State & Local Funded Programs and Mandates
for Nonpublic Schools in Connecticut
Prepared April 2026 | Connecticut General Statutes (C.G.S.) References Included
Part I: State- & Locally-Funded Programs for Nonpublic Schools
1. Pupil Transportation
Connecticut law requires every municipality and regional school district to provide nonpublic school students with the same transportation services it furnishes to public school students, provided that a majority of the students attending the nonpublic school are Connecticut residents and the school is located within the district.
Spending cap: The amount a town must spend is limited to twice the per-pupil amount spent on public school transportation in the preceding school year.
State reimbursement: Towns receive the same state grant for providing required transportation to in-district nonpublic schools as for public school transportation" a reimbursement of 0-60% of reasonable costs, with the exact percentage based on town wealth (AENGLC rank). Regional K-12 districts receive a 10-percentage-point increase; high school regional districts receive 5 additional points.
Out-of-district transportation to in-state private schools is discretionary and is not state-reimbursed, except when a town does not maintain a high school and provides transportation to a private high school outside the district.
2. School Health Services
Towns and regional school districts that provide health services to children in their public schools are required to furnish the same services to students attending nonprofit, private K-12 schools located within the district, provided a majority of those students are Connecticut residents. Districts may also extend health services to children in prekindergarten programs at qualifying nonpublic schools.
Mandated health services (where provided to public school pupils) include:
- School physician services
- School nurse services
- Dental hygienist services
State reimbursement: Towns are reimbursed at rates that vary with town wealth. The minimum reimbursement is 80% for towns where more than 1% of the population receives Temporary Family Assistance, or where the town's wealth rank exceeds 30 and it provides health services to more than 1,500 nonresident children. Grants are capped at annually appropriated amounts; if total grants payable exceed appropriations, grants are proportionately reduced.
"Each town or regional school district which provides health services for children attending its public schools in any grade, from kindergarten to twelve, inclusive, shall provide the same health services for children in such grades attending private nonprofit schools therein, when a majority of the children attending such schools are residents of the state of Connecticut."
The statute's operative phrase is "the same health services," not "comparable" or "equivalent" services. This language is significant. Where a district employs a full-time school nurse for its public schools, the statute supports the argument that full-time nurse coverage is what must be provided to qualifying nonpublic schools in the same district. There is no statutory carve-out based on hours, frequency, or intensity of service delivery.
Key implications:
- If a public school has a full-time nurse, part-time rotating coverage to a nonpublic school in the same district may constitute non-compliance with § 10-217a.
- The statute provides no "delivery method" exception. While districts have discretion in how they deliver services, they do not have discretion over the standard of service.
- Budget constraints and grant caps do not extinguish the mandate; they affect reimbursement, not the underlying legal obligation to provide parity.
- A nonpublic school or its families believing they are receiving a lesser tier of health services than public school students in the same district have a colorable compliance claim under § 10-217a.
3. Nonpublic School Enrollment Report (ED159) and Related Federal Title Grants
The Connecticut State Department of Education (CSDE) collects annual enrollment and staffing data from all nonpublic schools via the ED159 online report. This data collection directly determines funding allocations for three federal grants under the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (20 U.S.C. § 6301) and for two state health services grants.
Federal programs funded in part based on nonpublic enrollment data include:
- Title I, Part A: Improving basic programs for disadvantaged students
- Title II, Part A: Supporting effective instruction
- Title IV, Part A: Student support and academic enrichment
For-profit nonpublic schools are not eligible for these services or the local district funding streams that flow from ED159 enrollment data.
Part II: State Mandates Applicable to Nonpublic Schools
1. Annual Attendance Reporting (ED159)
Every nonpublic school must file an annual attendance report with the Commissioner of Education as a condition of compliance with the state's compulsory attendance laws. Failure to file means that attendance at the school does not count as compliance with compulsory school attendance requirements.
2. Immunization Requirements
Students enrolled in nonpublic schools must be protected by the full schedule of vaccines required under Connecticut law prior to enrollment, including vaccines for diphtheria, pertussis, tetanus, poliomyelitis, measles, mumps, rubella, and Hib, among others.
3. Health and Sanitation Facilities
Every private and parochial school must maintain sanitary conditions for toilet accommodations, water supply, drinking cups, washing facilities, heating, lighting, and ventilation.
4. Fire Inspections
Buildings and facilities used by nonpublic schools as places of public service must be inspected by the local fire marshal at least once per year and as otherwise necessary.
5. Mandated Reporting: Child Abuse and Neglect
Professional employees of nonpublic schools are mandated reporters under Connecticut law and are required to report suspected child abuse or neglect to the Department of Children and Families. Professional employees who receive physical evidence indicating that a crime has been or is being committed are required to turn that evidence over to school officials or law enforcement. The employee is not required to disclose the student's identity.
6. Composting / Source-Separated Organic Materials (Effective July 1, 2026)
Public or nonpublic K-12 school buildings located within 20 miles of an authorized composting facility and generating an average of 26 or more tons per year of source-separated organic materials must separate food scraps from other solid waste and arrange for recycling at a composting facility with available capacity.
7. Accreditation and State Approval (Voluntary but Consequential)
State approval by the CSDE is voluntary. However, only schools accredited by a CSDE-recognized agency (CAIS, NEASC, Middle States, National Lutheran School Accreditation) qualify for state approval, which is required for nonpublic school teachers to obtain provisional and professional educator certificates from the state. Unapproved schools may still operate but must file the annual ED159 report.
| Program / Mandate | Type | Who Provides | Key Statute |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pupil Transportation | Program Mandatory | Local District + State Reimb. | C.G.S. §§ 10-277, 10-280a, 10-281 |
| School Health Services | Program Mandatory | Local District + State Reimb. | C.G.S. § 10-217a |
| Federal Title I, II, IV (via ED159 data) | Program Federal | Local District | 20 U.S.C. § 6301; C.G.S. § 10-217a |
| Annual Enrollment Report (ED159) | Mandate | Nonpublic School | C.G.S. § 10-188 |
| Immunization Requirements | Mandate | Nonpublic School | C.G.S. § 10-204a |
| Health/Sanitation Facilities | Mandate | Nonpublic School | C.G.S. § 10-212a(2) |
| Fire Inspections (annual) | Mandate | Fire Marshal | C.G.S. § 29-305 |
| Mandated Reporting (Abuse/Neglect) | Mandate | Nonpublic Staff | C.G.S. § 10-154a |
| Composting (eff. July 2026) | Mandate | Nonpublic School | PA 24-45 |