Sen. Kelly: 'Devil is Always in the Details'

In a video response to Malloy's State of the State address yesterday, State Sen. Kevin Kelly (R-21) said the governor promised similar school reform last year.

"But what he also did," Kelly said, "was hand the state of Connecticut and its taxpayers $1.5 billion increase in taxes -- the state's largest in its history."

In his speech, that included giving 80 percent of a proposed $128 million education agenda to the lowest-performing school districts.

Malloy wants to use $40 million of that agenda to create "alliance districts," which would consist of 30 of the state's worst school districts, measured by various forms of achievement.

To receive funding, each alliance district would need to successfully implement a reform plan subject to approval by the state Department of Education. In the proposed plan, no town in the state would receive less funding from 2011-12 levels but the bulk of the money would go to the alliance district schools.

In the video, Kelly said Malloy's $1 billion in new state spending last year was a major burden on the middle class.

"Parents would also agree that we need to make sure we have the best education possible for our children," Kelly said. "However, the devil is always in the details."