S.A.N.D. School

The Hartford Public Schools community is coordinating efforts to advocate for fair, updated education funding in the State of Connecticut.

Here’s what Hartford students need to keep thriving:

1. Updating public education funding for inflation (the ECS formula hasn’t been adjusted since 2013) and ending local tuition billing

2. Fully funding SEED and Excess Cost grants, including the rate‑setting commitments for special education and transportation made in the 2025 legislative session

3. Realigning Open Choice and administrative capacity so that sending districts—not receiving districts—are responsible for the IEPs and related costs of special education services

There are several ways you can help:

11) Give Testimony at the Education Committee Public Hearing

On March 4, student, teachers and leaders from 10 CT cities gathered at the Legislative Officer Building to testify before the Education Committee.  

Join us in advocating for two bills that would raise $20M more for HPS:

HB 5002 and SB 7: Modify the ECS formula to annually adjust the base of the formula to account for inflationary increases. $15.7M more for HPS

HB 5002: Continue to align School Choice grants to the ECS formula and phase out local general education tuition billing. $4.5M more for HPS

You can still submit written testimony.

Resources:

• Template for testimony (link) 

• Template for contacting legislators (link) 

​2) Write to your legislator: See letter template here.

• Contact your legislator, leadership, and members of the Education Committee 

  • Education Committee members 

    • Co-Chairs

      • Douglas McCrory  mccrory@senatedems.ct.gov 860-240-1453

      • Jennifer Leeper     Jennifer.Leeper@cga.ct.gov  860-240-8585

    • Ranking members 

      • Eric C. Berthel    Eric.Berthel@cga.ct.gov    1-800-842-1421

      • Lezlye Zupkus    Lezlye.Zupkus@cga.ct.gov  1-800-842-1423

  • House and Senate leadership 

    • Speaker of the House Matt Ritter, representing Hartford Matthew.Ritter@cga.ct.gov  1-800-842-8267

    • Senate President Pro Tempore Martin M. Looney 
      Looney@senatedems.ct.gov  860-240-0375

  • How to find your legislator

Contact List of Representatives
Template for contacting legislators (link)

2) Complete a Postcard

Look for a postcard coming to your school that you can sign! (Postcards will be collected in school offices and delivered to the Governor and Legislature.) You'll need your voting district/s so we can ensure your postcard is received your your representative!

Click here to find your voting district!