Schools Bracing for October 1 After Budget Vetoed

School systems across Connecticut have been worrying about October 1 since Gov. Dannel Malloy unveiled his Executive Order over the summer.

The order was meant to be a last-ditch effort for the scenario of the state operating without a budget for a protracted period of time.

With his veto of the Republican budget, that executive order will be enacted next week.

"None of it is anything less than devastating,” said Fran Rabinowitz, the Executive Director of the Connecticut Association of Public School Superintendents.

Malloy’s order zeroed out education funding for 85 districts, while significantly reducing aid to 54 districts will see significantly reduced funding.

Major cities like Hartford, Bridgeport, and Waterbury, were essentially left with flat funding, compared to wealthier districts like Glastonbury, West Hartford, and Simsbury, which all saw steep cuts.

Rabinowitz said the cuts that are going to be required will have a direct impact on students.

"You're going to see teachers laid off. You're going to see the after-school, before-school programs cut. You're going to see varsity sports cut. You're going to see world languages cut.”

Malloy reiterated during the week that his executive order was never meant to be a permanent policy solution.

“The executive order is not a budget,” Malloy said following his veto of the GOP budget.

“It’s not a final product. It is something that is designed to get us through the immediacy of not having a budget immediately. I’ve said it in the room and I’ll say it here. I don’t like it.”

Lawmakers are expected to vote on a possible veto override in October.