Connecticut lawmakers unveiled a proposal for up to $150 million in “stabilization” aid to local school districts on Monday.

But it would mean smaller rebate checks this fall.

Critics of the plan are wondering if the money is enough to avoid steep property tax hikes and cuts to classrooms.

Earlier this month, students from across the state packed into the state Capitol. They told lawmakers their public schools are falling apart.

“What does it say about a system when a school can go four years without a science teacher?” asked Jad Hayka, a student at Bridgeport Military Academy.

On Monday, Connecticut House Speaker Matt Ritter (D-Hartford) unveiled a new proposal to send $100-150 million more to school districts this year.

“What’s going to make this press conference a little bit different is, we’re going to tell you how we're going to pay for it,” he told reporters on Monday.

Ritter would pay for the property tax grants by reducing the $200 rebate checks that Lamont wants to send out this fall, just weeks before the November election. The money would come from this year’s nearly $2 billion projected budget surplus.

“We can’t ask our children to shoulder an affordability crisis," said state Rep. Jennifer Leeper (D-Fairfield).

The speaker’s plan only involves one-time money – for now. House Democrats hope to make similar increases in next year’s budget, but they face strict state spending caps.

“We would always like to put in more, but we can’t,” said House Majority Leader Jason Rojas (D-East Hartford). “But we’re doing what we can.”

Some lawmakers said the state must go further to prevent property tax hikes.

Right now, the base funding for the state’s Educational Cost Sharing program is $11,525 per child. That hasn’t changed in 13 years.

Senate Democrats want to raise the base rate to $15,500 by 2030 – and then tie increases to inflation.

House Republicans want to go even further – $18,000 per child by 2031 – but also offer school districts more budget flexibility to lower property taxes.

“The bulk of what was described is a promise, not a permanent fix,” House GOP leaders said in a statement. “It would draw from the same $500 million pool of volatile, one-time revenue the Governor has already been eyeing for energy rebates and gas tax relief – enough to get municipal leaders through the budgets they're building right now, but nothing more.”

Lamont said Monday that he’s open to the discussion.

“We’ll sit down and talk to leadership to see what they need in addition to what we've done already to make sure we have the best education system in the country,” he said.

But Bridgeport lawmakers said something must happen – this year.

“We cannot cut anymore. It’s just pure amputation at this point,” said state Rep. Chris Rosario (D-Bridgeport). “My family – we have first-hand seen the effects of the cuts that we face. No paraprofessionals, no mental health services, no librarians.”