Gov. Dannel Malloy wants to give Ansonia public schools an additional $1.1 million in funding over the next two years and an additional $1 million to Derby public schools, according to a press release sent Tuesday.
The money would come through the state’s “Education Cost Sharing” grant, often referred to as “ECS funding” during school budget talks. The money would cover the 2013 – 2014 and 2014 – 2015 fiscal years.
Malloy held a press conference Tuesday in Hartford to announce the proposal. He is scheduled to present a budget to the state legislature Wednesday.
The Money
ECS grants are the major source of state aid to school districts. Allocations are decided by a complex formula that has generated considerable controversy over the years.
ECS grants have been around since 1989 and, in the 2012 fiscal year, accounted for $1.89 billion — or 45 percent of all state education expenditures, according to a 2012 legislative research report.
Ansonia schools received $15,571,383 in ECS funding in the current fiscal year (2012 – 2013).
Under Malloy’s plan, Ansonia schools would receive an additional $559,845 in the 2013 – 2014 school year. In 2014 – 2015, Ansonia schools would receive an additional $559,844.
Derby schools received $7,146,221 in ECS funding in the current fiscal year.
Under Malloy’s plan, Derby schools would receive an additional $511,044 in 2013 – 2014. In 2014 – 2015, Derby schools would receive an additional $511,044.
Funding for Oxford would remain as-is. Funding for Seymour schools would increase by $57,160 over two years, while funding for Shelton schools would increase $219,676 over two fiscal years.
Click here to download a PDF showing ECS grant allocations as proposed by the governor.
What’s It Mean?
ECS funding is an important piece in the annual school budget puzzle, especially in economically-challenged cities such as Ansonia and Derby.
Ansonia officials are further along in their annual budget process than Derby, where there is a brand new school superintendent. The Derby school board has yet to unveil a proposed spending plan for the next school year (2013 – 2014).
Meanwhile, the Ansonia School District is requesting a $1.8 million increase in funding from the city.
What the extra cash from the state means for Ansonia’s school budget remains to be seen.
“It depends on what we receive from the City of Ansonia,” Ansonia School Superintendent Carol Merlone said in an e‑mail.
A subcommittee of the Ansonia Board of Aldermen has been meeting with department heads in Ansonia for several weeks to talk about next year’s budget.
The full Aldermen board will meet Tuesday, Feb. 12 to consider a $60.7 million budget for next year that includes a $540,000 increase for education, according to late word Tuesday evening from inside Ansonia City Hall.
Ansonia’s total proposed budget carries a spending increase of $2 million over the current budget.
After consideration from the Board of Aldermen, the proposed budget travels to the city’s tax board, who get the last word on the spending plan.
Don’t Start Cashing Malloy’s Checks Yet
Malloy’s proposals at the moment are just that — proposals.
The governor Tuesday didn’t outline how the state will pay for the additional funding. CT News Junkie points out some are concerned Malloy may cut town financial aid in order to make up for the money going to struggling school districts.
Malloy says this isn’t so. Click here to read a full report from CT News Junkie.
More information will be revealed Wednesday. At that point, the laborious, contentious — and often delayed — state budget process kicks off.
The governor wants to increase overall ECS funding by $150 million over the next two years, according to a press release. That money would be spread out among 117 towns.
Alliance Money
The 30 “Alliance District” school districts in the state are supposed to be the “focus” of the new funding, according to the governor’s press release.
But the governor’s announcement Tuesday deals only with ECS funding, said Juliet Manalan, the governor’s press secretary.
“Alliance Districts,” a designation created by Malloy and the state education department last year, are school districts with the lowest performance index scores in Connecticut. Click here to learn more.
Both Ansonia and Derby are “Alliance Districts.”
Because of the designation, Ansonia schools already received an additional $539,700 as an “Alliance District.”
Derby schools received an additional $280,532. Click here to read about reforms underway at the Irving School in Derby.
But the “Alliance District” grants came with restrictions. The school districts had to submit specific plans showing how the money would be used.
Ansonia school officials said last month the alliance grants were somewhat off-putting, because it essentially meant creating plans just to get the money. The district had already been planning and executing plans to improve student performance, they said.
In general, grant funding has been a double-edged sword for Ansonia. Last year 24 staffers were laid off because the school district lost about $1 million in grant funding.
Regarding “Alliance Districts,” Malloy’s Tuesday press release said those 30 districts will be developing plans focusing on three areas: “Teacher evaluation and support; implementation of the Common Core State Standards; and the turnaround of lower performing schools.”
