SENATOR MAHER DEEPLY TROUBLED BY LATEST TRUMP EDUCATION CUTS STRIPPING $2.3 MILLION FROM LOCAL SCHOOLS

State Senator Ceci Maher (D-Wilton) was deeply troubled by the latest announced federal education funding cuts from the Trump administration, which will strip billions of dollars from national education programs, more than $50 million from Connecticut public schools and $2,318,965 from public schools in Connecticut’s 26th Senate District.

These cuts include $1,953,036 in cuts to Stamford Public Schools, $75,496 for Westport Public Schools, $69,994 from Ridgefield Public Schools, $61,848 from New Canaan Public Schools, $42,667 from Darien Public Schools, $34,137 from Wilton  Public Schools, $32,205 from Weston Public Schools and $28,493 from the Stamford Charter School for Excellence according to the Connecticut School and State Finance Project.

Nationally, more than $6 billion in grants were cut from programs supporting teacher development and recruitment, student support and academic enrichment, community learning centers, English learning support and adult education and literacy, including more than $53 million in federal funding for Connecticut schools. Leaders around the state report the cuts pose serious threats to a number of school programs.

“We face a shortage of teachers, our students need academic supports and back to school programs and adult education programs provide springboards for self-improvement and skill development. Cutting funds that support those efforts seems misguided at best and purposefully cruel at worst,” said Sen. Maher. “Scattershot funding cuts by the federal government continue to harm our communities, especially glaring when the recently approved budget will increase the national debt by trillions –it’s clear this isn’t a cost-cutting measure, or at least one that makes sense. I’m confident in our local school districts that they will continue serving students to the best of their abilities; I’m much less confident in the Trump administration.”

State officials said the specific grant cuts impacting Connecticut include grants for improvement of teacher instruction, including teacher development, retention and recruitment; improvement of services for multilingual learners; support for well-rounded education opportunities, student health and safety and technological education; before- and after-school programs improving student education and well-being; and adult education and literacy services.