Connecticut 2023 Regular Session

Connecticut House Bill HB06686 Compare Versions

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Version 2 (New)

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7		-	General Assembly ~~Substitute~~ Bill No. 6686
	5	+	General Assembly Raised Bill No. 6686
8	6		January Session, 2023
	7	+	LCO No. 3398
9	8
	9	+
	10	+	Referred to Committee on EDUCATION
	11	+
	12	+
	13	+	Introduced by:
	14	+	(ED)
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12	17
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14	19		AN ACT IMPLEMENTING THE RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE OFFICE
15	20		OF EARLY CHILDHOOD.
16	21		Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General
17	22		Assembly convened:
18	23
19		-	Section 1. Subdivision (2) of subsection (a) of section 10-16p of the 1
20		-	general statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu 2
21		-	thereof (Effective July 1, 2023): 3
22		-	(2) "Eligible children" means children [three and] from birth to four 4
23		-	years of age, inclusive, and children five years of age who are not 5
24		-	eligible to enroll in school pursuant to section 10-15c, or who are 6
25		-	eligible to enroll in school and will attend a school readiness program 7
26		-	pursuant to section 10-16t, as amended by this act; 8
27		-	Sec. 2. Subsections (c) to (l), inclusive, of section 10-16p of the 9
28		-	general statutes are repealed and the following is substituted in lieu 10
29		-	thereof (Effective July 1, 2023): 11
30		-	(c) The commissioner shall establish a grant program to provide 12
31		-	spaces in accredited school readiness programs located in priority 13
32		-	school districts, as described in section 10-266p, or in former priority 14
33		-	school districts for eligible children. The state, acting by and in the 15
34		-	discretion of the Commissioner of Early Childhood, in consultation 16
35		-	with a town or regional school readiness council, may enter into a 17
36		-	contract with a municipality, local or regional board of education, 18 Substitute Bill No. 6686
	24	+	Section 1. Section 10-16p of the general statutes is repealed and the 1
	25	+	following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1, 2023): 2
	26	+	(a) As used in sections 10-16o to 10-16r, inclusive, 10-16u, 17b-749a 3
	27	+	and 17b-749c: 4
	28	+	(1) "School readiness program" means a nonsectarian program that 5
	29	+	(A) meets the standards set by the Office of Early Childhood pursuant 6
	30	+	to subsection (b) of this section and the requirements of section 10-16q, 7
	31	+	and (B) provides a developmentally appropriate learning experience of 8
	32	+	not less than four hundred fifty hours and one hundred eighty days for 9
	33	+	eligible children, except as provided in subsection (d) of section 10-16q; 10
	34	+	(2) "Eligible children" means children [three and] from birth to four 11
	35	+	years of age, inclusive, and children five years of age who are not 12
	36	+	eligible to enroll in school pursuant to section 10-15c, or who are eligible 13
	37	+	to enroll in school and will attend a school readiness program pursuant 14 Raised Bill No. 6686
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43		-	regional educational service center, family resource center, provider of 19
44		-	a child care center, group child care home or family child care home, as 20
45		-	described in section 19a-77, Head Start program, preschool program or 21
46		-	other program that meets such standards established by the 22
47		-	commissioner, to provide, within available appropriations, state 23
48		-	financial assistance. Eligibility shall be determined for a five-year 24
49		-	period based on an applicant's designation as a priority school district 25
50		-	for the initial year of application, except that if a school district that 26
51		-	receives a grant pursuant to this subsection is no longer designated as 27
52		-	a priority school district at the end of such five-year period, such 28
53		-	former priority school district shall continue to be eligible to receive a 29
54		-	grant pursuant to this subsection. Grant awards shall be made 30
55		-	[annually] for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2023, and biennially 31
56		-	thereafter, contingent upon available funding and a satisfactory annual 32
57		-	evaluation. The chief elected official of such town and the 33
58		-	superintendent of schools for such priority school district or former 34
59		-	priority school district shall submit a plan for the expenditure of grant 35
60		-	funds and responses to the local request for proposal process to the 36
61		-	commissioner. The commissioner shall review and approve such 37
62		-	plans. The plan shall: (1) Be developed in consultation with the local or 38
63		-	regional school readiness council established pursuant to section 10-39
64		-	16r; (2) be based on a needs and resource assessment; (3) provide for 40
65		-	the issuance of requests for proposals for providers of accredited 41
66		-	school readiness programs, provided, after the initial requests for 42
67		-	proposals, facilities that have been approved to operate a child care 43
68		-	program financed through the Connecticut Health and Education 44
69		-	Facilities Authority and have received a commitment for debt service 45
70		-	from the Department of Social Services, pursuant to section 17b-749i, 46
71		-	on or before June 30, 2014, and on or after July 1, 2014, from the office, 47
72		-	are exempt from the requirement for issuance of annual requests for 48
73		-	proposals; and (4) identify the need for funding pursuant to section 49
74		-	17b-749a in order to extend the hours and days of operation of school 50
75		-	readiness programs in order to provide child care services for children 51
76		-	attending such programs. 52 Substitute Bill No. 6686
