Senate Bill No. 1032
Public Act No. 21-199
AN ACT CONCERNING VARIOUS REVISIONS AND ADDITIONS TO
THE STATUTES RELATING TO EDUCATION AND WORKFORCE
DEVELOPMENT.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General
Assembly convened:
Section 1. (NEW) (Effective July 1, 2021) Not later than December 1,
2021, and annually thereafter, any local or regional board of education
that participates in the National School Lunch Program, in which at least
one school under the jurisdiction of such board qualifies for the
maximum federal reimbursement for all school meals served under the
federal Community Eligibility Provision, but does not implement the
Community Eligibility Provision, shall submit a report to the
Department of Education that notifies the department that such board
is not implementing the Community Eligibility Provision and the
reasons for why such board is not implementing the Community
Eligibility Provision. Such report shall include, but not be limited to, a
description of the specific impediments to implementing the
Community Eligibility Provision, any actions that are needed to remove
those impediments and a plan for implementation of the Community
Eligibility Provision during the following school year, if possible. As
used in this section, "Community Eligibility Provision" means the
federal meal reimbursement program administered by the United States
Department of Agriculture, as set forth in 7 CFR 245.9, as amended from Senate Bill No. 1032
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time to time.
Sec. 2. Section 10-76xx of the general statutes is repealed and the
following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1, 2021):
(a) A local or regional board of education shall, upon the
identification of a student as gifted and talented, provide electronic
notice of such identification to the parent or guardian of such student.
Such notice shall include, but need not be limited to, (1) an explanation
of how such student was identified as gifted and talented, and (2) the
contact information for (A) the employee of the school district in charge
of the provision of services to gifted and talented students, or, if there is
no such employee, the employee of the school district in charge of the
provision of special education and related services, (B) the employee at
the Department of Education who has been designated as responsible
for providing information and assistance to boards of education and
parents or guardians of students related to gifted and talented students,
pursuant to section 10-3e, and (C) any associations in the state that
provide support to gifted and talented students.
(b) Not later than July 1, 2022, each local and regional board of
education shall adopt a policy for the equitable identification of gifted
and talented students. Such policy shall require the use of multiple
methods of identification of gifted and talented students that are in
compliance with guidance provided by the Department of Education.
Sec. 3. (NEW) (Effective July 1, 2021) (a) As used in this section:
(1) "Advanced course or program" means an honors class, advanced
placement class, International Baccalaureate program, Cambridge
International program, dual enrollment, dual credit, early college or any
other advanced or accelerated course or program offered by a local or
regional board of education in grades nine to twelve, inclusive; and
(2) "Prior academic performance" means the course or courses that a Senate Bill No. 1032
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student has taken, the grades received for such course or courses and a
student's grade point average.
(b) Not later than July 1, 2022, each local and regional board of
education shall adopt a policy, or revise an existing policy, concerning
the eligibility criteria for student enrollment in an advanced course or
program. Such policy shall provide for multiple methods by which a
student may satisfy the eligibility criteria for enrollment in an advanced
course or program, including, but not limited to, recommendations
from teachers, administrators, school counselors or other school
personnel. Such eligibility criteria shall not be based exclusively on a
student's prior academic performance and that any use of a student's
prior academic performance shall rely on evidence-based indicators of
how a student will perform in an advanced course or program.
(c) Any policy adopted or revised and implemented under this
section shall be in accordance with guidance provided by the
Department of Education.
Sec. 4. Subsection (j) of section 10-221a of the general statutes is
repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1,
2021):
(j) For the school year commencing July 1, 2012, and each school year
thereafter, each local and regional board of education shall create a
student success plan for each student enrolled in a public school,
beginning in grade six. Such student success plan shall include a
student's career and academic choices in grades six to twelve, inclusive.
