Researcher: JM Page 1 4/26/22
OLR Bill Analysis
sSB 1
AN ACT CONCERNING CHILDHOOD MENTAL AND PHYSICAL
HEALTH SERVICES IN SCHOOLS.
TABLE OF CONTENTS:
§ 1 – SURVEY ON SCHOOL SOCIAL WORKERS, PSYCHOLOGISTS,
COUNSELORS, AND NURSES
Requires SDE to develop and distribute a survey that school districts must annually
complete on the number of school social workers, psychologists, counselors, and nurses
they employ; requires the education commissioner to calculate the student-to-worker ratio
for each of the four types of professionals and report the survey results and the ratios to the
Education and Children’s committees
§ 2 & 18 – NEW GRANT FOR SCHOOL SOCIAL WORKERS,
PSYCHOLOGISTS, COUNSELORS, AND NURSES
Requires SDE to administer grants for FYs 23 to 25, for school districts to hire and retain
more school social workers, psychologists, counselors, and nurses; requires SDE to
calculate the return on investment for the grants and make recommendations on the
program’s renewal beyond FY 25; appropriates $60,000 for FY 23 for SDE to hire a
program administrator
§ 3 – HUMAN SERVICES PERMIT
Authorizes SBE to issue human services permits to qualified applicants with specialized
training, experience, or expertise in social work, human services, psychology, or sociology.
§§ 4 & 5 – MENTAL HEALTH PLAN FOR STUDENT ATHLETES
Requires SDE to establish, and boards of education to implement, a mental health plan for
student athletes to raise awareness about available resources
BACKGROUND
§§ 6-8 – OPIOID ANTAGONISTS IN SCHOOLS
Generally (1) allows school nurses and qualified school employees to maintain and
administer opioid antagonists to students who do not have prior written authorization to
receive the medication; (2) requires SDE to develop related guidelines by October 1, 2022;
(3) authorizes certain prescribers and pharmacists to enter into agreements with school
boards on the distribution and administration of opioid antagonists; and (4) requires DCP
to provide school boards with information on how to acquire opioid antagonists from
manufacturers
§§ 9 & 19 – MINORITY TEACHER CANDIDATE SCHOLARSHIP
PROGRAM
Requires SDE to administer a new minority teacher candidate scholarship program;
authorizes grants of up to $20,000 a year for high school graduates of priority school
districts who are enrolled in a teacher preparation program at any four-year institution of
higher education; appropriates $30,000 for a staff person to administer the program 2022SB-00001-R000641-BA.DOCX
Researcher: JM Page 2 4/26/22
§ 10 – TASK FORCE TO COMBAT ABLEISM
Establishes a 13-member task force to combat ableism and requires it to submit its findings
and recommendations to the Children’s and Education committees by January 1, 2023
§ 11 – CIAC TASK FORCE
Establishes a seven-member task force to study the governance structure and internal
procedures of CIAC and requires it to submit its findings and recommendations to the
Education Committee by January 1, 2023
§§ 12 & 14 —SCHOOL READINESS PROGRAM EXPANSION
Eliminates the requirement that school readiness programs be nonreligious; requires OEC
to conduct a needs assessment for infant, toddler, and preschool spaces in school readiness
programs statewide; requires the commissioner to award school readiness grants to fund
these additional spaces beginning in FY 24
§ 13 — SCHOOL READINESS COMPETITIVE GRANT PROGRAM
Increases the per child cost cap used to calculate certain school readiness program grants
beginning in FY 23
§ 14 — EXCESS SCHOOL READINESS GRANT FUNDS
Allows OEC to use appropriated, unexpended school readiness funds to provide
scholarships for early childhood care and education program providers and their staff;
eliminates licensed school readiness programs’ authority to use unspent school readiness
grant funds that exceed the per child school readiness cost to increase classroom teacher
or caregiver salaries
§ 15 — EARLY CHILDHOOD CARE SALARY ENHANCE MENT GRANT
Requires OEC to administer an annual salary enhancement grant to eligible employees of
family child care homes and early childhood care and education programs beginning in FY
23
§§ 16 & 17 — EARLY CHILDHOOD COMPENSATION SCHEDULE
AND SALARIES
Requires OEC to amend its proposed early childhood educator compensation schedule to
include more employee categories; requires each early childhood care and education
program employee to be paid an annual salary as prescribed in the OEC-developed
compensation schedule beginning in FY 23
BACKGROUND
COMMENTS
§§ 20 & 21 – SCHOOL-BASED HEALTH CENTER GRANTS
Appropriates $21.24 million in FY 22 to DPH to expand school-based health centers’
services to include mental health services and requires $590,000 of the appropriation to be
used for grants in FY 23 to expand mental health services in 36 specified school-based
health centers
§§ 22 & 23 – LEARNER ENGAGEMENT AND ATTENDANCE
PROGRAM (LEAP) FUNDS
Allocates $13 million each year for FYs 23 and 24 from state ARPA funds for the 15 school
districts participating in the LEAP program and expands the program to five more high-
needs districts
2022SB-00001-R000641-BA.DOCX
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§ 1 – SURVEY ON SCHOOL SOCIAL WORKERS, PSYCHOLOGISTS,
COUNSELORS, AND NURSES
Requires SDE to develop and distribute a survey that school districts must annually
complete on the number of school social workers, psychologists, counselors, and nurses
they employ; requires the education commissioner to calculate the student-to-worker ratio
for each of the four types of professionals and report the survey results and the ratios to the
Education and Children’s committees
This bill requires the State Department of Education (SDE), by
January 1, 2023, and within available appropriations, to develop and
distribute a survey to local school boards to determine how many school
social workers, school psychologists, school counselors and school
nurses they employ. The survey must also include information on (1)
the number of each of these four types of professionals employed and
assigned to each school in a district, including whether any of them are
assigned to more than one; (2) if they are assigned to more than one
school, the geographic area they cover; (3) an annual estimate of the
number of students receiving direct services from each of the four types
of professionals during the five-year period before the survey is
completed.
