AN ACT CONCERNING A STUDY REGARDING STATE FUNDING FOR SPECIAL EDUCATION.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Assembly convened:

That part V of chapter 164 of the general statutes be amended to establish a task force to conduct a study examining and evaluating a means by which the state funds one hundred per cent of the cost of special education. The task force, in conducting such study, shall (1) explore alternative revenue sources that the state can use to fund special education that relieves the property tax burden of towns, (2) address the problem of the deficiency in federal special education funding, including, but not limited to, what the state is entitled to receive in federal special education funding and what the state is actually receiving, (3) examine the feasibility of creating a state special education trust fund to be used for funding and administering such state special education costs, and (4) consider approaches that will increase efficiencies and reduce costs without resulting in a reduction of special education services.

Statement of Purpose:

To conduct a study exploring alternative funding sources that allows the state to cover the entire cost of special education for the purpose of relieving the property tax burden to towns that is associated with local funding of special education.