Connecticut
Governor Lamont: Education Funding Works Best When It’s Directed to Classrooms
Press Releases
02/15/2024
Governor Lamont: Education Funding Works Best When It’s Directed to Classrooms
Governor’s Budget Proposal Includes Historic Investments For Both K-12 Schools and Early Childhood Education Providers
(HARTFORD, CT) – Governor Ned Lamont today expressed his support for sending state funding intended for education services directly to classrooms, saying that students will benefit best when this money is used to support the hiring of teachers and the purchasing of necessary classroom equipment.
The governor’s fiscal year 2025 budget proposal that he presented to the legislature earlier this month recommends:
- Increasing education cost sharing (ECS) funds to K-12 school districts by $128.8 million over the current fiscal year; and
- Increasing state funding for early childhood education by $43.4 million over the current fiscal year.
The increase in ECS funding will help Connecticut reach full funding of the formula by fiscal year 2026, a full two years sooner than the original ten-year goal. Additionally, the increase in funding for early childhood education will increase the number of families eligible for Care 4 Kids and go directly to child care providers, enabling them to support the expansion of services in classrooms, such as through the hiring of more teachers and purchasing of necessary classroom equipment.
Combined, these will be some of the largest investments ever made for Connecticut’s K-12 schools and early childhood education providers.
“Money intended for education works best when it goes to the classroom,” Governor Lamont said. “I am proposing that we use critical state resources to ensure that our state’s children have access to the classroom support they need to succeed. We can accomplish this by increasing ECS funding for our K-12 schools, working with schools to fully expend the $400 million in remaining ARP ESSER funds, and supporting an expansion of early childhood education services. The ability of our K-12 education system to succeed depends in great part on the success of our early childhood education system, and we have a desperate need to expand these services, including through the hiring of more teachers. There are thousands of families in our state who are unable to enroll their children in early childhood education because of a lack of resources. We have an opportunity this year to increase access to education for our youngest residents, and we should do it.”
“The governor’s proposed budget increases funding for classrooms, providing resources where it can make a real difference in improving student outcomes,” Jeffrey Beckham, secretary of the Office of Policy and Management and Governor Lamont’s chief budget advisor, said. “The current budget disguises municipal aid as education funding, essentially sending aid budgeted for magnet and vo-ag students back to their home district as a tuition subsidy rather than adding resources for classroom learning. Our proposal increases ECS funding, fully funds charter schools and vo-ag schools at the statutory amount, and increases the per pupil grant for both magnet schools and open choice schools. It supports the continuation of free school breakfast statewide, subsidizes the student’s share of reduced-price meals, and permanently funds the nationally recognized LEAP program, addressing chronic absence. If the General Assembly is truly serious about ensuring that all Connecticut students will be successful, they will support the governor’s proposal.”
The following chart represents the increase in ECS funding Governor Lamont is proposing to send to K-12 school districts for fiscal year 2025, as well as the balance of federal ARP ESSER funding available to K-12 schools for the year:
Click to enlarge chart
- Twitter: @GovNedLamont
- Facebook: Office of Governor Ned Lamont
Connecticut
Florida High School State Bronze Medalist Dajah German Verbals To Connecticut For Fall 2027
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Florida high school state bronze medalist Dajah German has announced her verbal commitment to swim and study at the University of Connecticut beginning in the fall of 2027. She publicized the news on SwimCloud, writing:
I am so excited to announce my verbal commitment to continue my academic and athletic career at the University of Connecticut! I’m incredibly grateful for everyone who has supported me throughout this journey, my family, coaches, teammates, and friends who have pushed me to be my best throughout the years. And a very special thank you to Coach Chris and Coach Nicole for believing in me and giving me this opportunity. I’m so excited for what’s ahead. GO HUSKIES!
A rising senior at Fort Lauderdale High School in Florida, German trains year-round with Swim Fort Lauderdale and primarily specializes in the sprint and middle-distance freestyle events.
German has improved each year of her high school career, most recently dropping from 23.78, 51.39, and 1:50.56 in the 50/100/200 free to 23.54, 51.35, and 1:49.69 during the 2025-26 short course season.
German’s top meet of the season was the Florida Senior Championships in March, where she recorded her current PBs in both the 50 and 200 free. She finished second in the 500 free (4:55.94) and 1650 free (17:02.78), third in both the 50 free and 200 free, and fifth in the 100 free (51.43). She set her current 100 free PB at a smaller holiday meet in December. In the 500 free, she clocked a season-best 4:55.21 at the Speedo Cup in January, with her lifetime best of 4:53.19 coming at the 2025 Florida Senior Championships.
German has qualified for the FHSAA (Florida High School Athletic Association) State Championships for the past three years, with her top performance coming at the 2025 iteration in November. She placed third in the 50 free (23.96), fifth in the 500 free (5:01.12), and helped Fort Lauderdale to fourth place in both the 200 free relay (24.64 leadoff) and 400 free relay (53.08 anchor).
Top SCY Times:
- 50 Freestyle: 23.54
- 100 Freestyle: 51.35
- 200 Freestyle: 1:49.69
- 500 Freestyle: 4:53.19
A Division I Mid-Major program, Connecticut competes in the Big East, with the women’s team placing second out of seven teams at this past season’s conference championships. German’s current lifetime bests would have placed third in the 200 free, fourth in the 500 free, eighth in the 50 free, and ninth in the 100 free, setting her up as an immediate contributor with two full seasons of training still ahead before her first conference meet.
German joins Anna Mumford, Lyla Devlin, Lena Brown, and Louisa Holda in committing to the Huskies’ class of 2031 so far.
If you have a commitment to report, please send an email with a photo (landscape, or horizontal, looks best) and a quote to [email protected].
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Here are the forecast details for northern Connecticut via the National Weather Service:
Today: Sunny, with a high near 80. Light west wind increasing to 6 to 11 mph in the morning.
Tonight: Partly cloudy, with a low around 56. Northwest wind around 6 mph becoming calm in the evening.
Monday: A chance of showers before 2pm, then a chance of showers and thunderstorms between 2pm and 4pm, then showers likely and possibly a thunderstorm after 4pm. Increasing clouds, with a high near 76. Calm wind becoming southeast around 6 mph in the afternoon. Chance of precipitation is 60%. New rainfall amounts between a quarter and half of an inch possible.
Monday Night: Showers and possibly a thunderstorm. Some of the storms could produce heavy rainfall. Low around 59. Southeast wind around 8 mph becoming southwest after midnight. Chance of precipitation is 90%. New precipitation amounts between three quarters and one inch possible.
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