Connecticut Senate Bill SB00949

Connecticut 2021 Regular Session

• Introduced: 2/25/21
• Refer: 2/25/21

Caption

An Act Concerning The Establishment Of A Money-follows-the-child Approach To Funding Public Education.

Impact

The bill seeks to amend several sections of existing law, allowing the state to allocate funds based directly on the student enrollment in interdistrict magnet schools. One significant outcome is that it will require local or regional boards of education to contribute to the funding of educational programs, thus ensuring that the financial responsibility is equitably shared among municipalities. Additionally, it reinforces the commitment to addressing educational inequalities as mandated by previous court rulings, such as those stemming from the case in Sheff v. O'Neill.

Summary

SB00949, titled An Act Concerning The Establishment Of A Money-follows-the-child Approach To Funding Public Education, aims to transform the funding structure of public education in Connecticut by introducing a money-follows-the-child principle. This approach ensures that funding follows students to the schools they attend, including interdistrict magnet schools. This change is intended to provide equity in educational funding and improve access and quality of education for students across different districts. The bill emphasizes the importance of catering to individual student needs, as the funding model is designed to be flexible and responsive to student enrollments.

Contention

While the bill has supporters who argue that it promotes a more equitable and efficient education system, there are points of contention regarding how this funding model might affect local control of schools and the distribution of educational resources. Opponents express concerns that this may lead to inconsistencies in funding across districts, further complicating the educational landscape and possibly stigmatizing certain schools. There are fears that while some schools may benefit from increased funding with this approach, others may face financial challenges as funding becomes more volatile based on student enrollment fluctuations.