2024 RESC Alliance Legislative Priorities
Virtual Legislative Forum
Magnet School & Equitable Funding:
The 29 magnet schools managed by Regional Educational Service Centers (RESCs) serve nearly 13,000 students statewide.
FY2025 Budget Request:
-
Assure the $40.2 million funding in PA 23-204 to support RESC magnet schools is retained. If this funding is reduced in any amount then sending districts will receive an increase in tuition bills.
Facts:
-
NCEP has increased by 42% since 2010, while the Sheff Magnet Per Pupil Grant increased by 2% in the same time period;
-
The Sheff Magnet Grants covers only 56% of the average cost to educate a child in CT compared to 77% in 2010;
-
Sheff Magnet do not receive funding through the state Education Cost Sharing (ECS) grant; and
-
Unlike local school districts, RESCs do not have a tax base to cover additional costs for magnet schools.
-
Designate $1.5 million to support workforce development and the enhancement of a statewide system addressing IED by creating a new budget line item under the State Department of Education to support districts partnering with Residency Program certifying teachers of color.
-
Eliminate the well-intended funding mechanism enacted for IED Residency Programs within the 2022-23 biennial budget by eliminating the funding burden from Alliance districts.
Educator Diversity & Teacher Residency Program
Facts:
-
In 2022-23, 11.2% of Connecticut’s teacher workforce were of educators of color, while 52.5% of the CT’s students identified as people of color, according to SDE.
-
The CT Teacher Residency Program:
-
ONLY CT program requiring districts to provide a living wage to residents
-
Nearly 150 teachers of color added in 34 districts since 2020
-
100% retention rate with 100% residents teaching in classrooms
-
Launched Special Education certification in June 2023 with nine (9) residents
-
Establish $1.2 million line item under SDE to continue the development of trauma informed services to school districts to continue the implementation of UPLIFT, a train-the-trainer program that is trauma-informed, resilience-focused, and individualized to meet the unique systemic needs of a school or district.
Facts:
-
ARPA funds identified in FY23 for RESCs to develop and implement a statewide training program to support public school educators address trauma were not extended in FY24.
-
Due to delayed FY23 fund disbursement, 20 districts receive free trauma-informed training from the RESC Alliance, despite funds being disbursed to the RESCs in FY24.
-
Trained 2,500+ school staff/service providers and 100+ youth in foundational knowledge of trauma and trauma informed care.
2024 Q1/Q2 Report for Trauma Coordinators
Trauma-Informed Training for Schools