Annually beginning with the 2022-23 school year, the bill requires
each school district to complete the SDE survey and submit the
completed survey to the education commissioner when and how she
requires.
Existing law requires school districts to compile information
included in the annual strategic school profile for each district and each
school within the district. While the law does not specifically require
districts to compile detailed staffing information, it does require them
to compile measures of “school resources” and the “equitable allocation
of resources among schools.” In practice, the report includes staffing
information by district and school including (1) “counselors, social
workers, and school psychologists” as a group and (2) school nurses.
Ratios
Following the receipt of a completed school district survey, the bill
requires the education commissioner to annually calculate the student- 2022SB-00001-R000641-BA.DOCX
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to-worker ratio for each of the four types of professionals listed above
for each school and each district.
Report
Annually beginning by January 1, 2023, the commissioner must
submit a report on the results of the survey and the student-to-worker
ratios for each of the four types of professionals included in the survey,
to the Education and Children’s committees.
EFFECTIVE DATE: Upon passage
§ 2 & 18 – NEW GRANT FOR SCHOOL SOCIAL WORKERS,
PSYCHOLOGISTS, COUNSELORS, AND NURSES
Requires SDE to administer grants for FYs 23 to 25, for school districts to hire and retain
more school social workers, psychologists, counselors, and nurses; requires SDE to
calculate the return on investment for the grants and make recommendations on the
program’s renewal beyond FY 25; appropriates $60,000 for FY 23 for SDE to hire a
program administrator
The bill requires SDE to administer a program, for FYs 23 to 25, to
provide grants to school districts to hire and retain more school social
workers, school psychologists, school counselors and nurses. Under the
bill, a school social worker is a person who holds a professional educator
certificate with a school social worker endorsement. (Presumably, the
school psychologists, school counselors and school nurses must also
hold the respective education certificates and endorsements for those
positions.)
Applications
The bill requires grant applications to be filed with the education
commissioner when and she decides. As part of the application, an
applicant must submit a (1) grant fund expenditure plan and (2) copy of
the completed survey required by the bill.
The plan must include, at a minimum:
1. the number of additional school social workers, school
psychologists, school counselors, or school nurses to be hired;
2. the number of each of the four types of professionals being 2022SB-00001-R000641-BA.DOCX
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retained who were previously hired with the assistance of these
grant funds; and
3. whether each of the four types of professionals will conduct
student assessments or provide services to students based on
assessment results, and the type of those services.
In determining whether to award a grant to an applicant, the bill
requires the commissioner to give priority to those school districts (1)
with large student-to-worker ratios for any of the four types of
professionals listed above or (2) that have many students using mental
health services.
Grant Awards
Under the bill, for FY 23, the commissioner may award a grant to an
applicant and must determine the grant amount based on the
applicant’s submitted plan.
The bill requires the commissioner to administer grant amounts in
each of the program’s three fiscal years as follows:
1. for FY 23, the commissioner determines the amount of the grant
under the bill;
2. for FY 24, the grant amount must be the same as that awarded in
the prior fiscal year; and
3. for FY 25, the grant amount must be 70% of the amount of the
grant awarded for the prior fiscal year.
Expenditure Reports and Refunding Unexpended Amounts
The bill requires grant recipients to file annual expenditure reports
with SDE when and how the commissioner prescribes and they must
refund to SDE (1) any unexpended amounts at the close of the fiscal year
in which the grant was awarded and (2) any amounts not expended as
required under the approved grant application plan.
