Final Report of the Special Education Cost Model Task Force

As part of the biennial state budget for fiscal years 2018 and 2019 (Conn. Acts 17-2 (June Special Session)), the Special Education Cost Model Task Force was established to conduct a feasibility study of a special education predictable cost cooperative (Co-op) as well as other alternative models for funding special education that are used in other states. The Co-op model was created by the Connecticut School Finance Project in partnership with the University of Connecticut's Goldenson Center for Actuarial Research.

The goal of the Co-op is to make special education costs predictable for districts and towns, allowing for better budget planning. The Co-op achieves this predictability by aggregating special education costs together at the state level to leverage the fact that, on a statewide basis, special education costs are predictable, even though they are frequently volatile at the district level.

The 12-member task force was charged with submitting a feasibility study of the Co-op, as well as studies of any other alternative models for funding special education, and any legislative recommendations to the Connecticut General Assembly's Education and Appropriations Committees.

In July 2019, the task force submitted its final report, which detailed the task force's findings and included the feasibility study reports, commissioned by the task force, examining different Co-op models.

While the task force did not make any recommendations to the General Assembly in its final report, the task force did highlight the benefits and potential challenges of each model it investigated.