59°
NORWALK, Conn. – Enraged state legislators in Norwalk and Stamford, who say their school systems are being short-changed in state education funding, are demanding changes in the way Hartford doles out the money.
They say a change made by Gov. Dannel P. Malloy in the state's complex Educational Cost Sharing formula — which relies heavily on a community’s property values to determine funding — leaves the two cities far short of amounts provided to school districts of comparable size in Fairfield County and the state.
Led by House Minority Leader Lawrence Cafero, R-Norwalk, the lawmakers want the formula to better reflect their communities’ economic status and educational needs.
“The best evidence that the ECS formula is unfair is that a city like Norwalk can be considered affluent, despite having been classified by the state as a distressed municipality,” said Cafero. “We are also currently classified as a high priority (low-performing) school district by the state.
“There is an urgent need to change the formula to reflect a city’s median income to make it fairer to cities like Norwalk and Stamford,” said Cafero, who appeared last week before the legislature’s Education Committee, which is holding public hearings on education reform.
“Our (Republican) caucus is working on a new formula to present to the legislature within the next two weeks,” Cafero said.
Democrats in the two communities are also concerned.
“The formula penalizes Stamford and Norwalk. We have a very high student population in Stamford, about 15,000, and large pockets of poor people who rent and live in multiple-unit dwellings,” said state Rep. Patricia Billie-Miller, D-Stamford, a member of the legislature’s Education Committee.
“Yet our ECS funding is far lower than similar cities because of some high property values,” said Miller. “We are definitely getting the short end of the stick compared to cities like Bridgeport, Danbury and New Haven. The formula has to be changed to make it more equitable so we get state funding we need to provide quality education to all of our students.”
That’s a battle also being waged by Norwalk Board of Education Chairman Jack Chiaramonte. In testimony to the legislature’s Education Committee last week, he said the funding provided to Norwalk was “an insult.”
Chiaramonte pointed out that under the current formula, Norwalk and Stamford are slated to receive less than $9 million in ECS funding in fiscal 2012-13. But Danbury, a similarly sized city, will receive more than $25 million.
“We are very diverse, blue-collar communities, but Norwalk and Stamford are being treated like crabapples … and I told that to the committee,” said Chiaramonte. “The short-changing of Norwalk in the distribution of state funding to our public schools has long been a scandal, in my opinion.
"Norwalk is treated like wealthier towns such as Darien and Westport, when it is obvious, we are not," he said. "Even other cities that are wealthier than Norwalk, but with fewer students, get more state funding than we do.”
State Rep. Gail Lavielle, R-Wilton, whose district also includes part of Norwalk and who serves on the legislature’s Education Committee, said the ECS formula takes many factors into account, including a town's wealth, poverty levels and student needs. But “it has serious flaws," she said.
“What distinguishes Norwalk and Stamford — not only regionally but also pretty much on the state level — is the disparity between high property values and other measures of town wealth (like lower median household income), coupled with the characteristics that make our cities much like Connecticut’s other large cities."
Comments (11)
Enforce the illegal immigration laws and watch the school population drop in Norwalk, Stamford and Bridgeport
DavidA
Thanks for that information, what is your source? What are "support services" and "other elementary and secondary expenditures"?
You can go to:
localschooldirectory.com or http://www.education.com or check each district's web page
To put in perspective all districts presently spend significantly more per pupil per year than the tuition & fees cost (excluding residence hall & meals) to send one's child to UCONN Storrs.
2011 - 2012 Yearly Expenses for Full-Time Undergraduates
Main Campus In-State Out-of-State
Tuition $8,256 $25,152
University & Student Fees $2,414 $2,414
Residence Hall (average) $5,918 $5,918
University Meals (7-day program) $5,132 $5,132
Estimated Yearly Expenses* $21,720 $38,616
The devil is in the details, show what is being spent per child in each district in the state and I think many would be surprised:
The Danbury School District spends $12,903 per pupil in current expenditures. The district spends 69% on instruction, 28% on support services, and 3% on other elementary and secondary expenditures.
The Easton School District spends $13,372 per pupil in current expenditures. The district spends 71% on instruction, and 29% on support services.
The Bridgeport School District spends $14,010 per pupil in current expenditures. The district spends 65% on instruction, 31% on support services, 5% on other elementary and secondary expenditures.
The Ridgefield School District spends $14,460 per pupil in current expenditures. The district spends 61% on instruction, 37% on support services, and 3% on other elementary and secondary expenditures.
The Redding School District spends $15,658 per pupil in current expenditures. The district spends 73% on instruction, and 27% on support services.
The Darien School District spends $15,648 per pupil in current expenditures. The district spends 66% on instruction, 29% on support services, and 5% on other elementary and secondary expenditures.