Utilization Rate and Return on Investment
The bill requires SDE to annually track and calculate the utilization 2022SB-00001-R000641-BA.DOCX
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rate of the grant for each recipient. The utilization rate is calculated
using metrics that include, at a minimum, the number of students
served, and the hours of service provided, using program grant funds.
SDE must also annually calculate the return on investment for the
grant program using the required filed expenditure reports and the
utilization rates calculated under the bill. (Presumably, it is up to SDE
how to weigh the expenditure reports and utilization rates when
determining the return on investment.)
Reporting
By January 1 of 2024, 2025, and 2026, the commissioner must submit
a report to the Children’s and Education committees on the utilization
rate for each grant recipient and the return on investment for the grant
program.
Recommendations Whether to Renew
By January 1, 2026, the bill requires the education commissioner to
develop recommendations on (1) extending and funding the grant
program in FY 26 and each fiscal year after that and (2) the program’s
grant award amounts. The commissioner must submit the
recommendations to the Children’s and Education committees.
Donations
Under the bill, SDE may accept funds from private sources or any
state agency, gifts, grants, and donations, including but not limited to,
in-kind donations in order to carry out the grant.
Appropriation (§ 18)
The bill appropriates $60,000 to SDE for FY 23 to hire a full-time
administrator to run the school social workers and school psychologists
grant program it creates (see § 2).
EFFECTIVE DATE: July 1, 2022
§ 3 – HUMAN SERVICES PERMIT
Authorizes SBE to issue human services permits to qualified applicants with specialized
training, experience, or expertise in social work, human services, psychology, or sociology. 2022SB-00001-R000641-BA.DOCX
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The bill authorizes the State Board of Education (SBE) to issue, at the
request of a school district or regional educational service center (RESC),
a human services permit to qualified applicants with specialized
training, experience, or expertise in social work, human services,
psychology, or sociology. The permit authorizes the applicant to work
for a school district or RESC and provide students with mental health
and human services, in accordance with the applicant’s scope of practice
or area of expertise or specialty.
Under the bill, a qualifying applicant must (1) hold a bachelor's
degree in social work, human services, psychology, sociology, or other
equivalent subject area from a state or regionally accredited higher
education institution and (2) have at least four years of work experience
in those subject areas, or one year of work experience and two years of
specialized schooling in them.
Each human services permit is valid for three years and the
commissioner can renew it for good cause upon the request of the RESC
or superintendent of the school district employing the person
(presumably, the renewal is for three more years).
EFFECTIVE DATE: July 1, 2022
§§ 4 & 5 – MENTAL HEALTH PLAN FOR STUDENT ATHLETES
Requires SDE to establish, and boards of education to implement, a mental health plan for
student athletes to raise awareness about available resources
By July 1, 2023, the bill requires SDE to make a mental health plan for
student athletes in collaboration with the intramural and interscholastic
athletics governing authority. (A local or regional board of education
governs its own intramural athletics. The Connecticut Interscholastic
Athletics Conference (CIAC), a private nonprofit organization, governs
high school interscholastic athletics for all public schools and certain
private schools.)
Under the bill, the plan must be made available to local and regional
boards of education to raise awareness about available mental health
resources for student athletes, and all boards of education must
implement it beginning in the 2023-24 school year. SDE must also post 2022SB-00001-R000641-BA.DOCX
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the plan on its website and provide technical assistance to school
districts implementing the plan.
At a minimum, the bill requires the plan to address:
1. access to the school district’s mental health services team,
2. screening and recognizing appropriate referrals for student
athletes,
3. communication among mental health services team members,
4. student athlete medication management,
5. crisis intervention services,
6. mitigation of student athletes’ risk, and
7. transition care for student athletes leaving athletics due to
graduation, dismissal, or suspension.
EFFECTIVE DATE: July 1, 2022
BACKGROUND
Related Bill
SB 2, favorably voted by the Children’s Committee, has the same
provisions creating a mental health plan for student athletes and
requiring school districts to implement the plan.
§§ 6-8 – OPIOID ANTAGONISTS IN SCHOOLS
Generally (1) allows school nurses and qualified school employees to maintain and
administer opioid antagonists to students who do not have prior written authorization to
receive the medication; (2) requires SDE to develop related guidelines by October 1, 2022;
(3) authorizes certain prescribers and pharmacists to enter into agreements with school
boards on the distribution and administration of opioid antagonists; and (4) requires DCP
to provide school boards with information on how to acquire opioid antagonists from
manufacturers
School Nurse and Qualified Employee Authorization (§ 6)
The bill authorizes a school nurse, or in the absence of a school nurse,
a qualified school employee, to maintain opioid antagonists to
administer emergency first aid to a student who is experiencing an 2022SB-00001-R000641-BA.DOCX
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opioid-related drug overdose, but who does not have prior written
authorization from a parent or guardian or prior order from a qualified
medical professional to receive this medication.