Beginning in grade six, such student success plan shall provide evidence
of career exploration in each grade including, but not limited to, careers
in manufacturing. The Department of Education shall revise and issue
to local and regional boards of education guidance regarding changes
to such student success plans. On and after July 1, 2020, in creating such
student success plans, consideration shall be given to career and Senate Bill No. 1032
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academic choices in computer science, science, technology, engineering
and mathematics. On and after July 1, 2021, such student success plans
shall be created, if possible, in collaboration with each student and the
parent or guardian of such student. On and after July 1, 2022, such
student success plans shall, to the extent it does not conflict with the
career choices of the student or such student's parent or guardian,
include an academic plan that is in compliance with the challenging
curriculum policy adopted by the local or regional board of education
pursuant to section 5 of this act.
Sec. 5. (NEW) (Effective July 1, 2021) (a) Not later than July 1, 2022,
each local and regional board of education shall adopt a challenging
curriculum policy. A challenging curriculum policy shall include, but
need not be limited to, (1) criteria for the identification of students in
grades eight and nine who may be eligible to take or enroll in an
advanced course or program, as defined in section 3 of this act, and (2)
a provision requiring the creation of an academic plan, in accordance
with the provisions of subsection (b) of this section.
(b) Each local and regional board of education shall create an
academic plan for each student identified under the criteria described in
subdivision (1) of subsection (a) of this section. In creating an academic
plan for a student, such plan shall be designed to enroll such student in
one or more advanced course or programs and allow such student to
earn college credit or result in career readiness. Each academic plan shall
be aligned with (1) the courses or programs offered by the local or
regional board of education, (2) such student's student success plan
created pursuant to subsection (j) of section 10-221a of the general
statutes, as amended by this act, (3) the high school graduation
requirements under section 10-221a of the general statutes, as amended
by this act, and (4) any other policies or standards adopted by the board
relating to the eligibility for student enrollment in advanced courses or
programs. A student, or the parent or guardian of a student, may decline Senate Bill No. 1032
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to implement the provisions of an academic plan created for such
student.
(c) A challenging curriculum policy adopted and implemented under
this section shall be in accordance with guidance provided by the
Department of Education.
Sec. 6. (NEW) (Effective July 1, 2021) Not later than July 1, 2022, each
local and regional board of education shall adopt a policy to improve
completion rates of the Free Application for Federal Student Aid by
students enrolled in grade twelve in a high school under the jurisdiction
of such board or an adult education program maintained by such board
pursuant to section 10-69 of the general statutes. A local or regional
board of education may accept gifts, grants and donations, including in-
kind donations, to implement the provisions of a policy adopted under
this section.
Sec. 7. Subsection (d) of section 10-262u of the general statutes is
repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1,
2021):
(d) The local or regional board of education for a town designated as
an alliance district may apply to the Commissioner of Education, at such
time and in such manner as the commissioner prescribes, to receive any
increase in funds received over the amount the town received for the
prior fiscal year pursuant to subsection (a) of section 10-262i.
Applications pursuant to this subsection shall include objectives and
performance targets and a plan that are developed, in part, on the
strategic use of student academic performance data. Such plan may
include, but not be limited to, the following: (1) A tiered system of
interventions for the schools under the jurisdiction of such board based
on the needs of such schools, (2) ways to strengthen the foundational
programs in reading, through the intensive reading instruction program
pursuant to section 10-14u, to ensure reading mastery in kindergarten Senate Bill No. 1032
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to grade three, inclusive, with a focus on standards and instruction,
proper use of data, intervention strategies, current information for
teachers, parental engagement, and teacher professional development,
(3) additional learning time, including extended school day or school
year programming administered by school personnel or external
partners, (4) a talent strategy that includes, but is not limited to, teacher
and school leader recruitment and assignment, career ladder policies
that draw upon guidelines for a model teacher evaluation program
adopted by the State Board of Education, pursuant to section 10-151b,
and adopted by each local or regional board of education. Such talent
strategy may include provisions that demonstrate increased ability to
attract, retain, promote and bolster the performance of staff in
accordance with performance evaluation findings and, in the case of
new personnel, other indicators of effectiveness, (5) training for school
leaders and other staff on new teacher evaluation models, (6) provisions
for the cooperation and coordination with early childhood education
providers to ensure alignment with district expectations for student
entry into kindergarten, including funding for an existing local Head
Start program, (7) provisions for the cooperation and coordination with
other governmental and community programs to ensure that students
receive adequate support and wraparound services, including
community school models, (8) provisions for implementing and
furthering state-wide education standards adopted by the State Board
of Education and all activities and initiatives associated with such
standards, (9) strategies for attracting and recruiting minority teachers
and administrators, (10) provisions for the enhancement of bilingual
education programs, pursuant to section 10-17f, or other language
acquisition services to English language learners, including, but not
limited to, participation in the English language learner pilot program,
established pursuant to section 10-17n, (11) entering into the model
school district responsibilities agreement, described in section 10-223l,
(12) leadership succession plans that provide training and learning
opportunities for administrators and are designed to assist in the Senate Bill No. 1032
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seamless transition of school and district personnel in and out of
leadership positions in the school district and the continuous
implementation of plans developed under this subsection, (13)
implementing the policy adopted pursuant to section 6 of this act to
improve completion rates of the Free Application for Federal Student
Aid by students enrolled in grade twelve in a high school under the
jurisdiction of such board or students enrolled in an adult education
program maintained by such board pursuant to section 10-69, and, as
applicable, the parent and guardians of such students, and [(13)] (14)
any additional categories or goals as determined by the commissioner.
