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General Assembly Substitute Bill No. 6618
January Session, 2021
AN ACT CONCERNING FUNDING ISSUES RELATED TO PU BLIC
EDUCATION IN CONNECT ICUT.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General
Assembly convened:
Section 1. Subsection (d) of section 10-262u of the general statutes is 1
repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1, 2
2021): 3
(d) The local or regional board of education for a town designated as 4
an alliance district may apply to the Commissioner of Education, at such 5
time and in such manner as the commissioner prescribes, to receive any 6
increase in funds received over the amount the town received for the 7
prior fiscal year pursuant to subsection (a) of section 10-262i. 8
Applications pursuant to this subsection shall include objectives and 9
performance targets and a plan that are developed, in part, on the 10
strategic use of student academic performance data. Such plan may 11
include, but not be limited to, the following: (1) A tiered system of 12
interventions for the schools under the jurisdiction of such board based 13
on the needs of such schools, (2) ways to strengthen the foundational 14
programs in reading, through the intensive reading instruction program 15
pursuant to section 10-14u, to ensure reading mastery in kindergarten 16
to grade three, inclusive, with a focus on standards and instruction, 17
proper use of data, intervention strategies, current information for 18 Substitute Bill No. 6618
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teachers, parental engagement, and teacher professional development, 19
(3) additional learning time, including extended school day or school 20
year programming administered by school personnel or external 21
partners, (4) a talent strategy that includes, but is not limited to, teacher 22
and school leader recruitment and assignment, career ladder policies 23
that draw upon guidelines for a model teacher evaluation program 24
adopted by the State Board of Education, pursuant to section 10-151b, 25
and adopted by each local or regional board of education. Such talent 26
strategy may include provisions that demonstrate increased ability to 27
attract, retain, promote and bolster the performance of staff in 28
accordance with performance evaluation findings and, in the case of 29
new personnel, other indicators of effectiveness, (5) training for school 30
leaders and other staff on new teacher evaluation models, (6) provisions 31
for the cooperation and coordination with early childhood education 32
providers to ensure alignment with district expectations for student 33
entry into kindergarten, including funding for an existing local Head 34
Start program, (7) provisions for the cooperation and coordination with 35
other governmental and community programs to ensure that students 36
receive adequate support and wraparound services, including 37
community school models, (8) provisions for implementing and 38
furthering state-wide education standards adopted by the State Board 39
of Education and all activities and initiatives associated with such 40
standards, (9) strategies for attracting and recruiting minority teachers 41
and administrators, (10) provisions for the enhancement of bilingual 42
education programs, pursuant to section 10-17f, or other language 43
acquisition services to English language learners, including, but not 44
limited to, participation in the English language learner pilot program, 45
established pursuant to section 10-17n, (11) entering into the model 46
school district responsibilities agreement, described in section 10-223l, 47
(12) leadership succession plans that provide training and learning 48
opportunities for administrators and are designed to assist in the 49
seamless transition of school and district personnel in and out of 50
leadership positions in the school district and the continuous 51
implementation of plans developed under this subsection, and (13) any 52
additional categories or goals as determined by the commissioner. Such 53 Substitute Bill No. 6618
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plan shall demonstrate collaboration with key stakeholders, as 54
identified by the commissioner, with the goal of achieving efficiencies 55
and the alignment of intent and practice of current programs with 56
conditional programs identified in this subsection. The commissioner 57
may (A) require changes in any plan submitted by a local or regional 58
board of education before the commissioner approves an application 59
under this subsection, [and] (B) permit a local or regional board of 60
education, as part of such plan, to use a portion of any funds received 61
under this section for the purposes of paying tuition charged to such 62
board pursuant to subdivision (1) of subsection (k) of section 10-264l or 63
subsection (b) of section 10-264o, or (C) permit a local or regional board 64
of education to expend up to ten per cent of the portion of any increase 65
of funds received under this section over the amount such board 66
received for the prior fiscal year, in a manner not included in the plan 67
submitted by such board or otherwise prescribed under this subsection, 68
provided such board (i) expends such funds in accordance with the 69
provisions of section 10-262i, as amended by this act, and (ii) increases 70
its local appropriation for education for such fiscal year in an amount 71
equal to the amount the commissioner permits such board expend 72
under this subparagraph. 73
Sec. 2. (NEW) (Effective from passage) For the fiscal years ending June 74
30, 2021, to June 30, 2023, inclusive, the balance of any remaining federal 75
funds received by a local or regional board of education for the purpose 76
of covering costs associated with COVID-19 expenditures, including, 77
but not limited to, funds received pursuant to the Coronavirus Aid, 78
Relief, and Economic Security Act, P.L. 116-136, as amended from time 79
to time, and the Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental 80
Appropriations Act, P.L. 116-260, as amended from time to time, that 81
have not been expended by such board at the end of the fiscal year shall 82
not lapse and shall be carried forward and used by such board in the 83
next fiscal year. As used in this section, "COVID-19" means the 84
respiratory disease designated by the World Health Organization on 85
February 11, 2020, as coronavirus 2019, and any related mutation thereof 86
recognized by the World Health Organization as a communicable 87 Substitute Bill No. 6618
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respiratory disease. 88
Sec. 3. Subdivision (2) of subsection (d) of section 10-51 of the general 89
statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof 90
(Effective July 1, 2021): 91
(2) On and after June 7, 2006, a regional board of education, by a 92
majority vote of its members, may create a reserve fund for capital and 93
nonrecurring expenditures. Such fund shall thereafter be termed 94
"reserve fund for capital and nonrecurring expenditures". The aggregate 95
amount of annual and supplemental appropriations by a district to such 96
fund shall not exceed [one] two per cent of the annual district budget 97
for such fiscal year. Annual appropriations to such fund shall be 98
included in the share of net expenses to be paid by each member town. 99
Supplemental appropriations to such fund may be made from estimated 100
fiscal year end surplus in operating funds. Interest and investment 101
earnings received with respect to amounts held in the fund shall be 102
credited to such fund. The board shall annually submit a complete and 103
detailed report of the condition of such fund to the member towns. 104
Upon the recommendation and approval by the regional board of 105
education, any part or the whole of such fund may be used for capital 106
and nonrecurring expenditures, but such use shall be restricted to the 107
funding of all or part of the planning, construction, reconstruction or 108
acquisition of any specific capital improvement or the acquisition of any 109
specific item of equipment. Upon the approval of any such expenditure 110
an appropriation shall be set up, plainly designated for the project or 111
acquisition for which it has been authorized, and such unexpended 112
appropriation may be continued until such project or acquisition is 113
completed. Any unexpended portion of such appropriation remaining 114
after such completion shall revert to said fund. If any authorized 115
appropriation is set up pursuant to the provisions of this subsection and 116
through unforeseen circumstances the completion of the project or 117
acquisition for which such appropriation has been designated is 118
impossible to attain the board, by a majority vote of its members, may 119
terminate such appropriation which then shall no longer be in effect. 120 Substitute Bill No. 6618
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Such fund may be discontinued, after the recommendation and 121
