CCER to Appropriations: Neediest Districts Shouldn’t Bear the Burden

New Haven, Connecticut – Today, Tuesday, March 3, 2015, Jeffrey Villar, Executive Director of CCER, testified before the Appropriations Committee about the Governor’s proposed budget and its implications for Connecticut’s neediest schools and districts.

Villar reminded the Committee that in 2012, Connecticut committed to providing the 30 lowest-performing districts (the “Alliance Districts”) with increased oversight and resources so that they could improve. “The work of raising achievement in the Alliance Districts is not yet complete,” he said. “And we believe that it would be unwise to reduce funding for grants that disproportionately impact them.”

Villar also observed that the Proposed Budget’s treatment of early childhood funding did not meet the state’s need. He informed the Committee of recent estimates that “about 7,500 children in high-need communities still lack access to quality early childhood experiences.”

Although Villar commended the Governor for refraining from balancing the budget on the back of the public education system at large, he reminded the Committee that Connecticut residents are relying on them “to ensure that we don’t place that burden on our lowest-performing districts or our youngest students either.”

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About the Connecticut Council for Education Reform

The Connecticut Council for Education Reform (CCER)–a statewide, non-partisan, 501(c)(3) not- for-profit organization–works to close the achievement gap and raise academic outcomes for all students in Connecticut. The achievement gap is the disparity in academic achievement between children from low-income families and children of color, and their peers. We advocate for state policies and local practices that research shows have the best chance of raising achievement for high-need student populations.

For more information on CCER, go to www.ctedreform.org