This policy briefing details the current mismatch between student learning needs and per-student spending in Connecticut’s local and regional public school districts, and examines some of the factors that contribute to this mismatch.
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.
Public Act 25-93 contains a variety of provisions designed to strengthen special education services, expand early childhood programming, revise reporting requirements, and improve student discipline and oversight. This analysis details the changes to education funding and policies contained in Public Act 25-93 and the impact of these changes on students, school districts, and the state.
Public Act 25-67 contains provisions designed to enhance oversight and increase funding for special education services in Connecticut, with the goal of promoting greater consistency and quality in the provision of services to students with disabilities across Connecticut. This analysis details the changes to special education funding and policies contained in Public Act 25-67 and their impact on students and schools.
Understanding how public school districts are spending education dollars is essential for ensuring Connecticut’s investments in K-12 education are transparent, equitable, and effective. This analysis explores how spending has changed over the last five years, breaks down expenditures by function and object, and highlights key trends in spending for special education services.
The Excess Cost grant is the State of Connecticut’s method for sharing in the expense for students who have extraordinary special education needs and associated costs. During the 2023 legislative session, the General Assembly increased the appropriated amount of the Excess Cost grant and amended the grant’s formula for reimbursing school districts.