approval by the regional board of education, and any amounts held in 122
the fund shall be transferred to the general fund of the district. 123
Sec. 4. Section 10-262j of the general statutes is repealed and the 124
following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1, 2021): 125
(a) Except as otherwise provided under the provisions of subsections 126
[(c)] (b) to (h), inclusive, of this section, for [the] any fiscal year, [ending 127
June 30, 2020,] the budgeted appropriation for education shall be not 128
less than the budgeted appropriation for education for the prior fiscal 129
year, [ending June 30, 2019,] plus any aid increase described in 130
subsection (d) of section 10-262i, as amended by this act, except that a 131
town may reduce its budgeted appropriation for education for the fiscal 132
year, [ending June 30, 2020,] by one or more of the following: 133
(1) If a town experiences an aid reduction, as described in subsection 134
(d) of section 10-262i, as amended by this act, such town may reduce its 135
budgeted appropriation for education in an amount equal to the aid 136
reduction; 137
(2) If a district experiences a net reduction in its resident student 138
count during a period that may include any of the five fiscal years 139
immediately prior to the fiscal year for which the budgeted 140
appropriation for education is calculated, such district may reduce its 141
budgeted appropriation for education in an amount equal to the 142
number of such net reduction multiplied by fifty per cent of the net 143
current expenditures per resident student of such district, provided no 144
district may use the resident student count for any fiscal year that was 145
previously used to reduce its budgeted appropriation for education in 146
any calculation of a net reduction of resident students for purposes of 147
reducing its budgeted appropriation for education pursuant to this 148
subdivision for any subsequent fiscal year; 149
(3) Any district (A) that does not maintain a high school and pays 150
tuition to another school district pursuant to section 10-33 for resident 151 Substitute Bill No. 6618
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students to attend high school in another district, and (B) in which the 152
number of resident students attending high school for such district for 153
October [1, 2018] first of the prior school year, using the data of record 154
as of January [31, 2019] thirty-first of the prior school year, is lower than 155
such district's number of resident students attending high school for 156
October [1, 2017] first of the school year before the prior school year, 157
using the data of record as of January [31, 2019] thirty-first of the school 158
year before the prior school year, may reduce such district's budgeted 159
appropriation for education by the difference in the number of resident 160
students attending high school for such years multiplied by the amount 161
of tuition paid per student pursuant to section 10-33; or 162
(4) Any district that realizes new and documentable savings through 163
(A) increased district efficiencies approved by the Commissioner of 164
Education, including, but not limited to, (i) reductions in costs 165
associated with transportation services, school district administration or 166
contracts that are not the result of collective bargaining or other labor 167
agreements, (ii) an agreement to provide medical or health care benefits 168
pursuant to section 7-464b, (iii) a cooperative agreement relating to the 169
performance of administrative and central office functions, such as 170
business manager functions, for the municipality and the school district 171
pursuant to section 10-241b, (iv) reductions in costs associated with the 172
purchasing or joint purchasing of property insurance, casualty 173
insurance and workers' compensation insurance, following the 174
consultation with the legislative body of the municipality of such district 175
pursuant to section 10-241c, (v) reductions in costs associated with the 176
purchasing of payroll processing or accounts payable software systems, 177
following the consultation with the legislative body of the municipality 178
of such district to determine whether such systems may be purchased 179
or shared on a regional basis pursuant to section 10-241e, (vi) 180
consolidation of information technology services, and (vii) reductions in 181
costs associated with the care and maintenance of athletic fields, or (B) 182
regional collaboration or cooperative arrangements pursuant to section 183
10-158a may reduce such district's budgeted appropriation for 184
education in an amount equal to half of the amount of savings 185 Substitute Bill No. 6618
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experienced as a result of such district efficiencies, regional 186
collaboration or cooperative arrangement, provided such reduction 187
shall not exceed one-half of one per cent of the district's budgeted 188
appropriation for education for the prior fiscal year. [ending June 30, 189
2019.] 190
[(b) Except as otherwise provided under the provisions of subsections 191
(c) to (h), inclusive, of this section, for the fiscal year ending June 30, 192
2021, a town's budgeted appropriation for education shall be not less 193
than the budgeted appropriation for education for the fiscal year ending 194
June 30, 2020, plus any aid increase received pursuant to subsection (d) 195
of section 10-262i, except that a town may reduce its budgeted 196
appropriation for education for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2021, by 197
one or more of the following: 198
(1) If a town experiences an aid reduction, as described in subsection 199
(d) of section 10-262i, such town may reduce its budgeted appropriation 200
for education in an amount equal to the aid reduction; 201
(2) If a district experiences a net reduction in its resident student 202
count during a period that may include any of the five fiscal years 203
immediately prior to the fiscal year for which the budgeted 204
appropriation for education is calculated, such district may reduce its 205
budgeted appropriation for education in an amount equal to the 206
number of such net reduction multiplied by fifty per cent of the net 207
current expenditures per resident student of such district, provided no 208
district may use the resident student count for any fiscal year that was 209
previously used to reduce its budgeted appropriation for education in 210
any calculation of a net reduction of resident students for purposes of 211
reducing its budgeted appropriation for education pursuant to this 212
subdivision for any subsequent fiscal year; 213
(3) Any district (A) that does not maintain a high school and pays 214
tuition to another school district pursuant to section 10-33 for resident 215
students to attend high school in another district, and (B) in which the 216
number of resident students attending high school for such district for 217 Substitute Bill No. 6618
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October 1, 2019, using the data of record as of January 31, 2020, is lower 218
than such district's number of resident students attending high school 219
for October 1, 2018, using the data of record as of January 31, 2020, may 220
reduce such district's budgeted appropriation for education by the 221
difference in the number of resident students attending high school for 222
such years multiplied by the amount of tuition paid per student 223
pursuant to section 10-33; or 224
(4) Any district that realizes new and documentable savings through 225
(A) increased district efficiencies approved by the Commissioner of 226
Education, including, but not limited to, (i) reductions in costs 227
associated with transportation services, school district administration or 228
contracts that are not the result of collective bargaining or other labor 229
agreements, (ii) an agreement to provide medical or health care benefits 230
pursuant to section 7-464b, (iii) a cooperative agreement relating to the 231
performance of administrative and central office functions, such as 232
business manager functions, for the municipality and the school district 233
pursuant to section 10-241b, (iv) reductions in costs associated with the 234
purchasing or joint purchasing of property insurance, casualty 235
insurance and workers' compensation insurance, following the 236
consultation with the legislative body of the municipality of such district 237
pursuant to section 10-241c, (v) reductions in costs associated with the 238
purchasing of payroll processing or accounts payable software systems, 239
following the consultation with the legislative body of the municipality 240
of such district to determine whether such systems may be purchased 241
or shared on a regional basis pursuant to section 10-241e, (vi) 242
consolidation of information technology services, and (vii) reductions in 243
costs associated with the care and maintenance of athletic fields, or (B) 244
