Today, Governor Ned Lamont gave a State of the State Address address, announcing that he will convene a new Blue Ribbon Commission on K–12 education and funding, which will focus on updating the state’s school funding strategy; building on special education reforms; and reducing duplication across districts.

The Governor’s administration also released a proposed FY 2027 budget adjustment, which includes the following critical education investments:

• Education Cost Sharing (ECS) Formula Investments: Continued planned increase to the ECS formula. No inflation adjustment to the foundation amount considered, however.
• Special Education Funding: $40M preserved to improve special education services throughout the state. Additional $30M allocated for Special Education
• High-Dosage Tutoring Funding: The adjustment maintains Connecticut’s investment in High-Dosage Tutoring, including $5 million currently set for FY 2027, supporting one of the most effective interventions for accelerating student learning.
• Registered Teacher Apprenticeship: $2M increase to expand the number of registered teacher apprenticeships – a key educator pipeline initiative.
• Science of Reading and Literacy Initiatives: $4.5M increase reflects ongoing investments tied to Connecticut’s Science of Reading work, including professional development and instructional support aimed at improving early literacy outcomes.

At ConnCAN, we’re glad to see education investments in schools, special education, high-dosage tutoring, teacher apprenticeship, and evidence-based literacy practices appear in the Governor’s adjustment proposal, which serves as the baseline for policy conversations this legislative session.

We hope the legislature will seize this opportunity by building upon these goals, advancing proven strategies and equitable resourcing so that every child has access to a school that delivers excellent instruction and strong academic results.

OUR NORTH STAR

Our north star for this legislative session is simple: every kid reads, every kid counts.

Our new EdREFOCUS initiative describes our commitment to raise expectations for every student, and double down on what works: evidence-based literacy and numeracy instruction; driving down absenteeism; strong wraparound supports; and high-dosage, high-impact tutoring. Ultimately, Connecticut’s Black and Latino students, multilingual learners, students with disabilities, and children from low-income families should all experience the same levels of great teaching and challenging coursework as their more affluent peers.

Thank you for teaming up with us to achieve these dreams for Connecticut students.

Sincerely,

The ConnCAN Team