Under the bill, a school nurse or principal must select qualified school
employees to administer an opioid antagonist and at least one of them
must be on school grounds during regular school hours when the school
nurse is not. A qualified school employee may administer an opioid
antagonist when the school nurse is absent or unavailable. A school
nurse or qualified school employee administering an opioid antagonist
must do so in accordance with the school board’s policies and
procedures the bill requires it to adopt.
Under the bill, a “qualified school employee” is a principal, teacher,
licensed athletic trainer, coach, school paraprofessional, or licensed
physical or occupational therapist employed by a school district.
The bill prohibits a school nurse or qualified school employee from
administering an opioid antagonist unless they complete training in its
distribution and administration (1) under a local agreement with a
prescriber or pharmacist (see below) or (2) in a training offered by the
departments of consumer protection (DCP), education (SDE), and
public health (DPH).
The bill also prohibits schools from administering opioid antagonists
to a student under these provisions if the student’s parent or guardian
has stated in writing that he or she does not consent to it. A parent or
guardian may submit this request to the school nurse or school medical
advisor, if any.
Guidelines (§ 6)
The bill requires SDE to develop guidelines for local and regional
school boards on storing and administering opioid antagonists in
schools. They must do this by October 1, 2022, and in consultation with
DCP and DPH.
Opioid Antagonist Distribution Agreements (§ 7)
The bill authorizes prescribers or pharmacists certified to prescribe 2022SB-00001-R000641-BA.DOCX
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an opioid antagonist to enter into an agreement with local or regional
school boards on the distribution and administration of opioid
antagonists. Existing law already allows prescribers and pharmacists to
make these agreements with law enforcement agencies, emergency
medical service providers, government agencies, and community health
organizations.
As under existing law, the bill requires the agreement to address the
school boards’ opioid antagonist storage, handling, labeling, recalls, and
record keeping. The prescriber or pharmacist must train the people who
will distribute or administer opioid antagonists under the agreement.
Additionally, people who will distribute or administer opioid
antagonists must be trained first.
Information on Opioid Antagonist Acquisition (§ 8)
For the 2021-2022 school year, the bill requires DCP, in collaboration
with SDE, to provide information to local and regional school boards on
where boards can acquire opioid antagonists. The information must
include the name and contact information of any opioid antagonist
manufacturers that provide the medication at no cost to school districts.
Definitions (§ 6)
By law and under the bill, an “opioid antagonist” is naloxone
hydrochloride (e.g., Narcan) or any other similarly acting and equally
safe drug that the Food and Drug Administration has approved for
treating a drug overdose (see CGS § 17a-714a). A “qualified medical
professional” is a state-licensed physician, optometrist, advanced
practice registered nurse, or physician assistant.
EFFECTIVE DATE: Upon passage, except the provisions (1) allowing
school boards to enter into local agreements with a prescriber or
pharmacist and (2) requiring DCP to provide information to local school
boards on acquiring opioid antagonists take effect July 1, 2022.
§§ 9 & 19 – MINORITY TEACHER CANDIDATE SCHOLARSHIP
PROGRAM
Requires SDE to administer a new minority teacher candidate scholarship program;
authorizes grants of up to $20,000 a year for high school graduates of priority school 2022SB-00001-R000641-BA.DOCX
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districts who are enrolled in a teacher preparation program at any four-year institution of
higher education; appropriates $30,000 for a staff person to administer the program
The bill requires SDE to administer a new minority teacher candidate
scholarship program in consultation with the Office of Higher
Education. (The bill does not define “minority;” presumably, it means
racial and ethnic minorities.)
Under the bill, the program must provide an annual scholarship to
minority students who (1) graduated from a public high school in a
priority school district and (2) are enrolled in a teacher preparation
program at any four-year higher education institution. Maximum grants
cannot exceed $20,000 per year and SDE must ensure that men receive
at least 50% of the scholarships.
By law, a priority school district is a district that receives additional
state grants based on a formula that considers high populations or
concentrations of students (1) on temporary family assistance and (2)
performing poorly on statewide mastery exams (CGS § 10-266p). There
are currently 15 priority school districts.
Under the bill, SDE must develop a policy for administering the
scholarships by January 1, 2023. The policy must address (1) any
additional eligibility criteria, (2) scholarship payment and distribution,
and (3) notifying high school students in priority school districts of the
scholarship program.
Beginning with FY 24, the bill requires SDE to annually award
scholarships according to SDE’s policy and the bill’s requirements.
The bill also allows SDE to accept public or private gifts, grants, and
donations for the scholarship program.
Appropriation for Scholarship Program Staff (§ 19)
The bill appropriates $30,000 to SDE from the General Fund for FY 23
to hire a full-time minority teacher candidate scholarship program
administrator.
