Connecticut 2021 Regular Session

Connecticut House Bill HB06556 Compare Versions

Version 1 (Old)

Version 2 (New)

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7		-	General Assembly Substitute Bill No. 6556
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	6	+	General Assembly Raised Bill No. 6556
8	7		January Session, 2021
	8	+	LCO No. 4302
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	10	+
	11	+	Referred to Committee on EDUCATION
	12	+
	13	+
	14	+	Introduced by:
	15	+	(ED)
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14	20		AN ACT ADDRESSING ISSUES CREATED BY THE COVID-19
15	21		PANDEMIC ON PUBLIC E DUCATION IN CONNECTICUT.
16	22		Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General
17	23		Assembly convened:
18	24
19	25		Section 1. (NEW) (Effective from passage) (a) As used in this section: 1
20	26		(1) "Learning loss" means any specific or general loss of knowledge 2
21	27		and skills, or to reversals in academic progress due to extended gaps or 3
22	28		discontinuities in a student's education related to the COVID-19 4
23	29		pandemic; and 5
24	30		(2) "COVID-19" means the respiratory disease designated by the 6
25	31		World Health Organization on February 11, 2020, as coronavirus 2019, 7
26	32		and any related mutation thereof recognized by the World Health 8
27	33		Organization as a communicable respiratory disease. 9
28	34		(b) For the school years commencing July 1, 2020, to July 1, 2022, 10
29	35		inclusive, the Department of Education shall collect and evaluate 11
30	36		student performance data on the state-wide mastery examination, 12
31	37		administered pursuant to section 10-14n of the general statutes, for the 13
32		-	purpose of identifying and measuring the existence and severity of 14
	38	+	purpose of identifying and measuring the existence and severity of 14 Raised Bill No. 6556
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	40	+
	41	+
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33	44		learning loss and student disengagement in public schools as a result of 15
34	45		the COVID-19 pandemic. Such evaluation shall include an examination 16
35		-	of which students are most impacted by learning loss and student 17 Substitute Bill No. 6556
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	46	+	of which students are most impacted by learning loss and student 17
42	47		disengagement, where such students are attending school, and the 18
43	48		nature and severity of the learning loss. 19
44	49		(c) Not later than October 1, 2021, the department shall develop 20
45	50		learning loss and student disengagement mitigation strategies for use 21
46	51		by local and regional boards of education. Such strategies shall include, 22
47	52		but need not be limited to, in-school interventions and opportunities for 23
48	53		small group instruction, tutoring services for individual or small groups 24
49	54		of students, expanded afterschool and summer academic instruction 25
50	55		and enrichment programs, and community-based learning pods. Any 26
51	56		such strategy shall include periodic assessments to track student 27
52	57		academic progress and to make any necessary changes to the provision 28
53	58		of such strategy based on the results of such periodic assessments. 29
54	59		(d) The department shall provide resources and technical assistance 30
55	60		to local and regional boards of education to extend the school day or 31
56	61		school year for the purpose of increasing student learning time and 32
57	62		addressing the immediate academic needs of students who have 33
58	63		experienced learning loss. Such resources shall include, but need not be 34
59	64		limited to, technical support to analyze and determine how to 35
60	65		restructure the school day or school year, matching funds for additional 36
61	66		school personnel, and partnering with the exclusive bargaining 37
62	67		representative for certified teachers chosen pursuant to section 10-153b 38
63	68		of the general statutes to negotiate the parameters of such extended 39
64	69		school day or school year. 40
65	70		(e) Not later than July 1, 2021, the department shall define "student 41
66	71		engagement" for purposes of mitigating learning loss and student 42
67	72		disengagement and improving academic growth and school 43
68	73		connectedness. 44
69	74		(f) Not later than January 1, 2022, and annually thereafter until 45
70		-	January 1, 2024, the department shall submit a state-wide learning loss 46
	75	+	January 1, 2024, the department shall submit a state-wide learning loss 46 Raised Bill No. 6556
