During its 2025 regular legislative session, the Connecticut General Assembly made a number of changes to how the State funds special education, including the creation of a new formulaic grant to support special education services.
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.
The Alliance District program is one way the State of Connecticut approaches school improvements to aid student achievement. This policy briefing takes a look at the Alliance District program, its effectiveness, and what improvements can be made to help the program support districts.
In 1986, the General Assembly passed the Education Enhancement Act, which aimed to reduce salary disparities by offering districts additional state educational aid as an incentive to meet minimum salary targets, rather than providing direct state funding for teacher pay increases.
Connecticut has a number of avenues for towns and school districts to regionally collaborate to share services, achieve efficiencies, and expand opportunities for student and families. But opportunities exist to increase and improve these options and strengthen voluntary regional collaboration in K-12 education.
To help increase student achievement in Connecticut’s lowest-performing districts and schools, the Connecticut General Assembly has appropriated funds to support Alliance District and Priority School District grants. This policy briefing outlines what Alliance Districts and Priority School Districts are, and details the process these districts must follow to receive their grant funding and how they are allowed to use the grants.