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OLR Bill Analysis
SB 1393
AN ACT CONCERNING AUTHORIZATION OF STATE GRANT
COMMITMENTS FOR SCHOOL BUILDING PROJECTS AND
REVISIONS TO THE SCHOOL BUILDING PROJECTS STATUTES.
SUMMARY
This bill authorizes school construction state grant commitments
totaling $171.8 million toward total estimated project costs of $262.7
million. It also reauthorizes one school construction project with a
change in cost and scope, resulting in an additional state grant
commitment of $50.7 million.
The bill also (1) establishes a new 15-percentage-point bonus rate for
projects with space for special education programs and (2) applies the
15-percentage-point bonus rate for projects with space for certain early
childhood programs more broadly to the whole project’s costs, rather
than just those attributable to the early childhood space.
EFFECTIVE DATE: Upon passage, except the bonus rate provisions
are effective July 1, 2025.
§ 1 — PRIORITY LIST GRANT COMMITMENTS
Under the state school construction grant program, the state
reimburses towns and local districts for a percentage of eligible school
construction costs through state general obligation bonds (with less
wealthy municipalities receiving a higher reimbursement). The
municipalities pay the remaining costs. For the state-operated
Connecticut Technical Education and Career System, also known as the
technical high schools, the state pays 100% of the project costs.
School Construction Grant Commitments
The bill authorizes school construction state grant commitments
totaling $171.8 million toward total estimated project costs of $262.7
million. For each project the bill authorizes, the table below shows the 2025SB-01393-R000338-BA.DOCX
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district, school, project type, estimates for total cost and state grant
commitment, and state reimbursement rate.
Table: 2025 School Construction Grant Commitments
District School Project Type Estimated
Project Cost
Estimated
Grant
Reimbursement
Rate
Fairfield Osborne Hill
Elementary
School
Alteration $597,500 $155,768 26%
Fairfield North
Stratfield
Elementary
School
Alteration 652,500 170,107 26%
Fairfield Fairfield
Woods
Middle
School
Alteration 769,500 200,609 26%
Greenwich Old
Greenwich
School
Extension/Alteration/
Roof Replacement
45,086,000 9,017,200 20%
Norwich John M.
Moriarty
Elementary
School
New 74,065,026 59,252,021 80%
Norwich Uncas
Elementary
School
New 76,468,605 61,174,884 80%
Plainville Middle
School of
Plainville
Renovation 61,915,000 40,467,644 65%
Regional
District 5
Amity
Regional
High School
Alteration 3,152,596 1,351,203 43%
Totals 262,706,727
171,789,436
Reauthorized Projects
The bill reauthorizes one school construction project with a change in
cost and scope, resulting in a $50.7 million additional state grant
commitment. The table below describes the changes to the project. 2025SB-01393-R000338-BA.DOCX
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Table: Reauthorized School Construction Project
District School Current Law Bill Reimbursement
Rate
Connecticut
Technical
High School
Platt Technical
High School
Estimated
project costs
$ 124,566,000
$ 175,231,500 100%
Estimated
state grant
124,566,000
175,231,500
BONUS REIMBURSEMENT RATE S
Early Childhood Space in Elementary Schools
By law, the state gives a 15-percentage-point reimbursement rate
increase for new or expansion elementary school construction projects
that include space for an early childhood care and education program
that provides space for children from birth to age five.
Currently, this increase applies only to the portion of the building
used primarily for the program. The bill applies it to the entire project.
Special Education Program Space
The bill establishes a new 15 percentage-point-reimbursement rate
bonus for new or expansion school construction projects that include a
designated space for special education programs providing services to
students receiving special education and related services. The rate
increase applies to the entire building project, whether it will be used
exclusively or partially for these programs. Districts receiving this
bonus must maintain the space for the program for at least 10 years.
The bill also establishes a 15-percentage-point bonus for a building or
facility to be used exclusively by a school board for a special education
program providing services to students receiving special education and
related services. Districts receiving this bonus must maintain the space
for the program for at least 20 years.
The bill specifies that these bonus rates cannot cause the project’s
total reimbursement rate to exceed 100%. 2025SB-01393-R000338-BA.DOCX
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BACKGROUND
Related Bill
sSB 12 (File 251), favorably reported by the Housing Committee,
makes school boards eligible for increases to their school construction
grant reimbursement rate based on their municipalities’ affordable
housing levels under CGS § 8-30g.
COMMITTEE ACTION
Education Committee
Joint Favorable
Yea 40 Nay 0 (03/12/2025)