	76	+
	77	+
	78	+
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	80	+
71	81		and student disengagement report to the joint standing committee of the 47
72	82		General Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to education, 48
73		-	in accordance with the provisions of section 11-4a of the general statutes. 49 Substitute Bill No. 6556
	83	+	in accordance with the provisions of section 11-4a of the general statutes. 49
	84	+	Sec. 2. Subsection (a) of section 10-151b of the general statutes is 50
	85	+	repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective from 51
	86	+	passage): 52
	87	+	(a) The superintendent of each local or regional board of education 53
	88	+	shall annually evaluate or cause to be evaluated each teacher, and for 54
	89	+	the school year commencing July 1, 2013, and each school year 55
	90	+	thereafter, such annual evaluations shall be the teacher evaluation and 56
	91	+	support program adopted pursuant to subsection (b) of this section. The 57
	92	+	superintendent may conduct additional formative evaluations toward 58
	93	+	producing an annual summative evaluation. An evaluation pursuant to 59
	94	+	this subsection shall include, but need not be limited to, strengths, areas 60
	95	+	needing improvement, strategies for improvement and multiple 61
	96	+	indicators of student academic growth, except for the school years 62
	97	+	commencing July 1, 2020, to July 1, 2022, inclusive, an evaluation 63
	98	+	pursuant to this subsection shall not include the use of multiple 64
	99	+	indicators of student academic growth. Claims of failure to follow the 65
	100	+	established procedures of such teacher evaluation and support program 66
	101	+	shall be subject to the grievance procedure in collective bargaining 67
	102	+	agreements negotiated subsequent to July 1, 2004. In the event that a 68
	103	+	teacher does not receive a summative evaluation during the school year, 69
	104	+	such teacher shall receive a "not rated" designation for such school year. 70
	105	+	The superintendent shall report (1) the status of teacher evaluations to 71
	106	+	the local or regional board of education on or before June first of each 72
	107	+	year, and (2) the status of the implementation of the teacher evaluation 73
	108	+	and support program, including the frequency of evaluations, aggregate 74
	109	+	evaluation ratings, the number of teachers who have not been evaluated 75
	110	+	and other requirements as determined by the Department of Education, 76
	111	+	to the Commissioner of Education on or before September fifteenth of 77
	112	+	each year. For purposes of this section, the term "teacher" shall include 78
	113	+	each professional employee of a board of education, below the rank of 79
	114	+	superintendent, who holds a certificate or permit issued by the State 80 Raised Bill No. 6556
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80		-	Sec. 2. (Effective from passage) For the fiscal years ending June 30, 2022, 50
81		-	and June 30, 2023, each local or regional board of education for an 51
82		-	alliance district, as defined in section 10-262u of the general statutes, 52
83		-	shall offer the summer learning program described in section 3 of this 53
84		-	act in order to mitigate student learning loss, as defined in section 1 of 54
85		-	this act, and student disengagement. 55
86		-	Sec. 3. (NEW) (Effective from passage) (a) The Department of 56
87		-	Education, in consultation with the after school committee established 57
88		-	pursuant to section 10-16v of the general statutes, may, within available 58
89		-	appropriations, administer a grant program to provide grants to local 59
90		-	and regional boards of education, municipalities and not-for-profit 60
91		-	organizations that are exempt from taxation under Section 501(c)(3) of 61
92		-	the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, or any subsequent corresponding 62
93		-	internal revenue code of the United States, as amended from time to 63
94		-	time, for summer learning programs that provide direct services and for 64
95		-	entities that provide support to summer learning programs. For 65
96		-	purposes of this section, "summer learning program" means a program 66
97		-	that (1) provides a minimum of two hundred forty hours of educational, 67
98		-	enrichment and recreational activities during the summer recess period 68
99		-	for public schools and includes small group instruction in literacy and 69
100		-	math for children in grades kindergarten to twelve, inclusive, and (2) 70
