Bridgeport, CT – Mayor Ganim has submitted written testimony that asks lawmakers to consider supporting House Bill No. 5003: An Act Concerning Public Education in Connecticut. Years in the making, this legislation promotes equitable education funding across the State of Connecticut in order to help bridge the vast racial and economic opportunity gaps between the State’s urban, suburban and rural communities.

H.B. 5003 promotes a student-centered funding model that will finally address the State’s most chronically underfunded districts including Bridgeport. It is also incredibly timely as the fiscal cliff from the Elementary and Secondary Emergency Relief funds is quickly approaching in 2025. Unlike these one-time federal funds, this increased annual funding will allow for opportunities to invest in recurring expenses such as increased teacher salaries, hire more paraprofessionals and social workers, meet the vast special education needs of the district and eventually reduce classroom sizes. In an important effort for more transparency in education spending, the legislation also provides accountability measures to ensure that increased funding is put towards supporting student achievement and encouraging the retention of high-quality teachers.

“While this legislation is not an instant fix for our public schools, it is a big step in the right direction to provide much needed funding for our classrooms” stated Mayor Ganim, “The future success of our state depends on properly educating and supporting our youth. It is imperative that we address the way we are funding our public schools at both the state and local levels.”