Such plan shall demonstrate collaboration with key stakeholders, as
identified by the commissioner, with the goal of achieving efficiencies
and the alignment of intent and practice of current programs with
conditional programs identified in this subsection. The commissioner
may (A) require changes in any plan submitted by a local or regional
board of education before the commissioner approves an application
under this subsection, and (B) permit a local or regional board of
education, as part of such plan, to use a portion of any funds received
under this section for the purposes of paying tuition charged to such
board pursuant to subdivision (1) of subsection (k) of section 10-264l or
subsection (b) of section 10-264o.
Sec. 8. (NEW) (Effective July 1, 2021) Not later than July 1, 2024, and
annually thereafter, the Department of Education shall publish and
make available on its Internet web site the student completion rate of
the Free Application for Federal Student Aid for the graduating class for
each high school and each school district. The department may exclude
the completion data of certain subgroups of students for the purposes
of publishing such data under this section if the career choices of the
students in such subgroup are not relevant or applicable to the
completion of the Free Application for Federal Student Aid.
Sec. 9. (Effective from passage) The Commissioner of Education shall Senate Bill No. 1032
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establish a working group to develop strategies and recommendations
to improve the rates of student completion of the Free Application for
Federal Student Aid. The membership of the working group shall
include, but need not be limited to, (1) the executive director of the
Office of Higher Education, or the executive director's designee, (2) the
president of Connecticut State Colleges and Universities, or the
president's designee, (3) the president of The University of Connecticut,
or the president's designee, and (4) one representative from each of the
following associations or organizations, designated by the association
or organization, the Connecticut Association of Boards of Education, the
Connecticut Association of Public School Superintendents, the
Connecticut Education Association, the American Federation of
Teachers-Connecticut, the Connecticut Association of Schools, the RESC
Alliance, the Connecticut School Counselor Association and the
Connecticut Students for a DREAM. Not later than December 1, 2024,
the working group shall submit a report on its strategies and
recommendations to the joint standing committee of the General
Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to education and
higher education, in accordance with the provisions of section 11-4a of
the general statutes.