101		-	has a parental involvement component. 71
102		-	(b) (1) Applications for grants pursuant to subsection (a) of this 72
103		-	section shall be filed biennially with the Commissioner of Education at 73
104		-	such time and in such manner as the commissioner prescribes. As part 74
105		-	of the application, an applicant shall submit a plan for the expenditure 75
106		-	of grant funds. 76
107		-	(2) Eligibility for grants pursuant to this section shall be determined 77
108		-	for a two-year period and shall be based on the applicant's plan for 78
109		-	expenditure of grant funds. Prior to the payment of funds to the grant 79
110		-	recipient for the second year of the grant, the grant recipient shall report 80
111		-	to the Department of Education on performance outcomes of the 81
112		-	program and file an expenditure report pursuant to subsection (f) of this 82 Substitute Bill No. 6556
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	119	+
	120	+	Board of Education. 81
	121	+	Sec. 3. (Effective from passage) For the fiscal years ending June 30, 2022, 82
	122	+	and June 30, 2023, each local or regional board of education for an 83
	123	+	alliance district, as defined in section 10-262u of the general statutes, 84
	124	+	shall offer the summer learning program described in section 4 of this 85
	125	+	act in order to mitigate student learning loss, as defined in section 1 of 86
	126	+	this act, and student disengagement. 87
	127	+	Sec. 4. (NEW) (Effective from passage) (a) The Department of 88
	128	+	Education, in consultation with the after school committee established 89
	129	+	pursuant to section 10-16v of the general statutes, may, within available 90
	130	+	appropriations, administer a grant program to provide grants to local 91
	131	+	and regional boards of education, municipalities and not-for-profit 92
	132	+	organizations that are exempt from taxation under Section 501(c)(3) of 93
	133	+	the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, or any subsequent corresponding 94
	134	+	internal revenue code of the United States, as amended from time to 95
	135	+	time, for summer learning programs that provide direct services and for 96
	136	+	entities that provide support to summer learning programs. For 97
	137	+	purposes of this section, "summer learning program" means a program 98
	138	+	that (1) provides a minimum of two hundred forty hours of educational, 99
	139	+	enrichment and recreational activities during the summer recess period 100
	140	+	for public schools and includes small group instruction in literacy and 101
	141	+	math for children in grades kindergarten to twelve, inclusive, and (2) 102
	142	+	has a parental involvement component. 103
	143	+	(b) (1) Applications for grants pursuant to subsection (a) of this 104
	144	+	section shall be filed biennially with the Commissioner of Education at 105
	145	+	such time and in such manner as the commissioner prescribes. As part 106
	146	+	of the application, an applicant shall submit a plan for the expenditure 107
	147	+	of grant funds. 108
	148	+	(2) Eligibility for grants pursuant to this section shall be determined 109
	149	+	for a two-year period and shall be based on the applicant's plan for 110
	150	+	expenditure of grant funds. Prior to the payment of funds to the grant 111
	151	+	recipient for the second year of the grant, the grant recipient shall report 112 Raised Bill No. 6556
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119		-	section. The report concerning performance outcomes shall include, but 83
120		-	need not be limited to, measurements of the impact on student 84
121		-	achievement, including grade-level reading ability and the behavior of 85
122		-	student participants. 86
123		-	(c) The Department of Education and the after school committee 87
124		-	established pursuant to section 10-16v of the general statutes shall 88
125		-	develop and apply an appropriate evaluation process to measure the 89
126		-	effectiveness of the grant program established pursuant to this section. 90
127		-	(d) For purposes of carrying out the provisions of this section, the 91
128		-	Department of Education may accept funds from private sources and 92
129		-	from any state agency that is a member of the after school committee 93
130		-	established pursuant to section 10-16v of the general statutes. 94
131		-	(e) The Department of Education shall, in collaboration with regional 95
132		-	educational service centers, support grant recipients by (1) monitoring 96
