Mid-year state budget cuts to schools was discussed by Danbury School Superintendent Dr Sal Pascarella in Hartford Thursday night.  He co-chairs the Connecticut Association of Urban Superintendents.  CAUS is made up of 21 urban school superintendents, serving 200,000 students.  Pascarella was among those testifying about legislative priorities.  He says catastrophic results will come from these cuts.

Pascarella is concerned that mid-year budget cuts could be indicative of additional similar cuts to come. He says a large portion of Danbury's students have greater learning needs than their suburban peers, and it takes additional funds to ensure their needs are met.

Pascarella is also calling for a new school funding formula that takes in account the specific challenges of urban school districts. Pascarella testified in 2015 on behalf of the Connecticut Coalition for Justice in Education Funding after the state slashed funding to the Danbury schools. The court ruled, in part, that the state did not fulfill its duty with respect to struggling school schools and in distributing education aid.

Pascarella says they have serious concerns that the state will fail to provide appropriate resources, in fact they already have.  Two days after Christmas, mid-year cuts were announced.  He says the timing was damaging.  He noted that a lot of urban students come in with greater learning needs and it takes additional funds to meet those needs.  He notes that's why Alliance District Program was created 5 years ago.  Pascarella says people are walking away from their responsibility.  He called for equity and access, saying sustainability in best practice programs is missing when these types of cuts are made.