Charter School Advocates Decry Funding Cuts

The charter school advocacy group The Coalition For Every Child has released its latest statewide television ad days after more than 1,000 people attended a rally on the steps of the state Capitol in Hartford protesting funding cuts by a legislative committee that would impact charters schools in Bridgeport and Stamford. Funding for both schools was included in the budget released by Governor Dan Malloy in February.

“Budgets are about priorities,” said Kara Neidhardt, a spokesperson for the Coalition For Every Child. “It’s now time for our state legislators to make great schools for every child a priority.”

The ad features “Yania,” raising the specter of hundreds of students who will lose their seats in a public charter schools if the funding is cut.

There are currently more than 3,600 students on wait lists for charter schools in the state, and 40,000 students statewide who currently attend schools where the majority of students don’t read, write or do math on grade level, according to the Coalition For Every Child.

“Governor Malloy has made his priorities clear–he supports great schools,” said Aisha Gutierrez, a parent from Bridgeport. “We need our legislative leaders to do the same. Save our schools!”

“Great schools changes lives,” said Maria Rivas, another parent from Bridgeport. “The hundreds of students like Yania need our state legislators to stand with them. Every child deserves access to a great school.”

Charter schools receive public funds but operate independent of traditional neighborhood schools.