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- Category: Past Issues
Boost to
education
grants is
welcomed
A raise in the Educational Cost Sharing funding to local schools will give local schools a small boost.
Governor Dannel P. Malloy is proposing a reform of education in Connecticut from early childhood through college and giving an additional $50 million in Educational Cost Sharing (ECS) funding to local school districts.
Under his proposal, Putnam would receive an additional $179,863, increasing Putnam's total education grant to $8,251,714. Eastford would receive an additional $6,971, going from $1,109,873 for 2011-12 to $1,116,844 in the proposed budget.
Pomfret would get an additional $37,184, going from $3,092,817 to $3,130,001.
In Woodstock the rise would total $68,633. The 2011-12 grant was $5,390,055 and the 2012-13 figure would be $5,453,688.
Thompson would receive an additional $65,919, increasing Thompson's total education grant to $7,674,408.
State Representative Danny Rovero (D-Killingly, Putnam, Thompson) welcomed the proposal. “This is welcome news for our northeast corner,” said Rovero. “I look forward to working with the Governor and my colleagues to achieve these improved numbers”
In his recent State of the State address, Malloy outlined his vision for Connecticut that maintains recent efforts to stabilize the state’s finances and continues to pursue the job creation policies that have begun to spur economic growth. Malloy also announced the final part of his education reform agenda – an overhaul of the state’s tenure system so that it rewards quality teachers, not just those who have been in the profession the longest.
“In these difficult economic times, it is critical that we invest in early childhood education and school districts that are the most challenged,” said Rovero. “The governor’s plan to overhaul the teacher preparation program is critical to that success.”
Malloy’s proposal addresses many areas in need of reform, including: increasing the access to and quality of early childhood education slots; allocating new funding and implementing new approaches that will improve low performing schools; expanding slots for public schools of choice including charter schools; removing red tape and other barriers that stand in the way of local school districts; repositioning our vo-tech schools to promote job readiness and job linkages; and improving teacher preparation so professionals have the skills they need to excel when they enter the classroom.