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|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | + | ||
| 2 | + | ||
| 3 | + | LCO \\PRDFS1\HCOUSERS\BARRYJN\WS\2019HB-07215-R02- | |
| 4 | + | HB.docx | |
| 5 | + | 1 of 21 | |
| 6 | + | ||
| 7 | + | General Assembly Substitute Bill No. 7215 | |
| 8 | + | January Session, 2019 | |
| 1 | 9 | ||
| 2 | 10 | ||
| 3 | 11 | ||
| 4 | - | Substitute House Bill No. 7215 | |
| 5 | - | ||
| 6 | - | Public Act No. 19-166 | |
| 7 | 12 | ||
| 8 | 13 | ||
| 9 | 14 | AN ACT CONCERNING SC HOOL CLIMATES. | |
| 10 | 15 | Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General | |
| 11 | 16 | Assembly convened: | |
| 12 | 17 | ||
| 13 | - | Section 1. (NEW) (Effective from passage) (a) There is established a | |
| 14 | - | social and emotional learning and school climate advisory | |
| 15 | - | collaborative. The collaborative shall (1) collect information concerning | |
| 16 | - | the school climate improvement efforts of local and regional boards of | |
| 17 | - | education, (2) document any needs articulated by local and regional | |
| 18 | - | boards of education for technical assistance and training relating to | |
| 19 | - | fostering positive school climates, (3) identify best practices for | |
| 20 | - | promoting positive school climates, (4) direct resources to support | |
| 21 | - | state-wide and local initiatives on issues relating to fostering and | |
| 22 | - | improving positive school climates and improving access to social and | |
| 23 | - | emotional learning in schools, (5) develop an assessment for screening | |
| 24 | - | students in grades three to twelve, inclusive, to determine whether | |
| 25 | - | such students are at risk for suicide, (6) develop a biennial state-wide | |
| 26 | - | school climate survey, as described in subsection (c) of section 2 of this | |
| 27 | - | act, (7) develop a model positive school climate policy, as described in | |
| 28 | - | subsection (a) of section 2 of this act, (8) develop a plain language | |
| 29 | - | explanation of the rights and remedies available under sections 10-4a | |
| 30 | - | and 10-4b of the general statutes for distribution to parents and | |
| 31 | - | guardians pursuant to subdivision (2) of subsection (c) of section 10- Substitute House Bill No. 7215 | |
| 18 | + | Section 1. (NEW) (Effective from passage) (a) There is established a 1 | |
| 19 | + | social and emotional learning and school climate advisory council. The 2 | |
| 20 | + | council shall (1) monitor school climate improvement efforts in the 3 | |
| 21 | + | state, (2) identify best practices for promoting positive school climates, 4 | |
| 22 | + | (3) identify and pursue resources to educate local and regional boards 5 | |
| 23 | + | of education on issues relating to fostering positive school climates and 6 | |
| 24 | + | social and emotional learning in schools, and (4) perform any other 7 | |
| 25 | + | research concerning social and emotional learning and fostering 8 | |
| 26 | + | positive school climates that the council deems appropriate. 9 | |
| 27 | + | (b) The council shall consist of the following members: (1) The 10 | |
| 28 | + | Commissioner of Education, or the commissioner's designee, (2) the 11 | |
| 29 | + | executive director of the Commission on Women, Children and 12 | |
| 30 | + | Seniors, or the executive director's designee, (3) a representative 13 | |
| 31 | + | designated by the Connecticut Association of Boards of Education, (4) 14 | |
| 32 | + | a representative designated by the Connecticut Association of Public 15 | |
| 33 | + | School Superintendents, (5) a representative designated by the 16 | |
| 34 | + | Connecticut Association of Schools, (6) a representative designated by 17 | |
| 35 | + | the American Federation of Teachers-Connecticut, (7) a representative 18 | |
| 36 | + | designated by the Connecticut Education Association, and (8) a 19 | |
| 37 | + | representative designated by the Connecticut Association of School 20 Substitute Bill No. 7215 | |
| 32 | 38 | ||
| 33 | - | Public Act No. 19-166 2 of 13 | |
| 34 | 39 | ||
| 35 | - | 222d of the general statutes, as amended by this act, and provide such | |
| 36 | - | explanation to each local and regional board of education not later | |
| 37 | - | than January 1, 2021, and (9) perform other functions concerning social | |
| 38 | - | and emotional learning and fostering positive school climates. | |
| 39 | - | (b) The collaborative shall consist of the following members: | |
| 40 | - | (1) Five appointed by the speaker of the House of Representatives, | |
| 41 | - | one of whom is a member of the Juvenile Justice Policy and Oversight | |
| 42 | - | Committee, established pursuant to section 46b-121n of the general | |
| 43 | - | statutes; one of whom is a representative of the Connecticut | |
| 44 | - | Association of Boards of Education; one of whom is a school | |
| 45 | - | administrator with experience in district-level, equity-focused and | |
| 46 | - | cross-disciplinary social and emotional learning; one of whom is a | |
| 47 | - | representative of an organization that provides free or reduced-cost | |
| 48 | - | legal services; and one of whom is a representative of Connecticut | |
| 49 | - | Parent Power; | |
| 50 | - | (2) Five appointed by the president pro tempore of the Senate, one | |
| 51 | - | of whom is a representative of the Connecticut Association of Schools; | |
| 52 | - | one of whom is a representative of the Connecticut Association of | |
| 53 | - | School Administrators; one of whom is a representative of the Social | |
| 54 | - | Emotional Learning Alliance for Connecticut; one of whom is a | |
| 55 | - | representative of the Connecticut School Counselor Association; and | |
| 56 | - | one of whom is a representative of the Connecticut Association of | |
| 57 | - | Public School Superintendents; | |
| 58 | - | (3) Three appointed by the majority leader of the House of | |
| 59 | - | Representatives, one of whom is a representative of Special Education | |
| 60 | - | Equity for Kids of Connecticut; one of whom is a representative of the | |
| 61 | - | Connecticut Parent Advocacy Center; and one of whom is a | |
| 62 | - | representative of African Caribbean American Parents of Children | |
| 63 | - | with Disabilities, Inc.; Substitute House Bill No. 7215 | |
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| 41 | + | R02-HB.docx } | |
| 42 | + | 2 of 21 | |
| 64 | 43 | ||
| 65 | - | Public Act No. 19-166 3 of 13 | |
| 44 | + | Administrators. 21 | |
| 45 | + | (c) All appointments to the council shall be made not later than 22 | |
| 46 | + | thirty days after the effective date of this section. Any vacancy shall be 23 | |
| 47 | + | filled by the appointing authority. 24 | |
| 48 | + | (d) The chairperson of the council shall be elected from among the 25 | |
| 49 | + | members. The first meeting of the council shall be held not later than 26 | |
| 50 | + | sixty days after the effective date of this section. 27 | |
| 51 | + | (e) The administrative staff of the Commission on Women, Children 28 | |
| 52 | + | and Seniors shall serve as administrative staff of the council. 29 | |
| 53 | + | (f) Not later than January 1, 2020, and annually thereafter, the 30 | |
| 54 | + | council shall submit a report on its findings and any recommendations 31 | |
| 55 | + | to the joint standing committees of the General Assembly having 32 | |
| 56 | + | cognizance of matters relating to children and education, in accordance 33 | |
| 57 | + | with the provisions of section 11-4a of the general statutes. 34 | |
| 58 | + | Sec. 2. Section 10-222d of the general statutes is repealed and the 35 | |
| 59 | + | following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1, 2019): 36 | |
| 60 | + | (a) As used in this section [,] and sections [10-222g to] 10-222h, as 37 | |
| 61 | + | amended by this act, 10-222i, [inclusive, and section] 10-222k, as 38 | |
| 62 | + | amended by this act, and section 1 of this act: 39 | |
| 63 | + | (1) "Aggressive behavior or intentional harm-doing" means an act 40 | |
| 64 | + | that (A) causes physical or emotional harm to an individual or damage 41 | |
| 65 | + | to such individual's property, (B) places an individual in reasonable 42 | |
| 66 | + | fear of harm to self or damage to such individual's property, (C) 43 | |
| 67 | + | creates a hostile environment at school for an individual, or (D) 44 | |
| 68 | + | infringes on the rights and opportunities of an individual at school; 45 | |
| 69 | + | [(1)] (2) "Bullying" means [(A) the repeated use by one or more 46 | |
| 70 | + | students of a written, oral or electronic communication, such as 47 | |
| 71 | + | cyberbullying, directed at or referring to another student attending 48 | |
| 72 | + | school in the same school district, or (B) a physical act or gesture by 49 Substitute Bill No. 7215 | |
| 66 | 73 | ||
| 67 | - | (4) Three appointed by the majority leader of the Senate, one of | |
| 68 | - | whom is a representative of the Center for Children's Advocacy; one of | |
| 69 | - | whom is a representative of the Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence; | |
| 70 | - | and one of whom is a representative of the Neag School of Education | |
| 71 | - | at The University of Connecticut; | |
| 72 | - | (5) Three appointed by the minority leader of the House of | |
| 73 | - | Representatives, one of whom is a representative of the American | |
| 74 | - | Federation of Teachers-Connecticut; one of whom is a representative of | |
| 75 | - | the Center for Social and Emotional Learning at Central Connecticut | |
| 76 | - | State University; and one of whom is a representative of the | |
| 77 | - | Connecticut Parent Teacher Association; | |
| 78 | - | (6) Three appointed by the minority leader of the Senate, one of | |
| 79 | - | whom is a representative of the Connecticut Education Association; | |
| 80 | - | one of whom is a representative of the National Alliance on Mental | |
| 81 | - | Illness, Connecticut; and one of whom is a representative of the Youth | |
| 82 | - | Suicide Advisory Board established pursuant to section 17a-52 of the | |
| 83 | - | general statutes; | |
| 84 | - | (7) The Commissioner of Education, or the commissioner's designee; | |
| 85 | - | (8) The chairpersons and ranking members of the joint standing | |
| 86 | - | committees of the General Assembly having cognizance of matters | |
| 87 | - | relating to children and education; | |
| 88 | - | (9) The Child Advocate, or the Child Advocate's designee; and | |
| 89 | - | (10) The executive director of the Commission on Women, Children | |
| 90 | - | and Seniors, or the executive director's designee. | |
| 91 | - | (c) All appointments to the collaborative shall be made not later | |
| 92 | - | than thirty days after the effective date of this section. Any vacancy | |
| 93 | - | shall be filled by the appointing authority. Substitute House Bill No. 7215 | |
| 94 | 74 | ||
| 95 | - | Public Act No. 19-166 4 of 13 | |
| 75 | + | LCO {\\PRDFS1\HCOUSERS\BARRYJN\WS\2019HB-07215- | |
| 76 | + | R02-HB.docx } | |
| 77 | + | 3 of 21 | |
| 96 | 78 | ||
