Task force to review municipal educational grants system (ECS)

Hartford -- A newly-formed task force  to be co-chaired by state Sen. Andrea Stillman, D-Waterford, and state budget office director Benjamin Barnes will review the state's system for giving financial support to public school systems, interdistrict magnet schools, regional agricultural science and technology centers and special education.

The group will review the Educational Cost Sharing (ECS) grants that form the basis of state aid to municipalities for schools.

Gov. Dannel P. Malloy's office announced the formation of the task force and its membership today, noting that it's the state's "responsibility to routinely review the distribution of education grants to municipalities to ensure that communities are receiving a fair share of dollars under grant distribution rules, especially in light of constitutional requirements. Unfortuantely it has been quite a while since the state last had a thorough review of this system." 

The task force includes six appointees by the governor, including the president of Eastern Connecticut State University, Dr. Elsa Nunez, and former Commissioner of Education Theodore Sergi. The minority and majority leaders of the General Assembly each had one appointee, for a total of 12 members.
 
The task force is to make an initial report and recommendations by Jan. 2, 2012 and a final report by Oct. 1, 2012.