The Education Cost Sharing (ECS) formula is the method the State of Connecticut has established to distribute approximately $2.46 billion annually in state education funding to local and regional public school districts.
In 2024, the Connecticut General Assembly passed legislation that expanded the ECS formula to include more students participating in various public school choice programs. This change used the existing ECS formula to provide choice program operators (interdistrict magnet, AgriScience, and charter school operators) with partially equitable education funding based on their students' unique learning needs.
However, because of how this change was implemented, state grant formulas for school choice programs depend on the ECS formula definitions in state statute but in inconsistent ways. Some choice funding formulas explicitly refer to the statutory definitions of the ECS formula, such as the formula's foundation amount, while others define key funding components separately, such as student need counts. This lack of consistency in how state grants for choice programs are calculated ultimately leads to an unpredictable system in which adjustments to the ECS formula impact schools unevenly and create disparities in education funding for students attending them.
To resolve this issue, policymakers should consider revising school choice program funding laws to: (1) create consistent and uniform connections to the state laws governing the ECS formula, (2) ensure equitable school funding for students no matter the type of public school they attend, and (3) avoid unintended inequities caused by future school funding policy changes.
Citation
School and State Finance Project. (2025). How the ECS Formula is Connected to Grants for Public School Choice Programs. Southington, CT: Author. Retrieved from https://files.schoolstatefinance.org/hubfs/Reports/ECS%20Formula%20Connection%20to%20Choice%20Grants.pdf.