| 97 | - | (d) The cochairpersons of the collaborative shall be the executive | |
| 98 | - | director of the Commission on Women, Children and Seniors, or the | |
| 99 | - | executive director's designee, and a cochairperson elected from among | |
| 100 | - | the members. The first meeting of the collaborative shall be held not | |
| 101 | - | later than sixty days after the effective date of this section. | |
| 102 | - | (e) The collaborative may designate subcommittees and advisory | |
| 103 | - | groups to carry out its functions, provided any subcommittees so | |
| 104 | - | designated shall be comprised of members of the collaborative. | |
| 105 | - | (f) The staff of the Commission on Women, Children and Seniors | |
| 106 | - | shall serve as administrative staff of the collaborative. | |
| 107 | - | (g) Not later than January 1, 2021, and annually thereafter, the | |
| 108 | - | collaborative shall submit a report concerning (1) its efforts to (A) | |
| 109 | - | monitor the school climate improvement efforts of local and regional | |
| 110 | - | boards of education, (B) document needs articulated by local and | |
| 111 | - | regional boards of education for technical assistance and training | |
| 112 | - | relating to fostering positive school climates, (C) identify best practices | |
| 113 | - | for promoting positive school climates, and (D) direct resources to | |
| 114 | - | support state-wide and local initiatives on issues relating to fostering | |
| 115 | - | and improving positive school climates and improving access to social | |
| 116 | - | and emotional learning, and (2) any recommendations, to the joint | |
| 117 | - | standing committees of the General Assembly having cognizance of | |
| 118 | - | matters relating to children and education, in accordance with the | |
| 119 | - | provisions of section 11-4a of the general statutes. | |
| 120 | - | Sec. 2. (Effective from passage) (a) Not later than January 1, 2020, the | |
| 121 | - | social and emotional learning and school climate advisory | |
| 122 | - | collaborative established pursuant to section 1 of this act shall develop | |
| 123 | - | a model positive school climate policy. In developing such model | |
| 124 | - | policy, the collaborative may review safe school climate plans | |
| 125 | - | developed and implemented by local and regional boards of education | |
| 126 | - | pursuant to section 10-222d of the general statutes, as amended by this Substitute House Bill No. 7215 | |
| 79 | + | one or more students repeatedly directed at another student attending 50 | |
| 80 | + | school in the same school district, that: (i) Causes physical or emotional 51 | |
| 81 | + | harm to such student or damage to such student's property, (ii) places 52 | |
| 82 | + | such student in reasonable fear of harm to himself or herself, or of 53 | |
| 83 | + | damage to his or her property, (iii) creates a hostile environment at 54 | |
| 84 | + | school for such student, (iv) infringes on the rights of such student at 55 | |
| 85 | + | school, or (v) substantially disrupts the education process or the 56 | |
| 86 | + | orderly operation of a school] a determination that aggressive behavior 57 | |
| 87 | + | or intentional harm-doing was (A) direct or indirect, (B) severe, 58 | |
| 88 | + | persistent or pervasive, and (C) characterized by an imbalance of 59 | |
| 89 | + | power. "Bullying" shall include, but need not be limited to, [a written, 60 | |
| 90 | + | oral or electronic communication or physical act or gesture] aggressive 61 | |
| 91 | + | behavior or intentional harm-doing based on any actual or perceived 62 | |
| 92 | + | differentiating characteristic, such as race, color, religion, ancestry, 63 | |
| 93 | + | national origin, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or 64 | |
| 94 | + | expression, socioeconomic status, academic status, physical 65 | |
| 95 | + | appearance, or mental, physical, developmental or sensory disability, 66 | |
| 96 | + | or by association with an individual or group who has or is perceived 67 | |
| 97 | + | to have one or more of such characteristics [;] 68 | |
| 98 | + | (3) "Imbalance of power" means a disparity (A) between individuals 69 | |
| 99 | + | with respect to social status or relative physical size, or (B) created 70 | |
| 100 | + | because aggressive behavior or intentional harm-doing was directed at 71 | |
| 101 | + | an individual by a group; 72 | |
| 102 | + | [(2)] (4) "Cyberbullying" means [any act of] bullying through the use 73 | |
| 103 | + | of the Internet, interactive and digital technologies, cellular mobile 74 | |
| 104 | + | telephone or other mobile electronic devices or any electronic 75 | |
| 105 | + | communications; 76 | |
| 106 | + | [(3)] (5) "Teen dating violence" means any act of physical, emotional 77 | |
| 107 | + | or sexual abuse, including stalking, harassing and threatening, that 78 | |
| 108 | + | occurs between two students who are currently in or who have 79 | |
| 109 | + | recently been in a dating relationship; 80 | |
| 110 | + | [(4)] (6) "Mobile electronic device" means any hand-held or other 81 Substitute Bill No. 7215 | |
| 127 | 111 | ||
| 128 | - | Public Act No. 19-166 5 of 13 | |
| 129 | 112 | ||
| 130 | - | act. | |
| 131 | - | (b) Not later than July 1, 2020, the social and emotional learning and | |
| 132 | - | school climate advisory collaborative established pursuant to section 1 | |
| 133 | - | of this act shall submit the assessment it developed pursuant to section | |
| 134 | - | 1 of this act for screening students at risk for suicide and | |
| 135 | - | recommendations for implementation of such assessment in public | |
| 136 | - | elementary, middle and high schools to the joint standing committees | |
| 137 | - | of the General Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to | |
| 138 | - | children and education, in accordance with the provisions of section | |
| 139 | - | 11-4a of the general statutes. | |
| 140 | - | (c) Not later than July 1, 2021, the social and emotional learning and | |
| 141 | - | school climate advisory collaborative established pursuant to section 1 | |
| 142 | - | of this act shall develop a biennial state-wide school climate survey | |
| 143 | - | and provide such survey to the Department of Education. Such survey | |
| 144 | - | shall be designed to obtain confidential information from school | |
| 145 | - | employees and the parents and guardians of students concerning such | |
| 146 | - | employees' and parents' and guardians' impressions of the school | |
| 147 | - | climate at the school for which such school employees are assigned or | |
| 148 | - | such parents' and guardians' children are enrolled. Such survey shall | |
| 149 | - | inquire as to, but need not be limited to, such school employees' and | |
| 150 | - | parents' and guardians' impressions of (1) the student learning | |
| 151 | - | environment at the school, including academic supports and resources | |
| 152 | - | available to students and school safety, (2) communication by school | |
| 153 | - | employees to parents and guardians concerning students, (3) the | |
| 154 | - | teaching environment at the school, which includes resources, support | |
| 155 | - | and professional development for school employees, leadership within | |
| 156 | - | the school and the availability of collaborative planning time, (4) | |
| 157 | - | whether a positive school climate exists at the school, (5) whether | |
| 158 | - | individuals of all races, ethnicities and cultural backgrounds feel | |
| 159 | - | welcomed at the school, and (6) the availability of supports and | |
| 160 | - | strategies for the development and retention of teachers and Substitute House Bill No. 7215 | |
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| 114 | + | R02-HB.docx } | |
| 115 | + | 4 of 21 | |
| 161 | 116 | ||
| 162 | - | Public Act No. 19-166 6 of 13 | |
| 117 | + | portable electronic equipment capable of providing data 82 | |
| 118 | + | communication between two or more individuals, including, but not 83 | |
| 119 | + | limited to, a text messaging device, a paging device, a personal digital 84 | |
| 120 | + | assistant, a laptop computer, equipment that is capable of playing a 85 | |
| 121 | + | video game or a digital video disk, or equipment on which digital 86 | |
| 122 | + | images are taken or transmitted; 87 | |
| 123 | + | [(5)] (7) "Electronic communication" means any transfer of signs, 88 | |
| 124 | + | signals, writing, images, sounds, data or intelligence of any nature 89 | |
| 125 | + | transmitted in whole or in part by a wire, radio, electromagnetic, 90 | |
| 126 | + | photoelectronic or photo-optical system; 91 | |
| 127 | + | [(6) "Hostile environment" means a situation in which bullying 92 | |
| 128 | + | among students is sufficiently severe or pervasive to alter the 93 | |
| 129 | + | conditions of the school climate;] 94 | |
| 130 | + | [(7)] (8) "Outside of the school setting" means at a location, activity 95 | |
| 131 | + | or program that is not school related, or through the use of an 96 | |
| 132 | + | electronic device or a mobile electronic device that is not owned, 97 | |
| 133 | + | leased or used by a local or regional board of education; 98 | |
| 134 | + | [(8)] (9) "School employee" means (A) a teacher, substitute teacher, 99 | |
| 135 | + | school administrator, school superintendent, guidance counselor, 100 | |
| 136 | + | school counselor, psychologist, social worker, nurse, physician, school 101 | |
| 137 | + | paraprofessional or coach employed by a local or regional board of 102 | |
| 138 | + | education or working in a public elementary, middle or high school, [; 103 | |
| 139 | + | or] (B) any other individual who, in the performance of his or her 104 | |
| 140 | + | duties, has regular contact with students and who provides services to 105 | |
| 141 | + | or on behalf of students enrolled in a public elementary, middle or 106 | |
| 142 | + | high school, pursuant to a contract with the local or regional board of 107 | |
| 143 | + | education, [; and] or (C) a volunteer who, in the performance of such 108 | |
| 144 | + | volunteer's duties, has regular contact with students and provides 109 | |
| 145 | + | services to or on behalf of students enrolled in a public elementary, 110 | |
| 146 | + | middle or high school; 111 | |
| 147 | + | [(9)] (10) "School climate" means the quality and character of school 112 Substitute Bill No. 7215 | |
| 163 | 148 | ||
| 164 | - | administrators, including, but not limited to, minority teachers and | |
| 165 | - | administrators, school psychologists and school counselors, and | |
| 166 | - | suggestions for increasing the availability of such supports and | |
| 167 | - | strategies. | |
| 168 | - | (d) Not later than August 1, 2021, the Department of Education shall | |
| 169 | - | publish the model positive school climate policy developed pursuant | |
| 170 | - | to subsection (a) of this section and the biennial state-wide school | |
| 171 | - | climate survey developed pursuant to subsection (c) of this section on | |
| 172 | - | the Internet web site of the department. | |
