(Source: CT Mirror 2016 budget tool)
This resource guide is for parents, teachers, students, and educational leaders that want to understand issues about funding public education in Connecticut and other states. Specifically, this guide intends to provide insight on the ideas of equitable, or fair, and adequate, or sufficient, funding of public education.
Below we will break down ideas into categories and try to provide brief summaries of each link, document, or resource. Specific emphasis will be on confronting misinformation about educational funding. If you have questions about the funding of public education, send it along in the comments and we will do our best to respond.
Featured resources:
CCJEF Press Release 2/10/17 response to Governor’s Budget Proposal
Resources
- In the news
- Organizations
- Analysis
- Documents
In the news
Court Orders State to Make Sweeping Reforms in Schools, Daniela Altimari, The Hartford Courant, September 7, 2016.
State strikes down state education aid choices as irrational, Jacqueline Rabe Thomas, CTMirror, September 7, 2016.
Good School, Rich School; Bad School, Poor School, Alana Semuels, The Atlantic, August 25, 2016.
“Closing Arguments Begins in Connecticut School Funding Trial,” Vanessa de la Torre, The Hartford Courant, August 8, 2016.
“CT school funding on trial: 5 key questions facing the judge,” Jacki Rabe Thomas, CT Mirror, August 8, 2016. More on CCJEF v. Rell in CT Mirror here.
“Court considers fairness of state education funding,” Bill Cummings, CT Post, August 8, 2016.
Organizations
Connecticut Coalition for Justice in Education Funding – a coalition suing the State of Connecticut for adequate and equitable funding and educational opportunity for all public school students.
Connecticut Voices for Children – independent research and advocacy for children and families, including state budget and school finance research.
Education Justice – An program with the Education Law Center to expand educational opportunities and services for students.
National Education Policy Center – a center that produces research and reviews on education policy in accessible language and includes topics such as school finance.
Analysis
Publications
Problems with Connecticut’s Education Cost Sharing Grant, Orlando Rodriguez, 2011.
Blog Posts
A primer about Connecticut School Funding, by Wendy Lecker.
“Betraying Educational Cost Sharing?” – An analysis of whether cuts to funding in Connecticut undermine the cooperation built into the ECS concept.
Videos
Judge Moukawsher Delivers Decision in CCJEF v. Rell Ed. Funding Lawsuit, Hartford Complex Litigation Docket Watch:
Post-Trial Oral Arguments in the CCJEF v. Rell Education Funding Case – Day 1
Post-Trial Oral Arguments in the CCJEF v. Rell Education Funding Case – Day 2
Post-Trial Oral Arguments in the CCJEF v. Rell Education Funding Case – Day 3
“Student Based Budgeting” – A discussion and articles about a type of funding education called “student based budgeting” or, sometimes, “weighted student funding”.
Discussion on school funding in CT and CCJEF v. Rell case with Attorney Wendy Lecker and Robert Cotto, Jr. Video here.
Documents
CCJEF Case Detail, Hartford Superior Court (All documents)
Plaintiffs Opposition to Defendant’s Appeal (and Request for Full Review Memorandum of Decision), CCJEF (plaintiff) attorneys, Sept. 19, 2016.
Application for Appeal in CCJEF v. Rell, CT Attorney General, Sept. 15, 2016.
Memorandum of Decision – CCJEF v. Rell, Judge Thomas Moukawsher, Sept. 7, 2016.
Presentation by CCM on the Education Cost Sharing (ECS) Grant
CCJEF Plaintiffs Post-Trial Brief
CCJEF Plaintiffs Final Proposed Findings of Fact
CCJEF Defendants Post-Trial Brief
CCJEF Defendant (State of CT) Post-Trial Brief
CCJEF Defendant Findings of Fact