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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: DANIELLE CAPALBO, (203) 628-5401
EMAIL: DANIELLE.CAPALBO@CONNCAN.ORG
New Haven, Conn. – The state Legislature approved a budget today that protects a $250 per-student increase for charter public schools, which serve nearly 10,000 children across the state yet receive thousands of dollars less than traditional public schools to educate each one.
“After years of under funding these engines of innovation, we’re encouraged to see this modest yet meaningful increase—especially knowing that Connecticut charters are securing significant academic gains for low-income communities and underserved students,” said Marc Porter Magee, interim executive director of ConnCAN. “This increase will make a meaningful difference for charter school students, their families and their teachers.”
The proposed budget will bring the state’s overall investment in charter public schools to nearly $117 million. For the last four years, they had been flat-funded at $11,000 for each student enrolled. In Connecticut charter public schools, 70 percent of students come from low-income households and more than eight in 10 students are black or Latino.
“Public charter schools are critical investments in educational opportunity for all,” Magee said. “A $250 increase per student marks real progress toward the goal of an equitable funding system that treats all public schools fairly and empowers parents to choose the right learning environment for their kids. We look forward to continuing to push forward towards an equitable funding system for all.”