| 16 | | - | Section 1. (NEW) (Effective July 1, 2017) (a) For the school year commencing July 1, 2017, and each school year thereafter, any local or regional board of education for a town (1) whose total equalization aid grant amount for the fiscal year that the town is entitled to receive under the provisions of section 10-262h of the general statutes is less than three per cent of the town's budgeted appropriation for education for such fiscal year, or (2) that declines to receive all equalization aid grant payments, pursuant to subsection (b) of section 10-262i of the general statutes, may request the Commissioner of Education to waive any provision of title 10 of the general statutes over which the State Board of Education has jurisdiction, or any regulation adopted by the state board, except a local or regional board of education shall not request or be granted a waiver of the provisions of part I of chapter 166, chapters 169 and 172, sections 10-14n to 10-14w, inclusive, 10-15, 10-16, 10-16b, 10-76d, 10-186, 10-221a, 10-221d, 10-223e, 10-226a to 10-226h, inclusive, 10-233c and 10-233d of the general statutes or any requirement of federal law. Any such waiver request shall be made in a manner and form prescribed by the commissioner and shall demonstrate how the granting of such waiver would ensure the protection of sound educational practices, the health and safety of students and school personnel, and equal opportunities for learning. |
|---|
| 28 | + | Section 1. (NEW) (Effective July 1, 2017) (a) For the school year commencing July 1, 2017, and each school year thereafter, any local or regional board of education for a town (1) whose total equalization aid grant amount for the fiscal year that the town is entitled to receive under the provisions of section 10-262h of the general statutes is less than three per cent of the town's budgeted appropriation for education for such fiscal year, or (2) that declines to receive all equalization aid grant payments, pursuant to subsection (b) of section 10-262i of the general statutes, may request the Commissioner of Education to waive any provision of title 10 of the general statutes over which the State Board of Education has jurisdiction, or any regulation adopted by the state board, except a local or regional board of education shall not request or be granted a waiver of the provisions of part I of chapter 166, chapters 169 and 172, sections 10-14n to 10-14w, inclusive, 10-15, 10-16, 10-16b, 10-76d, 10-186, 10-221a, 10-223e, 10-226a to 10-226h, inclusive, and 10-233c of the general statutes or any requirement of federal law. Any such waiver request shall be made in a manner and form prescribed by the commissioner and shall demonstrate how the granting of such waiver would ensure the protection of sound educational practices, the health and safety of students and school personnel, and equal opportunities for learning. |
|---|
| 24 | | - | (e) Not later than January 1, 2019, the state board shall submit a report and any recommendations concerning the continuation of the commissioner's authority to grant waivers pursuant to this section to the joint standing committee of the General Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to education, in accordance with the provisions of section 11-4a of the general statutes. |
|---|
| 36 | + | (3) The state board shall compile its recommendations for rejection of waiver requests into a report and, not later than March fifteenth of each school year, submit such report to the General Assembly, in accordance with the provisions of section 11-4a. |
|---|
| 37 | + | |
|---|
| 38 | + | (d) Not later than thirty days following receipt of the report submitted by the State Board of Education, pursuant to subdivision (2) of subsection (c) of this section, the General Assembly may, by joint resolution, disapprove any recommendations of the state board for approval of a waiver request. If the General Assembly fails to disapprove such recommendations, in whole or in part, within such thirty-day period, such recommendations shall be deemed approved and the waiver request shall be deemed granted. |
|---|
| 39 | + | |
|---|
| 40 | + | (e) The commissioner shall notify the local or regional board of education whether a submitted waiver request was granted or rejected. If a waiver is granted, such waiver shall be valid for the period of time that such board of education is eligible to apply for a waiver under this section. |
|---|
| 41 | + | |
|---|
| 42 | + | (f) The commissioner may revoke a waiver if the commissioner finds that the implementation of such waiver is not a sound educational practice, endangers health or safety of students or school personnel, or compromises equal opportunities for learning. |
|---|
| 43 | + | |
|---|
| 44 | + | (g) Any local or regional board of education granted a waiver under this section shall (1) submit to the State Board of Education annual progress reports relating to the implementation of the waiver, (2) share, upon request, the results of such implementation with other local or regional boards of education, and (3) if such waiver is successful, provide instruction and training, upon request, to other local and regional boards of education regarding the implementation of such waiver. |
|---|
| 45 | + | |
|---|
| 46 | + | (h) Not later than March 15, 2018, and annually thereafter, the commissioner shall submit a report, in accordance with the provisions of section 11-4a of the general statutes, to the General Assembly containing any recommendations for legislation resulting from the implementation of any waiver request granted under this section. |
|---|