Sec. 10. Section 10-184 of the general statutes is repealed and the
following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1, 2021):
All parents and those who have the care of children shall bring them
up in some lawful and honest employment and instruct them or cause
them to be instructed in reading, writing, spelling, English grammar,
geography, arithmetic and United States history and in citizenship,
including a study of the town, state and federal governments. Subject to
the provisions of this section and section 10-15c, each parent or other
person having control of a child five years of age and over and under
eighteen years of age shall cause such child to attend a public school
regularly during the hours and terms the public school in the district in Senate Bill No. 1032
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which such child resides is in session, unless such child is a high school
graduate or the parent or person having control of such child is able to
show that the child is elsewhere receiving equivalent instruction in the
studies taught in the public schools. For the school [year] years
commencing July 1, 2011, [and each school year thereafter] to July 1,
2022, inclusive, the parent or person having control of a child seventeen
years of age may consent, as provided in this section, to such child's
withdrawal from school. For the school year commencing July 1, 2023,
and each school year thereafter, a student who is eighteen years of age
or older may withdraw from school. Such parent, [or] person or student
shall personally appear at the school district office and sign a
withdrawal form. Such withdrawal form shall include an attestation
from a guidance counselor, school counselor or school administrator of
the school that such school district has provided such parent, [or] person
or student with information on the educational options available in the
school system and in the community. The parent or person having
control of a child seventeen years of age may withdraw such child from
school and enroll such child in an adult education program pursuant to
section 10-69. Such parent or person shall personally appear at the
school district office and sign an adult education withdrawal and
enrollment form. Such adult education withdrawal and enrollment form
shall include an attestation (1) from a school counselor or school
administrator of the school that such school district has provided such
parent or person with information on the educational options available
in the school system and in the community, and (2) from such parent or
person that such child will be enrolled in an adult education program
upon such child's withdrawal from school. The parent or person having
control of a child five years of age shall have the option of not sending
the child to school until the child is six years of age and the parent or
person having control of a child six years of age shall have the option of
not sending the child to school until the child is seven years of age. The
parent or person shall exercise such option by personally appearing at
the school district office and signing an option form. The school district Senate Bill No. 1032
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shall provide the parent or person with information on the educational
opportunities available in the school system.
Sec. 11. Subsection (a) of section 10-5 of the general statutes is
repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1,
2021):
(a) The Commissioner of Education shall, in accordance with this
section, issue a state high school diploma to any person (1) who
successfully completes an examination approved by the commissioner,
or (2) who (A) is [seventeen] eighteen years of age or older and has been
officially withdrawn from school in accordance with the provisions of
section 10-184, as amended by this act, [or is eighteen years of age or
older,] and (B) presents to the commissioner evidence demonstrating
educational qualifications which the commissioner deems equivalent to
those required for graduation from a public high school. Application for
such a diploma shall be made in the manner and form prescribed by the
commissioner provided, at the time of application to take the
examination described in subdivision (1) of this subsection, the
applicant [is seventeen years of age or older,] has been officially
withdrawn from school, in accordance with section 10-184, as amended
by this act, for at least six months and has been advised, in such manner
as may be prescribed by the commissioner, of the other options for high
school completion and other available educational programs. For good
cause shown, the commissioner may allow a person who is [sixteen]
seventeen years of age to apply to take the examination. [, provided the
commissioner may not issue a state high school diploma to such person
until the person has attained seventeen years of age.]
Sec. 12. (Effective from passage) Not later than January 1, 2022, the
Commissioner of Education, upon approval of the State Board of
Education, may submit to the Secretary of the Office of Policy and
Management and to the joint standing committee of the General
Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to education, in Senate Bill No. 1032
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accordance with the provisions of section 11-4a of the general statutes,
recommendations concerning: (1) Providing information to students
and their families about the net cost of attending college, how applying
for federal Pell grants can make college more affordable for students,
and the varying income potential of different college and certificate
programs; (2) strategies to remove barriers and simplify access to high-
quality postsecondary education and training options, including, but
not limited to, non-degree programs; (3) the feasibility of establishing
an early graduation program in which a student who graduates from
high school in three years receives a scholarship from the local or
regional board of education responsible for educating such student to
attend an undergraduate, in-person program at a nonprofit institution
of higher education in the state; and (4) the feasibility of developing a
standardized exit survey for all students in grade twelve in the state. In
developing such recommendations, the commissioner shall consult with
the parents of students, teachers and school administrators, and may
establish a working group with members selected by the commissioner.
Sec. 13. Section 10-220g of the general statutes is repealed and the
following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1, 2021):
Each local and regional board of education shall establish, and
update as necessary, a written policy concerning [weighted grading for
honors and advanced placement classes] the manner in which students'
grade point averages are calculated, including whether such grade point
average is weighted or not weighted. The policy shall provide that
parents and students are advised as to whether a grade in an honors
class, [or an] advanced placement class, International Baccalaureate
program, Cambridge International program, dual enrollment, dual
credit or early college is or is not given added weight for purposes of
calculating grade point average and determining class rank.