regional collaboration or cooperative arrangements pursuant to section 245
10-158a, may reduce such district's budgeted appropriation for 246
education in an amount equal to half of the amount of savings 247
experienced as a result of such district efficiencies, regional 248
collaboration or cooperative arrangement, provided such reduction 249
shall not exceed one-half of one per cent of the district's budgeted 250
appropriation for education for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2020.] 251 Substitute Bill No. 6618
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[(c) For the fiscal years ending June 30, 2020, and June 30, 2021,] (b) 252
For any fiscal year, the Commissioner of Education may permit a town 253
to reduce its budgeted appropriation for education in an amount 254
determined by the commissioner if the school district in such town has 255
permanently ceased operations and closed one or more schools in the 256
school district due to declining enrollment at such closed school or 257
schools in the [fiscal years ending June 30, 2013, to June 30, 2020, 258
inclusive] seven fiscal years immediately prior to the fiscal year for 259
which the budgeted appropriation for education is calculated. 260
[(d)] (c) Except as otherwise provided under the provisions of 261
[subsection (h)] subsections (g) and (h) of this section, [for the fiscal 262
years ending June 30, 2020, and June 30, 2021,] a town designated as an 263
alliance district, as defined in section 10-262u, as amended by this act, 264
shall not reduce its budgeted appropriation for education pursuant to 265
this section. 266
[(e) For the fiscal years ending June 30, 2020, and June 30, 2021, the] 267
(d) The provisions of this section shall not apply to any district that is in 268
the top ten per cent of school districts based on the accountability index, 269
as defined in section 10-223e. 270
[(f) For the fiscal years ending June 30, 2020, and June 30, 2021, the] 271
(e) The provisions of this section shall not apply to the member towns 272
of a regional school district during the first full fiscal year following the 273
establishment of the regional school district, provided the budgeted 274
appropriation for education for member towns of such regional school 275
district for each subsequent fiscal year shall be determined in 276
accordance with this section. 277
[(g) For the fiscal years ending June 30, 2020, and June 30, 2021, any] 278
(f) Any district that has (1) elected to act as a self-insurer, pursuant to 279
section 10-236, (2) experienced a loss incurred as a result of one or more 280
catastrophic events, as declared by a nationally recognized catastrophe 281
loss index provider, during the prior fiscal year, and (3) increased its 282
budgeted appropriation for education during said prior fiscal year as a 283 Substitute Bill No. 6618
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result of such loss, shall not be required to include the amount of such 284
increase in the calculation of such district's budgeted appropriation for 285
education for the subsequent fiscal year. 286
[(h)] (g) For the fiscal years ending June 30, 2020, [and June 30, 2021] 287
to June 30, 2023, inclusive, any district that has received (1) a 288
supplemental appropriation from the board of finance for a town having 289
a board of finance, the board of selectmen for a town having no board 290
of finance or the authority making appropriations for the school district, 291
for the purpose of covering costs associated with COVID -19 292
expenditures because the budgeted appropriation for education for the 293
district was insufficient to cover such costs, or (2) federal funds received 294
pursuant to the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act, 295
P.L. 116-136, as amended from time to time, and the Coronavirus 296
Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act, P.L. 116-260, as 297
amended from time to time, shall not be required to include the amount 298
of such supplemental appropriation or federal funds in the calculation 299
of such district's budgeted appropriation for education for the 300
subsequent fiscal year. As used in this subsection, "COVID-19" means 301
the respiratory disease designated by the World Health Organization on 302
February 11, 2020, as coronavirus 2019, and any related mutation thereof 303
recognized by the World Health Organization as a communicable 304
respiratory disease. 305
(h) For the fiscal years ending June 30, 2022, and June 30, 2023, any 306
district that has been awarded a grant under the school security 307
infrastructure competitive grant program, established pursuant to 308
section 84 of public act 13-3, during the prior fiscal year, shall not be 309
required to include the amount of such grant in the calculation of such 310
district's budgeted appropriation for education for the subsequent fiscal 311
year. 312
Sec. 5. Subsection (d) of section 10-262i of the general statutes is 313
repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1, 314
2021): 315 Substitute Bill No. 6618
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[(d) (1) For the fiscal year ending June 30, 2020, (A) if the amount of 316
the equalization aid grant a town is entitled to pursuant to section 10-317
262h is greater than such town's equalization aid grant amount for the 318
prior fiscal year, the difference between the amount of such town's 319
equalization aid grant for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2020, and such 320
town's equalization aid grant amount for the prior fiscal year shall be 321
the aid increase for such town for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2020, 322
and (B) if the amount of the equalization aid grant a town is entitled to 323
pursuant to section 10-262h is less than such town's equalization aid 324
grant amount for the prior fiscal year, the difference between such 325
town's equalization aid grant amount for the prior fiscal year and the 326
amount of such town's equalization aid grant for the fiscal year ending 327
June 30, 2020, shall be the aid reduction for such town for the fiscal year 328
ending June 30, 2020. 329
(2) For the fiscal year ending June 30, 2021, (A) if the amount of the 330
equalization aid grant a town is entitled to pursuant to section 10-262h 331
is greater than such town's equalization aid grant amount for the prior 332
fiscal year, the difference between the amount of such town's 333
equalization aid grant for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2021, and such 334
town's equalization aid grant amount for the prior fiscal year shall be 335
the aid increase for such town for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2021, 336
and (B) if the amount of the equalization aid grant a town is entitled to 337
pursuant to section 10-262h is less than such town's equalization aid 338
grant amount for the prior fiscal year, the difference between such 339
town's equalization aid grant amount for the prior fiscal year and the 340
amount of such town's equalization aid grant for the fiscal year ending 341
June 30, 2021, shall be the aid reduction for such town for the fiscal year 342
ending June 30, 2021.] (d) For any fiscal year, (1) if the amount of the 343
equalization aid grant a town is entitled to pursuant to section 10-262h 344
is greater than such town's equalization aid grant amount for the prior 345
fiscal year, the difference between the amount of such town's 346
equalization aid grant for the fiscal year, and such town's equalization 347
aid grant amount for the prior fiscal year shall be the aid increase for 348
such town for the fiscal year, and (2) if the amount of the equalization 349 Substitute Bill No. 6618
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aid grant a town is entitled to pursuant to section 10-262h is less than 350
such town's equalization aid grant amount for the prior fiscal year, the 351
difference between such town's equalization aid grant amount for the 352
prior fiscal year and the amount of such town's equalization aid grant 353
for the fiscal year shall be the aid reduction for such town for the fiscal 354
year. 355
Sec. 6. (NEW) (Effective July 1, 2021) There is established an account 356
to be known as the charter school approval grant account which shall be 357
a separate, nonlapsing account within the General Fund. The account 358
shall contain any moneys required by law to be deposited in the account. 359
Moneys in the account shall be expended by the Commissioner of 360
Education for the purpose of providing grants under section 10-66ee of 361
the general statutes, as amended by this act, to a local or state charter 362
school that has been granted an initial certificate for approval for a 363
charter pursuant to section 10-66bb of the general statutes, as amended 364
by this act, in the fiscal year immediately following the fiscal year in 365
which such initial certificate for approval for a charter was granted. 366
