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OLR Bill Analysis
sHB 5321
AN ACT IMPLEMENTING CERTAIN RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE
SCHOOL PARAEDUCATOR ADVISORY COUNCIL.
SUMMARY
As defined by the State Department of Education, a paraeducator
(also known as a “paraprofessional”) is an employee who helps teachers
or other professional educators or therapists deliver instructional and
related services to students. This bill makes the following changes in the
education laws relating to paraeducators:
1. requires local and regional boards of education to give notice
and, upon request, training to any paraeducator invited to a
special education planning and placement team (PPT) meeting;
2. allows paraeducators to view their students’ individualized
education programs (IEPs) to be able to give them appropriate
special education or related services; and
3. adds data about paraeducators to the annual strategic school
profile report that boards of education must submit to the
education commissioner.
The bill also makes boards’ annual strategic school profile reporting
on topics required under current law and the bill subject to available
resources.
EFFECTIVE DATE: July 1, 2022
§ 1 — PPT NOTICE AND TRAINING
By law, local and regional boards of education must hold PPT
meetings to (1) develop an initial IEP for a student who is eligible for
special education based on assessment and evaluation results and (2)
annually update the student’s IEP. The bill requires the boards to give 2022HB-05321-R000633-BA.DOCX
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adequate notice of these meetings to any paraprofessional assigned to
this student if the parent, guardian, student, or surrogate parent
requests that the paraprofessional attend. The boards must give this
notice so that the paraprofessional may (1) adequately prepare for the
meeting and (2) request training from the board on his or her role at the
meeting.
§ 2 — STRATEGIC SCHOOL PROFILE REPORTING
By law, local and regional boards of education must annually submit
to the education commissioner a strategic school profile report for (1)
each school and alternative education school or program under its
jurisdiction and (2) the district as a whole. This report contains
information about, among other things, student needs and performance;
resources and their equitable allocation among schools; and special
education.
The bill requires that the reports additionally include the following
information about paraeducators:
1. the number employed in each school and the entire district and
2. their individual (a) job titles and hourly pay rates; (b) total hours
and days worked; (c) health care contributions (expressed as a
salary percentage); and (d) annual salary, calculated by
multiplying their hourly pay rate by number of hours worked.
BACKGROUND
School Paraeducator Advisory Council
This six-member council meets quarterly to advise the education
commissioner about paraprofessional training and professional
development needs, staffing strategies, and other relevant issues. It also
reports annually to the Education Committee about its
recommendations to the commissioner (CGS § 10-155k).
COMMITTEE ACTION
Education Committee
Joint Favorable Substitute Change of Reference - APP 2022HB-05321-R000633-BA.DOCX
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Yea 39 Nay 0 (03/25/2022)
Appropriations Committee
Joint Favorable Substitute
Yea 50 Nay 0 (04/07/2022)