More than any of them can afford. Local school districts rely on Educational Cost Sharing funds from the State of Connecticut. This allocation, along with minimum requirements on how municipalities spend these dollars, provide an important foundation for the funding of public education in Connecticut. Radical changes to this process can have devastating results and it’ll be our kids who will suffer the most.
The Adverse Effects on Teaching & Learning Without an Assurance of School Funding
The advent of the 2017/2018 school year without the assurance of sustainable or predictable funding has had compound negative effects on teaching and learning in Plainfield schools which we believe is representative of many if not most of the school districts throughout the state of Connecticut. Provided below is a snapshot of the impact of no CT State Budget, a Governor’s Executive Order and a reported new cost assumed by districts of contribution to the State teacher pension fund. (click here to read more).
Special Legislative Session
Issues and Concerns
As the Legislature convenes in special session, the What Will Our Children Lose Coalition (WWOCL), composed of the CT Association of School Business Officials (CASBO), The CT Association of Boards of Education (CABE), the CT Association of Schools (CAS) and the CT Association of Public School Superintendents (CAPSS) is concerned about several issues that need to be addressed during this session. Our concerns and recommendations follow... (click here to read more).
Impact Of Mid-Year ECS Reductions In State Financial Aid To Education In 2016-17 & Anticipated Further Reduction In State Financial Aid To Education In 2017-18
The What Will Our Children Lose Coalition (WWOCLC), composed of the CT Association of School Business Officials (CASBO), the CT Association of Boards of Education (CABE), the CT Association of Schools (CAS) and the CT Association of Public School Superintendents (CAPSS), is concerned about the impact that the mid-year reduction in state financial aid to education in 2016-17 and the anticipated further reduction in state financial aid to education in 2017-18 is having on the quality of the educational programs that are being offered to Connecticut children. While the WWOCLC recognizes the apparently severe fiscal restraints that Connecticut now faces and does not second guess Governor Malloy or the Legislature in regards to how much governmental services they can provide, the WWOCLC wants to make it clear to all Connecticut residents the impact these reductions in state aid for education will have on the programs offered to public school children. That impact will be felt primarily in the following areas... (click here to read more).
WWOCL 2016 Joint Statement to the Appropriations Committee
The members of the What Will Our Children Lose Coalition are deeply concerned that provisions in HB 5044, An Act Making Adjustments to State Expenditures for the Fiscal Year Ending June 30, 2017, will leave local and regional boards of education unable to adequately implement the educational interests of the state. As the organizations representing those who are charged with responsibility for delivering a free and appropriate public education within the budgeted appropriation, we are in a unique position to indicate the local impact of some of the budget proposals. While we applaud the commitment to public education demonstrated by the Governor and the Legislature in a time of significant state fiscal constraints, the economic challenges faced at all levels of government are felt most intensively at the local level... (click here to read more).
Our school districts have continued to take drastic measures to maintain level funding and keep increases to a mere 1% annually. Adequate State funding is crucial to local school districts at least maintaining what they have. Not to mention how important it is to minimize impact on our local taxpayers.
A dialog is underway to discuss the best process for the State to support local school districts and the education that they provide. Decisions made in the coming months will have the potential to impact educational funding for years to come.
Here’s what they’ll be losing:
• Being prepared for a future full of unlimited opportunities in a global market.
• A competitive edge when state-of-the-art technology falls by the wayside.
• Teachers to inspire them and support their success.
• A healthy start when physical education and health programs are scaled back.
• A clean, safe school that’s not in disrepair when there’s no money to maintain it.
• Individual attention as their class sizes increase.
• The opportunity to explore their creativity in art classes – when there aren’t any.
• A chance to find their voice or their inner musician when there are no more music programs.
• Becoming a team player when there are no athletic teams.
• A world language when their programs are cut.
• Something to keep them out of trouble after school when there is nothing for them to do after school.