Sec. 7. Section 10-66ee of the general statutes is amended by adding 367
subsection (o) as follows (Effective July 1, 2021): 368
(NEW) (o) Any unexpended funds appropriated for purposes of this 369
section shall not lapse at the end of the fiscal year but shall be deposited 370
in the charter school approval grant account, established pursuant to 371
section 6 of this act, and shall be available for expenditure during the 372
next fiscal year in accordance with the provisions of said section. 373
Sec. 8. Subsection (a) of section 10-66bb of the general statutes is 374
repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1, 375
2021): 376
(a) (1) On and after July 1, 1997, and prior to July 1, 2015, the State 377
Board of Education may grant charters for local and state charter schools 378
in accordance with this section. On and after July 1, 2015, such state 379
board may grant initial certificates of approval for charters for local and 380 Substitute Bill No. 6618
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state charter schools in accordance with this section. Upon granting an 381
initial certificate of approval for a charter, such state board shall submit 382
a copy of the initial certificate of approval for the charter and a summary 383
of the comments made at a public hearing conducted pursuant to 384
subdivision (2) of subsection (e) of this section or subparagraph (B)(ii) 385
of subdivision (1) of subsection (f) of this section, in accordance with 386
section 11-4a, to the joint standing committees of the General Assembly 387
having cognizance of matters relating to education and appropriations 388
and the budgets of state agencies. 389
(2) [The General Assembly may appropriate funds to the Department 390
of Education for the purposes of providing grants to local and state 391
charter schools, pursuant to section 10-66ee. If such funds are 392
appropriated, an initial certificate of approval for a charter for a local or 393
state charter school shall be effective and deemed a charter as of July 394
first of the first fiscal year for which such funds are appropriated.] The 395
General Assembly may appropriate funds to the charter school 396
approval grant account, pursuant to section 6 of this act, for the 397
purposes of providing grants, pursuant to section 10-66ee, as amended 398
by this act, to local and state charter schools that have been granted an 399
initial certificate of approval for a charter. The Commissioner of 400
Education shall expend such funds in the fiscal year immediately 401
following the fiscal year in which such initial certificate for approval for 402
a charter was granted, and such initial certificate of approval for a 403
charter shall be effective and deemed a charter as of July first of the fiscal 404
year for which such funds are expended. 405
(3) A charter or initial certificate of approval for a charter granted 406
under this section shall not be considered a license, as defined in section 407
4-166, for the purposes of chapter 54. 408
Sec. 9. (NEW) (Effective July 1, 2021) (a) The Department of 409
Agriculture, in consultation with the advisory committee described in 410
subsection (c) of this section, shall administer the CT Grown for CT Kids 411
Grant Program. Such program shall assist local and regional boards of 412
education to develop farm-to-school programs that will increase the 413 Substitute Bill No. 6618
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availability of local foods in child nutrition programs, allow educators 414
to use hands-on educational techniques to teach students about 415
nutrition and farm-to-school connections, sustain relationships with 416
local farmers and producers, enrich the educational experience of 417
students, improve the health of children in the state, and enhance the 418
state's economy. 419
(b) A local or regional board of education, regional educational 420
service center, cooperative arrangement pursuant to section 10-158a of 421
the general statutes, child care centers, group child care homes and 422
family child care homes, as such terms are described in section 19a-77 of 423
the general statutes, or any organization or entity administering or 424
assisting in the development of a farm-to-school program, may apply, 425
in a form and manner prescribed by the department, for a grant under 426
this section. Such grant shall be used to develop or implement a school-427
to-farm program, which may include (1) the purchase of equipment, 428
resources or materials, including, but not limited to, local food products, 429
gardening supplies, field trips to farms, gleaning on farms and stipends 430
to visiting farmers, (2) the provision of professional development and 431
skills training for educators, school nutrition professionals, parents, 432
caregivers, child care providers, and employees and volunteers of 433
organizations administering or assisting in the development and 434
implementation of farm-to-school programs, and (3) piloting new 435
purchasing systems and programs. 436
(c) The department shall convene an advisory committee to assist in 437
the administration of the CT Grown for CT Kids Grant Program. The 438
advisory committee shall consist of the Commissioner of Education, or 439
the commissioner's designee, and individuals representing stakeholder 440
groups that reflect the demographic and geographic diversity of the 441
state, selected by the Commissioner of Agriculture. The advisory 442
committee shall (1) assist the department in reviewing applications and 443
awarding grants under this section, and (2) provide technical assistance 444
to grant recipients in the development and implementation of farm-to-445
school programs. 446 Substitute Bill No. 6618
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(d) In awarding grants under this section, the department shall (1) 447
give priority to applicants (A) located in alliance districts, as defined in 448
section 10-262u of the general statutes, as amended by this act, or who 449
are providers of school readiness programs, as defined in section 10-16p 450
of the general statutes, and (B) who demonstrate broad commitment 451
from school administrators, school nutrition professionals, educators 452
and community stakeholders, and (2) not award a grant that is in an 453
amount greater than ten per cent of the total amount available for the 454
fiscal year. 455
(e) The department may accept gifts, grants and donations, including 456
in-kind donations, for the administration of the CT Grown for CT Kids 457
Grant Program and to implement the provisions of this section. 458
(f) Not later than January 1, 2023, and annually thereafter, the 459
department shall submit a report on the CT Grown for CT Kids Grant 460
Program to the joint standing committee of the General Assembly 461
having cognizance of matters relating to education, in accordance with 462
the provisions of section 11-4a of the general statutes. Such report shall 463
include, but need not be limited to, an accounting of the funds 464
appropriated and received by the department for the program, 465
descriptions of each grant awarded under the program and how such 466
grant was expended by the recipient, and an evaluation of the program 467
and the success of local farm-to-school programs that have received 468
grant awards under this section. 469
Sec. 10. Subdivision (4) of subsection (a) of section 10-264i of the 470
general statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu 471
thereof (Effective July 1, 2021): 472
(4) In addition to the grants otherwise provided pursuant to this 473
section, the Commissioner of Education may provide supplemental 474
transportation grants to regional educational service centers for the 475
purposes of transportation to interdistrict magnet schools. Any such 476
grant shall be provided within available appropriations and after the 477
commissioner has reviewed and approved the total interdistrict magnet 478 Substitute Bill No. 6618
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school transportation budget for a regional educational service center, 479
including all revenue and expenditure estimates. For the fiscal years 480
ending June 30, 2013, to June 30, 2018, inclusive, in addition to the grants 481
otherwise provided pursuant to this section, the Commissioner of 482
Education may provide supplemental transportation to interdistrict 483
magnet schools that assist the state in meeting its obligations pursuant 484
to the decision in Sheff v. O'Neill, 238 Conn. 1 (1996), or any related 485
stipulation or order in effect, as determined by the commissioner. Any 486
such grant shall be provided within available appropriations and upon 487
a comprehensive financial review, by an auditor selected by the 488
Commissioner of Education, the costs of such review may be paid from 489
funds that are part of the supplemental transportation grant. Any such 490
grant shall be paid as follows: For the fiscal year ending June 30, 2013, 491
