Connecticut’s 513,000 public school students are closer than ever before to the full, state-provided education funding they need and deserve.
Through a simple act — putting pen to paper — the governor’s signature on the bipartisan two-year budget in June signified, in unity with the legislature, the executive branch’s commitment to funding public education in our state and the continued partnership for what is to come.
Our success last legislative session is the result of policymakers from both sides of the aisle joining together with educators, municipal officials, and advocates from across the state to reaffirm Connecticut’s commitment to a high-quality education for all students. Together, we made unprecedented strides toward an equitable state education funding system that provides students and families with opportunities for success inside and outside of the classroom — independent of their Zip codes.
Although there is more work to do, and recognizing that money does not solve all our public school system’s and its families’ challenges, we must acknowledge the progress that’s been made that will assist boards of education and other governing bodies develop their school budgets for the 2025 fiscal year with a keen eye to allocating the funds provided through additional Education Cost Sharing (ECS) dollars and choice tuition relief.
Over the past six years, Republicans and Democrats, teachers and students, parents and advocates have united over a shared duty to future generations. In an era of political polarization, especially regarding public education, we have proven that collaboration and bipartisanship are very much alive in Connecticut.
In 2017, through a bipartisan budget, we replaced the state’s arbitrary, inequitable method of distributing education dollars with a fair, transparent ECS formula, which funds school districts based on the learning needs of students and the financial needs of communities.
In 2021, amid a devastating pandemic, the General Assembly united to drive more dollars to tens of thousands of Connecticut’s highest-need students, such as those who are multilingual learners or attend school in districts with high poverty rates.
And this past spring, lawmakers came together yet again. This time, approving a state budget with a historic $150 million in additional state support for K-12 education, and expediting the phase-in of the ECS formula to deliver students and school districts the full, state funding they’re entitled to two years quicker than scheduled.
None of this would have been possible without the steadfast devotion of legislative leadership on both sides of the aisle, who, along with legislators from all corners of the state, committed to investing in our public schools and worked relentlessly to make that investment a reality. House Speaker Matthew Ritter, Senate President Martin Looney, and the House and Senate majority leaders, Rep. Jason Rojas and Sen. Bob Duff, and minority leaders, Rep. Vincent Candelora and Sen. Kevin Kelly, helped lead this fight for Connecticut’s schools and made sure the voices of thousands of students, families, and educators did not go unheard.
Leading the fight with them were the Appropriations Committee’s chairs, Rep. Toni Walker and Sen. Cathy Osten, and ranking members, Rep. Tammy Nuccio and Sen. Eric Berthel, who advocated tirelessly for our state’s public schools and stood firm during budget negotiations to ensure districts and communities got the funding they need.
These leaders, from big cities and small towns, showed unwavering dedication to supporting our state’s students, families, teachers, and schools. From the onset of the 2023 legislative session, these leaders made K-12 education a priority and set the tone for a session that featured unparalleled progress toward equitable education funding and a life-changing investment in Connecticut’s most valuable resource: its students.
By their side were municipal leaders from across the state, equally deserving of our praise and recognition. Mayors and members of boards of education served as stalwart advocates for the citizens they represent. Their efforts were matched only by those most impacted by our work: the students, parents, teachers, paraprofessionals, and superintendents whose voices were instrumental in achieving greater, more equitable funding for all students.
This broad coalition, one of the largest and most diverse in the state’s history, was also joined by calls from seemingly unlikely sources. For example, industry, business, workforce development, and faith leaders, who have traditionally not weighed in on issues of education funding, recognized the economic significance of a robust K-12 system and came to Hartford to demonstrate their support for landmark school finance legislation. Support and advocacy from these partners were critical and it is essential that these leaders continue to have a role in education policy moving forward, including supporting early learning opportunities and a more holistic approach to working with our families to ensure generational success.
The education funding achievements reached this legislative session and over the past several years are significant, and we should be proud of our work. However, our journey is far from over, and the road ahead is filled with promise and potential. Now is not the time to settle and we must fight the urge to pat ourselves on the back and claim we’ve done enough. Our students, families, and educators deserve an unrelenting fight for the resources they need to be successful.
When the General Assembly reconvenes in February, we must continue the work towards the full funding of the ECS formula, the extension of need-based funding to ALL public school students, and the continued progress toward a student-centered education funding system that is transparent and accountable. It’s past time for a cohesive and equitable school finance system in Connecticut, and, as leaders of the Education Committee, we’re ready to build on the recent progress and make that system a reality.
State Rep. Jeff Currey (D-East Hartford) and Sen. Doug McCrory (D-Hartford) are the co-chairs of the Connecticut General Assembly’s Education Committee. Rep. Kathleen McCarty (R-Waterford) and Sen. Eric Berthel (R-Watertown) are its ranking members.