The Excess Cost grant is Connecticut’s method for sharing in the costs associated with educating students with extraordinary special education needs. Each school district submits its statement of Excess Cost expenditures for reimbursement to the Connecticut State Department of Education (CSDE) by December 1st each year. Districts submit their expenditures for reimbursement again by March 1st for expenses for additional students and costs not included in their December filing.
The first filing of Excess Cost expenses provides an opportunity to analyze the grant’s current funding level in comparison to the growing needs of students and the increasing costs of providing special education services. This document provides an update on Excess Cost grant reimbursement requests, with key findings from districts' December 1, 2025 filings.
Citation
School and State Finance Project. (2026). 2025-26 Excess Cost Impact Update & Analysis. Southington, CT: Author. Retrieved from https://files.schoolstatefinance.org/hubfs/Reports/2025-26%20Excess%20Cost%20Grant%20Update%20and%20Analysis.pdf.