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Education department seeks $40 million for excess special‑education costs; committee questions program consolidations and ARPA continuity
Summary
The State Department of Education told the Appropriations subcommittee the governor’s budget proposes a $40 million increase for excess‑cost special‑education reimbursement while consolidating several family and youth engagement grants into a single competitive fund — a change that raised questions from lawmakers.
Connecticut State Department of Education Commissioner Charlene Russell‑Tucker told the Appropriations subcommittee the governor’s proposed budget includes a $40 million increase in the state’s excess cost special‑education grant and multiple investments aimed at attendance, tutoring and pandemic recovery.
Russell‑Tucker said the department is thankful that the governor’s proposal also would eliminate family costs for reduced‑price lunch and provide universal free breakfast beginning in fiscal year 2026–27.
On special education, Brian Klumkiewicz, director of the Bureau of Special Education, explained the state’s reimbursement design: local districts receive formula‑based IDEA funding from the federal government and the state’s…
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