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OLR Bill Analysis
sHB 5466
AN ACT CONCERNING ASSORTED REVISIONS AND ADDITIONS
TO THE EDUCATION STATUTES.
SUMMARY
This bill makes the following changes in the education statutes:
1. requires the State Department of Education (SDE) to report to the
Education Committee about the creation of recovery high schools
(§ 1);
2. allows parents and guardians to access the class rank of their
minor student (i.e., a student under age 18) (§ 2);
3. requires the Connecticut Interscholastic Athletic Conference
(CIAC) to convene a working group to study throat guards’
effectiveness in preventing catastrophic neck injuries in ice
hockey (§ 3);
4. extends the special education services and funding task force's
report due date by two years, from January 1, 2022, to January 1,
2024 (see BACKGROUND) (§ 4); and
5. requires SDE to study the funding process for incorporated or
endowed high schools or academies (§ 5).
EFFECTIVE DATE: July 1, 2022, except the provisions about the
throat guard working group and special education task force take effect
upon passage.
§ 1 — RECOVERY HIGH SCHOOLS
The bill requires SDE to develop a report about recovery high schools,
which are designed specifically for students in recovery from substance
use disorder or co-occurring disorders. This report must address at least
the following topics: (1) an examination of how other states have 2022HB-05466-R000640-BA.DOCX
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implemented and integrated recovery high schools into their public
school system and (2) the implementation of these schools in
Connecticut. SDE must submit its findings and recommendations to the
Education Committee by January 1, 2023.
§ 2 — ACCESS TO STUDENT CLASS RANK
Current law allows any minor student’s parent or legal guardian to
request access to educational, medical, or similar records maintained in
the student’s record, so long as the information is not privileged under
state law. This bill adds access to the student’s class rank. By law and
unchanged by the bill, parents or guardians must submit a written
request for this student information to the board of education.
§ 3 — ICE HOCKEY NECK INJURIES WORKING GROUP
The bill requires CIAC to convene a working group to study throat
guards’ effectiveness in preventing catastrophic neck injuries to ice
hockey athletes playing at the interscholastic, intramural, and youth
levels.
Under the bill, the working group may include members from
organizations representing the following interests: Connecticut athletic
trainers, sports medicine physicians, athlete safety and sudden death
prevention researchers, and youth hockey or independent
interscholastic athletic league authorities. Any member of the legislature
may also participate in the working group.
The bill requires the study to include at least a review of current
policies issued by national sport governing bodies on the use of throat
guards in hockey and an analysis of relevant studies on the following
topics:
1. the prevalence of catastrophic throat injuries in interscholastic,
intramural, and youth ice hockey;
2. the effectiveness of throat guards in preventing these injuries;
and
3. any concerns associated with throat guard use by these ice 2022HB-05466-R000640-BA.DOCX
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hockey athletes.
The working group must report its findings and safety
recommendations to the Education Committee by January 1, 2023. The
bill requires the group to end on the date it submits the report or January
1, 2023, whichever is later.
§ 5 — INCORPORATED OR ENDOWED HIGH SCHOOLS OR
ACADEMIES FUNDING STUDY
The bill requires SDE to study the funding process for incorporated
or endowed high schools or academies. It allows the department to
consult with any of these high schools or academies in doing so.
Under the bill, SDE must report the study’s results and any
legislation recommendations to the Education Committee by January 1,
2023.
BACKGROUND
Special Education Services and Funding Task Force
Existing law requires this task force to study, among other things, (1)
the cost of providing special education and related services per school
district, along with its annual percentage increase or decrease; (2) state
reimbursement levels to districts for these costs; and (3) whether boards
of education are providing services directly or partnering with regional
education service centers, private providers, or as part of cooperative
arrangements with other districts (PA 21-95, § 3).
COMMITTEE ACTION
Education Committee
Joint Favorable Substitute Change of Reference - APP
Yea 39 Nay 0 (03/25/2022)
Appropriations Committee
Joint Favorable
Yea 50 Nay 0 (04/07/2022)