Connecticut Senate Bill SB00759

Connecticut 2023 Regular Session

• Introduced: 1/19/23
• Refer: 1/19/23

Caption

An Act Concerning The Inclusion Of A Hold Harmless Provision For The Education Cost-sharing Grant Formula.

Impact

The proposed changes are significant for local education funding, as they provide a safety net for towns that might otherwise be negatively impacted by fluctuations in grant distributions. The hold harmless provision would effectively prevent any potential drops in funding, ensuring that every town can plan its budget without fear of sudden cuts to education grants. This measure aims to promote equity among towns in terms of funding stability, which could benefit the education systems across the state by providing a more predictable financial environment.

Summary

SB00759 is designed to amend section 10-262h of the Connecticut general statutes, specifically aiming to revise the education cost-sharing grant formula. The bill's primary objective is to ensure that towns do not face financial losses during the rollout of this revised formula by instituting a hold harmless provision. This means that if a town would otherwise experience a reduction in grant amounts due to the changes in the formula, they would be protected from this decrease, thus maintaining their existing funding levels.

Contention

While the bill aims for equitable support for towns, it may also ignite discussions regarding the fairness of the funding distribution system. Critics might express concerns that the hold harmless provision could disincentivize improvements in financial efficiency among districts that do not experience funding cuts. They may argue that it perpetuates an outdated funding mechanism rather than encouraging necessary reforms that could lead to more efficient allocation of educational resources across districts.