Bridgeport public‑school leaders told The Connecticut Mirror that the district will not move forward with a request for state fiscal oversight through the Municipal Accountability Review Board (MARB) at this time. Board members said the process remains unclear and that the district does not need it to balance its budget.
Board of Education member Rob Traber explained that the district explored the MARB program in June while trying to balance its finances, but the program was not yet established and offered no immediate money. “There are serious questions that we need to have answered,” Traber said, adding, “we have no need to proceed with MARB right now. MARB isn’t ready for anybody to pursue at this point.”
Another board member, Joseph Sokolovic, warned that participation could limit local control without guaranteeing additional funding. He noted that districts must submit financial plans for state review and could face pressure to consolidate schools or cut staff to qualify for assistance, saying, “You basically gotta do what they want.”
Sokolovic attributed Bridgeport’s financial challenges to inadequate state funding, rising education costs and the expiration of more than $150 million in federal pandemic relief. He argued that extra state oversight would not address those underlying problems.
The district has faced sizable budget gaps in recent years. In November 2024, Bridgeport reported an approximately $38 million shortfall in its 2024‑25 budget, after initially adopting a $26 million deficit that officials planned to cover with reserves. A state‑commissioned audit later projected an approximately $39 million deficit for the 2025‑26 school year, tied in part to the loss of pandemic‑relief funds.
Bridgeport is already under a separate state education intervention that began in 2025 after a multimillion‑dollar deficit, distinct from the MARB fiscal‑oversight process. The district also completed an independent forensic audit that produced 34 recommendations for improving financial oversight, and a second team has been brought in to address those recommendations.
Jeff Morrissey, president of the Bridgeport Education Association, said the teachers’ union recognizes the district’s financial challenges but does not support voluntarily entering MARB oversight, fearing it could create more problems than solutions and complicate decision‑making while the district searches for a permanent superintendent.
For now, Traber said the board’s focus remains on advocating for additional education funding through the state legislature, rather than pursuing MARB oversight.
Sources: ctmirror.org
