CT Leaders propose cutting funding for public schools while protecting charter school increases
In the face of yet another budget deficit, Governor Dannel Malloy and leaders in the Connecticut General Assembly have been laying out competing plans to cut the state budget. All plans include cuts in state aid for public schools while protecting Malloy’s initiative to expand funding for charter schools in Connecticut. Some of the proposed cuts to public education would simply shift the burden onto local property taxpayers, while others would reduce the level of services some public school students receive.
In this guest post, public school advocate and retired Connecticut educator explore the reason by Governor Malloy and elected officials cut funding for Connecticut’s public school children while still increasing support for Charter Schools.
BEYOND OUTRAGE!!! By John Bestor
Wondering why charter school allocations have remained sacrosanct despite the serious budget issues facing our legislators and the citizens of our State?
In addition to the lucrative New Market Tax Credit that is available to investors who – in their philanthropic largess – receive “tax credits” that will enable them to double their philanthropic investment in seven years, there are other reasons why monies for charter school expansion remain an untouchable budget item.
CONSIDER THIS:
In 2010, Steve Adamowski, then the Superintendent of the Hartford Public Schools and ever-since Governor Malloy’s “go-to” education disruptor, signed an agreement with the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation “to expand access to a high quality education to advance college readiness” with the “goal to support communities in significantly boosting the number of students enrolled in high performing schools”. The grant terms called for
- Joint professional development for teachers in charter and district schools
- Implementing CCSS with aligned instructional tools and supports for teachers
- Creating personalized learning experiences for students
- Universal enrollment system for all public schools, and
- Common metrics to help families evaluate all schools on consistent criteria.
A signing bonus of $100,000 was paid to the signatory enabling Hartford to join 12 other CT Leaders propose cutting funding for public schools while protecting charter school increases - Wait What?: