Connecticut Governor Dannel Malloy says the State Supreme Court decision on the state’s landmark education funding case should not stop policymakers from continuing to look for ways to close the achievement gap.
On Wednesday the high court rejected a claim that the state's educational funding formula is unconstitutional.
The court found that while there is an educational achievement gap between poorer students and their wealthier counterparts, it does not violate the equal protection provisions of the State Constitution.
With the court’s decision, state lawmakers are now under no obligation to come up with a new education funding formula.
Bridgeport Mayor Joe Ganim says he’s disappointed by the ruling. Ganim says Bridgeport's school system serves a large and diverse population and that requires more resources than the current funding system offers.
“We have over 50 languages spoken in this Bridgeport School District alone, so 23,000 students. Funding is critical. I was hoping in this decision there would have been a greater emphasis on a direction for the legislature in this session, despite how difficult funding is on a state level to make education a priority."
Ganim, who is running for governor, says that the Bridgeport School District is underfunded by "tens of millions of dollars." He says the ruling takes away any incentive lawmakers may have had to make school funding a priority.
State Senate Democratic President Martin Looney says, however, that lawmakers should not consider their job complete until they’ve eliminated the inequalities inherent in the state’s education system.
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