| 173 | - | Sec. 3. Section 10-222d of the general statutes is repealed and the | |
| 174 | - | following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1, 2021): | |
| 175 | - | (a) As used in this section, sections 10-222g to 10-222i, inclusive, | |
| 176 | - | [and] section 10-222k and sections 1 and 2 of this act: | |
| 177 | - | (1) "Bullying" means [(A) the repeated use by one or more students | |
| 178 | - | of a written, oral or electronic communication, such as cyberbullying, | |
| 179 | - | directed at or referring to another student attending school in the same | |
| 180 | - | school district, or (B) a physical act or gesture by one or more students | |
| 181 | - | repeatedly directed at another student attending school in the same | |
| 182 | - | school district, that: (i) Causes physical or emotional harm to such | |
| 183 | - | student or damage to such student's property, (ii) places such student | |
| 184 | - | in reasonable fear of harm to himself or herself, or of damage to his or | |
| 185 | - | her property, (iii) creates a hostile environment at school for such | |
| 186 | - | student, (iv) infringes on the rights of such student at school, or (v) | |
| 187 | - | substantially disrupts the education process or the orderly operation of | |
| 188 | - | a school] an act that is direct or indirect and severe, persistent or | |
| 189 | - | pervasive, which (A) causes physical or emotional harm to an | |
| 190 | - | individual, (B) places an individual in reasonable fear of physical or | |
| 191 | - | emotional harm, or (C) infringes on the rights or opportunities of an | |
| 192 | - | individual at school. "Bullying" shall include, but need not be limited | |
| 193 | - | to, a written, oral or electronic communication or physical act or Substitute House Bill No. 7215 | |
| 194 | 149 | ||
| 195 | - | Public Act No. 19-166 7 of 13 | |
| 150 | + | LCO {\\PRDFS1\HCOUSERS\BARRYJN\WS\2019HB-07215- | |
| 151 | + | R02-HB.docx } | |
| 152 | + | 5 of 21 | |
| 196 | 153 | ||
| 197 | - | gesture based on any actual or perceived differentiating characteristic, | |
| 198 | - | such as race, color, religion, ancestry, national origin, gender, sexual | |
| 199 | - | orientation, gender identity or expression, socioeconomic status, | |
| 200 | - | academic status, physical appearance, or mental, physical, | |
| 201 | - | developmental or sensory disability, or by association with an | |
| 202 | - | individual or group who has or is perceived to have one or more of | |
| 203 | - | such characteristics; | |
| 204 | - | (2) "Cyberbullying" means any act of bullying through the use of the | |
| 205 | - | Internet, interactive and digital technologies, cellular mobile telephone | |
| 206 | - | or other mobile electronic devices or any electronic communications; | |
| 207 | - | (3) "Teen dating violence" means any act of physical, emotional or | |
| 208 | - | sexual abuse, including stalking, harassing and threatening, that | |
| 209 | - | occurs between two students who are currently in or who have | |
| 210 | - | recently been in a dating relationship; | |
| 211 | - | (4) "Mobile electronic device" means any hand-held or other | |
| 212 | - | portable electronic equipment capable of providing data | |
| 213 | - | communication between two or more individuals, including, but not | |
| 214 | - | limited to, a text messaging device, a paging device, a personal digital | |
| 215 | - | assistant, a laptop computer, equipment that is capable of playing a | |
| 216 | - | video game or a digital video disk, or equipment on which digital | |
| 217 | - | images are taken or transmitted; | |
| 218 | - | (5) "Electronic communication" means any transfer of signs, signals, | |
| 219 | - | writing, images, sounds, data or intelligence of any nature transmitted | |
| 220 | - | in whole or in part by a wire, radio, electromagnetic, photoelectronic | |
| 221 | - | or photo-optical system; | |
| 222 | - | (6) "Hostile environment" means a situation in which bullying | |
| 223 | - | among students is sufficiently severe or pervasive to alter the | |
| 224 | - | conditions of the school climate; | |
| 225 | - | (7) "Outside of the school setting" means at a location, activity or Substitute House Bill No. 7215 | |
| 154 | + | life [with a particular focus on the quality of the relationships within 113 | |
| 155 | + | the school community between and among students and adults.] based 114 | |
| 156 | + | on patterns of students', parents' and school employees' experiences of 115 | |
| 157 | + | school life, including, but not limited to, norms, goals, values, 116 | |
| 158 | + | interpersonal relationships, teaching and learning practices and 117 | |
| 159 | + | organizational structures; 118 | |
| 160 | + | (11) "Positive school climate" means a school climate that (A) 119 | |
| 161 | + | promotes norms, values, expectations and beliefs that support feelings 120 | |
| 162 | + | of social, emotional and physical safety, (B) causes students, families of 121 | |
| 163 | + | students and school employees to feel engaged and respected and to 122 | |
| 164 | + | work together to develop and contribute to a shared school vision, (C) 123 | |
| 165 | + | encourages educators to model and nurture attitudes that emphasize 124 | |
| 166 | + | the benefits and satisfaction gained from learning, and (D) allows for 125 | |
| 167 | + | each person to contribute to the operation of the school and care of the 126 | |
| 168 | + | physical environment of the school; 127 | |
| 169 | + | (12) "Emotional intelligence" means the ability to (A) perceive or 128 | |
| 170 | + | recognize emotions in oneself or others, (B) use emotions to facilitate 129 | |
| 171 | + | cognitive activities, including, but not limited to, reasoning, problem 130 | |
| 172 | + | solving and interpersonal communication, (C) understand and label 131 | |
| 173 | + | emotions, and (D) manage emotions in oneself and others; and 132 | |
| 174 | + | (13) "Social and emotional learning" means the process through 133 | |
| 175 | + | which children and adults achieve emotional intelligence through 134 | |
| 176 | + | competencies, such as self-awareness, self-management, social 135 | |
| 177 | + | awareness, relationship skills and reasonable decision-making. 136 | |
| 178 | + | (b) Each local and regional board of education shall develop and 137 | |
| 179 | + | implement a safe school climate [plan to address the existence of 138 | |
| 180 | + | bullying and teen dating violence in its schools] policy. Such [plan] 139 | |
| 181 | + | policy shall: 140 | |
| 182 | + | (1) [Enable] Promote prevention of and intervention in aggressive 141 | |
| 183 | + | behavior or intentional harm-doing and the fostering of a positive 142 | |
| 184 | + | school climate through the utilization of model school climate 143 Substitute Bill No. 7215 | |
| 226 | 185 | ||
| 227 | - | Public Act No. 19-166 8 of 13 | |
| 228 | 186 | ||
| 229 | - | program that is not school related, or through the use of an electronic | |
| 230 | - | device or a mobile electronic device that is not owned, leased or used | |
| 231 | - | by a local or regional board of education; | |
| 232 | - | (8) "School employee" means (A) a teacher, substitute teacher, | |
| 233 | - | school administrator, school superintendent, guidance counselor, | |
| 234 | - | school counselor, psychologist, social worker, nurse, physician, school | |
| 235 | - | paraprofessional or coach employed by a local or regional board of | |
| 236 | - | education or working in a public elementary, middle or high school; or | |
| 237 | - | (B) any other individual who, in the performance of his or her duties, | |
| 238 | - | has regular contact with students and who provides services to or on | |
| 239 | - | behalf of students enrolled in a public elementary, middle or high | |
| 240 | - | school, pursuant to a contract with the local or regional board of | |
| 241 | - | education; [and] | |
| 242 | - | (9) "School climate" means the quality and character of school life | |
| 243 | - | [with a particular focus on the quality of the relationships within the | |
| 244 | - | school community between and among students and adults.] based on | |
| 245 | - | patterns of students', parents' and guardians' and school employees' | |
| 246 | - | experiences of school life, including, but not limited to, norms, goals, | |
| 247 | - | values, interpersonal relationships, teaching and learning practices and | |
| 248 | - | organizational structures; | |
| 249 | - | (10) "Positive school climate" means a school climate in which (A) | |
| 250 | - | the norms, values, expectations and beliefs that support feelings of | |
| 251 | - | social, emotional and physical safety are promoted, (B) students, | |
| 252 | - | parents and guardians of students and school employees feel engaged | |
| 253 | - | and respected and work together to develop and contribute to a shared | |
| 254 | - | school vision, (C) educators model and nurture attitudes that | |
| 255 | - | emphasize the benefits and satisfaction gained from learning, and (D) | |
| 256 | - | each person feels comfortable contributing to the operation of the | |
| 257 | - | school and care of the physical environment of the school; | |
| 258 | - | (11) "Emotional intelligence" means the ability to (A) perceive, Substitute House Bill No. 7215 | |
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| 188 | + | R02-HB.docx } | |
| 189 | + | 6 of 21 | |
| 259 | 190 | ||
| 260 | - | Public Act No. 19-166 9 of 13 | |
| 191 | + | standards, such as the National School Climate Standards published 144 | |
| 192 | + | by the National School Climate Center; 145 | |
| 193 | + | (2) Include prevention strategies for bullying and teen dating 146 | |
| 194 | + | violence in schools, which may include, but need not be limited to, (A) 147 | |
| 195 | + | adoption of evidence-based, data-driven systems for assessing, 148 | |
| 196 | + | implementing and continuously improving culturally competent, 149 | |
| 197 | + | restorative, social and emotional learning in consultation with or on 150 | |
| 198 | + | the recommendation of the Department of Education, (B) school rules 151 | |
| 199 | + | and policies that prohibit bullying and teen dating violence and that 152 | |
| 200 | + | establish appropriate interventions for those involved in such acts, (C) 153 | |
| 201 | + | adequate school employee supervision of outdoor areas, hallways, 154 | |
| 202 | + | lunchrooms, bathrooms, school buses and other areas where bullying 155 | |
| 203 | + | or teen dating violence is likely to occur, (D) culturally competent 156 | |
| 204 | + | school-wide training that focuses on restorative practices and social 157 | |
| 205 | + | and emotional learning competencies and evidence-based tools to 158 | |
| 206 | + | develop such competencies, (E) student and peer-led training, 159 | |
| 207 | + | education and support, and (F) promotion of parent or guardian 160 | |
| 208 | + | partnership and engagement in fostering a positive school climate 161 | |
| 209 | + | through individual or team participation in meetings and trainings; 162 | |
| 210 | + | (3) Include intervention protocols to address bullying and teen 163 | |
