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.
This frequently asked questions document discusses special education services for Connecticut students attending public schools of choice, including how those services are delivered and paid for.
The Education Cost Sharing (ECS) formula is the method the State of Connecticut has established to distribute over $2.46 billion annually in state education funding to local and regional public school districts. This one-pager details the current components of the ECS formula, which was last revised during the 2025 regular legislative session.
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.
One in six children in Connecticut is food insecure and uncertain about where their next meal will come from. This briefing offers a high-level overview of school meal programs by examining the current state of these programs in Connecticut, how proposed federal policy changes might impact the state, and what proposals are being considered by the state legislature to invest in these programs.
Although primarily a state and local responsibility, the federal government has significant governing roles and responsibilities when it comes to K-12 education. This frequently asked questions document provides an overview of the federal government’s role in K-12 education and explains how the policies, programs, and funding under the purview of the U.S. Department of Education impact Connecticut’s students, families, and schools.