133		-	and evaluating programs and activities, (2) conducting a comprehensive 97
134		-	evaluation of the effectiveness of programs and implementing risk 98
135		-	assessments, (3) providing technical assistance and training to eligible 99
136		-	applicants, and (4) ensuring program activities are aligned with state 100
137		-	academic standards. The department may retain up to seven and one-101
138		-	half per cent of the amount appropriated for the grant program for 102
139		-	purposes of this subsection. 103
140		-	(f) Grant recipients shall file expenditure reports with the 104
141		-	Commissioner of Education in accordance with subdivision (2) of 105
142		-	subsection (b) of this section and at such other times and in such manner 106
143		-	as the commissioner prescribes. Grant recipients shall refund (1) any 107
144		-	unexpended amounts at the close of the program for which the grant 108
145		-	was awarded, and (2) any amounts not expended in accordance with 109
146		-	the approved grant application. Any unexpended funds appropriated 110
147		-	for purposes of this section shall not lapse at the end of the fiscal year 111
148		-	but shall be available for expenditure under this section during the next 112
149		-	succeeding fiscal year. 113 Substitute Bill No. 6556
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	156	+
	157	+	to the Department of Education on performance outcomes of the 113
	158	+	program and file an expenditure report pursuant to subsection (f) of this 114
	159	+	section. The report concerning performance outcomes shall include, but 115
	160	+	need not be limited to, measurements of the impact on student 116
	161	+	achievement, including grade-level reading ability and the behavior of 117
	162	+	student participants. 118
	163	+	(c) The Department of Education and the after school committee 119
	164	+	established pursuant to section 10-16v of the general statutes shall 120
	165	+	develop and apply an appropriate evaluation process to measure the 121
	166	+	effectiveness of the grant program established pursuant to this section. 122
	167	+	(d) For purposes of carrying out the provisions of this section, the 123
	168	+	Department of Education may accept funds from private sources and 124
	169	+	from any state agency that is a member of the after school committee 125
	170	+	established pursuant to section 10-16v of the general statutes. 126
	171	+	(e) The Department of Education shall, in collaboration with regional 127
	172	+	educational service centers, support grant recipients by (1) monitoring 128
	173	+	and evaluating programs and activities, (2) conducting a comprehensive 129
	174	+	evaluation of the effectiveness of programs and implementing risk 130
	175	+	assessments, (3) providing technical assistance and training to eligible 131
	176	+	applicants, and (4) ensuring program activities are aligned with state 132
	177	+	academic standards. The department may retain up to seven and one-133
	178	+	half per cent of the amount appropriated for the grant program for 134
	179	+	purposes of this subsection. 135
	180	+	(f) Grant recipients shall file expenditure reports with the 136
	181	+	Commissioner of Education in accordance with subdivision (2) of 137
	182	+	subsection (b) of this section and at such other times and in such manner 138
	183	+	as the commissioner prescribes. Grant recipients shall refund (1) any 139
	184	+	unexpended amounts at the close of the program for which the grant 140
	185	+	was awarded, and (2) any amounts not expended in accordance with 141
	186	+	the approved grant application. Any unexpended funds appropriated 142
	187	+	for purposes of this section shall not lapse at the end of the fiscal year 143
	188	+	but shall be available for expenditure under this section during the next 144 Raised Bill No. 6556
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156		-	(g) Not later than March 15, 2023, and biennially thereafter, the 114
157		-	Department of Education shall report, in accordance with the provisions 115
158		-	of section 11-4a of the general statutes, to the joint standing committee 116
159		-	of the General Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to 117
160		-	education on performance outcomes of recipients of grants under this 118
161		-	section. The report shall include, but need not be limited to, 119
162		-	measurements of the impact on student achievement, including grade-120
163		-	level reading ability, the social-emotional learning and behavior of 121
164		-	student participants, and the mitigation of learning loss, as defined in 122