| 211 | + | dating violence in schools by (A) enabling students to anonymously 164 | |
| 212 | + | report [acts of bullying] aggressive behavior or intentional harm-doing 165 | |
| 213 | + | to school employees and require students and the parents or guardians 166 | |
| 214 | + | of students to be notified at the beginning of each school year of the 167 | |
| 215 | + | process by which students may make such reports, [(2) enable] (B) 168 | |
| 216 | + | enabling the parents or guardians of students to file written reports of 169 | |
| 217 | + | [suspected bullying, (3) require] aggressive behavior or intentional 170 | |
| 218 | + | harm-doing, (C) requiring school employees who witness [acts of 171 | |
| 219 | + | bullying] aggressive behavior or intentional harm-doing or receive 172 | |
| 220 | + | reports of [bullying] aggressive behavior or intentional harm-doing to 173 | |
| 221 | + | orally notify the safe school climate specialist, described in section 10-174 | |
| 222 | + | 222k, as amended by this act, or another school administrator if the 175 | |
| 223 | + | safe school climate specialist is unavailable, not later than one school 176 Substitute Bill No. 7215 | |
| 261 | 224 | ||
| 262 | - | recognize and understand emotions in oneself or others, (B) use | |
| 263 | - | emotions to facilitate cognitive activities, including, but not limited to, | |
| 264 | - | reasoning, problem solving and interpersonal communication, (C) | |
| 265 | - | understand and identify emotions, and (D) manage emotions in | |
| 266 | - | oneself and others; and | |
| 267 | - | (12) "Social and emotional learning" means the process through | |
| 268 | - | which children and adults achieve emotional intelligence through the | |
| 269 | - | competencies of self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, | |
| 270 | - | relationship skills and responsible decision-making. | |
| 271 | - | (b) Each local and regional board of education shall develop and | |
| 272 | - | implement a safe school climate plan to address the existence of | |
| 273 | - | bullying and teen dating violence in its schools. Such plan shall: (1) | |
| 274 | - | Enable students to anonymously report acts of bullying to school | |
| 275 | - | employees and require students and the parents or guardians of | |
| 276 | - | students to be notified at the beginning of each school year of the | |
| 277 | - | process by which students may make such reports, (2) enable the | |
| 278 | - | parents or guardians of students to file written reports of suspected | |
| 279 | - | bullying, (3) require school employees who witness acts of bullying or | |
| 280 | - | receive reports of bullying to orally notify the safe school climate | |
| 281 | - | specialist, described in section 10-222k, or another school administrator | |
| 282 | - | if the safe school climate specialist is unavailable, not later than one | |
| 283 | - | school day after such school employee witnesses or receives a report of | |
| 284 | - | bullying, and to file a written report not later than two school days | |
| 285 | - | after making such oral report, (4) require the safe school climate | |
| 286 | - | specialist to investigate or supervise the investigation of all reports of | |
| 287 | - | bullying and ensure that such investigation is completed promptly | |
| 288 | - | after receipt of any written reports made under this section and that | |
| 289 | - | the parents or guardians of the student alleged to have committed an | |
| 290 | - | act or acts of bullying and the parents or guardians of the student | |
| 291 | - | against whom such alleged act or acts were directed receive prompt | |
| 292 | - | notice that such investigation has commenced, (5) require the safe Substitute House Bill No. 7215 | |
| 293 | 225 | ||
| 294 | - | Public Act No. 19-166 10 of 13 | |
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| 227 | + | R02-HB.docx } | |
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| 295 | 229 | ||
| 296 | - | school climate specialist to review any anonymous reports, except that | |
| 297 | - | no disciplinary action shall be taken solely on the basis of an | |
| 298 | - | anonymous report, (6) include a prevention and intervention strategy, | |
| 299 | - | as defined by section 10-222g, for school employees to deal with | |
| 300 | - | bullying and teen dating violence, (7) provide for the inclusion of | |
| 301 | - | language in student codes of conduct concerning bullying, (8) require | |
| 302 | - | each school to notify the parents or guardians of students who commit | |
| 303 | - | any verified acts of bullying and the parents or guardians of students | |
| 304 | - | against whom such acts were directed not later than forty-eight hours | |
| 305 | - | after the completion of the investigation described in subdivision (4) of | |
| 306 | - | this subsection (A) of the results of such investigation, and (B) verbally | |
| 307 | - | and by electronic mail, if such parents' or guardians' electronic mail | |
| 308 | - | addresses are known, that such parents or guardians may refer to the | |
| 309 | - | plain language explanation of the rights and remedies available under | |
| 310 | - | sections 10-4a and 10-4b published on the Internet web site of the local | |
| 311 | - | or regional board of education pursuant to section 4 of this act, (9) | |
| 312 | - | require each school to invite the parents or guardians of a student | |
| 313 | - | against whom such act was directed to a meeting to communicate to | |
| 314 | - | such parents or guardians the measures being taken by the school to | |
| 315 | - | ensure the safety of the student against whom such act was directed | |
| 316 | - | and policies and procedures in place to prevent further acts of | |
| 317 | - | bullying, (10) require each school to invite the parents or guardians of | |
| 318 | - | a student who commits any verified act of bullying to a meeting, | |
| 319 | - | separate and distinct from the meeting required in subdivision (9) of | |
| 320 | - | this subsection, to discuss specific interventions undertaken by the | |
| 321 | - | school to prevent further acts of bullying, (11) establish a procedure for | |
| 322 | - | each school to document and maintain records relating to reports and | |
| 323 | - | investigations of bullying in such school and to maintain a list of the | |
| 324 | - | number of verified acts of bullying in such school and make such list | |
| 325 | - | available for public inspection, and annually report such number to the | |
| 326 | - | Department of Education, and in such manner as prescribed by the | |
| 327 | - | Commissioner of Education, (12) direct the development of case-by- | |
| 328 | - | case interventions for addressing repeated incidents of bullying Substitute House Bill No. 7215 | |
| 230 | + | day after such school employee witnesses or receives a report of 177 | |
| 231 | + | [bullying] aggressive behavior or intentional harm-doing, and to file a 178 | |
| 232 | + | written report not later than two school days after making such oral 179 | |
| 233 | + | report, [(4) require] (D) requiring the safe school climate specialist to 180 | |
| 234 | + | investigate or supervise the investigation of all reports of [bullying] 181 | |
| 235 | + | aggressive behavior or intentional harm-doing and ensure that such 182 | |
| 236 | + | investigation is completed promptly after receipt of any written 183 | |
| 237 | + | reports made under this section and that the parents or guardians of 184 | |
| 238 | + | [the] a student alleged to have [committed an act or acts of bullying] 185 | |
| 239 | + | engaged in aggressive behavior or intentional harm-doing and the 186 | |
| 240 | + | parents or guardians of the student against whom such [alleged act or 187 | |
| 241 | + | acts were] aggressive behavior or intentional harm-doing was directed 188 | |
| 242 | + | receive prompt notice that such investigation has commenced, [(5) 189 | |
| 243 | + | require] (E) requiring the safe school climate specialist or such 190 | |
| 244 | + | specialist's designee to review any anonymous reports, except that no 191 | |
| 245 | + | disciplinary action shall be taken solely on the basis of an anonymous 192 | |
| 246 | + | report, [(6) include a prevention and intervention strategy, as defined 193 | |
| 247 | + | by section 10-222g, for school employees to deal with bullying and 194 | |
| 248 | + | teen dating violence, (7) provide for the inclusion of language in 195 | |
| 249 | + | student codes of conduct concerning bullying, (8) require each school] 196 | |
| 250 | + | (F) requiring the safe school climate specialist or such specialist's 197 | |
| 251 | + | designee, in consultation with the school employee who witnessed or 198 | |
| 252 | + | received a report of aggressive behavior or intentional harm-doing by 199 | |
| 253 | + | a student, to notify the parents or guardians of [students who commit 200 | |
| 254 | + | any verified acts of bullying and the parents or guardians of students 201 | |
| 255 | + | against whom such acts were directed not later than forty-eight hours 202 | |
| 256 | + | after the completion of the investigation described in subdivision (4) of 203 | |
| 257 | + | this subsection, (9) require each school to invite the parents or 204 | |
| 258 | + | guardians of a student against whom such act was directed to a 205 | |
| 259 | + | meeting to communicate to such parents or guardians the measures 206 | |
| 260 | + | being taken by the school to ensure the safety of the student against 207 | |
| 261 | + | whom such act was directed and policies and procedures in place to 208 | |
| 262 | + | prevent further acts of bullying, (10) require each school to invite the 209 | |
| 263 | + | parents or guardians of a student who commits any verified act of 210 | |
| 264 | + | bullying to a meeting, separate and distinct from the meeting required 211 Substitute Bill No. 7215 | |
| 329 | 265 | ||
| 330 | - | Public Act No. 19-166 11 of 13 | |
| 331 | 266 | ||
| 332 | - | against a single individual or recurrently perpetrated bullying | |
| 333 | - | incidents by the same individual that may include both counseling and | |
| 334 | - | discipline, (13) prohibit discrimination and retaliation against an | |
| 335 | - | individual who reports or assists in the investigation of an act of | |
| 336 | - | bullying, (14) direct the development of student safety support plans | |
| 337 | - | for students against whom an act of bullying was directed that address | |
| 338 | - | safety measures the school will take to protect such students against | |
| 339 | - | further acts of bullying, (15) require the principal of a school, or the | |
| 340 | - | principal's designee, to notify the appropriate local law enforcement | |
| 341 | - | agency when such principal, or the principal's designee, believes that | |
| 342 | - | any acts of bullying constitute criminal conduct, (16) prohibit bullying | |
| 343 | - | (A) on school grounds, at a school-sponsored or school-related activity, | |
| 344 | - | function or program whether on or off school grounds, at a school bus | |
| 345 | - | stop, on a school bus or other vehicle owned, leased or used by a local | |