EFFECTIVE DATE: July 1, 2022 2022SB-00001-R000641-BA.DOCX
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§ 10 – TASK FORCE TO COMBAT ABLEISM
Establishes a 13-member task force to combat ableism and requires it to submit its
findings and recommendations to the Children’s and Education committees by January 1,
2023
The bill establishes a 13-member task force to combat ableism that
must identify (1) current efforts to educate all students on disability and
combat ableism in classrooms and in the public school curriculum and
(2) opportunities to expand these efforts and integrate them into social-
emotional learning. Under the bill “ableism” means intentional or
unintentional bias, prejudice, or discrimination, against people with
physical, psychiatric, or intellectual disabilities.
The task force must submit its findings and recommendations to the
Children’s and Education committees by January 1, 2023. The task force
terminates on this date or the date it submits the report, whichever is
later.
Membership
Under the bill, task force members include the education, early
childhood, and children and families commissioners; chief court
administrator, and Special Education Equity for Kids of Connecticut
director, or their designees.
It also includes 8 appointed members as listed in Table 1 below.
Table 1: Task Force to Combat Ableism Appointed Members
Appointing Authority
(number of
appointments)
Member Organization or Other Qualifier
House speaker
(two)
• educator employed by a local or regional board of
education
• a leader in social-emotional learning who works with
children
Senate president
(two)
• a special education teacher
• a member of the social and emotional learning and
school climate advisory collaborative
House majority leader
(one)
• school administrator employed by a board of
education 2022SB-00001-R000641-BA.DOCX
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Senate majority leader
(one)
• local or regional board of education chairperson
House minority leader
(one)
• director or employee of a private nonprofit service or
program provider for children with disabilities
Senate minority leader
(one)
• director or employee of a private nonprofit
organization that provides disability-related services
or programs for children
Under the bill, appointing authorities must make initial
appointments by July 31, 2022, and fill any vacancies. Appointed
members may be legislators.
The bill requires the House speaker and Senate president to select the
task force chairpersons from among its members. The chairpersons
must schedule the first task force meeting by August 29, 2022.
Under the bill, the Children’s Committee administrative staff serve in
this capacity for the task force.
EFFECTIVE DATE: July 1, 2022
§ 11 – CIAC TASK FORCE
Establishes a seven-member task force to study the governance structure and internal
procedures of CIAC and requires it to submit its findings and recommendations to the
Education Committee by January 1, 2023
The bill establishes a seven-member task force to study CIAC’s
governance structure and internal procedures, including (1) CIAC’s
leadership structure and how leadership positions are filled and (2) how
the organization receives and resolves complaints filed by CIAC
members and individuals.
CIAC is a private, nonprofit organization that regulates high school
athletics (almost all Connecticut public and parochial high schools are
dues-paying members). CIAC members elect the organization’s
governing board members.
Membership
Under the bill, task force members include the CIAC director, or his
designee, and six appointed members listed in Table 2 below. 2022SB-00001-R000641-BA.DOCX
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Table 2: CIAC Task Force Appointed Members
Appointing Authority Member Organization or Other Qualifier
House speaker • person with experience in coaching (presumably, at
the interscholastic level)
Senate president • person with expertise in sports management
House majority leader • coach for a CIAC member school
Senate majority leader • athletic director for a CIAC member school
House minority leader • administrator at a CIAC member school
Senate minority leader • parent of a student athlete at a CIAC member school
Under the bill, appointing authorities must make initial appointments
within 30 days of the bill’s passage and fill any vacancies. Appointed
task force members may be legislators.
Leadership and Meetings
The bill requires the House speaker and Senate president to select the
task force chairpersons from among its members. The chairpersons
must schedule the first task force meeting within 60 days of the bill’s
passage.
Under the bill, Education Committee administrative staff serve as the
task force administrative staff.
Report
The bill requires the task force to submit its report to the Education
Committee by January 1, 2023. The task force terminates on this date, or
the date it submits the report, whichever is later.
EFFECTIVE DATE: Upon passage
§§ 12 & 14 —SCHOOL READINESS PROGRAM EXPANSION
Eliminates the requirement that school readiness programs be nonreligious; requires OEC
to conduct a needs assessment for infant, toddler, and preschool spaces in school readiness
programs statewide; requires the commissioner to award school readiness grants to fund
these additional spaces beginning in FY 24
Under current law, a school readiness program is a nonreligious,
state-funded education program that provides a developmentally 2022SB-00001-R000641-BA.DOCX
Researcher: JM Page 15 4/26/22
appropriate learning experience for children between ages three and
five who are too young to enroll in kindergarten (CGS § 10-16p). The bill
eliminates the requirement that school readiness programs be
nonreligious.