up to fifty per cent of the grant on or before June 30, 2013, and the 492
balance on or before September 1, 2013, upon completion of the 493
comprehensive financial review; for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2014, 494
up to fifty per cent of the grant on or before June 30, 2014, and the 495
balance on or before September 1, 2014, upon completion of the 496
comprehensive financial review; for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2015, 497
up to fifty per cent of the grant on or before June 30, 2015, and the 498
balance on or before September 1, 2015, upon completion of the 499
comprehensive financial review; for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2016, 500
up to fifty per cent of the grant on or before June 30, 2016, and the 501
balance on or before September 1, 2016, upon completion of the 502
comprehensive financial review; for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2017, 503
up to seventy per cent of the grant on or before June 30, 2017, and the 504
balance on or before May 30, 2018, upon completion of the 505
comprehensive financial review; for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2018, 506
up to seventy per cent of the grant on or before June 30, 2018, and the 507
balance on or before September 1, 2018, upon completion of the 508
comprehensive financial review; and for the fiscal year ending June 30, 509
2019, [and each fiscal year thereafter,] up to seventy per cent of the grant 510
on or before June thirtieth of the fiscal year, and the balance on or before 511
September first of the following fiscal year upon completion of the 512
comprehensive financial review; and for the fiscal year ending June 30, 513 Substitute Bill No. 6618
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2021, and each fiscal year thereafter, any unpaid balance of eligible 514
transportation costs incurred on or before December thirty-first of the 515
fiscal year based on documentation, including, but not limited to, 516
vendor bills dated on or before February first of the fiscal year, and any 517
unpaid balance of eligible transportation costs incurred on or before 518
March thirty-first of the fiscal year based on documentation, including, 519
but not limited to, vendor bills on or before May first of the fiscal year, 520
and the balance of the grant on or before September first of the following 521
fiscal year upon completion of the comprehensive financial review. 522
Sec. 11. Subdivision (1) of subsection (d) of section 10-66ee of the 523
general statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu 524
thereof (Effective July 1, 2021): 525
(d) (1) The state shall pay in accordance with this subsection, to the 526
fiscal authority for a state charter school for each student enrolled in 527
such school, for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2013, ten thousand two 528
hundred dollars, for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2014, ten thousand 529
five hundred dollars, for the fiscal years ending June 30, 2015, to June 530
30, 2018, inclusive, eleven thousand dollars, [and] for the fiscal year 531
ending June 30, 2019, [and each fiscal year thereafter] to June 30, 2021, 532
inclusive, eleven thousand two hundred fifty dollars, and for the fiscal 533
year ending June 30, 2022, and each fiscal year thereafter, eleven 534
thousand five hundred twenty-five dollars. Such payments shall be 535
made as follows: Twenty-five per cent of the amount not later than July 536
fifteenth and September first based on estimated student enrollment on 537
May first, and twenty-five per cent of the amount not later than January 538
first and the remaining amount not later than April first, each based on 539
student enrollment on October first. 540
Sec. 12. Section 10-17g of the general statutes is repealed and the 541
following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1, 2021): 542
For the fiscal years ending June 30, 2016, to June 30, [2021] 2023, 543
inclusive, the board of education for each local and regional school 544
district that is required to provide a program of bilingual education, 545 Substitute Bill No. 6618
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pursuant to section 10-17f, may make application to the State Board of 546
Education and shall annually receive, within available appropriations, 547
a grant in an amount equal to the product obtained by multiplying one 548
million nine hundred sixteen thousand one hundred thirty by the ratio 549
which the number of eligible children in the school district bears to the 550
total number of such eligible children state-wide. The board of 551
education for each local and regional school district receiving funds 552
pursuant to this section shall annually, on or before September first, 553
submit to the State Board of Education a progress report which shall 554
include (1) measures of increased educational opportunities for eligible 555
students, including language support services and language transition 556
support services provided to such students, (2) program evaluation and 557
measures of the effectiveness of its bilingual education and English as a 558
second language programs, including data on students in bilingual 559
education programs and students educated exclusively in English as a 560
second language programs, and (3) certification by the board of 561
education submitting the report that any funds received pursuant to this 562
section have been used for the purposes specified. The State Board of 563
Education shall annually evaluate programs conducted pursuant to 564
section 10-17f. For purposes of this section, measures of the effectiveness 565
of bilingual education and English as a second language programs 566
include, but need not be limited to, mastery examination results, under 567
section 10-14n, and graduation and school dropout rates. Any amount 568
appropriated under this section in excess of one million nine hundred 569
sixteen thousand one hundred thirty dollars shall be spent in accordance 570
with the provisions of sections 10-17k, 10-17n and 10-66t. Any 571
unexpended funds, as of November first, appropriated to the 572
Department of Education for purposes of providing a grant to a local or 573
regional board of education for the provision of a program of bilingual 574
education, pursuant to section 10-17f, shall be distributed on a pro rata 575
basis to each local and regional board of education receiving a grant 576
under this section. Notwithstanding the provisions of this section, for 577
the fiscal years ending June 30, 2009, to June 30, [2021] 2023, inclusive, 578
the amount of grants payable to local or regional boards of education 579
for the provision of a program of bilingual education under this section 580 Substitute Bill No. 6618
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shall be reduced proportionately if the total of such grants in such year 581
exceeds the amount appropriated for such grants for such year. 582
Sec. 13. Subdivision (2) of subsection (e) of section 10-76d of the 583
general statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu 584
thereof (Effective July 1, 2021): 585
(2) For purposes of this subdivision, "public agency" includes the 586
offices of a government of a federally recognized Native American tribe. 587
Notwithstanding any other provisions of the general statutes, for the 588
fiscal year ending June 30, 1987, and each fiscal year thereafter, 589
whenever a public agency, other than a local or regional board of 590
education, the State Board of Education or the Superior Court acting 591
pursuant to section 10-76h, places a child in a foster home, group home, 592
hospital, state institution, receiving home, custodial institution or any 593
other residential or day treatment facility, and such child requires 594
special education, the local or regional board of education under whose 595
jurisdiction the child would otherwise be attending school or, if no such 596
board can be identified, the local or regional board of education of the 597
town where the child is placed, shall provide the requisite special 598
education and related services to such child in accordance with the 599
provisions of this section. Within one business day of such a placement 600
by the Department of Children and Families or offices of a government 601
of a federally recognized Native American tribe, said department or 602
offices shall orally notify the local or regional board of education 603
responsible for providing special education and related services to such 604
child of such placement. The department or offices shall provide written 605
notification to such board of such placement within two business days 606
of the placement. Such local or regional board of education shall 607
convene a planning and placement team meeting for such child within 608
thirty days of the placement and shall invite a representative of the 609
Department of Children and Families or offices of a government of a 610
