This morning we are providing links to several articles and an op-ed relating to a subject of great interest to residents of Lyme and Old Lyme. Two bills have been proposed in Hartford that promote the regionalization and consolidation of school districts in Connecticut.
The first three were published by CTNewsJunkie.com, a fellow member of the Local Independent Online News (LION) publishers national organization, with whom we are pleased occasionally to cross-publish our stories.
The second three were published by another member of LION publishers, Good Morning Wilton.com.
Down in Wilton, Conn., there has already been a great deal happening in response to the proposed Senate Bill 738 formerly 454, including the formation of a grass roots group called Protect Wilton Schools organized by Wilton residents and opposed to the regionalization proposals.
Links are provided to each article at the end of the brief introduction taken verbatim from the article itself.
Regionalization and Consolidation of School Districts Has Towns on Edge
HARTFORD, CT — The concept of regionalizing and consolidating school districts to save the cash-strapped state is not a new one, but two new bills pushing the initiative have moved the issue front and center this legislative session.
Senate President Martin Looney, D-New Haven, proposed a bill which would force school districts in towns with less than 40,000 residents to consolidate with a neighboring district.
Senate bill 454 would force the regionalization of a large number of towns in the state, merging their school districts with larger municipalities or cities. Only 24 municipalities in Connecticut …
Read the full article by Jack Kramer and published at 5 a.m. on CTJunkie.com Jan. 28, at this link.
Education Committee: ‘Let’s At Least Talk About Regionalization’
HARTFORD, CT — A routine meeting of the Education Committee drew a standing-room-only crowd because the agenda included an item on school regionalization.
The Education Committee voted unanimously to draft 30 “concepts” as bills. One of those “concepts” was …
OP-ED | Proposal For Forced School Consolidation A Nonstarter
If there’s one thing I’ve learned from covering local and state government on and off for the last 23 years, it’s that breaking up fiefdoms is a terribly difficult thing to do. And nowhere is that simple truth more evident than in the reaction to a couple of bills floating around the Capitol that propose to force smaller school districts to consolidate with larger ones.
Senate President Martin Looney, D-New Haven, has put forward legislation that …
Read the full op-ed by Terry Cowgill and published Feb. 4, on CTNewsJunkie.com at this link.
Another of fellow members of LION publishers, Good Morning Wilton.com, has been covering the developments. Here are links to a selection of their articles:
Bill that Would Consolidate Wilton & Norwalk School Districts Proposed in Hartford
Wilton residents up in arms over a state bill proposing regionalizing school districts have formed “Protect Wilton Schools,” to organize efforts to try to stop the bill completely. At a meeting Thursday night attended by more than 200 people, organizers provided information about the legislative process and the plans they’ve started building to coordinate opposition.
The bill was introduced by the State Senate President Pro Tempore Martin Looney (D-11), who represents New Haven. It calls for …
“Protect Wilton Schools” Group Formed to Respond to Hartford’s School Regionalization Push
Wilton residents up in arms over a state bill proposing regionalizing school districts have formed “Protect Wilton Schools,” to organize efforts to try to stop the bill completely. At a meeting Thursday night attended by more than 200 people, organizers provided information about the legislative process and the plans they’ve started building to coordinate opposition.
The effort to defeat the bill was organized by …
School Consolidation Wrap Up: The Latest in Wilton’s News on SB 454/738
Since last week’s grass roots start of Protect Wilton Schools, the group organized by Wilton residents opposed to regionalization of school districts in Connecticut, there have been some new developments. Here’s the latest on what’s new, and some helpful links to information and news about the issue.
New Logo and Hashtag: Hands Off Our Schools
Protect Wilton Schools introduced a hashtag for residents …