165		-	section 1 of this act. 123
166		-	Sec. 4. Subsection (e) of section 10-16x of the general statutes is 124
167		-	repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective from 125
168		-	passage): 126
169		-	(e) [The Department of Education shall provide grant recipients with 127
170		-	technical assistance, evaluation, program monitoring, professional 128
171		-	development and accreditation support.] The Department of Education 129
172		-	shall, in collaboration with regional educational service centers, support 130
173		-	grant recipients by (1) monitoring and evaluating programs and 131
174		-	activities, (2) conducting a comprehensive evaluation of the 132
175		-	effectiveness of programs and implementing risk assessments, (3) 133
176		-	providing technical assistance and training to eligible applicants, and (4) 134
177		-	ensuring program activities are aligned with state academic standards. 135
178		-	The department may retain up to [four] seven and one-half per cent of 136
179		-	the amount appropriated for the grant program for purposes of this 137
180		-	subsection. 138
181		-	Sec. 5. Subsection (a) of section 10-145 of the general statutes is 139
182		-	repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective from 140
183		-	passage): 141
184		-	(a) No teacher, supervisor, administrator, special service staff 142
185		-	member or school superintendent, except as provided for in section 10-143
186		-	157, shall be employed in any of the schools of any local or regional 144
187		-	board of education unless such person possesses an appropriate state 145 Substitute Bill No. 6556
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	193	+
	194	+	succeeding fiscal year. 145
	195	+	(g) Not later than March 15, 2023, and biennially thereafter, the 146
	196	+	Department of Education shall report, in accordance with the provisions 147
	197	+	of section 11-4a of the general statutes, to the joint standing committee 148
	198	+	of the General Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to 149
	199	+	education on performance outcomes of recipients of grants under this 150
	200	+	section. The report shall include, but need not be limited to, 151
	201	+	measurements of the impact on student achievement, including grade-152
	202	+	level reading ability, the social-emotional learning and behavior of 153
	203	+	student participants, and the mitigation of learning loss, as defined in 154
	204	+	section 1 of this act. 155
	205	+	Sec. 5. Subsection (e) of section 10-16x of the general statutes is 156
	206	+	repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective from 157
	207	+	passage): 158
	208	+	(e) [The Department of Education shall provide grant recipients with 159
	209	+	technical assistance, evaluation, program monitoring, professional 160
	210	+	development and accreditation support.] The Department of Education 161
	211	+	shall, in collaboration with regional educational service centers, support 162
	212	+	grant recipients by (1) monitoring and evaluating programs and 163
	213	+	activities, (2) conducting a comprehensive evaluation of the 164
	214	+	effectiveness of programs and implementing risk assessments, (3) 165
	215	+	providing technical assistance and training to eligible applicants, and (4) 166
	216	+	ensuring program activities are aligned with state academic standards. 167
	217	+	The department may retain up to [four] seven and one-half per cent of 168
	218	+	the amount appropriated for the grant program for purposes of this 169
	219	+	subsection. 170
	220	+	Sec. 6. Subsection (a) of section 10-145 of the general statutes is 171
	221	+	repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective from 172
	222	+	passage): 173
	223	+	(a) No teacher, supervisor, administrator, special service staff 174
	224	+	member or school superintendent, except as provided for in section 10-175
	225	+	157, shall be employed in any of the schools of any local or regional 176 Raised Bill No. 6556
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194		-	certificate, nor shall any such person be entitled to any salary unless 146
195		-	such person can produce such certificate dated prior to or on the first 147
196		-	day of employment, except as provided for in section 10-157; provided 148
197		-	nothing in this subsection shall be construed to prevent the board of 149
198		-	education from prescribing qualifications additional to those prescribed 150
199		-	by the regulations of the State Board of Education and provided nothing 151