The Wilton School District spends $16,164 per pupil in current expenditures. The district spends 61% on instruction, 38% on support services, and 2% on other elementary and secondary expenditures.
The Norwalk School District spends $16,390 per pupil in current expenditures. The district spends 66% on instruction, 31% on support services, and 3% on other elementary and secondary expenditures.
The New Haven School District spends $16,990 per pupil in current expenditures. The district spends 62% on instruction, 34% on support services, and 4% on other elementary and secondary expenditures.
The Stamford School District spends $17,030 per pupil in current expenditures. The district spends 62% on instruction, 36% on support services, and 2% on other elementary and secondary expenditures.
The Hartford School District spends $17,589 per pupil in current expenditures. The district spends 58% on instruction, 38% on support services, and 3% on other elementary and secondary expenditures.
The Westport School District spends $17,697 per pupil in current expenditures. The district spends 58% on instruction, 38% on support services, and 4% on other elementary and secondary expenditures.
The New Canaan School District spends $17,806 per pupil in current expenditures. The district spends 58% on instruction, 40% on support services, and 1% on other elementary and secondary expenditures.
The Weston School District spends $18,437 per pupil in current expenditures. The district spends 59% on instruction, 36% on support services, and 5% on other elementary and secondary expenditures.
Not the disparity expected? The State should not spend any more money it doesn't have. Cities should not be rewarded any further at the expense of the "suburbs". On top of historical issues in cities, illegal immigrant populations (New Haven is a "sanctuary city") are highest in the cities and that comes with an educational cost. The associated underground economy further exacerbates the problem as services are provided without the corresponding tax revenue. That complex issue needs to be resolved. One thing is certain redistribution of "wealth" and constantly spending more is not the answer.
A agree to a large extent, but the state SHOULD have the money, they take it & are very involved in education in the sate. Would be better if the state took care of the state ONLY & let communities care for the education of their kids but thats not how its done here. How many billions are squandered dealing with administrative BS?
The illegal issue is a separate one & only involves education because the liberal mindset here has us acting like education is free & owed just because you happen to be here. Nothing should be given to a person simple because where they wake up in the morning. Such an idea is always doomed to fail.
If you dont belong here you dont belong. When caught, and we should try very hard to catch them, they should be detained until we have a dozen or so then put on a plane to Mexico.
It would have been nice to have seen State Sen. Bob ("Standing Up for You") Duff standing up for us at that hearing. He drifted into the hearing room very briefly and then was gone, without saying a word. Norwalk State Representatives Chris Perone and Bruce Morris were also missing in action. These are the guys who voted last year to raise Connecticut taxes and fees sky high. But when it comes to helping Norwalk get its fair share of state education funds, they seem to have better things to do. Let's remember that next time they run for re-election.
I agree, those guys have some explaining to do but keep quiet when not cutting a ribon or taking time out for a photo op. Personally I'd like to see CT flip ends & forget the liberal trend we've been on for alot of my adult life, if not all of it. We have almost no conservative representation & it shows in how we tax & what we spend it on. I'v watched taxes go up every year as quality of life for TAXPAYERS has gone down pretty much in step with the increases. Certainly Norwalk has alot to offer it didnt have 20 years ago, but not much of that is geared to us, the taxpayers. Its great if your on welfare or want to come here & drink or go to the beach. But if you just want to live here & go for quiet walks in the summer you are out of luck. We hear how new development & redevelopment increases the general fund & brings in new money, but who cares when it is never reflected in reductions to our taxes, never even slows them down. Its a disgrace that the highest taxed state in the country isnt rolling in money.
The state has been taking a lot more from us than we get back for many years. There seems to be a perception that everybody in Fairfield County is rich and we can afford to give a lot more than we get. Some of the local governments seem to believe that everybody with property is rich and can afford to give a lot more than we get. It is no wonder so many seniors are selling out. The big jobs in Norwalk seem to go primarily to people who don't live or spend in town. The Mayor doesn't own much and manages to avoid most local taxes. There is nothing to suggest it will get better any time soon. Anybody want to buy a house ?
The state has been taking a lot more from us than we get back for many years. There seems to be a perception that everybody in Fairfield County is rich and we can afford to give a lot more than we get. Some of the local governments seem to believe that everybody with property is rich and can afford to give a lot more than we get. It is no wonder so many seniors are selling out. The big jobs in Norwalk seem to go primarily to people who don't live or spend in town. The Mayor doesn't own much and manages to avoid most local taxes. There is nothing to suggest it will get better any time soon. Anybody want to buy a house ?
I asked my employer if I could vote to increase my pay the same way that the Common Council has voted to increase our taxes. He said no.
Sometimes you need to do the best you can with what you have. Matter of fact thats what we all have to do every day. Why the city or state should be any different is beyond me. I think the answer lies in not giving the state the money in the first place but what do I know, I just pay taxes here.