Bridgeport Schools Face $45 Million Gap, Board Votes to Seek $106M in State Aid

Bridgeport Schools Face $45 Million Gap, Board Votes to Seek $106M in State Aid

The Bridgeport Board of Education voted 6-2, with one abstention, on March 10, 2026, to request $106 million in additional state funding for the 2026-27 school year — a vote that underscored a deepening financial crisis in Connecticut's third-largest school district.

Interim Superintendent Royce Avery characterized the district's financial position as a "fiscal emergency" threatening core educational services for roughly 20,000 students. The district operates with an annual budget of approximately $294 million and is projecting a $45 million shortfall in the coming fiscal year unless additional state funding is secured.

Deep Cuts Already Made in 2025

The 2026-27 shortfall follows a $38 million deficit in the 2024-25 school year, driven by the expiration of federal COVID-19 pandemic relief funds, flat city contributions, and rising special education costs.

To close that earlier gap, the Board of Education approved sweeping reductions in April 2025: the elimination of 20 teaching positions, the removal of all kindergarten paraprofessionals, the cancellation of bus service for more than 2,000 students, the elimination of the performing arts program, and the removal of all district librarians. The cuts drew widespread criticism from parents and educators, but the district had few alternatives as one-time pandemic relief funds ran out.

Ganim Announces $10 Million City Commitment

Two days after the Board's vote, Mayor Joe Ganim announced the city would increase its annual contribution to Bridgeport Public Schools by $5 million per year over the next two fiscal years — a $10 million total commitment his office described as the largest local education funding increase in Bridgeport's history.

Ganim also called for reform of Connecticut's Education Cost Sharing formula, the state mechanism that distributes education aid to municipalities, citing what he described as a structural underinvestment in Bridgeport relative to the actual cost of serving its student population. The mayor's funding proposal requires approval from the Bridgeport City Council.

ECS Formula and State Legislature

State Representative Antonio Felipe, a Bridgeport Democrat who co-chairs the Appropriations subcommittee on early childhood and primary education, has been among the most visible legislative advocates for revising the ECS formula.

"We need to bridge that gap at least, and hopefully put a little bit of money in the coffers so that Bridgeport kids can learn like kids even in neighboring districts like Fairfield and Trumbull," Felipe has said.

The ECS formula is Connecticut's primary mechanism for distributing education aid across 166 municipalities. Critics argue the current formula has chronically underfunded high-need cities relative to the actual cost of educating students in poverty. Any revision would require legislative action and could face opposition from municipalities that benefit from the existing allocation.

Bridgeport's School District at a Glance

Bridgeport Public Schools is the third-largest district in Connecticut and one of the most economically challenged. The $45 million projected gap represents roughly 15% of the district's annual operating budget.

District officials have warned that without state relief, the 2025 reductions may not be the last. Additional staff cuts, program eliminations, and possible school consolidations remain on the table if the funding situation does not improve.

Special Meeting Scheduled for March 16

The Board of Education has scheduled a Special Meeting for March 16, 2026, for additional public discussion of the funding request. The $106 million figure reflects the district's estimate of what would be needed to restore previously eliminated services and prevent further cuts.

Mayor Ganim's $10 million city commitment, while significant by local standards, would offset only a fraction of the projected shortfall. The extent of relief for Bridgeport students will depend in large part on what the state legislature appropriates in its annual budget process.

Got a tip? Reach out to us at tips@thequinnipiacpost.com.