Newington, CT-October 26, 2015 — CT’s public schools have worked diligently over the last decade to provide every child in CT with the education that they need to be successful after they leave the schools. Among these efforts, we have implemented higher standards for student learning, a system that holds schools and school districts accountable for what the children learn, an evaluation system for educators that is more rigorous than anything done in the past and a series of programs such as anti-bullying and safety protocols that have made life in our schools safer, more secure and more enjoyable for children.

All of these efforts have come with a financial cost that school systems have managed to meet despite the fact that for the most part, state funding for public education has remained relatively flat for eight years. Given the financial constraints that the State of CT has faced during this time, we have been grateful that unlike most other states in the country, CT has not reduced funding for public education.

We entered this school year with that gratitude and the comfort that it produces in place. The latest news about the projected deficit in the state budget and about discussions that have ensued to address that situation, however, concern us because given all that public schools have done to better serve all of CT’s children and given how difficult it has been to find the funds to provide this better service, a mid-year reduction in funding for public education would seriously hamper these ongoing efforts to better serve our children.

The What Will Our Children Lose Coalition, therefore, calls upon the Governor and the members of the state legislature to resist any attempts to reduce mid-year state funding programs for public education. We realize that in so doing, we are asking policy makers to value public education above other recipients of state funding. Given the fact that the quality of the education that is provided for every child in CT is directly related to the present and future economic and social well-being of all CT residents, however, we make exactly that request.

We also ask the people of CT to join us in our efforts to persuade public policy makers to not endanger the well-being of all CT citizens by enacting mid-year reductions in funds for public education.