| 346 | - | or regional board of education, or through the use of an electronic | |
| 347 | - | device or an electronic mobile device owned, leased or used by the | |
| 348 | - | local or regional board of education, and (B) outside of the school | |
| 349 | - | setting if such bullying (i) creates a hostile environment at school for | |
| 350 | - | the student against whom such bullying was directed, or (ii) infringes | |
| 351 | - | on the rights of the student against whom such bullying was directed | |
| 352 | - | at school, or (iii) substantially disrupts the education process or the | |
| 353 | - | orderly operation of a school, (17) require, at the beginning of each | |
| 354 | - | school year, each school to provide all school employees with a written | |
| 355 | - | or electronic copy of the school district's safe school climate plan, and | |
| 356 | - | (18) require that all school employees annually complete the training | |
| 357 | - | described in section 10-220a or section 10-222j. The notification | |
| 358 | - | required pursuant to subdivision (8) of this subsection and the | |
| 359 | - | invitation required pursuant to subdivision (9) of this subsection shall | |
| 360 | - | include a description of the response of school employees to such acts | |
| 361 | - | and any consequences that may result from the commission of further | |
| 362 | - | acts of bullying. | |
| 363 | - | (c) Not later than September 1, 2014, each local and regional board Substitute House Bill No. 7215 | |
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| 364 | 270 | ||
| 365 | - | Public Act No. 19-166 12 of 13 | |
| 271 | + | in subdivision (9) of this subsection, to discuss specific interventions 212 | |
| 272 | + | undertaken by the school to prevent further acts of bullying, (11) 213 | |
| 273 | + | establish] such student upon a finding that such student committed an 214 | |
| 274 | + | act of bullying, not later than forty-eight hours after the completion of 215 | |
| 275 | + | an investigation described in subparagraph (D) of this subdivision, of 216 | |
| 276 | + | the specific interventions in progress or undertaken by the school to 217 | |
| 277 | + | prevent further acts of bullying by such student, (G) requiring the safe 218 | |
| 278 | + | school climate specialist or such specialist's designee to notify the 219 | |
| 279 | + | parents or guardians of a student against whom an act of bullying was 220 | |
| 280 | + | directed, not later than forty-eight hours after the completion of an 221 | |
| 281 | + | investigation described in subparagraph (D) of this subdivision, of the 222 | |
| 282 | + | measures being taken by the school to ensure the safety of such 223 | |
| 283 | + | student and the policies and procedures in place at the school to 224 | |
| 284 | + | prevent further acts of bullying, (H) establishing a procedure for each 225 | |
| 285 | + | school to document and maintain records relating to reports and 226 | |
| 286 | + | investigations of suspected bullying in such school and to maintain a 227 | |
| 287 | + | list of the number of verified acts of bullying in such school and make 228 | |
| 288 | + | such list available for public inspection, and annually report such 229 | |
| 289 | + | number to the Department of Education, and in such manner as 230 | |
| 290 | + | prescribed by the Commissioner of Education, [(12) direct] (I) directing 231 | |
| 291 | + | the development of case-by-case interventions for addressing 232 | |
| 292 | + | [repeated incidents of] bullying against a single individual, [or 233 | |
| 293 | + | recurrently perpetrated] bullying incidents by the same individual 234 | |
| 294 | + | [that may include both counseling and discipline, (13) prohibit] and, at 235 | |
| 295 | + | the discretion of the safe school climate specialist, aggressive behavior 236 | |
| 296 | + | or intentional harm-doing by the same individual that may not rise to 237 | |
| 297 | + | the level of bullying, such as restorative, equity-based, bias-informed, 238 | |
| 298 | + | culturally competent, trauma-informed interventions for (i) students 239 | |
| 299 | + | found to have engaged in bullying, (ii) students against whom acts of 240 | |
| 300 | + | bullying have been committed, (iii) parents and guardians, and (iv) 241 | |
| 301 | + | school employees. Interventions may include, but not be limited to, 242 | |
| 302 | + | referrals to a school counselor, psychologist or other appropriate social 243 | |
| 303 | + | or mental health service, plans that address safety measures the school 244 | |
| 304 | + | will take to protect students against further acts of aggressive behavior 245 | |
| 305 | + | or intentional harm-doing and periodic follow-ups by the safe school 246 Substitute Bill No. 7215 | |
| 366 | 306 | ||
| 367 | - | of education that has not had a safe school climate plan, developed | |
| 368 | - | pursuant to this section, previously reviewed and approved by the | |
| 369 | - | Department of Education shall submit a safe school climate plan to the | |
| 370 | - | department for review and approval in accordance with the provisions | |
| 371 | - | of section 10-222p. Not later than thirty calendar days after approval | |
| 372 | - | by the department of such safe school climate plan, the board shall | |
| 373 | - | make such plan available on the board's and each individual school in | |
| 374 | - | the school district's Internet web site and ensure that such plan is | |
| 375 | - | included in the school district's publication of the rules, procedures | |
| 376 | - | and standards of conduct for schools and in all student handbooks. | |
| 377 | - | (d) On and after July 1, 2012, and biennially thereafter, each local | |
| 378 | - | and regional board of education shall require each school in the district | |
| 379 | - | to complete an assessment using the school climate assessment | |
| 380 | - | instruments, including surveys, approved and disseminated by the | |
| 381 | - | Department of Education pursuant to section 10-222h. Each local and | |
| 382 | - | regional board of education shall collect the school climate assessments | |
| 383 | - | for each school in the district and submit such school climate | |
| 384 | - | assessments to the department. | |
| 385 | - | Sec. 4. (NEW) (Effective July 1, 2019) Not later than June 30, 2021, | |
| 386 | - | each local and regional board of education shall publish on the Internet | |
| 387 | - | web site of such board the plain language explanation of the rights and | |
| 388 | - | remedies available under sections 10-4a and 10-4b of the general | |
| 389 | - | statutes provided pursuant to subsection (a) of section 1 of this act. | |
| 390 | - | Sec. 5. (NEW) (Effective July 1, 2019) Each local and regional board of | |
| 391 | - | education, in consultation with the Department of Education and the | |
| 392 | - | social and emotional learning and school climate advisory | |
| 393 | - | collaborative established pursuant to section 1 of this act, shall provide | |
| 394 | - | on the Internet web site of the department training materials to school | |
| 395 | - | administrators regarding the prevention of and intervention in | |
| 396 | - | discrimination against and targeted harassment of students based on | |
| 397 | - | such students' (1) actual or perceived differentiating characteristics, Substitute House Bill No. 7215 | |
| 398 | 307 | ||
| 399 | - | Public Act No. 19-166 13 of 13 | |
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| 400 | 311 | ||
| 401 | - | such as race, color, religion, ancestry, national origin, gender, sexual | |
| 402 | - | orientation, gender identity or expression, socioeconomic status, | |
| 403 | - | academic status, physical appearance or mental, physical, | |
| 404 | - | developmental or sensory disability, or (2) association with individuals | |
| 405 | - | or groups who have or are perceived to have one or more of such | |
| 406 | - | characteristics. Such training materials may be developed in | |
| 407 | - | consultation with or provided by one or more organizations offering | |
| 408 | - | training on identifying, preventing and intervening in discrimination. | |
| 312 | + | climate specialist, and (J) prohibiting discrimination and retaliation 247 | |
| 313 | + | against an individual who reports or assists in the investigation of an 248 | |
| 314 | + | act of [bullying, (14) direct the development of student safety support 249 | |
| 315 | + | plans for students against whom an act of bullying was directed that 250 | |
| 316 | + | address safety measures the school will take to protect such students 251 | |
| 317 | + | against further acts of bullying, (15) require] aggressive behavior or 252 | |
| 318 | + | intentional harm-doing. 253 | |
| 319 | + | (c) Nothing in this section shall prevent the principal of a school, or 254 | |
| 320 | + | the principal's designee, [to notify] from notifying the appropriate 255 | |
| 321 | + | local law enforcement agency when such principal, or the principal's 256 | |
| 322 | + | designee, believes that any acts of bullying or aggressive behavior or 257 | |
| 323 | + | intentional harm-doing constitute criminal conduct. [, (16) prohibit 258 | |
| 324 | + | bullying (A) on school grounds, at a school-sponsored or school-259 | |
| 325 | + | related activity, function or program whether on or off school grounds, 260 | |
| 326 | + | at a school bus stop, on a school bus or other vehicle owned, leased or 261 | |
| 327 | + | used by a local or regional board of education, or through the use of an 262 | |
| 328 | + | electronic device or an electronic mobile device owned, leased or used 263 | |
| 329 | + | by the local or regional board of education, and (B) outside of the 264 | |
| 330 | + | school setting if such bullying (I) creates a hostile environment at 265 | |
| 331 | + | school for the student against whom such bullying was directed, or (ii) 266 | |
| 332 | + | infringes on the rights of the student against whom such bullying was 267 | |
| 333 | + | directed at school, or (iii) substantially disrupts the education process 268 | |
| 334 | + | or the orderly operation of a school, (17) require, at the beginning of 269 | |
| 335 | + | each school year, each school to provide all school employees with a 270 | |
| 336 | + | written or electronic copy of the school district's safe school climate 271 | |
| 337 | + | plan, and (18) require that all school employees annually complete the 272 | |
| 338 | + | training described in section 10-220a or section 10-222j. The notification 273 | |
| 339 | + | required pursuant to subdivision (8) of this subsection and the 274 | |
| 340 | + | invitation required pursuant to subdivision (9) of this subsection shall 275 | |
| 341 | + | include a description of the response of school employees to such acts 276 | |
| 342 | + | and any consequences that may result from the commission of further 277 | |
| 343 | + | acts of bullying.] 278 | |
| 344 | + | [(c)] (d) Not later than [September 1, 2014] January 1, 2020, each 279 Substitute Bill No. 7215 | |
| 345 | + | ||
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| 350 | + | ||
