State to school districts: minimum spending reached

Every school district in Connecticut is expected to meet the state’s minimum spending requirements, reports the state Department of Education.

Bridgeport’s education budget is currently $3.6 million under the $219.5 million the district must spend, but the chief financial officer for the state education department said district officials have assured him that they will meet that requirement.

While no districts are expected to be in violation of spending requirements, 11 towns and cities spent the bare minimum required to be in compliance with the law. Those districts are Bloomfield, Bristol, Groton, Hartford, Meriden, Montville, New London, Putnam, Sprague, Waterbury and Winchester.

Several districts spent significantly more than the law requires, Stamford and West Hartford most notably spending significantly over the required minimum.

Last school year, 11 school districts budgeted too little for education and were notified by state officials that they would need to spend more or be in violation of state law.