Donation plan brings excitement, questions

The numbers are meant to be eye-popping. In a proposal centered around a $100 million donation from the philanthropic foundation of Ray Dalio, the hedge fund manager who is one of the nation’s richest people, Gov. Ned Lamont announced a plan Friday to invest $300 million in private and public dollars in Connecticut’s schools.

Dalio’s gift would be matched by $100 million in state funds plus another $100 million from other private sources. Together, the five-year plan would focus attention on some of the state’s neediest school districts, with high poverty rates and a large number of young people “showing signs of disengagement or disconnection,” as the governor’s office put it.

Any donation of this size to a worthy cause is something to be celebrated. Improving education in the hardest-to-reach pockets of Connecticut is crucial to improving the outlook for everyone. The state’s cities are vital to economic development, as the governor said, and better schools will bring better outcomes for all.

At the same time, the plan as announced presents many more questions than answers. Lamont wants

the state Legislature to authorize the matching funds this session, but there is much that lawmakers need to know before proceeding.

As described by the governor’s office, the plan would “work with local stakeholders,” “help advance positive outcomes,” “utilize practices with demonstrated positive impact” and “leverage community expertise.” There’s nothing wrong with any of that, but it also doesn’t mean much. If there is a specific plan for the money, it is at this point a mystery.

It’s also important to put the numbers into perspective. Large though it sounds, $300 million over five years, or $60 million per year, looks different when compared with current education spending. The 2018-19 Bridgeport school budget, for instance, came in at $247.9 million, with other targeted districts in a similar range. Sixty million dollars divided among an undetermined number of school districts would certainly be welcome, but is not going to turn around a district on its own.

Even with those questions, there is plenty of reason for excitement. The Dalio Foundation, under the leadership of Barbara Dalio, has demonstrated a commitment to public education in recent years that runs counter to a previous era of philanthropy, which tended to focus on charter schools. Charter schools may have their place, but are ultimately a distraction from the truly neediest students, who are too often left behind by education reformers. The Dalio Foundation has understood this.

The goal of focusing on disengaged students is promising. Ensuring that school means something to people who might otherwise drift away is essential to making a better future. This approach, too, shows promise above that of earlier reform efforts.

The plan’s purported focus on economic development is questionable — school is about more than preparing the next generation of workers. Still, there is much to like. Bring some specifics and let lawmakers make an informed decision.

The Dalio Foundation, under the leadership of Barbara Dalio, has demonstrated a commitment to public education in recent years that runs counter to a previous era of philanthropy