In 1996, in a 4-3 decision, the Connecticut Supreme Court ruled the state had an affirmative obligation to provide Connecticut's school children with a substantially equal educational opportunity and that this constitutionally guaranteed right encompasses the access to a public education, which is not substantially and materially impaired by racial and ethnic isolation. The Court further concluded that school districting, based upon town and city boundary lines, is unconstitutional. As a result of the decision, the Connecticut State Legislature passed legislation in 1997 encouraging voluntary actions toward racial integration. However, since then, there have been a number stipulated agreements between the case's plaintiffs and the State of Connecticut to ensure the Connecticut Supreme Court's ruling is followed.

Connecticut's public school districts remain deeply segregated and significant funding gaps continue to exist between districts that predominantly serve students of color and districts that largely serve White student populations. These are two of the overarching findings from this School and State Finance Project report, which examines racial disparities in Connecticut education funding.

In a 4-3 ruling, the Connecticut Supreme Court reversed in part, and affirmed in part, a 2016 ruling from Hartford Superior Court Judge Thomas Moukawsher focused on Connecticut's school finance system. The Supreme Court ruled the way Connecticut allocates state education dollars, and how much the State spends on public education, is constitutional and does not violate Article Eighth § 1 of the Connecticut Constitution.

This frequently asked questions document by the School and State Finance Project provides information about Connecticut's 17 regional school districts, which educate a combined enrollment of more than 24,00 students. Regional school districts in Connecticut are public school districts created by two or more municipalities to educate their student populations jointly. This FAQ document answers questions about the creation, administration, and funding of Connecticut's regional school districts.

Although positive steps have been taken by the General Assembly over the past few years to improve how Connecticut funds K-12 public education, the state’s education finance system remains inequitable, disjointed, and inadequate for addressing the systemic racial disparities and wide gaps found in Connecticut education funding. These longstanding challenges are why we are working collaboratively with legislative, education, community, and municipal stakeholders across the state to advance a student-centered funding system.