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New Haven, Conn.–Today, the Connecticut Coalition for Achievement Now (ConnCAN) hosted a media conference call to discuss their priorities and concerns before Malloy’s biennial budget proposal goes before the Appropriations Committee on March 3, 2014.
During the call, ConnCAN CEO, Jennifer Alexander and Director of Research and Policy Yamuna Menon, highlighted key line items and provided an in-depth review of this year’s budget and the implications it has for Connecticut’s students and the future economic prosperity of our state.
“ConnCAN supports the Governor’s proposed investments to continue improving public education. Specifically, we are pleased that the budget would maintain funding to support and develop great educators, to help sustain high-quality options and to continue implementation of the common core standards,” said Ms. Alexander. “However, the Governor’s proposed budget falls short of the bold investment needed to improve outcomes and opportunities, particularly for the 40,000 children who currently attend chronically low-performing schools.”
Ms. Alexander continued, stating: “In analyzing Governor Malloy’s budget proposal, ConnCAN found that the budget flat funds the Education Cost Sharing (ECS) Grant and per-pupil funding for traditional public schools, as well as for charter schools, leaving students with similar learning needs funded at vastly different levels. The budget also fails to provide a permanent and equitable fix for our school financing system and hits pause on critical efforts to turn around our state’s lowest performing schools through the Commissioner’s Network. “
“Upon reviewing the Governor’s budget proposal, we see several increases in funding for promising efforts to improve public education, but we also see a series of significant cuts to vital programs that we urge the Appropriations Committee to reconsider,” said Ms. Menon. “This includes fair funding across all school types, early education, and the Commissioner’s Network, which with stronger policies in place could reap significant benefits for our most vulnerable students.”
During tomorrow’s appropriations hearing, ConnCAN will urge the Committee and the General Assembly to hold the line, and in some cases expand, upon the considerable investments the Governor has proposed to maintain progress on improving public schools. ConnCAN will also urge members to work towards a real solution that will fairly and sustainably fund students across all types of public schools.