Municipal Lobbying Arm: Fix Connecticut’s Education Cost Sharing Formula

Analysis and Comment, Education1 Comment

From Connecticut Conference Of Municipalities:

Connecticut’s Education Cost Sharing (ECS) formula is the state’s primary tool for funding K-12 education and supporting communities. But the formula has not kept pace with inflation or the realities facing students and municipalities.

ECS is the backbone of state education funding

  • ECS is Connecticut’s largest education grant, designed to distribute funding based on student enrollment, community wealth, and student need. 
  • Despite this, 57% of K-12 education funding still comes from local property taxes, not the state.

State resources have grown – ECS investment has not

  • Connecticut has seen $9.7 billion in budget surpluses since 2013.
  • State tax revenue has grown by nearly $8 billion or 52% over the past 12 years, yet ECS funding has remained largely flat.

Underfunding has shifted costs onto local taxpayers

  • The stagnant ECS formula has shifted nearly $900 million in education costs to municipalities since 2013.
  • Communities have been forced to raise property taxes or cut services to make up the difference.

The ECS foundation amount has been frozen since 2013

  • The foundation is currently $11,525 per student, unchanged for more than a decade.
  • If adjusted for inflation today, it would be about $16,000 per student. 

The Result: Affordability and Equity Challenges 

  • Heavy reliance on local property taxes increases pressure on homeowners and renters.
  • Communities with less property wealth face higher tax burdens and fewer resources for students. 

THE BOTTOM LINE: Fixing and Modernizing the ECS Formula is Essential to: 

  • Expanding student opportunity
  • Supporting municipal fiscal stability 
  • Reducing pressure on property taxpayers
  • Improving affordability across Connecticut

 

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  1. While most property taxes in many municipalities are due to picking up the slack from the state shortfalls,
    One must remember that Bridgeport contributes the lowest amount per pupil in the entire state and has not done much to change that. In fact that failure has cost us an extra $5 million in state funds this year.

    One must also remember smoke and mirrors in regards to the Mayors budget. The pie charts would have you believe (of you aren’t savvy enough to dig) that education is the biggest portion of city tax dollars being spent. This is simply not true. Baked into that pie chart are flow throughs from ECS and Fedeal nutrition. When you back out the flow throughs and recalculate using local rax dollars ony Public Safety consumes more than twice the percent of the budget at 42% vs Education at little over 19%.

    Also Public Facilites is getting an over six million dollar bump compare to education which is getting five million.

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