Connecticut Coalition for Justice in Education Funding vs. Rell
This is one to watch. The Connecticut Supreme Court is expected to rule on CCJEF vs. Rell in late summer or early fall and could very well open the floodgates. This case is being called-
“The most important, far-reaching education case in this state in 30 years.”
The Connecticut Supreme Court now faces a historic question: Do schoolchildren have the right to an adequate education?
CCJEF argues that under the constitution’s education clause, children do indeed have the right to a meaningful, quality education consistent with the needs of today’s competitive economy, the rigors of higher education, and full participation in a democratic society.
The State argues that there is no such constitutional right, that its duty to schoolchildren is minimal and that so long as education is free and “equally inadequate,” there’s no reason for the courts to intervene in matters that ought to be left to the discretion of the other two branches of state government.
About CCJEF:
CCJEF is a broad-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit. Members include municipalities, boards of education, statewide professional education associations, unions, advocacy organizations, parents, high school students who are at least 18 years old, and other concerned taxpayers.
CCJEF seeks to achieve an adequately and equitably funded PK-12 public education system that is based on the learning needs of students and the real costs of delivering high-quality education in every community.
CCJEF strives to strengthen the fiscal infrastructure of public schooling, in part, by lessening the reliance on Grand Lists and local property taxes, and substantially shifting the funding burden to the state in accordance with its constitutional obligation.
See: Connecticut Coalition for Justice in Education Funding for complete details.
Bristol signed on recently. See the article at: BRISTOLTODAY.com
Based on what we hear from the BOE, have they considered joining the case? What is their position on this? Where is our crack team at Shipman & Goodwin? Are Prop 46 and the Academy just better targets or a better billing opportunity?
The $11,500 Bristol kicked in to assure them a piece of the pie if the case is successful is cheap by comparison to the crusades we’ve already paid for- by a long shot.
Thank you for posting this information. It seems to me that our BOE should take a position on this.
Noted that Bob Viens, Mayor of Putnam, with proxy of our very own Doug Cutler as Putnam Town administrator, serves as Secretary to the CCJEF.
An interesting chart I noted on their webpage listed the inflation adjusted ECS (education cost sharing) entitlements over the last 12 years for CT. Towns.
Woodstock ECS:
'95-96: $2800 (per pupil)
'06-07: $3101
Change in last 12 years: $301
Inflation adjusted change: -$790
Inflation adjusted change in last 12 years: -28.23%
Of course the cities fared much better (and yet the majority of members on CCJEF are from the city!)
Bridgeport: -8.9%
Hartford: -13.3%
New Haven: -12.6%
Putnam: -7.8%
(all inflation adjusted)
Small towns are getting screwed and need to voice the effects of their loss of state entitlements which has led to the battle for nickels and dimes between WA and K-8. What a shame.
Yes Tax, agree. It appears to me that the BOE was/is fighting the wrong war, however, none of this negates the absolute need for the Dr. Fusco directed audit committee, as the other things that have gone on here are not excused by the CCJEF numbers.
I found the State's argument in the case particularly disgusting on its face. Like the BOE, SPED and otherwise, as our children's lives move forward, they argue semantics and technicalities. It turns my stomach. There should be a special place in hell for people like this. It also becomes pretty clear that the whole thing is badly broken. Where is the leadership?
Keep up the good work.