CEA President Sheila Cohen and AFT-Connecticut President Jan Hochadel today sent a letter to legislators urging them to convene a special session to restore ECS funding. Severe cuts in education funding are devastating the state’s public schools and shortchanging students’ education.
Governor Malloy recently cut an additional $58 million in ECS funding, and more cuts are planned in the new year. As Connecticut’s cities and towns struggle to make up these costs, many are planning to cut school resources, eliminate educational programs, and lay off teachers.
Read the letter below.
Dear Legislators,
We write to you today with great urgency. Teachers across the state are witnessing devastating consequences for their students as a result of the destructive cuts in ECS funding made by the governor following the passage of the budget.
While the governor provided a two-month window for the legislature to act regarding the Medicare Savings Program in order to provide some protection for seniors, there is no protection for our children. If the legislature fails to take action very soon, irreparable harm to our children’s education will occur.
The cost of not acting will mean a worsening of the damage to teaching and learning that teachers are already witnessing. These cuts have resulted in fewer resources for our children, increased class sizes, layoffs of teachers whom children have come to depend upon, and a lessening of social and emotional supports that help children facing the most challenging circumstances. Reversing these cuts can stop the damage and prevent towns from being forced to make the harmful choices for children and schools they are making as we speak, and prevent further chaos in the middle of the school year.
It is imperative that you and your colleagues call a special session to restore ECS funding. Our students and teachers can’t wait.
Sincerely,
Sheila Cohen Jan Hochadel
President President
Connecticut Education Association AFT-Connecticut
