On March 4, 2026, our Superintendent's Student Advisory Council Members, Superintendent Dr, Andraé Townsel, and CFO Caitlin Richard joined superintendents, teachers and students from 9 other Connecticut school districts – Bridgeport, Bristol, Danbury, East Hartford, New Britain, New Haven, New London, West Haven, and Windham – to testify before the Education Committee of the Connecticut General Assembly urging Governor Ned Lamont and state lawmakers to increase state education funding for all students during the 2026 legislative session.
Specifically, the group expressed support for Senate Bill 7, a measure introduced by state Senator Martin Looney and Senate Democrats, which would increase the per student foundation amount used in the Education Cost Sharing formula (ECS) to $15,500 over four years and then index it to economic factors including inflation. They also asked that the foundation amount be increased to at least $13,500 in the first year of enactment (instead of the $12,500 currently in the draft legislation).
Above, Bulkeley Senior Micquandre Wright testifies before Education Committee, March 4, 2026. Watch the story below.
IN THE NEWS:
NBC CT: Connecticut students from 11 districts testify in front of lawmakers for more school funding
Micquandré Wright, senior student at Bulkeley High School, president of the Superintendent's Student Advisory Committee, and Student Representative to the Hartford Board of Education, states, "I’m a senior at Bulkeley High School in Hartford, and I really care about my school, my fellow students and teachers. But it’s frustrating to see how little investment there is in public education. Every student in Connecticut deserves the chance to succeed. The Education Cost Sharing formula hasn’t changed the entire time I’ve been in school, and it’s holding us back. It’s time for the state to fix the formula."
"Even though I’ll be walking across the stage this year, the students coming after me deserve the same, if not better opportunities. Think about the freshmen who are just starting their high school journey, the middle schoolers preparing for high school, and the elementary students who don’t even know yet what they’re capable of. They shouldn’t inherit the same funding problems we’ve faced for years.”
Also seen in picture above are CT Representative Maryam Khan (r.) and Hartford Board of Education Chair Shontá Browdy (ctr.)
Superintendent Madeline Negrón of New Haven praised the bill as a “game-changer” because “school funding will finally be tied to the actual economy.” She added, “This important legislation can only be truly effective if the state’s contribution is sufficient to address the current moment. To keep our heads above water, the foundation amount should be raised to at least $13,500 for the 2027 fiscal year.”
Above, Superintendent Dr Andraé Townsel, with HPS CFO Caitlin Richard, testifies before the Education Committee, March 4, 2026
Last year, the first year of the biennial budget cycle, the state increased funding for K-12 public education by fully funding the ECS grant and providing additional funding for the Excess Cost grant to support students with extraordinary special education needs.
While these were important steps in the right direction, the ECS per student foundation amount is currently $11,525 and has not increased since 2013 despite average inflation of 2.7%.
Meanwhile, municipalities across the state have increased their local contributions to their public schools. This flat funding has contributed to significant funding gaps and shortages in critical staffing areas and a lack of sufficient services for students.
“For more than a decade, the ECS foundation has not kept pace with inflation or the real cost of educating our students,” said Interim Superintendent Dr. Royce Avery of Bridgeport Public Schools. “We cannot continue to eliminate positions that directly support our students just to stay afloat. Senate Bill 7 is a necessary step toward stable, predictable funding that reflects today’s realities and protects our classrooms.”
Students also met with individual state legislators urging them to adopt these measures.
Dr. Andraé Townsel with Bulkeley senior Micquandre Wright
Those testifying included Interim Bridgeport Superintendent Avery, Bristol Superintendent Iris White, Danbury Superintendent Kara Casmiro, East Hartford Superintendent Thomas Anderson, Hartford Superintendent Andraé Townsel, New Britain Superintendent Anthony Gasper, New Haven Superintendent Negrón, New London Superintendent Cynthia Ritchie, West Haven Superintendent Neil Cavallaro, and Windham Superintendent Iris Gomero; as well as student representatives and teachers from all 10 districts.
