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State education officials urge caution before overhauling Alliance Districts; bill would cut oversight to 15 districts
Summary
The Connecticut State Department of Education asked the Legislature on Wednesday to delay sweeping changes to the Alliance District and Commissioner's Network programs until a statutorily required evaluation of effectiveness is completed, arguing that abrupt reform could disrupt ongoing improvement work and federal plan obligations.
The Connecticut State Department of Education told the Education Committee that major revisions to the Alliance Districts and the Commissioner's Network should wait for the department's mandated effectiveness study. At a public hearing, the department asked lawmakers not to make “wholesale modifications” before the report, due under statute in 2026, is complete.
The department's witness emphasized the program's design and federal ties: Alliance grants come from set‑aside changes to the Education Cost Sharing (ECS) formula established years ago and the Commissioner's Network schools are embedded in the state plan that the U.S. Department of Education approves. The department argued an abrupt rewrite would force a rework of the state consolidated plan and create uncertain federal consequences.
Why this matters: SB 1458…
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