2025 RESC ALLIANce legislative priorities

Formed in 1972 under CGS 10-66a, the Regional Educational Service Centers (RESCs) are nonprofit, public education agencies dedicated to providing cost-effective educational resources and services. In the 1990s, Connecticut’s six RESCs established the RESC Alliance, increasing access to shared resources and maximizing savings for all public schools across the state. Through the Alliance, districts benefit from statewide access to all RESC services.

Connecticut RESCs: Dedicated to Supporting School Districts Across the State

Connecticut’s Regional Educational Service Centers (RESCs) are committed to providing a range of critical benefits to school districts, including:

Cost Savings: By offering cooperative purchasing, transportation services, and operational efficiencies, RESCs help school districts save millions of dollars each year.

Expanded Access to Resources: Through the RESC Alliance, districts gain access to a wide range of education resources, services, and grants that would otherwise be unaffordable.

Advocacy and Support: RESCs advocate for laws and policies that benefit public education, partnering with state agencies and education groups to advance the needs of Connecticut schools.

Education Committee Informational Forum

Legislative Priorities for Student Success:

1. Expand Equitable Magnet School Funding: Support CT school districts and RESC magnet schools by developing and adopting a long-term resolution for equitable funding.

2. Increase Educator Diversity (IED) & Quality: Support a successful model for recruiting, developing, and retaining a high-quality, diverse educator workforce.

Expand Equitable Magnet School Funding Request:

Fully fund the student-centered-funding model partially implemented in FY25 at $40.2M to support the 166 RESC member districts and the 29 RESC-managed magnet schools.

If full funding is not feasible, incremental increases are critical to enable each RESC, as non-taxing entities, to address rising costs.

The alternative to an incremental increase is to remove or modify the 58% tuition cap, which will strain local district budgets and compromise educational equity.

Benefits to Districts:

Ensures Fair & Complete Funding for All Public Schools

Expands Resources Based on Growing Student Needs

Reduces Racial and Economic Gaps in School Funding

Educator Diversity & CT Teacher Residency Program Request:

Allocate $1.5 million in new CSDE budget line item to expand Residency Programs that certify teachers of color, thereby increasing diversity in the workforce.

Lift the financial burden off Alliance Districts with the removal of the 2022-23 biennial budget funding mechanism for IED Residency Programs.

Facts:

Per CSDE, in 2022-23, 11% of Connecticut’s teacher workforce were educators of color, while 53% of CT students identified as Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC).

The CT Teacher Residency Program (CT TRP):
- Is the ONLY CT program requiring districts to provide a living wage and benefits to residents and also offers mentoring and support
- Has placed nearly 135 teachers of color in 35 districts since 2019 Has 97% of alumni still teaching
- Offers a new SPED certification with 88%
  of residents identifying as

TRP Fact Sheet

Benefits to Districts:

Diversifies the Educator Workforce
Invests in Hands-on Training for Long-term Teacher Retention
Reduces the Educator Workforce Shortage