Senator Lesser Votes to Pass $40 Million in Emergency Funding for Special Education

HARTFORD – Senator Matt Lesser, D-Middletown, voted Tuesday to approve legislation containing an additional $40 million in state funding to help Connecticut municipalities support special education services as well as new directives to guide local school boards in the event that federal immigration officials seek to enter public schools.

“I’m proud to support this $40 million in emergency support to help Connecticut towns and cities provide quality education for children with special needs,” Senator Lesser said. “This investment represents a first step toward addressing an urgent problem. It will not be the last. Today’s bill is a downpayment on our commitment to helping towns fund these rising costs, and I look forward to securing additional resources to ensure that all students in Middletown, Cromwell, Newington, Rocky Hill and Wethersfield get the support they deserve.”

This legislation, approved on a 34 – 0 vote, adds 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.

The legislation adopted Tuesday also contained new language designed to make it easier for local school boards to question federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents if they seek to enter a public school looking for information about potentially undocumented students.

“Connecticut students deserve the opportunity to learn in peace, free from the disruptions caused by the chaos of the Trump administration,” Senator Lesser said. “Immigration authorities have a job to do, but we do not need federal agents in our classrooms, just like we don’t need them in our health centers or our houses of worship. I’m happy to support this bill, which provides Connecticut education officials with a clear process for considering the requests of immigration agents.”

The bill includes provisions to require that each school designate an administrator to interact with federal immigration authorities, amend its school safety and security plan to align with recent guidance from the state Department of Education (SDE) to protect the constitutional rights of all people in schools, and prohibit the discipline of any school employee who acts in accordance with that SDE guidance.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Hugh McQuaid | Hugh.McQuaid@cga.ct.gov