Beginning in FY 23, the bill requires the Office of Early Childhood
(OEC) commissioner to coordinate with local and regional school
readiness councils to conduct needs assessments for infant, toddler, and
preschool spaces in Connecticut school readiness programs. The
commissioner must use the assessment’s results to (1) increase or adjust
the number of these spaces to meet each community’s need or demand
and (2) provide grants for these space adjustments. Existing law,
unchanged by the bill, limits school readiness program enrollment to
children aged three to five (see COMMENT).
By law, OEC awards school readiness funds using two different
methods: a school readiness grant program and a competitive grant
program. School readiness program grants are awarded to priority and
former priority school districts. Competitive grants are awarded to (1)
areas served by a priority or former priority school, (2) the 50 poorest or
formerly poorest towns whose school district is not a priority district,
and (3) towns that are alliance districts (CGS § 10-16p(c)-(d)). Priority
school districts are those (1) whose students earned low standardized
test scores, (2) that have high poverty levels, or (3) that are in one of the
eight most populated towns (CGS § 10-266p).
The bill requires the OEC commissioner to provide school readiness
grants under the following timeline to increase infant, toddler, and
preschool spaces in school readiness programs based upon needs
assessment results:
1. in FY 24, the commissioner must provide grants to programs in
priority school districts;
2. in FYs 25-26, the commissioner must provide grants to programs
in competitive municipalities, defined for FY 25 as the 100
poorest municipalities (but undefined for FY 26, see
COMMENT); and 2022SB-00001-R000641-BA.DOCX
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3. in FY 27 and after that, the commissioner must provide grants to
programs in each community in the state.
(The bill does not specify which of the two types of school readiness
grants OEC must award for this purpose.)
EFFECTIVE DATE: July 1, 2022
§ 13 — SCHOOL READINESS COMPETITI VE GRANT PROGRAM
Increases the per child cost cap used to calculate certain school readiness program grants
beginning in FY 23
Beginning in FY 23, the bill increases the per child cost cap used to
calculate school readiness program grants for OEC’s school readiness
competitive grant program. Specifically, it raises the cap on the per child
cost of a program for enrolled children ages three to five by $5,473,
increasing the maximum cost from $9,027 per enrolled student to
$14,500. It also creates a new per child cost cap for children ages three
or younger who are in infant or toddler care and not in a preschool
program, setting the per child cost for that age group at $16,000.
This increase affects the calculation of OEC’s competitive school
readiness grant. By law, the grant amount for an applicant town is
calculated by multiplying the per child cost by the number of spaces in
the school readiness program. Therefore, a program that provides
services at a cost above the current per child cap will receive a grant for
enrolled students ages three to five years old that is up to $5,473 larger
per child under the bill. (School readiness programs currently do not
serve infants and toddlers ages two and younger (see COMMENT).)
EFFECTIVE DATE: July 1, 2022
§ 14 — EXCESS SCHOOL READINESS GRANT FUNDS
Allows OEC to use appropriated, unexpended school readiness funds to provide
scholarships for early childhood care and education program providers and their staff;
eliminates licensed school readiness programs’ authority to use unspent school readiness
grant funds that exceed the per child school readiness cost to increase classroom teacher or
caregiver salaries
The bill makes two changes to how the OEC commissioner and
licensed school readiness programs may spend excess school readiness 2022SB-00001-R000641-BA.DOCX
Researcher: JM Page 17 4/26/22
grant funds. The bill also makes several technical and conforming
changes.
Provider and Staff Scholarships
Current law allows the OEC commissioner to use up to $1 million of
any appropriated, unexpended school readiness grant funds in the
following fiscal year to provide, among other things, professional
development for early childhood care and education program providers
and their staff, so long as their programs accept state funds for infant,
toddler, and preschool spaces. The bill expands this use of funds to
include scholarships for these providers and their staff members.
Existing law, unchanged by the bill, requires the commissioner to use
the funds to assist individual staff members with the cost of higher
educational courses leading to a bachelor’s degree. She may give up to
$10,000 per staff member per year for this purpose.
Staff Salary Increases
Current law requires licensed school readiness programs to use
unspent school readiness grant funds that exceed the per child school
readiness cost for FY 20 (i.e., $8,927) to increase salaries for individuals
who directly teach or care for children in a school readiness classroom.
The bill eliminates this requirement.
EFFECTIVE DATE: July 1, 2022
§ 15 — EARLY CHILDHOOD CARE SALARY ENHANCEMENT
GRANT
Requires OEC to administer an annual salary enhancement grant to eligible employees of
family child care homes and early childhood care and education programs beginning in FY
23
Beginning in FY 23, the bill requires OEC to administer the early
childhood care and education salary enhancement grant program. OEC
must annually pay a salary enhancement grant to each family child care
home and early childhood care and education program, which in turn
must distribute the funds to their eligible employees consistent with
OEC policy. Under the bill, early childhood care and education
programs are the following: 2022SB-00001-R000641-BA.DOCX
Researcher: JM Page 18 4/26/22
1. child care centers;
2. group child care homes;
3. private preschool programs;
4. school readiness programs;
5. state funded child care centers for disadvantaged children; and
6. any state-funded, unlicensed child care services provider or
school readiness program with infant, toddler, and preschool
spaces located in a public school building but not part of the
public school system.