federally recognized Native American tribe to participate in such 611
meeting. (A) The local or regional board of education under whose 612
jurisdiction such child would otherwise be attending school shall be 613 Substitute Bill No. 6618
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financially responsible for the reasonable costs of such special education 614
and related services in an amount equal to the lesser of one hundred per 615
cent of the costs of such education or the average per pupil educational 616
costs of such board of education for the prior fiscal year, determined in 617
accordance with the provisions of subsection (a) of section 10-76f. The 618
State Board of Education shall pay on a current basis, except as provided 619
in subdivision (3) of this subsection, any costs in excess of such local or 620
regional board's basic contributions paid by such board of education in 621
accordance with the provisions of this subdivision. (B) Whenever a child 622
is placed pursuant to this subdivision, on or after July 1, 1995, by the 623
Department of Children and Families and the local or regional board of 624
education under whose jurisdiction such child would otherwise be 625
attending school cannot be identified, the local or regional board of 626
education under whose jurisdiction the child attended school or in 627
whose district the child resided at the time of removal from the home 628
by said department shall be responsible for the reasonable costs of 629
special education and related services provided to such child, for one 630
calendar year or until the child is committed to the state pursuant to 631
section 46b-129 or 46b-140 or is returned to the child's parent or 632
guardian, whichever is earlier. If the child remains in such placement 633
beyond one calendar year the Department of Children and Families 634
shall be responsible for such costs. During the period the local or 635
regional board of education is responsible for the reasonable cost of 636
special education and related services pursuant to this subparagraph, 637
the board shall be responsible for such costs in an amount equal to the 638
lesser of one hundred per cent of the costs of such education and related 639
services or the average per pupil educational costs of such board of 640
education for the prior fiscal year, determined in accordance with the 641
provisions of subsection (a) of section 10-76f. The State Board of 642
Education shall pay on a current basis, except as provided in 643
subdivision (3) of this subsection, any costs in excess of such local or 644
regional board's basic contributions paid by such board of education in 645
accordance with the provisions of this subdivision. The costs for services 646
other than educational shall be paid by the state agency which placed 647
the child. The provisions of this subdivision shall not apply to the school 648 Substitute Bill No. 6618
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districts established within the Department of Children and Families, 649
pursuant to section 17a-37 or the Department of Correction, pursuant to 650
section 18-99a, provided in any case in which special education is being 651
provided at a private residential institution, including the residential 652
components of regional educational service centers, to a child for whom 653
no local or regional board of education can be found responsible under 654
subsection (b) of this section, Unified School District #2 shall provide 655
the special education and related services and be financially responsible 656
for the reasonable costs of such special education instruction for such 657
children. Notwithstanding the provisions of this subdivision, for the 658
fiscal years ending June 30, 2004, to June 30, 2007, inclusive, and for the 659
fiscal years ending June 30, 2010, to June 30, [2021] 2023, inclusive, the 660
amount of the grants payable to local or regional boards of education in 661
accordance with this subdivision shall be reduced proportionately if the 662
total of such grants in such year exceeds the amount appropriated for 663
the purposes of this subdivision for such year. 664
Sec. 14. Subsection (d) of section 10-76g of the general statutes is 665
repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1, 666
2021): 667
(d) Notwithstanding the provisions of this section, for the fiscal years 668
ending June 30, 2004, to June 30, 2007, inclusive, and for the fiscal years 669
ending June 30, 2010, to June 30, [2021] 2023, inclusive, the amount of 670
the grants payable to local or regional boards of education in accordance 671
with this section, except grants paid in accordance with subdivision (2) 672
of subsection (a) of this section, for the fiscal years ending June 30, 2006, 673
and June 30, 2007, and for the fiscal years ending June 30, 2010, to June 674
30, [2021] 2023, inclusive, shall be reduced proportionately if the total of 675
such grants in such year exceeds the amount appropriated for the 676
purposes of this section for such year. 677
Sec. 15. Subsection (b) of section 10-253 of the general statutes is 678
repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1, 679
2021): 680 Substitute Bill No. 6618
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(b) The board of education of the school district under whose 681
jurisdiction a child would otherwise be attending school shall be 682
financially responsible for the reasonable costs of education for a child 683
placed out by the Commissioner of Children and Families or by other 684
agencies, including, but not limited to, offices of a government of a 685
federally recognized Native American tribe, in a private residential 686
facility when such child requires educational services other than special 687
education services. Such financial responsibility shall be the lesser of 688
one hundred per cent of the costs of such education or the average per 689
pupil educational costs of such board of education for the prior fiscal 690
year, determined in accordance with subsection (a) of section 10-76f. 691
Any costs in excess of the board's basic contribution shall be paid by the 692
State Board of Education on a current basis. The costs for services other 693
than educational shall be paid by the state agency which placed the 694
child. Application for the grant to be paid by the state for costs in excess 695
of the local or regional board of education's basic contribution shall be 696
made in accordance with the provisions of subdivision (5) of subsection 697
(e) of section 10-76d. Notwithstanding the provisions of this subsection, 698
for the fiscal years ending June 30, 2004, to June 30, 2007, inclusive, and 699
for the fiscal years ending June 30, 2010, to June 30, [2021] 2023, 700
inclusive, the amount of the grants payable to local or regional boards 701
of education in accordance with this subsection shall be reduced 702
proportionately if the total of such grants in such year exceeds the 703
amount appropriated for the purposes of this subsection for such year. 704
Sec. 16. Subsection (i) of section 10-217a of the general statutes is 705
repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1, 706
2021): 707
(i) Notwithstanding the provisions of this section, for the fiscal years 708
ending June 30, 2008, to June 30, [2021] 2023, inclusive, the amount of 709
the grants payable to local or regional boards of education in accordance 710
with this section shall be reduced proportionately if the total of such 711
grants in such year exceeds the amount appropriated for purposes of 712
this section. 713 Substitute Bill No. 6618
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Sec. 17. Subsection (e) of section 10-66j of the general statutes is 714
repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1, 715
2021): 716
(e) Notwithstanding the provisions of this section, for the fiscal years 717
ending June 30, 2004, to June 30, 2019, inclusive, and for the fiscal years 718
ending June 30, 2022, and June 30, 2023, the amount of grants payable to 719
regional educational service centers shall be reduced proportionately if 720
the total of such grants in such year exceeds the amount appropriated 721
for such grants for such year. 722
Sec. 18. Subsection (d) of section 10-71 of the general statutes is 723
repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1, 724
2021): 725
(d) Notwithstanding the provisions of this section, for the fiscal years 726
ending June 30, 2004, to June 30, [2021] 2023, inclusive, the amount of 727
the grants payable to towns, regional boards of education or regional 728
educational service centers in accordance with this section shall be 729
reduced proportionately if the total of such grants in such year exceeds 730
the amount appropriated for the purposes of this section for such year. 731
Sec. 19. Section 10-266aa of the general statutes is repealed and the 732
following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1, 2021): 733
(a) As used in this section: 734
(1) "Receiving district" means any school district that accepts students 735
