E4E-CT Applauds Governor Lamont’s Signing of State Budget That Makes a Record Investment in Public Education

Daniel Pearson, Executive Director of Educators for Excellence–Connecticut (E4E-CT), issued the following statement today in response to Governor Lamont’s signing of the state budget:

“Today’s budget signing is a victory for Connecticut’s students and teachers, and especially for the educators who advocated for this moment. For the first time in 13 years, the state has effectively raised the foundation amount at the heart of how it funds public schools, delivering a roughly $170 million one-time infusion through the Education Cost Sharing (ECS) formula and directing additional relief to the districts that have been hit hardest, including Hartford, Bridgeport, and New Haven. This is what happens when teachers refuse to accept the status quo. But a win is not a finish line. This year’s investment must become a permanent change to the foundation amount, not a one-time fix. Costs are still skyrocketing, the ECS formula is still disconnected from inflation, and the SEED and Excess Cost Grant special education funding streams remain severely underfunded and overextended. The ECS foundation amount must be raised permanently and tied to inflation so Connecticut never again falls 13 years behind, and special education formulas must be funded at the amount required by law. We celebrate today, but we get back to work tomorrow.”