The bill requires the OEC commissioner to develop a grant program
policy by October 1, 2022, before distributing grant funds to these
entities. The policy must address at least the following: eligibility
criteria, registration process, grant distribution requirements, and any
other requirements the commissioner finds necessary.
Grants to Family Child Care Homes
Under the bill, OEC must annually pay each family child care home
a salary enhancement grant in the following amount for each of the
following employees: $20,000 for each licensee; $6,000 for each OEC-
approved full-time assistant or substitute staff member; and $3,000 for
each part-time OEC-approved assistant or substitute staff member.
Each licensee must distribute the grant funds consistent with the
OEC-developed policy.
Grants to Early Childhood Care and Education Programs
The bill requires each early childhood care and education program to
register with OEC to a receive a grant under the program, providing any
information required by the office consistent with the program policy.
The commissioner determines when and how the programs must
register.
Under the bill, OEC must give each of these programs a grant that 2022SB-00001-R000641-BA.DOCX
Researcher: JM Page 19 4/26/22
equals its respective salary enhancement amount. Each program’s
salary enhancement amount is calculated using the following formula:
1. finding the difference between each individual employee’s (a)
prescribed salary under the OEC’s early childhood compensation
schedule (see §§ 16 & 17 below) and (b) actual salary paid on
December 31, 2021, or the annual starting salary for the position
on that date if it was vacant;
2. adding $7,500 to that number for each employee; and
3. adding together the above sums for each individual employee in
the program for the fiscal year.
The bill requires these programs to distribute the grant funds to their
employees consistent with the policy that OEC develops for the grant’s
administration.
EFFECTIVE DATE: July 1, 2022
§§ 16 & 17 — EARLY CHILDHOOD COMPENSATION SCHEDULE
AND SALARIES
Requires OEC to amend its proposed early childhood educator compensation schedule to
include more employee categories; requires each early childhood care and education
program employee to be paid an annual salary as prescribed in the OEC-developed
compensation schedule beginning in FY 23
Existing law required OEC to develop a proposed early childhood
educator compensation schedule for employees of early childhood
education programs and submit it, along with cost estimates,
implementation recommendations, and other analyses to the
Appropriations and Education committees by January 1, 2021.
Specifically, the compensation schedule must be a list or series of lists
specifying a series of compensation steps and ranges for the salary,
wages, benefits, and other forms of valuable consideration provided to
employees for their work.
Compensation Schedule Amendment (§ 17)
The bill requires OEC to amend the compensation schedule to
include employees of “early childhood care and education programs” 2022SB-00001-R000641-BA.DOCX
Researcher: JM Page 20 4/26/22
by January 1, 2023.
Under the bill, these employees include people who meet the
following criteria:
1. work for a (a) child care center, group child care home, or school
readiness program that does not accept state funds; (b) child care
or school readiness program that accepts state funds for infant,
toddler, and preschool spaces; (c) private preschool program; or
(d) state-funded child care center for disadvantaged children and
2. satisfy the eligibility criteria described in OEC’s (a) compensation
schedule, rather than the staff qualifications requirements
established by law as current law requires for the January 2021
schedule, and (b) policies for the early childhood care and
education salary enhancement program (see COMMENT).
Salaries to Match Compensation Schedule (§ 16)
Beginning July 1, 2022, the bill requires each early childhood care and
education program employee to be paid an annual salary as prescribed
in the OEC-developed compensation schedule. By law, OEC must
establish a recommended minimum salary for employees as part of the
proposed early childhood educator compensation schedule. If,
however, an employee’s salary is greater than the amount prescribed in
the schedule, then the employee must be paid the greater amount.
Because this requirement takes effect in 2022, salaries must reflect the
2021 compensation schedule, not the new 2023 schedule required by this
bill (see § 17; see COMMENT).
Early Childhood Education Program Definition (§ 17)
The bill also defines the term “early childhood education program” a
second time. Under current law, the term refers to any child care or
school readiness program with state-funded infant, toddler, and
preschool spaces. The bill adds a second, separate definition, defining
the term to mean a private preschool program, a private school
readiness program, or a state-funded child care center for
disadvantaged children. (Presumably, the term captures both 2022SB-00001-R000641-BA.DOCX
Researcher: JM Page 21 4/26/22
definitions, which do not conflict.)
