Sen. Gordon Applauds Effort to Address Growing Special Education Costs  

HARTFORD, CT – Today, Senator Gordon (R-Woodstock) voted in support of critical, extra funding for special education costs. He also expressed the urgent need to support towns facing rising special education costs.

“Special education costs are growing at an unsustainable rate, and towns need immediate relief,” said Sen. Gordon. “This bipartisan effort is an important step in helping communities manage these costs for the current fiscal year. However, we must acknowledge that this is only a temporary fix – real long-term solutions are needed.”

Approximately $181.1 million is currently appropriated to the special education Excess Cost grant for Fiscal Year 2025. However, this falls short by an estimated $75.6 million needed to fund the grant at its statutory reimbursement levels and by $108.2 million to fully reimburse all districts for their special education Excess Costs. Sen. Gordon has been a strong advocate for increasing this funding, having fought for additional resources in last year’s budget adjustments, though they were ultimately not included.

“This funding serves as a down payment on the long-term help our towns truly need,” said Sen. Gordon. “I am continuing to work on solutions to improve special education funding, as seen in my proposed legislation, S.B. 590, to address these escalating costs.”

In addition to securing more immediate relief, Sen. Gordon is also working on forward-thinking solutions to help school districts manage special education costs more effectively. His bill, S.B. 542, seeks to increase regional and in-district opportunities for special education, which would not only improve services but also create significant cost savings for towns. Governor Lamont’s support for this initiative underscores its potential impact.

“Better funding for special education, along with improved and cost-effective ways to provide services, will help alleviate the growing pressure on towns to raise property taxes,” said Sen. Gordon. “This is a responsible step forward, but we must remain committed to finding comprehensive solutions that support students, families, and taxpayers alike.”

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