(HARTFORD—WTIC News) Hartford Mayor Arunan Arulampalam says he’s scored a win in the near-constant effort to raise funds for public education in the capital city. But a teachers’ union official says the additional funding announced by the mayor Tuesday doesn’t reverse impending teacher layoffs.
Arulampalam says the city is committing another $3 million to the Hartford Public Schools. That includes $1.5 million from the city and $1.5 million from corporations and private foundations. He did not identify the private donors.
The new funding will save four programs by popular demand, according to the mayor’s office: ReadyCT career pipeline programs, the Opportunity Youth Academy, the district’s dental clinic and programming supported by Catholic Charities.
Even with the latest boost, the city’s public schools are still looking at a $3.7 million budget deficit for 2025-26. The mayor says the fundraising effort isn’t done, adding that the state is likely to come up with more funds by way of a special education package.
“We are really hopeful that we can fill the entire gap of $6.7 million that the Board of Ed has requested of us,” said Arulampalam at a midday City Hall press conference with board members and city councilors. “We continue to work towards that goal… both in this academic year and this upcoming school year, we want to make sure we can fill that gap.”
“Our goal is not to fill one budget gap,” said Arulampalam, “it is to create centers of excellence for all our kids, because that is what all of our kids deserve. I think what you see here is a council, the mayor’s office, a board of ed that is united in that purpose.
Carol Gale, president of the Hartford Federation of Teachers, called the announcement “disappointing” in that it doesn’t turn the tide of teacher layoffs, leaving the schools without a full contingent, saying, “Without that, we’re going to be a ‘bare bones’ district.”
“Basically, the budgeting that was done this year is to ensure that Hartford Public Schools meets the minimum graduation requirements as set by the state. That’s it.”
“Any amount of money is helpful. So, it’s good that we see (the mayor) wanting to preserve some programming. However, we’re still facing 25 teachers who received layoff notice and another hundred teachers who have lost their jobs and have to be moved somewhere throughout the district.”
“We were really hoping that, at the very least, the city would balance the budget of the $6.7 million, and we’ve been asking for 10 mil.
That would not only have balanced the budget, but also allowed us to save some jobs.”
In a statement, Hartford Board of Education Chair Jen Hockenhull said, “Thanks to this additional funding, we are able to continue essential services to our students, like the dental clinic, that were at risk due to budget constraints. Not only does this ensure our students receive a quality education, but also have access to the resources they need to thrive."