FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
On Tuesday, the leadership of the Connecticut House of Representatives unveiled their 2017 legislative platform, which failed to include any priorities related to addressing inequitable public school funding in the state despite the CCJEF ruling this month. In response, DFER Connecticut (DFER-CT) State Director Amy Dowell released the following statement:
“It’s unfortunate, particularly in light of the clear call to action in the CCJEF v. Rell ruling this month, that the House leadership left our public school students and the equitable funding they deserve off of the legislative agenda for next year. We, as Democrats, need to put our kids first and show why improving public education in every town and city in Connecticut is an economic priority that will pay dividends now and in the future. Just this week, credit rating agency Moody’s reported that addressing the school funding issues facing our biggest cities could help improve their credit ratings and lay the groundwork for a fiscally sound future. More importantly, if we take this opportunity to make smart investments in our students, teachers, and schools, we can produce the next generation of leaders we need to push our state forward. Come January, it’s critical that Connecticut’s students are at the top of the legislative priority list, and we ask our Democratic leaders in Hartford to put them first.”
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Contact: amy@dfer.org