Norwich bulletin., 1921-01-14
ASKS MILLION INCREASE
 TN GRANTS FOR SCHOOLS

YIN GhANTS FOR SCHOOLS
 Important changes in the teachers re- tirement law are embodied in the tenta- tive legislative, program of the state board of education which has just been issued by Commissioner of Education A. B. Mer- edith. A feature of the change in the re- tirement law is the provision for thet re- timement of teachers who become physic- all disabled, the pension, to be determined on the number of years of service coma pleted. The changes in the teachers re- tirement law follow:
 Increase of minimum pension to $500 i for teachers retired or to be retired. Increase of maximum assessment on l teacher to $50 and of the minimum as- sessfnent to $40 with corresponding in- crease in possible annuity.
 Reduction of service in Connecticut re- quired to qualify for pension to 15 years. Provision for retirement because of physical or mental disability with p:n- sion based on completed years of service. i Penalty for delay ip transmission of local funds by lccal officials.
 ] Provisions for detailed report by re- tirement board.
 Increase School Support
 Increases in the support of schools grant and in the average attendance grant by the state would result in an increase oi more than 1N00,00 annually, accordns to the proposed legislation approved. Tht proposal would include every town in/tht state support of schools grant which goei for teachers salaries. The present lav gives this grant only to towns with gran lists not more than $2,50o,G00. The pro posed law would increase the rate to tn towns now gettini, this support an would establish two new classes, to in clude towns with grand lists of more tha, S2.500,000.
 r The two new classes to be added unde :, the proposed legislation would call for a additional expenditure of $762.700.S5 f year and the proposed increases to tt towns now getting the support of schoo grant would total $47.283.S7. The aV f craze, increase for each teacher in tt present classification of towns would b : $56.66 and the average grant for 'eac teacher in the two new classification proposed would be s116. The rroDose increase in the state attendart grar from & to s4 for each punil would resu e in an increase of $227.2t6'a year base l on the estimated attendance of 200, ,0(
 during the 1s19-20 school year. $ Better School Conditions
 A wealth of proposed legislation seel | ing to better school conditions and to il = crease the efficiency of teachers is col
 tained in the tentative legislative pr
 gram. Some of the outstanding. recon
 mendations for legislativ enactments a e the following. }. Hieher academic and profess'or
 standard for teachers on the ground tn if today there is no recognized minimu f qualification for entering the profession
 teaching in this state"
 r, A law giving tha state board of educ l, ton the power to fix minimum conditio,
 for all certificates issued to teach CT
 supervise
 An increase in the E~ant f7r living e
 pnnses for purils at tho state norm schools from s150 to $500 year "to e ?. courage mora persons to enter the sta n normal schools and also to insure great |, numbers of trained tnachars in f e schools of the small towns of tho state" c. Free Text Books in Every Town e. Free text books in every town of f Id state. Says the statement explaining u 'e bill:
 S. "All but 1s towns in Conn0ct'cut. al 'n these are the only towns in New EnGlan
 furnish free text books and sunn'ies.
 our public schools are t1 he the mo F. democratic institutions in America. >9' a If we are to provide equality oi educ re floral opportunity. the frirn ;sNing
 books to indigent children only, Is an 2