E4E-CT reacts to Governor Lamont’s education focus during the 2025 State of the State Address

January 13, 2025 (Hartford)—Following Governor Lamont’s State of the State address last week, Educators for Excellence – Connecticut (E4E-CT) issued the following statement, thanking the Governor for his continued commitment to students throughout Connecticut:

“As we navigate our first full school year without the assistance of the ESSER funds, fully funding the Education Cost Sharing (ECS) formula and ending school tuition billing are essential to closing the funding and opportunity gaps throughout Connecticut, helping teachers and students succeed across the state. We have been working toward this goal for many years, securing $150 million during the last budget session in 2023. We hope we achieve full funding this year.

“We agree with Governor Lamont that the teaching certification process must be modified and made more accessible to all potential educators. Connecticut must improve recruitment and retention efforts to increase the diversity of the teachers in our classrooms and keep schools fully staffed.

“The legislature made progress on this initiative with last year’s teacher certification bill, creating the Connecticut Education Preparation and Certification Board, who work to update the state’s certification regulations. We must ensure that the Board has the resources and information needed to set new and reasonable regulations and that these regulations are based on facts and data. A robust and diverse teaching workforce creates a positive and holistic learning experience for all students and is essential for academic success.

“We are committed to working with Governor Lamont, the Connecticut State Legislature, partner organizations, and Connecticut educators to close the statewide funding and opportunity gaps and improve education throughout Connecticut.”

Daniel Pearson
Executive Director
Educators for Excellence – Connecticut