EFFECTIVE DATE: July 1, 2022
BACKGROUND
Related Bills
HB 5465 (File 462), reported favorably by the Education Committee,
contains the following similar provisions:
1. requires school readiness councils to conduct a needs assessment
for infant and toddler spaces and allows unused school readiness
space to be converted to these spaces (§ 12);
2. increases the per child cost cap used to calculate school readiness
grants beginning in FY 23, but by $1,000 rather than $5,473 as
under the bill (§ 5);
3. allows OEC to use unexpended school readiness funds for
scholarships for early childhood care and education program
providers and their staff (§ 6);
4. requires OEC to administer an annual salary enhancement grant
to eligible employees of family child care homes and early
childhood care and education programs beginning in FY 23 (§ 1);
and
5. requires OEC to amend its proposed early childhood educator
compensation schedule to include more employee categories and
requires employees to be paid an annual salary as prescribed in
the schedule beginning in FY 23 (§§ 2 & 3).
SB 2 (File 276), reported favorably by the Committee on Children,
contains the following similar provisions:
1. requires school readiness councils to conduct a needs assessment
for infant and toddler spaces and allows unused school readiness
space to be converted to these spaces (§ 20) and
2. increases the per child cost cap used to calculate school readiness 2022SB-00001-R000641-BA.DOCX
Researcher: JM Page 22 4/26/22
grants beginning in FY 23 by the same amount as the bill: $5,473
(§ 1).
COMMENTS
Missing Conforming Changes
In § 12, the bill requires the OEC commissioner to adjust the number
of infant, toddler, and preschool spaces in school readiness programs.
In § 13, the bill establishes a $16,000 cap on the per-child cost for infants
and toddlers who are not in preschool to calculate the competitive
school readiness grant. Existing law, however, limits school readiness
program enrollment to children aged three to five. This requirement
remains unchanged by the bill, excluding enrollment of infants and
toddlers (i.e., children aged two and younger). Additionally, under the
bill, it is unclear whether a three-year-old enrolled in a school readiness
program is considered enrolled in (1) preschool and subject to the lower
grant amount or (2) in an infant and toddler program, not in preschool,
and therefore subject to the higher grant amount.
Incomplete Information
In § 12, the bill defines “competitive municipalities” for FYs 24 and
25. However, it does not provide a definition for FY 26. Therefore, it is
unclear which municipalities are eligible to receive a school readiness
grant from OEC for infant, toddler, and preschool spaces in FY 26.
Conflict
In § 17, the bill references the early childhood care and education
salary enhancement program in §1 of the bill, but § 1 does not mention
this program.
Conflict
In § 16, the bill requires each early childhood care and education
program employee to be paid an annual salary as prescribed in the OEC-
developed compensation schedule beginning July 1, 2022. However,
because this requirement takes effect in 2022, salaries must reflect the
2021 compensation schedule, not the new 2023 schedule required by this
bill. The 2021 schedule, therefore, does not contain a prescribed
minimum salary for the following employees that the bill contemplates 2022SB-00001-R000641-BA.DOCX
Researcher: JM Page 23 4/26/22
(1) child-care centers, group child care homes, and school readiness
programs that do not receive state funding and (2) private preschool
programs.
§§ 20 & 21 – SCHOOL-BASED HEALTH CENTER GRANTS
Appropriates $21.24 million in FY 22 to DPH to expand school-based health centers’
services to include mental health services and requires $590,000 of the appropriation to be
used for grants in FY 23 to expand mental health services in 36 specified school-based
health centers
The bill makes a $21.24 million appropriation in FY 22 to DPH to
expand existing school-based health centers’ services to include mental
health services. (It is unclear how funds will be appropriated if the bill
takes affect after FY 22 and whether a FY 22 appropriation can be used
in FY 23.) It also requires the department to make available $590,000 of
this appropriation for grants in FY 23 to expand mental health services
in the 36 sites recommended in the School-Based Health Center
Expansion Working Group’s final report.
EFFECTIVE DATE: Upon passage
§§ 22 & 23 – LEARNER ENGAGEMENT AND ATTENDANCE
PROGRAM (LEAP) FUNDS
Allocates $13 million each year for FYs 23 and 24 from state ARPA funds for the 15
school districts participating in the LEAP program and expands the program to five more
high-needs districts
The bill allocates $13 million each year for FYs 23 and 24 from federal
American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) of 2021 funds designated for the
state to SDE to support school districts participating in the Learner
Engagement and Attendance Program (LEAP). For FY 23 the funds
support LEAP in 15 existing school districts and expands participation
to an additional five high-need districts. In FY 24, the funds support
LEAP in all 20 districts.
EFFECTIVE DATE: Upon passage
COMMITTEE ACTION
Education Committee
Joint Favorable Substitute Change of Reference - APP
Yea 33 Nay 6 (03/25/2022) 2022SB-00001-R000641-BA.DOCX
Researcher: JM Page 24 4/26/22
Appropriations Committee
Joint Favorable
Yea 40 Nay 9 (04/07/2022)