Reports & Publications

We've published hundreds of reports and analyses covering a variety of issues in education funding and state finance policy, and we're always working on new research reports. Browse through all of our reports and publications using the keyword search below, or search by a specific category using the drop-down menu below the Featured post.

Budget Snapshot: K-12 Education Funding in Governor Lamont's Proposed Budget, FYs 2026 and 2027

Feb 6, 2025 Featured

On February 5, 2025, Governor Ned Lamont released his recommended biennial state budget for fiscal years 2026 and 2027. This nonpartisan analysis details the changes to state education funding in the governor’s proposed budget, and provides a brief overview of the general fiscal outlook of the state budget and economy.

Education Funding Snapshot - Governor's Budget for FYs 2026 and 2027 Interactive Community Impact Tool - Governor's Budget for FYs 2026 and 2027

Education Funding State Budget

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State Scan: Inflation Adjustments to Funding Formula Foundation Amounts

Mar 26, 2025

As the cost of educating students continues to increase, some states have modified their education funding formulas to adjust for inflation. This document provide an overview of the current inflationary increases in state school funding formulas, and what this means for Connecticut.

Inflation Adjustments to Formula Foundation Amounts

Education Funding Funding Formulas

Connecticut's Designated High Schools and Endowed Academies

Mar 21, 2025

There are a variety of types of public schools of choice in Connecticut, including magnet schools, career and technical high schools, vocational agricultural centers, and charter schools. Connecticut also has two additional school choice arrangements that are not as common: designated high schools and endowed academies. This policy briefing discusses both of these options and how they are a part of Connecticut’s public education landscape.

Designated High Schools and Endowed Academies

Schools of Choice

Education Cost Sharing (ECS) Formula Component Comparison Tool

Mar 4, 2025

The purpose of this tool is to provide comparisons between Connecticut towns based on the data used in the Education Cost Sharing (ECS) formula. The ECS formula is the method the State of Connecticut has established to distribute approximately $2.44 billion annually in state education funding to local and regional public school districts.

ECS Formula Component Comparison Tool - FY 2026

Education Funding Funding Formulas

Excess Cost Grant (INFOGRAPHIC)

Feb 25, 2025

This infographic explains how the Excess Cost grant works. The grant is provided by the State of Connecticut to school districts to assist them in paying for students who have extraordinary special education needs and associated costs.

Excess Cost Grant Infographic

Special Education Community District/School Spending

Town Education Cost Sharing (ECS) Grant Data Trends

Feb 20, 2025

The Education Cost Sharing (ECS) formula uses several components to calculate town ECS grants, including student counts and town wealth data. This model shows how each town's variables for the ECS formula have changed over the past five years.

ECS Data Trend Town Model

Education Funding Funding Formulas Student Enrollment/Demographics

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Excess Cost Funding Shortfalls for FYs 2024 and 2025 and the Impact to Reimbursements District Reference Groups (DRGs) Multilingual Learner Education & Funding in Connecticut Mismatch Between Funding & Student Needs in Connecticut Connecticut's State Budget Controls

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