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General Assembly Raised Bill No. 7352
January Session, 2019
LCO No. 5832
Referred to Committee on EDUCATION
Introduced by:
(ED)
AN ACT CONCERNING MI NOR REVISIONS AND ADDITIONS TO THE
EDUCATION STATUTES.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General
Assembly convened:
Section 1. Subsection (b) of section 10-91j of the general statutes is 1
repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 2
1, 2019): 3
(b) On and after July 1, 2019, a local or regional board of education 4
shall not be eligible for reimbursement pursuant to subsection (b) of 5
section 10-76g for any costs of special education paid by such board of 6
education to a private provider of special education services unless 7
such board of education has entered into a written contract with such 8
private provider of special education services for the provision of such 9
special education services. The individualized education program of a 10
child shall not be considered a contract between a local or regional 11
board of education and a private provider of special education services 12
for purposes of this section. Nothing in this subsection shall be 13
construed to limit or interrupt the provision of special education and 14
related services to a child by a local or regional board of education or 15 Raised Bill No. 7352
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private provider of special education services. 16
Sec. 2. Section 10-16b of the general statutes is repealed and the 17
following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1, 2019): 18
(a) In the public schools the program of instruction offered shall 19
include at least the following subject matter, as taught by legally 20
qualified teachers, the arts; career education; consumer education; 21
health and safety, including, but not limited to, human growth and 22
development, nutrition, first aid, including cardiopulmonary 23
resuscitation training in accordance with the provisions of section 10-24
16qq, disease prevention and cancer awareness, including, but not 25
limited to, age and developmentally appropriate instruction in 26
performing self-examinations for the purposes of screening for breast 27
cancer and testicular cancer, community and consumer health, 28
physical, mental and emotional health, including youth suicide 29
prevention, substance abuse prevention, including instruction relating 30
to opioid use and related disorders, safety, which shall include the safe 31
use of social media, as defined in section 9-601, and may include the 32
dangers of gang membership, and accident prevention; language arts, 33
including reading, writing, grammar, speaking and spelling; 34
mathematics; physical education; science, [which may include the] 35
including climate change beginning in elementary school and through 36
the secondary level and, where applicable, in accordance with the 37
curriculum described in subsection (d) of this section; social studies, 38
including, but not limited to, citizenship, economics, geography, 39
government, history and Holocaust and genocide education and 40
awareness in accordance with the provisions of section 10-18f; 41
computer programming instruction; and in addition, on at least the 42
secondary level, one or more world languages and vocational 43
education. For purposes of this subsection, world languages shall 44
include American Sign Language, provided such subject matter is 45
taught by a qualified instructor under the supervision of a teacher who 46
holds a certificate issued by the State Board of Education. For purposes 47
of this subsection, the "arts" means any form of visual or performing 48
arts, which may include, but not be limited to, dance, music, art and 49 Raised Bill No. 7352
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theatre. 50
(b) If a local or regional board of education requires its pupils to 51
take a course in a world language, the parent or guardian of a pupil 52
identified as deaf or hard of hearing may request in writing that such 53
pupil be exempted from such requirement and, if such a request is 54
made, such pupil shall be exempt from such requirement. 55
(c) Each local and regional board of education shall on September 1, 56
1982, and annually thereafter at such time and in such manner as the 57
Commissioner of Education shall request, attest to the State Board of 58
Education that such local or regional board of education offers at least 59
the program of instruction required pursuant to this section, and that 60
such program of instruction is planned, ongoing and systematic. 61
(d) The State Board of Education shall make available curriculum 62
materials and such other materials as may assist local and regional 63
boards of education in developing instructional programs pursuant to 64
this section. The State Board of Education, within available 65
appropriations and utilizing available resource materials, shall assist 66
and encourage local and regional boards of education to include: (1) 67
Holocaust and genocide education and awareness; (2) the historical 68
events surrounding the Great Famine in Ireland; (3) African-American 69
history; (4) Puerto Rican history; (5) Native American history; (6) 70
personal financial management, including, but not limited to, financial 71
literacy as developed in the plan provided under section 10-16pp; (7) 72
training in cardiopulmonary resuscitation and the use of automatic 73
external defibrillators; (8) labor history and law, including organized 74
labor, the collective bargaining process, existing legal protections in the 75
workplace, the history and economics of free market capitalism and 76
entrepreneurialism, and the role of labor and capitalism in the 77
development of the American and world economies; (9) climate 78
change consistent with the Next Generation Science Standards; (10) 79
topics approved by the state board upon the request of local or 80
regional boards of education as part of the program of instruction 81