| 351 | + | local and regional board of education that has not had a safe school 280 | |
| 352 | + | climate [plan] policy, developed pursuant to this section, previously 281 | |
| 353 | + | reviewed [and approved] by the Department of Education shall submit 282 | |
| 354 | + | a safe school climate [plan] policy to the department for review [and 283 | |
| 355 | + | approval] in accordance with the provisions of section 10-222p, as 284 | |
| 356 | + | amended by this act. [Not later than thirty calendar days after 285 | |
| 357 | + | approval by the department of such safe school climate plan, the] Each 286 | |
| 358 | + | board shall make such [plan] policy available on the board's [and each 287 | |
| 359 | + | individual school in the school district's] Internet web site and ensure 288 | |
| 360 | + | that such [plan] policy is included in the [school district's] board's 289 | |
| 361 | + | publication of the rules, procedures and standards of conduct for 290 | |
| 362 | + | schools and in all student handbooks and employee manuals. 291 | |
| 363 | + | [(d)] (e) On and after July 1, [2012] 2020, and not less than biennially 292 | |
| 364 | + | thereafter, each local and regional board of education shall require 293 | |
| 365 | + | each school in the district to [complete an assessment using the school 294 | |
| 366 | + | climate assessment instruments, including surveys, approved and 295 | |
| 367 | + | disseminated by the Department of Education pursuant to section 10-296 | |
| 368 | + | 222h. Each local and regional board of education shall collect the 297 | |
| 369 | + | school climate assessments for each school in the district and submit 298 | |
| 370 | + | such school climate assessments to the department] assess school 299 | |
| 371 | + | climate using a school climate assessment instrument. Such school 300 | |
| 372 | + | climate assessment instrument shall (1) be an empirically validated 301 | |
| 373 | + | survey that provides an in-depth profile of a school community's 302 | |
| 374 | + | strengths and areas that need improvement, such as the 303 | |
| 375 | + | Comprehensive School Climate Inventory published by the National 304 | |
| 376 | + | School Climate Center, (2) present grade-level appropriate questions 305 | |
| 377 | + | that permit the collection of information on students' perspectives and 306 | |
| 378 | + | opinions about the school climate, and (3) protect the anonymity of 307 | |
| 379 | + | respondents. 308 | |
| 380 | + | (f) A local or regional board of education may accept private 309 | |
| 381 | + | donations for the purposes of this section. 310 | |
| 382 | + | Sec. 3. Section 10-222h of the general statutes is repealed and the 311 | |
| 383 | + | following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1, 2020): 312 Substitute Bill No. 7215 | |
| 384 | + | ||
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| 390 | + | (a) The Department of Educati on shall, within available 313 | |
| 391 | + | appropriations, (1) document school districts' [articulated needs for 314 | |
| 392 | + | technical assistance and training related to safe learning and bullying, 315 | |
| 393 | + | (2) collect information on the prevention and intervention strategies 316 | |
| 394 | + | used by schools to reduce the incidence of bullying, improve school 317 | |
| 395 | + | climate and improve reporting outcomes, (3) develop or recommend 318 | |
| 396 | + | model safe school climate plans for grades kindergarten to twelve, 319 | |
| 397 | + | inclusive, and (4) in collaboration with the Connecticut Association of 320 | |
| 398 | + | Schools, disseminate to all public schools grade-level appropriate 321 | |
| 399 | + | school climate assessment instruments, approved by the department, 322 | |
| 400 | + | to be used by local and regional boards of education for the purposes 323 | |
| 401 | + | of collecting information described in subdivision (2) of this subsection 324 | |
| 402 | + | so that the department can monitor bullying prevention efforts over 325 | |
| 403 | + | time and compare each district's progress to state trends. Such school 326 | |
| 404 | + | climate assessment instruments shall (A) include surveys that contain 327 | |
| 405 | + | uniform grade-level appropriate questions that collect information 328 | |
| 406 | + | about students' perspectives and opinions about the school climate at 329 | |
| 407 | + | the school, and (B) allow students to complete and submit such 330 | |
| 408 | + | assessment and survey anonymously] best practices for fostering a 331 | |
| 409 | + | positive school climate and any needs articulated by such districts for 332 | |
| 410 | + | technical assistance and training related to fostering a positive school 333 | |
| 411 | + | climate, and (2) recommend model safe and positive school climate 334 | |
| 412 | + | policies for school districts. 335 | |
| 413 | + | (b) [On or before February 1, 2014, and annually thereafter, the 336 | |
| 414 | + | department shall, in accordance with the provisions of section 11-4a, 337 | |
| 415 | + | submit a report on the status of its efforts pursuant to this section 338 | |
| 416 | + | including, but not limited to, the number of verified acts of bullying in 339 | |
| 417 | + | the state, an analysis of the responsive action taken by school districts, 340 | |
| 418 | + | an analysis of student responses on the uniform grade -level 341 | |
| 419 | + | appropriate questions described in subparagraph (A) of subdivision 342 | |
| 420 | + | (4) of subsection (a) of this section and any recommendations it may 343 | |
| 421 | + | have regarding additional activities or funding to prevent bullying in 344 | |
| 422 | + | schools and improve school climate to the joint standing committees of 345 | |
| 423 | + | the General Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to 346 Substitute Bill No. 7215 | |
| 424 | + | ||
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| 429 | + | ||
| 430 | + | education and children and to the speaker of the House of 347 | |
| 431 | + | Representatives, the president pro tempore of the Senate and the 348 | |
| 432 | + | majority and minority leaders of the House of Representatives and the 349 | |
| 433 | + | Senate.] The Department of Education, in consultation with local, state 350 | |
| 434 | + | and national experts on social and emotional skills assessment and 351 | |
| 435 | + | development, shall, within available appropriations, develop a social 352 | |
| 436 | + | and emotional learning assessment instrument to measure individual 353 | |
| 437 | + | student attainment of the social and emotional learning competencies. 354 | |
| 438 | + | Such instrument shall (1) measure intrapersonal and interpersonal 355 | |
| 439 | + | competencies, (2) be age and grade level appropriate for children in 356 | |
| 440 | + | preschool and grades kindergarten to twelve, inclusive, (3) include 357 | |
| 441 | + | measures to ensure feasibility of implementation in schools and 358 | |
| 442 | + | districts, and (4) assess what children know and are able to do. Such 359 | |
| 443 | + | instrument shall not be used to evaluate problem behaviors or screen 360 | |
| 444 | + | students for behavioral or emotional problems. 361 | |
| 445 | + | (c) The department may accept private donations for the purposes 362 | |
| 446 | + | of this section. 363 | |
| 447 | + | Sec. 4. Section 10-222j of the general statutes is repealed and the 364 | |
| 448 | + | following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1, 2020): 365 | |
| 449 | + | The Department of Education shall provide, within available 366 | |
| 450 | + | appropriations, annual training to school employees, as defined in 367 | |
| 451 | + | section 10-222d, as amended by this act, except those school employees 368 | |
| 452 | + | who hold professional certification pursuant to section 10-145b unless 369 | |
| 453 | + | such school employee who holds professional certification is the 370 | |
| 454 | + | district safe school climate coordinator [,] or the safe school climate 371 | |
| 455 | + | specialist, [or a member of the safe school climate committee, as 372 | |
| 456 | + | described in section 10-222k,] on the prevention, identification and 373 | |
| 457 | + | response to school bullying and teen dating violence, as defined in 374 | |
| 458 | + | section 10-222d, as amended by this act, and the prevention of and 375 | |
| 459 | + | response to youth suicide. Such training shall be culturally competent 376 | |
| 460 | + | and bias-informed and focus on restorative practices and the social and 377 | |
| 461 | + | emotional learning competencies, including, but not limited to, self-378 | |
| 462 | + | awareness, self-management, social awareness, relationship skills and 379 Substitute Bill No. 7215 | |
| 463 | + | ||
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| 468 | + | ||
| 469 | + | responsible decision-making and evidence-based tools to develop 380 | |
| 470 | + | those competencies. Such training may include, but not be limited to, 381 | |
| 471 | + | (1) developmentally appropriate strategies to prevent [bullying] 382 | |
| 472 | + | aggressive behavior or intentional harm-doing and teen dating 383 | |
| 473 | + | violence, [among students in school and outside of the school setting,] 384 | |
| 474 | + | (2) developmentally appropriate strategies for immediate and effective 385 | |
| 475 | + | interventions to stop [bullying] aggressive behavior or intentional 386 | |
| 476 | + | harm-doing and teen dating violence, (3) [information regarding the 387 | |
| 477 | + | interaction and relationship between students committing acts of 388 | |
| 478 | + | bullying and teen dating violence, students against whom such acts of 389 | |
| 479 | + | bullying and teen dating violence are directed and witnesses of such 390 | |
| 480 | + | acts of bullying and teen dating violence, (4)] research findings on 391 | |
| 481 | + | [bullying] aggressive behavior or intentional harm-doing and teen 392 | |
| 482 | + | dating violence, such as information about the types of students who 393 | |
| 483 | + | have been shown to be at-risk for [bullying] aggressive behavior or 394 | |
| 484 | + | intentional harm-doing and teen dating violence in the school setting, 395 | |
| 485 | + | [(5)] (4) information on the incidence and nature of cyberbullying, as 396 | |
| 486 | + | defined in section 10-222d, as amended by this act, [(6)] (5) Internet 397 | |
| 487 | + | safety issues as they relate to cyberbullying, or [(7)] (6) information on 398 | |
| 488 | + | the incidence of youth suicide, methods of identifying youths at risk of 399 | |
| 489 | + | suicide and developmentally appropriate strategies for effective 400 | |
| 490 | + | interventions to prevent youth suicide. Such training may be 401 | |
| 491 | + | conducted in a training-of-trainers model and presented in person by 402 | |
| 492 | + | mentors, offered in state-wide workshops or through on-line courses. 403 | |
| 493 | + | Sec. 5. Section 10-222k of the general statutes is repealed and the 404 | |
| 494 | + | following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1, 2020): 405 | |
