Substitute House Bill No. 6483
Public Act No. 21-86
AN ACT CONCERNING THE ENROLLMENT OF CHILDREN OF
MEMBERS OF THE ARMED FORCES IN PUBLIC SCHOOLS AND
THE ESTABLISHMENT OF A PURPLE STAR SCHOOL PROGRAM.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General
Assembly convened:
Section 1. Subsection (a) of section 10-186 of the general statutes is
repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1,
2021):
(a) Each local or regional board of education shall furnish, by
transportation or otherwise, school accommodations so that each child
five years of age and over and under twenty-one years of age who is not
a graduate of a high school or technical education and career school may
attend public school, except as provided in section 10-233c and
subsection (d) of section 10-233d. For purposes of establishing the
residency of a child of a member of the armed forces, as defined in
section 27-103, and who is seeking enrollment in a school under the
jurisdiction of a local or regional board of education for a town in which
such child is not yet a resident, such board shall accept the military
orders directing such member to the state or any other documents from
the armed forces indicating the transfer of such member to the state as
proof of residency. Any board of education which denies school
accommodations, including a denial based on an issue of residency, to Substitute House Bill No. 6483
Public Act No. 21-86 2 of 3
any such child shall inform the parent or guardian of such child or the
child, in the case of an emancipated minor, a pupil eighteen years of age
or older or an unaccompanied youth, as described in 42 USC 11434a, as
amended from time to time, of his or her right to request a hearing by
the board of education in accordance with the provisions of subdivision
(1) of subsection (b) of this section. A board of education which has
denied school accommodations shall advise the board of education
under whose jurisdiction it claims such child should be attending school
of the denial. For purposes of this section, (1) a "parent or guardian" shall
include a surrogate parent appointed pursuant to section 10-94g, and (2)
a child residing in a dwelling located in more than one town in this state
shall be considered a resident of each town in which the dwelling is
located and may attend school in any one of such towns. For purposes
of this subsection, "dwelling" means a single, two or three-family house
or a condominium unit.
Sec. 2. (NEW) (Effective July 1, 2021) (a) As used in this section,
"military-connected student" means a student enrolled in a public
school who (1) is a dependent of a current or former member of the
armed forces, as defined in section 27-103 of the general statutes, or (2)
was a dependent of a member of the armed forces who was killed in the
line of duty.
(b) The State Board of Education shall establish, within available
appropriations, a Purple Star School Program. The state board shall
award a Purple Star School designation to any school that (1) employs a
staff member who serves as a military liaison for the school and whose
duties include (A) identifying military-connected students enrolled at
the school, (B) serving as the point of contact between the school and
military-connected students and their families, (C) identifying
appropriate school services available to military-connected students,
and (D) assisting in coordinating school programs relevant to military-
connected students; (2) compiles and makes available on the Internet Substitute House Bill No. 6483
Public Act No. 21-86 3 of 3
web site for the school, information and resources available to military-
connected students and their families, including, but not limited to, (A)
the registration process for enrollment and the transferring of student
records to the school, (B) academic planning, including curriculum and
advanced placement classes offered at the school, (C) counseling and
other support services available for military-connected students
enrolled at the school, and (D) the contact information for the military
liaison of the school; (3) provides a transition program led by students,
where appropriate, that assists military-connected students in
transitioning to the school; (4) provides in-service training or
professional development for staff members on issues related to
military-connected students; and (5) offers at least one of the following
initiatives: (A) A resolution showing support for military-connected
students and their families, (B) recognition of the Month of the Military
Child or Military Family Month, with relevant events hosted by the
school, or (C) a partnership with a local military installation that
provides opportunities for active duty members of the armed forces to
volunteer at the school, speak at an assembly or host a field trip.
(c) A local or regional board of education may apply to the State
Board of Education, in a manner and form prescribed by the state board,
for the Purple Star School designation for any school under the
jurisdiction of such local or regional board that satisfies the
requirements of subsection (b) of this section.
(d) A local or regional board of education may partner with the
Department of Education to provide assistance or materials for the (1)
provision of the in-service training or professional development
described in subdivision (4) of subsection (b) of this section, or (2)
offering of an initiative described in subdivision (5) of subsection (b) of
this section.