under the program established pursuant to this section; 736
(2) "Sending district" means any school district that sends students it 737
would otherwise be legally responsible for educating to another school 738
district under the program; and 739
(3) "Minority students" means students who are "pupils of racial 740
minorities", as defined in section 10-226a. 741 Substitute Bill No. 6618
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(b) There is established, within available appropriations, an 742
interdistrict public school attendance program. The purpose of the 743
program shall be to: (1) Improve academic achievement; (2) reduce 744
racial, ethnic and economic isolation or preserve racial and ethnic 745
balance; and (3) provide a choice of educational programs. The 746
Department of Education shall provide oversight for the program, 747
including the setting of reasonable limits for the transportation of 748
students participating in the program, and may provide for the 749
incremental expansion of the program for the school year commencing 750
in 2000 for each town required to participate in the program pursuant 751
to subsection (c) of this section. 752
(c) The program shall be phased in as provided in this subsection. (1) 753
For the school year commencing in 1998, and for each school year 754
thereafter, the program shall be in operation in the Hartford, New 755
Haven and Bridgeport regions. The Hartford program shall operate as 756
a continuation of the program described in section 10-266j. Students 757
who reside in Hartford, New Haven or Bridgeport may attend school in 758
another school district in the region and students who reside in such 759
other school districts may attend school in Hartford, New Haven or 760
Bridgeport, provided, beginning with the 2001-2002 school year, the 761
proportion of students who are not minority students to the total 762
number of students leaving Hartford, Bridgeport or New Haven to 763
participate in the program shall not be greater than the proportion of 764
students who were not minority students in the prior school year to the 765
total number of students enrolled in Hartford, Bridgeport or New 766
Haven in the prior school year. The regional educational service center 767
operating the program shall make program participation decisions in 768
accordance with the requirements of this subdivision. (2) For the school 769
year commencing in 2000, and for each school year thereafter, the 770
program shall be in operation in New London, provided beginning with 771
the 2001-2002 school year, the proportion of students who are not 772
minority students to the total number of students leaving New London 773
to participate in the program shall not be greater than the proportion of 774
students who were not minority students in the prior year to the total 775 Substitute Bill No. 6618
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number of students enrolled in New London in the prior school year. 776
The regional educational service center operating the program shall 777
make program participation decisions in accordance with this 778
subdivision. (3) The Department of Education may provide, within 779
available appropriations, grants for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2003, 780
to the remaining regional educational service centers to assist school 781
districts in planning for a voluntary program of student enrollment in 782
every priority school district, pursuant to section 10-266p, which is 783
interested in participating in accordance with this subdivision. For the 784
school year commencing in 2003, and for each school year thereafter, the 785
voluntary enrollment program may be in operation in every priority 786
school district in the state. Students from other school districts in the 787
area of a priority school district, as determined by the regional 788
educational service center pursuant to subsection (d) of this section, may 789
attend school in the priority school district, provided such students 790
bring racial, ethnic and economic diversity to the priority school district 791
and do not increase the racial, ethnic and economic isolation in the 792
priority school district. (4) For the school year commencing July 1, 2022, 793
there shall be a pilot program in operation in Danbury and Norwalk. 794
The pilot program shall serve (A) up to fifty students who reside in 795
Danbury, and such students may attend school in the school districts for 796
the towns of New Fairfield, Brookfield, Bethel, Ridgefield and Redding, 797
and (B) up to fifty students who reside in Norwalk, and such students 798
may attend school in the school districts for the towns of Darien, New 799
Canaan, Wilton, Weston and Westport. School districts which received 800
students from Danbury and Norwalk under the pilot program during 801
the school year commencing July 1, 2022, shall allow such students to 802
attend school in the district until they graduate from high school. 803
(d) School districts which received students from New London under 804
the program during the [2000-2001] school year commencing July 1, 805
2000, shall allow such students to attend school in the district until they 806
graduate from high school. The attendance of such students in such 807
program shall not be supported by grants pursuant to subsections (f) 808
and (g) of this section but shall be supported, in the same amounts as 809 Substitute Bill No. 6618
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provided for in said subsections, by interdistrict cooperative grants 810
pursuant to section 10-74d to the regional educational service centers 811
operating such programs. 812
(e) Once the program is in operation in the region served by a 813
regional educational service center pursuant to subsection (c) of this 814
section, the Department of Education shall provide an annual grant to 815
such regional educational service center to assist school districts in its 816
area in administering the program and to provide staff to assist students 817
participating in the program to make the transition to a new school and 818
to act as a liaison between the parents of such students and the new 819
school district. Each regional educational service center shall determine 820
which school districts in its area are located close enough to a priority 821
school district to make participation in the program feasible in terms of 822
student transportation pursuant to subsection (f) of this section, 823
provided any student participating in the program prior to July 1, 1999, 824
shall be allowed to continue to attend the same school such student 825
attended prior to said date in the receiving district until the student 826
completes the highest grade in such school. If there are more students 827
who seek to attend school in a receiving district than there are spaces 828
available, the regional educational service center shall assist the school 829
district in determining attendance by the use of a lottery or lotteries 830
designed to preserve or increase racial, ethnic and economic diversity, 831
except that the regional educational service center shall give preference 832
to siblings and to students who would otherwise attend a school that 833
has lost its accreditation by the New England Association of Schools and 834
Colleges or has been identified as in need of improvement pursuant to 835
the No Child Left Behind Act, P.L. 107-110. The admission policies shall 836
be consistent with section 10-15c and this section. No receiving district 837
shall recruit students under the program for athletic or extracurricular 838
purposes. Each receiving district shall allow out-of-district students it 839
accepts to attend school in the district until they graduate from high 840
school. 841
(f) The Department of Education shall provide grants to regional 842 Substitute Bill No. 6618
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educational service centers or local or regional boards of education for 843
the reasonable cost of transportation for students participating in the 844
program. For the fiscal [years ending June 30, 2015, to June 30, 2017, 845
inclusive] year ending June 30, 2022, and each fiscal year thereafter, the 846
department shall provide such grants within available appropriations, 847
provided the state-wide average of such grants does not exceed an 848
amount equal to three thousand two hundred fifty dollars for each 849
student transported, except that the Commissioner of Education may 850
grant to regional educational service centers or local or regional boards 851
of education additional sums from funds remaining in the 852
appropriation for such transportation services if needed to offset 853
transportation costs that exceed such maximum amount. The regional 854
educational service centers shall provide reasonable transportation 855
services to high school students who wish to participate in supervised 856
extracurricular activities. For purposes of this section, the number of 857