| 495 | + | (a) For the school year commencing July 1, [2012] 2020, and each 406 | |
| 496 | + | school year thereafter, the superintendent of each local or regional 407 | |
| 497 | + | board of education shall appoint, from among existing school district 408 | |
| 498 | + | staff, a district safe school climate coordinator. The district safe school 409 | |
| 499 | + | climate coordinator shall: (1) Be responsible for implementing the 410 | |
| 500 | + | district's safe school climate [plan] policy, developed pursuant to 411 | |
| 501 | + | section 10-222d, as amended by this act, (2) collaborate with the safe 412 Substitute Bill No. 7215 | |
| 502 | + | ||
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| 507 | + | ||
| 508 | + | school climate specialists, described in subsection (b) of this section, 413 | |
| 509 | + | the board of education for the district and the superintendent of 414 | |
| 510 | + | schools of the school district to foster a positive school climate and 415 | |
| 511 | + | prevent, identify and respond to suspected bullying in the schools of 416 | |
| 512 | + | the district, and (3) [provide data and information, in collaboration 417 | |
| 513 | + | with the superintendent of schools of the district, to the Department of 418 | |
| 514 | + | Education regarding bullying, in accordance with the provisions of 419 | |
| 515 | + | subsection (b) of section 10-222d and subsection (a) of section 10-222h, 420 | |
| 516 | + | and (4) meet with the safe school climate specialists at least twice 421 | |
| 517 | + | during the school year to discuss issues relating to bullying in the 422 | |
| 518 | + | school district and] collaborate with the social and emotional learning 423 | |
| 519 | + | and school climate council, if any, established pursuant to subsection 424 | |
| 520 | + | (c) of this section to make recommendations concerning amendments 425 | |
| 521 | + | to the district's safe school climate [plan] policy. 426 | |
| 522 | + | (b) For the school year commencing July 1, [2012] 2020, and each 427 | |
| 523 | + | school year thereafter, the principal of each school, or the principal's 428 | |
| 524 | + | designee, shall serve as the safe school climate [specialist] coordinator 429 | |
| 525 | + | and shall (1) [investigate or supervise the investigation of reported acts 430 | |
| 526 | + | of bullying in the school in accordance with the district's safe school 431 | |
| 527 | + | climate plan, (2) collect and maintain records of reports and 432 | |
| 528 | + | investigations of bullying in the school, and (3) act as the primary 433 | |
| 529 | + | school official responsible for preventing, identifying and responding 434 | |
| 530 | + | to reports of bullying in the school] lead the school's efforts to establish 435 | |
| 531 | + | a positive school climate, (2) investigate or supervise the investigation 436 | |
| 532 | + | of suspected bullying in the school in accordance with the district's 437 | |
| 533 | + | safe school climate policy, and (3) collect and maintain records of 438 | |
| 534 | + | investigations of aggressive behavior or intentional harm-doing and 439 | |
| 535 | + | findings of bullying in the school. 440 | |
| 536 | + | (c) [(1)] For the school year commencing July 1, [2012] 2020, and 441 | |
| 537 | + | each school year thereafter, [the principal of each school shall establish 442 | |
| 538 | + | a committee or designate at least one existing committee in the school 443 | |
| 539 | + | to be responsible for developing and fostering a safe school climate 444 | |
| 540 | + | and addressing issues relating to bullying in the school. Such 445 Substitute Bill No. 7215 | |
| 541 | + | ||
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| 546 | + | ||
| 547 | + | committee shall include at least one parent or guardian of a student 446 | |
| 548 | + | enrolled in the school appointed by the school principal] each local and 447 | |
| 549 | + | regional board of education may establish a social and emotional 448 | |
| 550 | + | learning and school climate council. The members of such council shall 449 | |
| 551 | + | be individuals who work in, attend or are otherwise affiliated with a 450 | |
| 552 | + | school under the jurisdiction of the local or regional board of 451 | |
| 553 | + | education, and shall include, but not be limited to, a school 452 | |
| 554 | + | administrator, parent or guardian, teacher, student and member of the 453 | |
| 555 | + | community. The council shall, in consultation with the district safe 454 | |
| 556 | + | school climate coordinator, (1) monitor school climate improvement 455 | |
| 557 | + | efforts, (2) identify patterns of aggressive behavior or intentional harm-456 | |
| 558 | + | doing among students in the schools, (3) identify best practices for 457 | |
| 559 | + | promoting a positive school climate, (4) identify and pursue resources 458 | |
| 560 | + | to educate students, parents and guardians of students, school 459 | |
| 561 | + | employees and the community on issues relating to fostering a positive 460 | |
| 562 | + | school climate and social and emotional learning in schools, and (5) 461 | |
| 563 | + | perform any other duties as determined by the local or regional board 462 | |
| 564 | + | of education that are related to the prevention of and intervention in 463 | |
| 565 | + | aggressive behavior or intentional harm-doing and fostering a positive 464 | |
| 566 | + | school climate in the school district. 465 | |
| 567 | + | [(2) Any such committee shall: (A) Receive copies of completed 466 | |
| 568 | + | reports following investigations of bullying, (B) identify and address 467 | |
| 569 | + | patterns of bullying among students in the school, (C) implement the 468 | |
| 570 | + | provisions of the school security and safety plan, developed pursuant 469 | |
| 571 | + | to section 10-222m, regarding the collection, evaluation and reporting 470 | |
| 572 | + | of information relating to instances of disturbing or threatening 471 | |
| 573 | + | behavior that may not meet the definition of bullying, (D) review and 472 | |
| 574 | + | amend school policies relating to bullying, (E) review and make 473 | |
| 575 | + | recommendations to the district safe school climate coordinator 474 | |
| 576 | + | regarding the district's safe school climate plan based on issues and 475 | |
| 577 | + | experiences specific to the school, (F) educate students, school 476 | |
| 578 | + | employees and parents and guardians of students on issues relating to 477 | |
| 579 | + | bullying, (G) collaborate with the district safe school climate 478 | |
| 580 | + | coordinator in the collection of data regarding bullying, in accordance 479 Substitute Bill No. 7215 | |
| 581 | + | ||
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| 586 | + | ||
| 587 | + | with the provisions of subsection (b) of section 10-222d and subsection 480 | |
| 588 | + | (a) of section 10-222h, and (H) perform any other duties as determined 481 | |
| 589 | + | by the school principal that are related to the prevention, identification 482 | |
| 590 | + | and response to school bullying for the school. 483 | |
| 591 | + | (3) Any parent or guardian serving as a member of any such 484 | |
| 592 | + | committee shall not participate in the activities described in 485 | |
| 593 | + | subparagraphs (A) to (C), inclusive, of subdivision (2) of this 486 | |
| 594 | + | subsection or any other activity that may compr omise the 487 | |
| 595 | + | confidentiality of a student.] 488 | |
| 596 | + | Sec. 6. Section 10-222p of the general statutes is repealed and the 489 | |
| 597 | + | following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1, 2020): 490 | |
| 598 | + | [(a) The Department of Education shall receive each safe school 491 | |
| 599 | + | climate plan submitted pursuant to subsection (c) of section 10-222d 492 | |
| 600 | + | and review each such plan for compliance with the provisions of 493 | |
| 601 | + | subsection (b) of section 10-222d. Not later than thirty calendar days 494 | |
| 602 | + | after receiving such plan, the department shall approve or reject such 495 | |
| 603 | + | plan. If the department rejects a safe school climate plan, the 496 | |
| 604 | + | department shall provide notice of such rejection and the reasons for 497 | |
| 605 | + | such rejection to the local or regional board of education that 498 | |
| 606 | + | submitted such plan. Such local or regional board of education shall 499 | |
| 607 | + | redevelop and resubmit a safe school climate plan to the department 500 | |
| 608 | + | for approval not later than thirty calendar days after receipt of notice 501 | |
| 609 | + | of such rejection. Not later than thirty calendar days after receiving 502 | |
| 610 | + | such resubmitted plan, the department shall approve or reject such 503 | |
| 611 | + | plan. If the department rejects a resubmitted safe school climate plan, 504 | |
| 612 | + | the department shall provide notice of such rejection to the local or 505 | |
| 613 | + | regional board of education that resubmitted such plan. Not later than 506 | |
| 614 | + | thirty calendar days after receiving notice of such rejection and the 507 | |
| 615 | + | reasons for such rejection, such local or regional board of education 508 | |
| 616 | + | shall adopt an appropriate model safe school climate plan, developed 509 | |
| 617 | + | or recommended by the department pursuant to subdivision (3) of 510 | |
| 618 | + | subsection (a) of section 10-222h.] 511 Substitute Bill No. 7215 | |
| 619 | + | ||
| 620 | + | ||
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| 624 | + | ||
| 625 | + | [(b)] The Department of Education shall, in consultation with local 512 | |
| 626 | + | and regional boards of education, make available on the department's 513 | |
| 627 | + | Internet web site [(1) each safe school climate plan that has been 514 | |
| 628 | + | approved by the department, (2) a list of the school districts that have 515 | |
| 629 | + | an approved safe school climate plan, and (3) a list of the school 516 | |
| 630 | + | districts whose safe school climate plans have been rejected and that 517 | |
| 631 | + | are in the process of resubmitting their safe school climate plans for 518 | |
| 632 | + | approval by the department] a model safe school climate policy. 519 | |
| 633 | + | Sec. 7. (NEW) (Effective July 1, 2019) Each local and regional board of 520 | |
| 634 | + | education, in consultation with the Department of Education, shall 521 | |
| 635 | + | provide to school administrators training materials regarding the 522 | |
| 636 | + | prevention of and intervention in discrimination against and targeted 523 | |
| 637 | + | harassment of students based on such students' (1) actual or perceived 524 | |
| 638 | + | differentiating characteristics, such as race, color, religion, ancestry, 525 | |
| 639 | + | national origin, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or 526 | |
| 640 | + | expression, socioeconomic status, academic status, physical 527 | |
| 641 | + | appearance or mental, physical, developmental or sensory disability, 528 | |