offered pursuant to subsection (a) of this section; [and] (11) instruction 82 Raised Bill No. 7352
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relating to the Safe Haven Act, sections 17a-57 to 17a-61, inclusive, and 83
(12) social-emotional learning. The Department of Energy and 84
Environmental Protection shall be available to each local and regional 85
board of education for the development of curriculum on climate 86
change as described in this subsection. 87
Sec. 3. Subdivision (6) of subsection (a) of section 10-151 of the 88
general statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu 89
thereof (Effective July 1, 2019): 90
(6) "Tenure" means: 91
(A) The completion of forty school months of full-time continuous 92
employment for the same board of education, provided the 93
superintendent offers the teacher a contract to return for the following 94
school year on the basis of effective practice as informed by 95
performance evaluations conducted pursuant to section 10-151b. For 96
purposes of calculating continuous employment towards tenure, the 97
following shall apply: (i) For a teacher who has not attained tenure, 98
two school months of part-time continuous employment by such 99
teacher shall equal one school month of full-time continuous 100
employment except, for a teacher employed in a part-time position at a 101
salary rate of less than twenty-five per cent of the salary rate of a 102
teacher in such position, if such position were full-time, three school 103
months of part-time continuous employment shall equal one school 104
month of full-time continuous employment; (ii) a teacher who has not 105
attained tenure shall not count layoff time towards tenure, except that 106
if such teacher is reemployed by the same board of education within 107
five calendar years of the layoff, such teacher may count the previous 108
continuous employment immediately prior to the layoff towards 109
tenure; (iii) a teacher who has not attained tenure shall not count 110
authorized leave time towards tenure if such time exceeds ninety 111
student school days in any one school year, provided only the student 112
school days worked that year by such teacher shall count towards 113
tenure and shall be computed on the basis of eighteen student school 114
days or the greater fraction thereof equaling one school month; (iv) for 115 Raised Bill No. 7352
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a teacher who has not attained tenure and who is employed by a local 116
or regional board of education that enters into a cooperative 117
arrangement pursuant to section 10-158a, such teacher may count the 118
previous continuous employment with such board immediately prior 119
to such cooperative arrangement towards tenure; and (v) for a teacher 120
who has not attained tenure and who is employed by a local board of 121
education or as part of a cooperative arrangement, pursuant to section 122
10-158a, and such board or cooperative arrangement joins a regional 123
school district, such teacher may count the previous continuous 124
employment with such local board or cooperative arrangement 125
immediately prior to employment by the regional board of education 126
towards tenure. 127
(B) For a teacher who has attained tenure prior to layoff, tenure shall 128
resume if such teacher is reemployed by the same board of education 129
within five calendar years of the layoff. 130
(C) Except as provided in subparagraphs (B), (D) and (E) of this 131
subdivision, any teacher who has attained tenure with any one board 132
of education and whose employment with such board ends for any 133
reason and who is reemployed by such board or is subsequently 134
employed by any other board, shall attain tenure after completion of 135
twenty school months of continuous employment, provided the 136
superintendent offers the teacher a contract to return for the following 137
school year on the basis of effective practice as informed by 138
performance evaluations conducted pursuant to section 10-151b. The 139
provisions of this subparagraph shall not apply if, (i) prior to 140
completion of the twentieth school month following commencement of 141
employment by such board such teacher has been notified in writing 142
that his or her contract will not be renewed for the following school 143
year, or (ii) for a period of five or more calendar years immediately 144
prior to such subsequent employment, such teacher has not been 145
employed by any board of education. 146
[(D) Any certified teacher or administrator employed by a local or 147
regional board of education for a school district identified as a priority 148 Raised Bill No. 7352
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school district pursuant to section 10-266p may attain tenure after ten 149
months of employment in such priority school district, if such certified 150
teacher or administrator previously attained tenure with another local 151
or regional board of education in this state or another state.] 152
[(E)] (D) For a teacher who has attained tenure and is employed by a 153
local or regional board of education that enters into a cooperative 154
arrangement pursuant to section 10-158a, such teacher shall not 155
experience a break in continuous employment for purposes of tenure 156
as a result of such cooperative arrangement. 157
[(F)] (E) For a teacher who has attained tenure and is employed by a 158
local board of education or as part of a cooperative arrangement, 159
pursuant to section 10-158a, and such board or cooperative 160
arrangement joins a regional school district, such teacher shall not 161
experience a break in continuous employment for purposes of tenure 162
as a result of joining such regional school district. 163
Sec. 4. (Effective from passage) On and after July 1, 2019, the 164
Department of Education shall cease state-wide implementation of the 165
pre-service performance assessment, edTPA, as adopted by the State 166
Board of Education on December 7, 2016. 167
