Mayor and Legislators Announce $13 Million More in State Aid for New Britain Schools

New Britain Mayor Bobby Sanchez (D) joined with Sen Rick Lopes (D-6), Rep Manny Sanchez (D-24), Rep David DeFronzo (D-26), Rep Iris Sanchez (D-25) and Rep Gary Turco (D-27) in announcing that New Britain schools will receive an additional $13.3 million in state aid.

The Mayor and legislators said that the increase is, “a significant new investment in the city’s students, families, and educators. Additional funding will also be provided to the City to offset contractual obligations and hold the line on any tax increase.”

The Mayor and legislators added,

This latest funding builds on tens of millions of dollars in increased education support secured over the past six years through sustained advocacy by Mayor Sanchez and the New Britain delegation, reflecting a long-term, coordinated effort to strengthen the city’s schools and expand opportunity for every student.

Mayor Sanchez was widely credited for his work as a state legislator for previously winning large increases in state education aid for New Britain. The Mayor called the increase in state aid as part of a responsible strategy that includes his proposed, “$1 million increase in recurring education funding under the Minimum Budget Requirement, creating a new permanent funding floor for the district.”

The office of Gov Ned Lamont (D) said that, “Since Governor Lamont took office in 2019, Education Cost Sharing grants have grown by roughly $444.9 million – an 18% increase in support for K-12 public schools.”

Saying that he will continue to work in the City Council and Board of Education on “new funding strategies,” for New Britain schools, Mayor Sanchez said that, “the full weight of addressing decades of underfunding locally cannot and should not fall solely on local taxpayers.”

“Every child in New Britain deserves the opportunity to succeed, and that starts with strong public schools,” Mayor Sanchez said. “We have been clear from the beginning: we must be honest about the challenges while being serious about solutions. I’m proud that my countless visits to our state capitol over the past six months have been rewarded with millions of dollars for our schools.”

Mayor Sanchez and legislators renewed their call for, “a full review of how the district approaches budgeting, planning, and fiscal management so that New Britain can move toward a more stable and sustainable path.”

Sen Lopes added that, “We cannot continue to have the same conversations year after year without meaningful change. With increased investment must come increased accountability. It is the responsibility of school leadership to manage resources effectively, approach the budget process in good faith, address structural issues within the system, and deliver better outcomes for students, not shift blame elsewhere.”