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Council of the Great City Schools outlines services and dues as Bridgeport reviews membership use
Summary
Ray Hart of the Council of the Great City Schools described advocacy, technical assistance and peer networks the council provides; Bridgeport’s dues were about $38,940 last year and staff discussed reengaging with council services while noting there was no action item.
Ray Hart, executive director of the Council of the Great City Schools, gave the finance committee an overview of membership benefits and advocacy services the council offers to large urban districts. Hart said the council advocates for districts’ federal funding, provides peer-to-peer technical assistance, conducts reviews (such as finance, IT and special education), and organizes role-alike meetings for district staff and leaders.
Hart told the committee that last fiscal year the council’s targeted federal advocacy efforts produced roughly $3.9 million in funding directed to the member district; he said the council works with Congress, the U.S. Department of Education and the Office of Management and Budget on members’ behalf. He also said the council runs district reviews and specialty supports on request, and that role-alike conferences and in-district reviews are part of member services.
When asked about cost, Hart said dues are tiered by district size and range in the council’s membership between roughly $32,000 and $60,000 per year; he said Bridgeport’s dues last year were $38,940 and that the amount increases annually using a modest cost-of-living adjustment (he cited an estimate of $39,991 for the current year). Hart added: “For every dollar in dues you pay, the direct services we’ve been able to provide in terms of focused funding for you is about $104.”
Committee discussion noted that Bridgeport did not pay dues in the most recent year but remains a member under the council’s bylaws; several board members said they had not previously understood the range of services the council provides. Hart confirmed Bridgeport is the council’s only member district in Connecticut and offered to meet with district leadership to discuss tailored supports; no vote or spending decision was taken during the meeting.
Board members expressed interest in exploring how the council’s advocacy and technical assistance might be leveraged given the district’s budget pressures. Hart said the council could advocate at state and local levels on request and that its research team and network of peers can support local data-driven advocacy. Staff and board members agreed to further conversations about possible reengagement and practical supports short of full formal commitments during the current fiscal stress.
No formal action was taken; the presentation was informational and committee members asked staff to continue discussions about how the district might use council services going forward.