200		-	in this subsection shall be construed to prevent any local or regional 152
201		-	board of education from contracting with a licensed drivers' school 153
202		-	approved by the Commissioner of Motor Vehicles for the behind-the-154
203		-	wheel instruction of a driver instruction course, to be given by driving 155
204		-	instructors licensed by the Department of Motor Vehicles. No person 156
205		-	shall be employed in any of the schools of any local or regional board of 157
206		-	education as a substitute teacher unless such person (1) holds a 158
207		-	bachelor's degree, provided the Commissioner of Education may waive 159
208		-	such requirement for good cause upon the request of a superintendent 160
209		-	of schools, except for the school years commencing July 1, 2020, and July 161
210		-	1, 2021, (A) holds at least an associate degree if such person will be in 162
211		-	the same assignment for more than ten school days, or (B) has obtained 163
212		-	a high school diploma or its equivalent if such person will be in the same 164
213		-	assignment for ten or fewer school days, and (2) is on a list maintained 165
214		-	by the local or regional board of education pursuant to subsection (f) of 166
215		-	section 10-222c. 167
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	230	+
	231	+	board of education unless such person possesses an appropriate state 177
	232	+	certificate, nor shall any such person be entitled to any salary unless 178
	233	+	such person can produce such certificate dated prior to or on the first 179
	234	+	day of employment, except as provided for in section 10-157; provided 180
	235	+	nothing in this subsection shall be construed to prevent the board of 181
	236	+	education from prescribing qualifications additional to those prescribed 182
	237	+	by the regulations of the State Board of Education and provided nothing 183
	238	+	in this subsection shall be construed to prevent any local or regional 184
	239	+	board of education from contracting with a licensed drivers' school 185
	240	+	approved by the Commissioner of Motor Vehicles for the behind-the-186
	241	+	wheel instruction of a driver instruction course, to be given by driving 187
	242	+	instructors licensed by the Department of Motor Vehicles. No person 188
	243	+	shall be employed in any of the schools of any local or regional board of 189
	244	+	education as a substitute teacher unless such person (1) holds a 190
	245	+	bachelor's degree, provided the Commissioner of Education may waive 191
	246	+	such requirement for good cause upon the request of a superintendent 192
	247	+	of schools, except for the school years commencing July 1, 2020, and July 193
	248	+	1, 2021, (A) holds at least an associate degree if such person will be in 194
	249	+	the same assignment for more than ten school days, or (B) has obtained 195
	250	+	a high school diploma or its equivalent if such person will be in the same 196
	251	+	assignment for ten or fewer school days, and (2) is on a list maintained 197
	252	+	by the local or regional board of education pursuant to subsection (f) of 198
	253	+	section 10-222c. 199
216	254		This act shall take effect as follows and shall amend the following
217	255		sections:
218	256
219	257		Section 1 from passage New section
220		-	Sec. 2 from passage ~~New section~~
	258	+	Sec. 2 from passage 10-151b(a)
221	259		Sec. 3 from passage New section
222		-	Sec. 4 from passage 10-16x(e)
223		-	Sec. 5 from passage 10-145(a)
	260	+	Sec. 4 from passage New section
	261	+	Sec. 5 from passage 10-16x(e)
	262	+	Sec. 6 from passage 10-145(a)
	263	+	Raised Bill No. 6556
224	264
225		-	ED Joint Favorable Subst. C/R APP
	265	+
	266	+
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	268	+
	269	+	Statement of Purpose:
	270	+	To address issues arising out of the COVID-19 pandemic on the
	271	+	provision of public education in the state by requiring the identification
	272	+	and mitigation of student learning loss and student disengagement,
	273	+	prohibiting the use of student performance data in teacher performance
	274	+	evaluations for three school years, requiring the offering of summer
	275	+	learning programs in alliance districts, creating a summer learning
	276	+	program grant, and providing flexibility in the hiring of substitute
	277	+	teachers during the pandemic.
	278	+	[Proposed deletions are enclosed in brackets. Proposed additions are indicated by underline, except
	279	+	that when the entire text of a bill or resolution or a section of a bill or resolution is new, it is not
	280	+	underlined.]
226	281