Education Funding, Air Quality Grants, and More!

April 10, 2023


 
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Dear Neighbor,

I hope you're all enjoying your short work week! It's been another busy week at the State Capitol, and I want to keep you informed on the work I'm doing on your behalf in Hartford. Additionally, I want to let you know what's happening in our own community. For your convenience, here are some helpful links to all the information included in this email: 
 
Celebration of Ramadan, Passover, and Easter
I want to begin by wishing all who celebrate a happy Ramadan, Passover, and Easter.

First, Ramadan Mubarak! Sending my warmest wishes during this holy Muslim month. It was beautiful to see the first ever Iftar held in our Capitol Monday. 🕌

Last night at sundown, Jewish communities across the state, country, and around the world celebrated the beginning of Passover. It's a story of strength and resilience in the face of hardship, and a moment to celebrate the triumph of liberty, the strength of hope, and the perseverance of Jewish people everywhere.

And this Sunday is Easter, a time of celebration for all of Christianity. This day celebrates a story of redemption, forgiveness, and love for all.

All of these holidays are a time of togetherness and unity, and a chance to celebrate shared faith with family and loved ones.

Again, to all who celebrate, I wish you a peaceful, joy-filled holiday.
 
Community Conversation Event
I hope you can join me tonight at 7 pm for a casual conversation to discuss the topics most important to you. The event will take place at South Bay (55 Miller Street), right across from the Fairfield Train Station
This is a great opportunity for me to hear from you about any ideas or concerns you may have. I'm looking forward to seeing some familiar faces and meeting new people too! 

If you plan to attend or have questions regarding the event, please email Maliha Ahsan. 
 
Legislative Spotlight: An Act Concerning Education Funding in Connecticut
A couple of months ago, I told you about a bill that is very important to me: H.B. 5003: An Act Concerning Education Funding in Connecticut. One of my top priorities in the legislature is to lift up all our state's students, and this bill does just that.

Our current education funding formula applies additional weights for students with higher needs - like English language learners and students who attend schools with a high concentration of poverty - to ensure that our municipal schools are funded fairly. This bill proposes extending that formula to certain inter-district magnet schools and more heavily weighs student need in funding for all of our public schools.
The goal is to make the formula more student-centered and reflective of per-pupil student-based needs.
This bill recognizes that historically, not all of the children across our state have received the same investment in their schools, and coming out of the pandemic that is more true than ever before.
I have two exciting updates to tell you about this bill:
     1. The first is that it unanimously passed out of the Education Committee - something that is less common than you may think!
     2. The second is that the bill was featured as one of 10 legislative priorities for the Bipartisan Women's Caucus, of which I am a part.
The legislative priorities of the caucus represent countless conversations we have had with constituents in our districts, and cover issues ranging from domestic violence, to education, to healthcare, to the workforce.
I'm extremely proud of the work our caucus has accomplished, and can't wait to see these bills through to the finish line.
Below, you can watch my remarks on H.B. 5003 from the press conference we held yesterday detailing our priorities.
You can watch the full press conference HERE, and you can read an article from the New Haven Register about all of the caucus' priorities HERE.
State Representative Jennifer Leeper on Women's Bipartisan Caucus 2023 Legislative Priorities
 
Indoor Air Quality Grant Funds Awarded to Fairfield Schools
I am thrilled to announce that Fairfield was awarded over $6.2 million for upgrades to its HVAC and indoor air quality systems. It's part of a larger $56 million statewide investment to improve heating, ventilation, and air conditioning systems for public schools.
Fairfield was successful in this competitive grant process because of literally five years of hard work by the Board of Education and the town to fund the required engineering studies to understand the scope of need in our buildings. They deserve recognition for their longstanding efforts and support of this work.

The grants are being awarded through the HVAC Indoor Air Quality Grants Program for Public Schools, a program established by the Legislature last year that is administered by the Connecticut Department of Administrative Services.
Here is a list of the schools that will be receiving state grant funding:
  • North Stratfield Elementary School: $2,451,842.83
  • Fairfield Woods: $1,914,579.50
  • Osborn High School: $1,551,843.86
  • Fairfield Warde High School: $285,332.24

These funds do not cover the entire cost of the projects, but these grants will most definitely help make the upgraded indoor air quality systems a reality.

On Tuesday, in recognition of National Healthy Schools Day, I had the privilege of joining my colleagues Senators Julie Kushner and Saud Anwar for a panel discussion on the indoor air quality legislation that came from the working group I co-chaired this past year. Please find our discussion in the video below. For those interested in the entire event, click HERE, or click on the photo below.
 
Visit to CREC Discovery Academy with Rep. Currey
As part of his state-wide schools tour, I joined Rep. Jeff Currey, House Chair of the Education Committee, on a tour of CREC Discovery Academy in Wethersfield earlier this week.
This visit is a helpful part of understanding all our different types of schools and how they fit together to meet the needs of children in our education ecosystem.
Thanks to all who facilitated the discussion and tour - we're lucky to have such dedicated educators in our state!
 
UConn Victory Parade
Mark your calendars!

Come celebrate the UConn Men's Basketball Team's NCAA victory on Saturday, April 8 in downtown Hartford. The parade kicks off at 11:30 am and will follow the route below:

Stepping off from the State Capitol building at the intersection of Trinity Street and Elm Street. From there, it will proceed north on Trinity Street, go through the Soldiers & Sailors Memorial Arch, turn right (east) onto Jewell Street, turn left (north) onto Trumbull Street, and end at the intersection of Asylum Street and Trumbull Street.

Congratulations to the UConn Men's Team! Go Huskies!!
 
Happy Spring Break!
And to close, I want to wish all Fairfield public school students and families a happy and restful spring break. You deserve it!
 
I'm committed to ensuring your voice is heard. Please don't hesitate to call my office at (860) 240-8585 or email me if there's anything I can do for you. Be sure to follow @LeeperForFairfield on Facebook and Instagram to stay up-to-date on everything I'm doing at the Capitol.

Sincerely,

Jennifer Leeper
State Representative
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