Governor Lamont Releases $2.5M to Regional Education Service Centers to Help Municipalities Reduce Costs

Governor Ned Lamont today announced that he is releasing $2,461,057 million in state funding to two regional education service centers to help in the improvement of public education through the coordination of high-quality, cost-effective programs and services.

The funds are being released through Connecticut’s Regional Performance Incentive Program, which provides grants to regional councils of governments and regional education service centers that coordinate functions and services on a regional basis, creating efficiencies that help municipalities reduce costs. The program is administered by the Connecticut Office of Policy and Management (OPM).

LEARN, southeastern Connecticut’s regional education service center, is receiving a grant in the amount of $1,295,941, and EdAdvance, northwestern Connecticut’s regional education service center, is receiving a grant in the amount of $1,165,116.

“The state is taking an active role in helping our cities and towns reduce costs and find efficiencies,” Governor Lamont said. “These grants are yet another example of those efforts that are taking place throughout the whole of government to lower costs and reduce taxes. Working together we can make government work the way our taxpayers expect.”

“The grants will increase efficiencies, lower costs, and save taxpayer dollars,” OPM Secretary Jeffrey Beckham said. “By sharing resources across multiple municipalities and school districts, local governments save costs and can lower mill rates. Regionalizing services, while reducing the tax burden on residents and businesses is a top priority of the Lamont administration, and these grants help to fulfill that promise.”

LEARN’s grant will be used to expand back-office support services to its members districts. The organization will tailor its expanded service offerings in information technology, business and human resources to member districts’ individual needs. Participating member districts will benefit from high-quality services without the expense of recruiting and maintaining full-time staff. In addition, regional staff services help to promote best practices and process improvement in daily functions.

“LEARN is thrilled to be awarded a Regional Performance Incentive Program grant,” Kate Ericson, executive director of LEARN, said. “This grant and the Regional Shared Service Solutions Project were co-designed in collaboration with superintendents – Dr. Jack Zamary of Bozrah, Mr. Troy Hopkins of North Stonington, Mr. Jeffrey Wihbey of Region 17, Dr. Roy Seitsinger of Preston, and Mr. Brian Hendrickson of Salem. With the award of this grant, LEARN’s primary goal is to reward the districts currently benefiting from our regional services while also attracting new districts to join us and experience the cost savings and operational efficiencies offered by LEARN’s dedicated team of professionals.”

EdAdvance’s grant will be used to expand its successful Regional Transportation Collaborative and improve transportation efficiency, reduce costs, and convert to electric vehicle (EV) technology. The grant will enable the purchase of ten new EVs for special education transportation services, the installation of ten high-speed EV charging stations throughout the service area, and the development of a comprehensive usage and sustainability plan. Participating districts will save on special education transportation costs and reduce their greenhouse gas emissions.

As part of the planning process included in the grant, EdAdvance will also explore opportunities to benefit other populations currently served through the collaborative, including high school students in EdAdvance’s College and Career Accelerator Program, and clients of EdAdvance’s Transportation in Every Direction Program (TRED), which serves clients’ critical transportation needs to wellness and recovery programs, education or job training, and other basic needs.

“We are thrilled to accept this award,” Jonathan Costa, executive director of EdAdvance, said. “This new electric vehicle infrastructure in combination with our recently developed transportation management software that allows us to track up to 30 cost variables will ensure that we can maximize the efficiency of our services to our member districts while at the same time demonstrating how much EVs save on each route we drive.”

The Regional Performance Incentive Program was established in 2007, and amended in 2021, to encourage regional participation in voluntary intermunicipal or regional shared services projects that have the potential to produce measurable “economies of scale,” provide desired or required public services, and lower the costs and tax burdens associated with the provision of such services.

For more information on this program, visit portal.ct.gov/opm/igpp/grants/regional-performance-incentive-program/regional-performance-incentive-program.