Sec. 5. (NEW) (Effective from passage) (a) On and after July 1, 2019, 168
each institution of higher education that offers a teacher preparation 169
program, as defined in section 10-10a of the general statutes, shall 170
develop and administer a pre-service performance assessment for 171
students enrolled in such teacher preparation program. Each 172
institution of higher education shall submit such pre-service 173
performance assessment to the Commissioner of Education for 174
approval. 175
(b) On and after July 1, 2019, the Commissioner of Education may 176
approve the pre-service performance assessment for a teacher 177
preparation program developed by an institution of higher education, 178
pursuant to subsection (a) of this section. Upon approval of such 179
assessment, the commissioner shall establish a passing score required 180 Raised Bill No. 7352
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for successful completion of the teacher preparation program for 181
purposes of professional certification under chapter 166 of the general 182
statutes. 183
Sec. 6. Section 10-155k of the general statutes is repealed and the 184
following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1, 2019): 185
On and after July 1, 2013, the Commissioner of Education shall 186
establish a School [Paraprofessional] Paraeducator Advisory Council 187
consisting of (1) one school [paraprofessional] paraeducator from each 188
state-wide bargaining representative organization that represents 189
school [paraprofessionals] paraeducators with instructional 190
responsibilities, (2) one representative from each of the exclusive 191
bargaining units for certified employees, chosen pursuant to section 192
10-153b, (3) the most recent recipient of the Connecticut 193
[Paraprofessional] Paraeducator of the Year Award, (4) two 194
representatives from the regional educational service centers, 195
appointed by the Commissioner of Education, and (5) a school 196
administrator, appointed by the Connecticut Federation of School 197
Administrators. The council shall hold quarterly meetings and advise, 198
at least quarterly, the Commissioner of Education, or the 199
commissioner's designee, of the needs for (A) pr ofessional 200
development and the training of [paraprofessionals] paraeducators 201
and the effectiveness of the content and the delivery of existing 202
training for such [paraprofessionals] paraeducators, (B) appropriate 203
staffing strategies for [paraprofessionals] paraeducators, and (C) other 204
relevant issues relating to [paraprofessionals] paraeducators. The 205
council shall report, annually, in accordance with the provisions of 206
section 11-4a, on the recommendations given to the commissioner, or 207
the commissioner's designee, pursuant to the provisions of this section, 208
to the joint standing committee of the General Assembly having 209
cognizance of matters relating to education. 210
Sec. 7. (Effective from passage) Not later than January 1, 2020, the 211
School Paraeducator Advisory Council, established pursuant to section 212
10-155k of the general statutes, as amended by this act, shall conduct a 213 Raised Bill No. 7352
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study concerning the following: (1) Safety issues relating to 214
paraeducators who work with students who have behavioral issues, 215
including the availability of appropriate safety equipment for 216
paraeducators at each school, (2) issues relating to the assignment of 217
substitute teaching duties to paraeducators, including emergency 218
situations when a paraeducator is asked to serve as a substitute 219
teacher, and (3) issues relating to the duties of paraeducators who 220
work with students who have individualized education programs. The 221
council shall submit such study and any recommendations to the joint 222
standing committee of the General Assembly having cognizance of 223
matters relating to education, in accordance with the provisions of 224
section 11-4a of the general statutes. 225
Sec. 8. (Effective July 1, 2019) For the fiscal years ending June 30, 226
2020, and June 30, 2021, the Department of Education shall establish 227
and administer a principal induction pilot program. Such pilot 228
program shall provide opportunities for peer mentoring for new 229
school principals and include executive leadership and workforce 230
development as key principles in the professional development for 231
new school principals. In developing the pilot program, the 232
department shall standardize existing principal induction programs 233
being administered by local and regional boards of education across 234
the state. The department shall permit any local or regional board of 235
education to participate in the pilot program, and may select up to five 236
additional boards of education to participate. A local or regional board 237
of education participating in the pilot program may partner with 238
businesses in the state to implement the pilot program. Not later than 239
January 1, 2022, the department shall submit an evaluation of the pilot 240
program to the joint standing committee of the General Assembly 241
having cognizance of matters relating to education, in accordance with 242
the provisions of section 11-4a of the general statutes. 243
This act shall take effect as follows and shall amend the following
sections:
Section 1 July 1, 2019 10-91j(b) Raised Bill No. 7352
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Sec. 2 July 1, 2019 10-16b
Sec. 3 July 1, 2019 10-151(a)(6)
Sec. 4 from passage New section
Sec. 5 from passage New section
Sec. 6 July 1, 2019 10-155k
Sec. 7 from passage New section
Sec. 8 July 1, 2019 New section
Statement of Purpose:
To make minor revisions and additions to the education statutes.
[Proposed deletions are enclosed in brackets. Proposed additions are indicated by underline,
except that when the entire text of a bill or resolution or a section of a bill or resolution is new, it is
not underlined.]