On April 22, 2025, the Connecticut General Assembly's Appropriations Committee introduced and passed its recommended state budget for fiscal years 2026 and 2027. This nonpartisan analysis details these changes to state education funding in the Appropriations Committee's budget, and provides a brief overview of the general fiscal outlook of the state budget and economy.
This frequently asked questions document discusses fiscally independent school districts and the structural differences between school districts that are fiscally independent and those, like the vast majority of Connecticut's school districts, that are fiscally dependent.
As a supplement to our January 2018 report, Factors Contributing to Health of State Employee Pension Funds, this policy briefing analyzes the health of Connecticut’s Teachers’ Retirement System (TRS), examines the factors that led to the system’s current funding level, and discusses the features of the system that differentiate it from other public pension systems, such as Connecticut’s State Employees Retirement System (SERS).
This report provides an overview of the basic features and structures found in property tax systems across the United States. Additionally, the report summarizes and analyzes the property tax systems of Connecticut and several of its regional peer states (Vermont, Massachusetts, Maryland, and Pennsylvania). Each state overview offers a summary of specific components of the respective state’s property tax system, including taxing authorities, property assessment, taxation rates, and tax exemptions and/or relief programs.
This policy briefing provides an overview of other post-employment benefits (OPEBs) that the State of Connecticut is responsible for paying, and summarizes recent changes in labor agreements that affect these benefits. OPEBs are the benefit packages, not including pensions, received by state or local employees upon retirement. In Connecticut, these benefits are defined as medical, prescription drug, and dental and life insurance.
This policy brief examines Connecticut statutes and legislation that relate to a school district's ability to pursue regionalization. The policy briefing summarizes methods of regional cooperation impacting public school districts in Connecticut, and details recent proposals to increase or incentivize regional cooperation.