| 642 | + | or (2) association with individuals or groups who have or are 529 | |
| 643 | + | perceived to have one or more of such characteristics. Such training 530 | |
| 644 | + | materials may be delivered in collaboration with one or more 531 | |
| 645 | + | organizations offering training on identifying, preventing and 532 | |
| 646 | + | intervening in discrimination including, but not limited to, the 533 | |
| 647 | + | Commission on Human Rights and Opportunities. 534 | |
| 648 | + | Sec. 8. Subsection (a) of section 10-220a of the general statutes is 535 | |
| 649 | + | repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 536 | |
| 650 | + | 1, 2019): 537 | |
| 651 | + | (a) Each local or regional board of education shall provide an in-538 | |
| 652 | + | service training program for its teachers, administrators and pupil 539 | |
| 653 | + | personnel who hold the initial educator, provisional educator or 540 | |
| 654 | + | professional educator certificate. Such program shall provide such 541 | |
| 655 | + | teachers, administrators and pupil personnel with information on (1) 542 | |
| 656 | + | the nature and the relationship of alcohol and drugs, as defined in 543 | |
| 657 | + | subdivision (17) of section 21a-240, to health and personality 544 Substitute Bill No. 7215 | |
| 658 | + | ||
| 659 | + | ||
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| 663 | + | ||
| 664 | + | development, and procedures for discouraging their abuse, (2) health 545 | |
| 665 | + | and mental health risk reduction education that includes, but need not 546 | |
| 666 | + | be limited to, the prevention of risk-taking behavior by children and 547 | |
| 667 | + | the relationship of such behavior to substance abuse, pregnancy, 548 | |
| 668 | + | sexually transmitted diseases, including HIV-infection and AIDS, as 549 | |
| 669 | + | defined in section 19a-581, violence, teen dating violence, domestic 550 | |
| 670 | + | violence and child abuse, (3) school violence prevention, conflict 551 | |
| 671 | + | resolution, the prevention of and response to youth suicide and the 552 | |
| 672 | + | identification and prevention of and response to bullying, as defined in 553 | |
| 673 | + | subsection (a) of section 10-222d, as amended by this act, except that 554 | |
| 674 | + | those boards of education that implement any evidence-based model 555 | |
| 675 | + | approach that is approved by the Department of Education and is 556 | |
| 676 | + | consistent with subsection (c) of section 10-145a, sections 10-222d, as 557 | |
| 677 | + | amended by this act, [10-222g] and 10-222h, as amended by this act, 558 | |
| 678 | + | subsection (g) of section 10-233c and sections 1 and 3 of public act 08-559 | |
| 679 | + | 160, shall not be required to provide in-service training on the 560 | |
| 680 | + | identification and prevention of and response to bullying, (4) 561 | |
| 681 | + | cardiopulmonary resuscitation and other emergency life saving 562 | |
| 682 | + | procedures, (5) the requirements and obligations of a mandated 563 | |
| 683 | + | reporter, and (6) the detection and recognition of, and evidence-based 564 | |
| 684 | + | structured literacy interventions for, students with dyslexia, as defined 565 | |
| 685 | + | in section 10-3d. Each local or regional board of education may allow 566 | |
| 686 | + | any paraprofessional or noncertified employee to participate, on a 567 | |
| 687 | + | voluntary basis, in any in-service training program provided pursuant 568 | |
| 688 | + | to this section. 569 | |
| 689 | + | Sec. 9. Section 10-222l of the general statutes is repealed and the 570 | |
| 690 | + | following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1, 2019): 571 | |
| 691 | + | (a) No claim for damages shall be made against a school employee, 572 | |
| 692 | + | as defined in section 10-222d, as amended by this act, who reports, 573 | |
| 693 | + | investigates and responds to bullying or teen dating violence, as 574 | |
| 694 | + | defined in section 10-222d, as amended by this act, in accordance with 575 | |
| 695 | + | the provisions of the safe school climate [plan] policy, described in 576 | |
| 696 | + | section 10-222d, as amended by this act, if such school employee was 577 Substitute Bill No. 7215 | |
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| 702 | + | ||
| 703 | + | acting in good faith in the discharge of his or her duties or within the 578 | |
| 704 | + | scope of his or her employment. The immunity provided in this 579 | |
| 705 | + | subsection does not apply to acts or omissions constituting gross, 580 | |
| 706 | + | reckless, wilful or wanton misconduct. 581 | |
| 707 | + | (b) No claim for damages shall be made against a student, parent or 582 | |
| 708 | + | guardian of a student or any other individual who reports an act of 583 | |
| 709 | + | bullying or teen dating violence to a school employee, in accordance 584 | |
| 710 | + | with the provisions of the safe school climate [plan] policy described in 585 | |
| 711 | + | section 10-222d, as amended by this act, if such individual was acting 586 | |
| 712 | + | in good faith. The immunity provided in this subsection does not 587 | |
| 713 | + | apply to acts or omissions constituting gross, reckless, wilful or 588 | |
| 714 | + | wanton misconduct. 589 | |
| 715 | + | (c) No claim for damages shall be made against a local or regional 590 | |
| 716 | + | board of education that implements the safe school climate [plan] 591 | |
| 717 | + | policy, described in section 10-222d, as amended by this act, and 592 | |
| 718 | + | reports, investigates and responds to bullying or teen dating violence, 593 | |
| 719 | + | as defined in section 10-222d, as amended by this act, if such local or 594 | |
| 720 | + | regional board of education was acting in good faith in the discharge 595 | |
| 721 | + | of its duties. The immunity provided in this subsection does not apply 596 | |
| 722 | + | to acts or omissions constituting gross, reckless, wilful or wanton 597 | |
| 723 | + | misconduct. 598 | |
| 724 | + | Sec. 10. Subsection (a) of section 10-222n of the general statutes is 599 | |
| 725 | + | repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 600 | |
| 726 | + | 1, 2019): 601 | |
| 727 | + | (a) Not later than January 1, 2014, the Department of Emergency 602 | |
| 728 | + | Services and Public Protection, in consultation with the Department of 603 | |
| 729 | + | Education, shall develop school security and safety plan standards. 604 | |
| 730 | + | The school security and safety plan standards shall be an all-hazards 605 | |
| 731 | + | approach to emergencies at public schools and shall include, but not be 606 | |
| 732 | + | limited to, (1) involvement of local officials, including the chief 607 | |
| 733 | + | executive officer of the municipality, the superintendent of schools, 608 | |
| 734 | + | law enforcement, fire, public health, emergency management and 609 Substitute Bill No. 7215 | |
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| 740 | + | ||
| 741 | + | emergency medical services, in the development of school security and 610 | |
| 742 | + | safety plans, (2) a command center organization structure based on the 611 | |
| 743 | + | federal National Incident Management System and a description of the 612 | |
| 744 | + | responsibilities of such command center organization, (3) a 613 | |
| 745 | + | requirement that a school security and safety committee be established 614 | |
| 746 | + | at each school, in accordance with the provisions of section 10-222m, 615 | |
| 747 | + | (4) crisis management procedures, (5) a requirement that local law 616 | |
| 748 | + | enforcement and other local public safety officials evaluate, score and 617 | |
| 749 | + | provide feedback on fire drills and crisis response drills, conducted 618 | |
| 750 | + | pursuant to section 10-231, (6) a requirement that local and regional 619 | |
| 751 | + | boards of education annually submit reports to the Department of 620 | |
| 752 | + | Emergency Services and Public Protection regarding such fire drills 621 | |
| 753 | + | and crisis response drills, (7) procedures for managing various types of 622 | |
| 754 | + | emergencies, (8) a requirement that each local and regional board of 623 | |
| 755 | + | education conduct a security and vulnerability assessment for each 624 | |
| 756 | + | school under the jurisdiction of such board every two years and 625 | |
| 757 | + | develop a school security and safety plan for each such school, in 626 | |
| 758 | + | accordance with the provisions of section 10-222m, based on the results 627 | |
| 759 | + | of such assessment, (9) a requirement that the [safe school climate 628 | |
| 760 | + | committee] social and emotional learning and school climate council 629 | |
| 761 | + | for each school, established pursuant to section 10-222k, as amended 630 | |
| 762 | + | by this act, collect and evaluate information relating to instances of 631 | |
| 763 | + | disturbing or threatening behavior that may not meet the definition of 632 | |
| 764 | + | bullying, as defined in section 10-222d, as amended by this act, and 633 | |
| 765 | + | report such information, as necessary, to the district safe school climate 634 | |
| 766 | + | coordinator, described in section 10-222k, as amended by this act, and 635 | |
| 767 | + | the school security and safety committee for the school, established 636 | |
| 768 | + | pursuant to section 10-222m, and (10) a requirement that the school 637 | |
| 769 | + | security and safety plan for each school provide an orientation on such 638 | |
| 770 | + | school security and safety plan to each school employee, as defined in 639 | |
| 771 | + | section 10-222d, as amended by this act, at such school and provide 640 | |
| 772 | + | violence prevention training in a manner prescribed in such school 641 | |
| 773 | + | security and safety plan. The Department of Emergency Services and 642 | |
| 774 | + | Public Protection shall make such standards available to local officials, 643 | |
| 775 | + | including local and regional boards of education. 644 Substitute Bill No. 7215 | |
| 776 | + | ||
| 777 | + | ||
| 778 | + | LCO {\\PRDFS1\HCOUSERS\BARRYJN\WS\2019HB-07215- | |
| 779 | + | R02-HB.docx } | |
| 780 | + | 21 of 21 | |
| 781 | + | ||
| 782 | + | Sec. 11. Section 10-222g of the general statutes is repealed. (Effective 645 | |
| 783 | + | July 1, 2019) 646 | |
| 784 | + | This act shall take effect as follows and shall amend the following | |
| 785 | + | sections: | |
| 786 | + | ||
| 787 | + | Section 1 from passage New section | |
| 788 | + | Sec. 2 July 1, 2019 10-222d | |
| 789 | + | Sec. 3 July 1, 2020 10-222h | |
| 790 | + | Sec. 4 July 1, 2020 10-222j | |
| 791 | + | Sec. 5 July 1, 2020 10-222k | |
| 792 | + | Sec. 6 July 1, 2020 10-222p | |
| 793 | + | Sec. 7 July 1, 2019 New section | |
| 794 | + | Sec. 8 July 1, 2019 10-220a(a) | |
| 795 | + | Sec. 9 July 1, 2019 10-222l | |
| 796 | + | Sec. 10 July 1, 2019 10-222n(a) | |
| 797 | + | Sec. 11 July 1, 2019 Repealer section | |
| 798 | + | ||
| 799 | + | ||
| 800 | + | KID Joint Favorable Subst. | |
| 801 | + | ED Joint Favorable | |
| 409 | 802 |