It’s another tough budget year for Hartford schools as it looks to close a major budget gap. On Friday, the mayor announced a plan as part of the city’s budget process to chip in millions of extra dollars.
It’s another tough budget year for Hartford schools as it looks to close a major budget gap.
On Friday, the mayor announced a plan as part of the city's budget process to chip in millions of extra dollars.
“We will be including one-time dollars of $3 million for the upcoming school year,” Mayor Arunan Arulampalam (D – Hartford) said.
Hartford’s mayor said that money will come from extra cash this year.
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“We all know that the best investment we can make is an investment in our kids,” Arulampalam said.
City schools face a $30 million deficit for the 2026 budget.
The district has already identified $15 million in reduction options including cuts to central office and in schools.
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“While our number of students, you know, have declined over the last several years, the cost to educate those students has gone up. Our special ed costs have, you know, gone way up; our cost of just busing kids,” Jen Hockenhull, Hartford school board chair, said.
At a meeting this week, the school superintendent said there’s a proposal for 30 teaching positions to be reduced. Though they expect that’s all from open jobs.
They’re planning on an increase from 20 to 21 high school students on average per class.
“Our schools are already struggling with staff shortages. Further reducing staff is only going to continue to put constraints on the ability to deliver a high-quality educational experience to every one of our students,” Carol Gale, Hartford Teachers Union, said.
All of this is unfolding amid uncertainty around the district’s federal money and an order by President Trump to dismantle the Education Department.
The district is calling for the state to change its funding formula as it still needs to find another $12 million to close the deficit.
“Anything can still happen, particularly as people start getting nervous, you know, about their own job,” Gale said.
The school budget is set for a vote in April. The mayor is also proposing working with the district over the next year to find at least $3 million in savings by having the city take over some work, like human resources.
