Today, state Senator Sujata Gadkar-Wilcox (D-Bridgeport), Chair of the Special Education Committee, introduced a portion of House Bill 7067 on funding that will help municipalities cover the cost of special education. Senator Gadkar-Wilcox voted in support on a wide range of priorities including this $40 million allocation to cover the cost of special education.
The Senate passed House Bill 7067 today and was passed Monday evening by the House of Representatives. This bill includes a $40 million injection of state funding to municipalities to support special education needs for the current fiscal year.
“This investment is a direct response to the growing demand for special education services, and it demonstrates our commitment to equity in education,” said Senator Gadkar-Wilcox. “We are ensuring that every student, regardless of where they live, has access to the quality education they deserve. I remain committed to working with my colleagues to further strengthen our special education system and provide the support that every child deserves.”
Senator Gadkar-Wilcox, along with other members from the Special Education Committee, completed a listening tour and at every session, a clear message came through from teachers. They explained they were in crisis because of an exponentially increasing caseload and a lack of meaningful support. Sen. Gadkar-Wilcox said superintendents and Boards of Education explained that because of the increasing cost of services, they were in crisis and possible additional costs looming from federal funds added uncertainty. Without the additional funding, public schools would not be able to provide care and instruction that students need.
This funding is in addition to the $181 million which was previously appropriated for Fiscal Year 2025 bringing the total to $221 million.
The funding will be allocated through the Excess Cost Grant program and distributed to municipalities through a tiered reimbursement structure that prioritizes funding for the neediest cities and towns.
Connecticut has made consistent and deliberate strides to increase its support of education over the last several years. State budgets adopted by the General Assembly have boosted funding for education by a total of $364 million since fiscal year 2023. The legislature supplemented this support with an additional $150 million dedicated to Education Cost Sharing Grants.
One of the ways in which Connecticut provides financial assistance to towns and cities for special education services is through the Excess Cost Grant program. This program is designed to offset significant expenses associated with educating certain students with special needs.
In 2022, the legislature amended the Excess Cost Grant program to create a tiered reimbursement structure to ensure that the state’s poorest municipalities were given funding priority. Meanwhile, state budgets have increased funding for the grants by $50 million over the last two fiscal years.
However, these efforts have not been enough to keep pace with significant increases in the need for additional special education funding experienced by Connecticut towns and cities. From fiscal year 2022 to fiscal year 2023, the estimated cost of fully funding the Excess Cost Sharing Grant program surged from $175.7 million to $203.8 million. That number climbed to $260 million in fiscal year 2024 and is estimated to be $289.3 million in 2025.
There are calls for more funding in addition to this immediate allocation. Budget deliberations are ongoing, and it is likely that the conversation surrounding special education funding will continue over the next several months. Senate Democrats have unveiled Senate Bill 1, An Act Increasing Resources for Students, Schools, and Special Education, and the House Democrats introduced House Bill 5001, An Act Concerning the Quality and Delivery of Special Education Services in Connecticut. Both pieces of legislation aim to reform Connecticut’s special education to lower costs, strengthen services, and provide more financial support.
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