill would help to better fund education.

Ultimately, the goal of the bill is to bolster school districts without using COVID-19 funding.

Having been a public school student, Gordon pointed out there are additional ways policymakers can close the gap in education between some districts. Alongside passage of the bill, she contended parents should have more choices for schools, more equitable funding, and schools being held accountable for poor learning outcomes.

"We have lots of different programs in the state, but I don't think we've taken a hard look at what do we do for schools that have been at 5% proficiency for the last 40 years," Gordon contended. "I think that's not OK. We're not delivering on the American dream for those students."

Consideration of the bill comes as students across the country saw steep declines in reading and math proficiency. According to the 2022 National Assessment of Educational Progress Report Card, reading and math scores slightly declined between 2019 and 2022.

This story written and reported by Edwin J. Viera of the Connecticut News Service, a statewide news service for Connecticut.