By Jessica Simms,
BRIDGEPORT — Once the Bridgeport City Council approved the upcoming year’s budget on Tuesday, a round of applause broke out as the approved spending plan gives the school district a $35 million increase in funding.
The funding increase is coming from the city, the state Education Cost Sharing grant and the State Mohegan-Pequot Fund. In total, Bridgeport Public Schools is getting an additional $15 million through the ECS grant, which is Connecticut’s primary way of funding schools, a $10 million increase from the city and $10 million through the State Mohegan-Pequot Fund.
“We did our part for the education of our children because no where in the history of our city have we put this kind of money in to help and I thank the Board of Ed for their teamwork,” said Ernest Newtown, co-chair of the City Council’s Budget & Appropriations Committee, on Tuesday. “We worked together and this is what happens when people come together.”
Initially on the city side, Mayor Joseph Ganim announced in March that he was going to recommend a budget that would increase the school district’s budget by $5 million. But on Friday, this changed. Ganim, along with City Council leaders, said they were increasing the $5 million amount to $10 million for the upcoming year’s budget.
“We are doubling down on the new aid secured by our delegation in Hartford by putting our local resources to work for our biggest priority — our youth,” Ganim said in the Friday statement. “This collective effort is truly historic, and a strong signal that we are supporting Dr. Avery and the board at all levels of government as they work to resolve issues within the school district.”
However, the total $35 million increase is still $9 million short of what Bridgeport Interim Superintendent Royce Avery previously said is needed for “preserving services, meeting contractual obligations and addressing student needs and sustaining operations in a fiscally responsible manner.” He proposed a budget that would increase the current year’s spending plan for the school district by $44 million to be able to maintain this “status quo.”
Newton addressed the fact that people will say the increase for the school district is not enough, but said the school board is looking to find ways to close the gap.
The Board of Education has publicly discussed the possibility of approving oversight from the Municipal Accountability Review Board, which was created almost a decade ago, to provide “technical, financial and other assistance and related accountability for municipalities experiencing various levels of fiscal distress,” according to the state’s website.
Regardless, Ganim said at the Tuesday City Council meeting that the funding allocation to the school district is “a historic commitment” at the local and state level.
“I think it’s going to make a difference. … You know they notice in Hartford, when Bridgeport comes together, they better get out of the way,” he said.