2.71% Funding Increase for Simsbury Schools Included in Malloy's Plan

Within a comprehensive package of education proposals released Wednesday, Gov. Dannel P. Malloy announced that he wants to increase the state's share of school funding by $50 million.

Under Malloy's plan, Simsbury will see an increase of 2.71 percent in education funding from the state — from $5,367,517 in 2011-12 to $5,513,204 for the 2012-13 school year, or an additional $145,687.

While most of the added $50 million in the governor's education reform package would go to the towns with the 30 lowest-performing school districts in the state, other towns — such as Simsbury — should see increases and no town should receive less in ECS funding than last year.

"We have held towns harmless. No one is losing ECS funding," Malloy said in a news release.

That "sends a clear signal to our children that we will make the investment and deliver on our promise of high-quality education for every student in Connecticut."

In January, Superintendent of Schools Dr. Diane Ullman proposed a budget increase of 1.67 percent for 2012-13. That would add $1,048,064 to the current budget of $62,797,320.

The next step in the education budget process is the formal presentation of the budget on Feb. 17.