Governor Names ECS Task Force

Governor Dannel P. Malloy announced Monday the members of a newly-formed task force that will review the effectiveness of the state’s Education Cost Sharing grant and how it relates to state constitutional requirements. 

The group, whose membership was appointed by Malloy and legislative leaders, will develop recommendations on possible ways to change how money is divided up by school district.

“It is our responsibility to routinely review the distribution of education grants to municipalities to ensure that communities are receiving a fair share of dollars under grant distribution rules, especially in light of constitutional requirements," Malloy said.  "Unfortunately, it has been quite a while since the state last had a thorough review of this system.

For years, municipalities have received far less than was supposed to have been allocated under the formula, which led to the formation of the Connecticut Coalition for Justice in Education Funding. Its mission is to "achieve an adequately and equitably funded PreK-12 public education system that is based on the learning needs of students and the real costs of delivering high-quality education in every community."

The governor's goals are similar to that of CCJEF.

“We must ensure this formula focuses on improving educational outcomes for all of our students, regardless in which city or town they live,” the governor said.

"Much more needs to be done to improve the education our children are receiving in this state," Malloy said, "and I intend on focusing the 2012 legislative session on education issues, concerns and ways in which we can better prepare our students for a global economy.”

In addition to focusing on the ECS formula, the task force will also consider state grants to interdistrict magnet schools and regional agricultural science and technology centers as well as special education costs for the state and municipalities.  Under state statute, the group is required to submit an initial report on its findings and recommendations by January 2, 2012 and its final report by October 1, 2012.

Task force members include:

•  Benjamin Barnes– Secretary, Office of Policy and Management (chairman)
• Dudley Williams – Director of District Education Strategy, GE Asset Management, former Assistant to the Commissioner, Department of Education
• Portia Bonner, Ph.D. – Educational Consultant, Wolcott Public Schools, former Superintendent of Schools, City of New Bedford, Massachusetts
• Theodore Sergi, Ph.D. – Former Commissioner, Department of Education
• Dr. Elsa Núñez – President, Eastern Connecticut State University
• Len Miller – Certified Public Accountant, Co-founder of the Fairfield County Collaborative Alliance, Treasurer of Kids in Crisis, former Chair of Stamford Achieves
• Sen. Andrea Stillman – Co-Chair, Education Committee
• Sen. Toni Harp – Co-Chair, Appropriations Committee
• Mark Benigni – Superintendent of Schools, City of Meriden
• Mary Loftus-Levine – Executive Director, Connecticut Education Association
• William Davenport – Agriscience teacher, Nonnewaug High School in Woodbury, Director of the Ellis Clark Regional Agriscience & Technology Program
• Rep. Michael Molgano – Member, Education and Finance, Revenue & Bonding Committees