students transported shall be determined on October first of each fiscal 858
year. 859
(g) (1) Except as provided in [subdivision] subdivisions (2) and (3) of 860
this subsection, the Department of Education shall provide, within 861
available appropriations, an annual grant to the local or regional board 862
of education for each receiving district in an amount not to exceed two 863
thousand five hundred dollars for each out-of-district student who 864
attends school in the receiving district under the program. 865
(2) For the fiscal year ending June 30, 2013, and each fiscal year 866
thereafter, the department shall provide, within available 867
appropriations, an annual grant to the local or regional board of 868
education for each receiving district if one of the following conditions 869
are met as follows: (A) Three thousand dollars for each out-of-district 870
student who attends school in the receiving district under the program 871
if the number of such out-of-district students is less than two per cent of 872
the total student population of such receiving district, (B) four thousand 873
dollars for each out-of-district student who attends school in the 874
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district students is greater than or equal to two per cent but less than 876
three per cent of the total student population of such receiving district, 877
(C) six thousand dollars for each out-of-district student who attends 878
school in the receiving district under the program if the number of such 879
out-of-district students is greater than or equal to three per cent but less 880
than four per cent of the total student population of such receiving 881
district, (D) six thousand dollars for each out-of-district student who 882
attends school in the receiving district under the program if the 883
Commissioner of Education determines that the receiving district has an 884
enrollment of greater than four thousand students and has increased the 885
number of students in the program by at least fifty per cent from the 886
previous fiscal year, or (E) eight thousand dollars for each out-of-district 887
student who attends school in the receiving district under the program 888
if the number of such out-of-district students is greater than or equal to 889
four per cent of the total student population of such receiving district. 890
(3) (A) For the fiscal year ending June 30, 2023, the department shall 891
provide a grant to the local or regional board of education for each 892
receiving district described in subdivision (4) of subsection (c) of this 893
section in an amount of four thousand dollars for each out-of-district 894
student who resides in Danbury or Norwalk and attends school in the 895
receiving district under the pilot program. 896
(B) For the fiscal year ending June 30, 2024, and each fiscal year 897
thereafter, the department shall provide an annual grant to the local or 898
regional board of education for each receiving district described in 899
subdivision (4) of subsection (c) of this section for each out-of-district 900
student who resides in Danbury or Norwalk and attends school in the 901
receiving district under the pilot program in accordance with the 902
provisions of subdivisions (1) and (2) of this subsection. 903
[(3)] (4) Each town which receives funds pursuant to this subsection 904
shall make such funds available to its local or regional board of 905
education in supplement to any other local appropriation, other state or 906
federal grant or other revenue to which the local or regional board of 907
education is entitled. 908 Substitute Bill No. 6618
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(h) Notwithstanding any provision of this chapter, each sending 909
district and each receiving district shall divide the number of children 910
participating in the program who reside in such district or attend school 911
in such district by two for purposes of the counts for subdivision (22) of 912
section 10-262f and subdivision (2) of subsection (a) of section 10-261. 913
(i) In the case of an out-of-district student who requires special 914
education and related services, the sending district shall pay the 915
receiving district an amount equal to the difference between the 916
reasonable cost of providing such special education and related services 917
to such student and the amount received by the receiving district 918
pursuant to subsection (g) of this section and in the case of students 919
participating pursuant to subsection (d) of this section, the per pupil 920
amount received pursuant to section 10-74d. The sending district shall 921
be eligible for reimbursement pursuant to section 10-76g, as amended 922
by this act. 923
(j) Nothing in this section shall prohibit school districts from charging 924
tuition to other school districts that do not have a high school pursuant 925
to section 10-33. 926
(k) On or before March first of each year, the Commissioner of 927
Education shall determine if the enrollment in the program pursuant to 928
subsection (c) of this section for the fiscal year is below the number of 929
students for which funds were appropriated. If the commissioner 930
determines that the enrollment is below such number, the additional 931
funds shall not lapse but shall be used by the commissioner in 932
accordance with this subsection. 933
(1) Any amount up to five hundred thousand dollars of such 934
nonlapsing funds shall be used for supplemental grants to receiving 935
districts on a pro rata basis for each out-of-district student in the 936
program pursuant to subsection (c) of this section who attends the same 937
school in the receiving district as at least nine other such out-of-district 938
students, not to exceed one thousand dollars per student. 939 Substitute Bill No. 6618
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(2) Any amount of such nonlapsing funds equal to or greater than 940
five hundred thousand dollars, but less than one million dollars, shall 941
be used for supplemental grants, in an amount determined by the 942
commissioner, on a pro rata basis to receiving districts that report to the 943
commissioner on or before March first of the current school year that the 944
number of out-of-district students enrolled in such receiving district is 945
greater than the number of out-of-district students enrolled in such 946
receiving district from the previous school year. 947
(3) Any remaining nonlapsing funds shall be used by the 948
commissioner to increase enrollment in the interdistrict public school 949
attendance program described in this section. 950
(l) For purposes of the state-wide mastery examinations under 951
section 10-14n, students participating in the program established 952
pursuant to this section shall be considered residents of the school 953
district in which they attend school. 954
(m) Within available appropriations, the commissioner may make 955
grants to regional education service centers which provide summer 956
school educational programs approved by the commissioner to students 957
participating in the program. 958
(n) The Commissioner of Education may provide grants for children 959
in the Hartford program described in this section to participate in 960
preschool and all day kindergarten programs. In addition to the subsidy 961
provided to the receiving district for educational services, such grants 962
may be used for the provision of before and after-school care and 963
remedial services for the preschool and kindergarten students 964
participating in the program. 965
(o) Within available appropriations, the commissioner may make 966
grants for academic student support for programs pursuant to this 967
section that assist the state in meeting [the goals of the 2008 stipulation 968
and order for Milo Sheff, et al. v. William A. O'Neill, et al., as extended, 969
or the goals of the 2013 stipulation and order for Milo Sheff, et al. v. 970 Substitute Bill No. 6618
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William A. O'Neill, et al., as extended, as determined by the 971
commissioner] its obligations pursuant to the decision in Sheff v. 972
O'Neill, 238 Conn. 1 (1996), or any related stipulation or order in effect, 973
as determined by the Commissioner of Education. 974
This act shall take effect as follows and shall amend the following
sections:
Section 1 July 1, 2021 10-262u(d)
Sec. 2 from passage New section
Sec. 3 July 1, 2021 10-51(d)(2)
Sec. 4 July 1, 2021 10-262j
Sec. 5 July 1, 2021 10-262i(d)
Sec. 6 July 1, 2021 New section
Sec. 7 July 1, 2021 10-66ee
Sec. 8 July 1, 2021 10-66bb(a)
Sec. 9 July 1, 2021 New section
Sec. 10 July 1, 2021 10-264i(a)(4)
Sec. 11 July 1, 2021 10-66ee(d)(1)
Sec. 12 July 1, 2021 10-17g
Sec. 13 July 1, 2021 10-76d(e)(2)
Sec. 14 July 1, 2021 10-76g(d)
Sec. 15 July 1, 2021 10-253(b)
Sec. 16 July 1, 2021 10-217a(i)
Sec. 17 July 1, 2021 10-66j(e)
Sec. 18 July 1, 2021 10-71(d)
Sec. 19 July 1, 2021 10-266aa
ED Joint Favorable Subst. C/R APP