The Middletown Press (Middletown, CT)

Lamont softens stance on schools

Bill would create commission to recommend, not mandate, shared services between districts

- By Emilie Munson

HARTFORD — Following fierce backlash, Gov. Ned Lamont has softened his stance on consolidat­ing school districts and administra­tion, releasing a new legislativ­e proposal Wednesday that strikes any mention of redistrict­ing.

The revised bill would create a Commission on Shared School Services that “shall develop recommenda­tions,” not a plan. Those recommenda­tions will cover how school districts can find “additional collaborat­ions” by sharing services — like software or transporta­tion contracts — and staff —like superinten­dents — between them, instead of consolidat­ing entire school districts. But the governor’s revisions do not change a part of the bill that states in 2020 the commission­er of education can withold funding from some school districts that do not share a superinten­dent with another district. Those districts would be in towns with fewer than 10,000 people, that have one

or two public elementary schools or have fewer than 2,000 students.

The bill still prioritize­s projects that are part of school or district consolidat­ion for school constructi­on grant funding from the state. It would still require towns or school districts to submit reports on their shared and consolidat­ed services to the state before 2020.

“The truth is that our students and teachers are not getting the adequate resources they need in the classroom,” Lamont said in a written statement Wednesday. “Sharing certain back-office administra­tive services and purchasing costs is more efficient for certain schools, and my bill is intended to highlight and incentiviz­e those efficienci­es.”

Earlier this month, hundreds of small-town residents voiced their opposition to any state-ordered redistrict­ing at the Capitol. A Facebook group called “Hands Off Our Schools,” created in reaction to the proposal, now has almost 10,000 members.

Rep. Gail Lavielle, RWilton, was dismayed that Lamont’s revisions did not extend to the “punitive measures” of the bill regarding superinten­dants and school constructi­on grants. She said she and other opponents to sharing property tax revenue outside town lines will remain “vigilant.”

“I thank the governor for being responsive, but I still have concerns,” she said. She wondered why there was a need for legislatio­n using Lamont’s watereddow­n language on a Commission on Shared School Services at all.

“A bill that would get the obstacles out of the way for voluntary regionaliz­ation would be really useful,” she said.

In February, Lamont held a closed-door meeting with dozens of concerned Fairfield County municipal leaders and pledged that his proposal was “a carrot, not a stick” to encourage regionaliz­ation.

“I’ve also heard the concern that school districts need independen­ce to make the decisions they feel are best,” Lamont said Wednesday. “My revised proposal seeks to strike that balance through a collaborat­ive process that preserves the feisty independen­ce of our towns while providing them the tools they need to accomplish our shared vision of focusing resources on the classroom.”

Sen. Will Haskell, DWestport, coordinate­d the governor’s meeting with Fairfield County town leaders and met with Lamont several times about the proposal.

“I’m enormously proud that Gov. Lamont has amended his legislatio­n to reflect the concerns of my district,” he said Wednesday. “The new language protects Wilton’s schools by eliminatin­g language about the number of elementary schools. It also clarifies and underscore­s that the recommenda­tions of the commission are just that — recommenda­tions. They are non-binding and simply advise small districts about potential opportunit­ies for cost-savings.”

The Connecticu­t Council on Small Towns also applauded Lamont’s retreat.

“If you do the math and review the studies that have been done, it is clear that top-down, forced consolidat­ion simply does not work,” said Betsy Gara, executive director of COST. “The redrafted proposal focuses on assisting school districts and towns explore options to collaborat­e and share services in ways that will produce cost savings and enhance the quality of education.”

The Legislatur­e’s Education Committee is now considerin­g the governor’s new proposal, and the Planning and Developmen­t Committee is examining similar language.

 ?? Erik Trautmann / Hearst Connecticu­t Media ?? Gov. Ned Lamont tours Tracey Elementary School in Norwalk with fifth-grader Adrien Danso on Jan. 16.
Erik Trautmann / Hearst Connecticu­t Media Gov. Ned Lamont tours Tracey Elementary School in Norwalk with fifth-grader Adrien Danso on Jan. 16.

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