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	42	+
	43	+	to section 10-16t, as amended by this act; 15
	44	+	(3) "Priority school" means a school in which forty per cent or more 16
	45	+	of the lunches served are served to students who are eligible for free or 17
	46	+	reduced price lunches pursuant to federal law and regulations, 18
	47	+	excluding such a school located in a priority school district pursuant to 19
	48	+	section 10-266p or in a former priority school district receiving a grant 20
	49	+	pursuant to subsection (c) of this section and, on and after July 1, 2001, 21
	50	+	excluding such a school in a transitional school district receiving a grant 22
	51	+	pursuant to section 10-16u; 23
	52	+	(4) "Severe need school" means a school in a priority school district 24
	53	+	pursuant to section 10-266p or in a former priority school district in 25
	54	+	which forty per cent or more of the lunches served are served to students 26
	55	+	who are eligible for free or reduced price lunches; 27
	56	+	(5) "Accredited" means accredited by the National Association for the 28
	57	+	Education of Young Children, National Association for Family Child 29
	58	+	Care, a Head Start on-site program review instrument or a successor 30
	59	+	instrument pursuant to federal regulations, or otherwise meeting such 31
	60	+	criteria as may be established by the commissioner, unless the context 32
	61	+	otherwise requires; 33
	62	+	(6) "Year-round" means forty-eight weeks per year, except as 34
	63	+	provided in subsection (d) of section 10-16q; 35
	64	+	(7) "Commissioner" means the Commissioner of Early Childhood; 36
	65	+	(8) "Office" means the Office of Early Childhood; 37
	66	+	(9) "Seeking accreditation" means a school readiness program seeking 38
	67	+	accreditation by the National Association for the Education of Young 39
	68	+	Children, National Association for Family Child Care or a Head Start 40
	69	+	on-site program review instrument or successor instrument pursuant to 41
	70	+	federal regulations, or attempting to meet criteria as may be established 42
	71	+	by the commissioner; [and] 43
	72	+	(10) "Concentration in early childhood education" means a program 44 Raised Bill No. 6686
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83		-	(d) (1) The commissioner shall establish a competitive grant 53
84		-	program to provide spaces in accredited school readiness programs or 54
85		-	school readiness programs seeking accreditation located in (A) an area 55
86		-	served by a priority school or a former priority school, (B) a town 56
87		-	ranked one to fifty when all towns are ranked in ascending order 57
88		-	according to town wealth, as defined in subdivision (26) of section 10-58
89		-	262f, whose school district is not a priority school district pursuant to 59
90		-	section 10-266p, (C) a town formerly a town described in subparagraph 60
91		-	(B) of this subdivision, as provided for in subdivision (2) of this 61
92		-	subsection, or (D) a town designated as an alliance district, as defined 62
93		-	in section 10-262u, whose school district is not a priority school district 63
94		-	pursuant to section 10-266p. A town in which a priority school is 64
95		-	located, a regional school readiness council, pursuant to subsection (c) 65
96		-	of section 10-16r, for a region in which such a school is located or a 66
97		-	town described in subparagraph (B) of this subdivision may apply for 67
98		-	such a grant in an amount equal to the number of spaces in an 68
99		-	accredited school readiness program or a school readiness program 69
100		-	seeking accreditation multiplied by the per child cost set forth in 70
101		-	subdivision (1) of subsection (b) of section 10-16q. Eligibility shall be 71
102		-	determined for a three-year period based on an applicant's designation 72
103		-	as having a priority school or being a town described in subparagraph 73
104		-	(B) of this subdivision for the initial year of application. The state, 74
105		-	acting by and in the discretion of the Commissioner of Early 75
106		-	Childhood, in consultation with a town or regional school readiness 76
107		-	council, may enter into a contract with a municipality, local or regional 77
108		-	board of education, regional educational service center, family 78
109		-	resource center, provider of a child care center, group child care home 79
110		-	or family child care home, as described in section 19a-77, Head Start 80
111		-	program, preschool program or other program that meets such 81
112		-	standards established by the commissioner, to provide, within 82
113		-	available appropriations, state financial assistance. The chief elected 83
114		-	official of such town and the superintendent of schools of the school 84
115		-	district or the regional school readiness council shall submit a plan, as 85
116		-	described in subsection (c) of this section, for the expenditure of such 86
117		-	grant funds to the commissioner. In awarding grants pursuant to this 87 Substitute Bill No. 6686
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	77	+
	78	+	of study in early childhood education, including, but not limited to, 45
	79	+	early childhood education, child study, child development or human 46
	80	+	growth and development; 47
	81	+	(11) "Designated staff member" means a person assigned the primary 48
	82	+	responsibility for a classroom of children; 49
	83	+	(12) "State-funded child care program" means an early childhood 50
	84	+	education program that accepts state funds from the office, whether 51
	85	+	directly or through a subcontractor, for any combination of infant, 52
	86	+	toddler and preschool spaces, but "state-funded child care program" 53
	87	+	does not include the child care subsidy program established pursuant 54
	88	+	to section 17b-749, as amended by this act; and 55
	89	+	(13) "Minimum qualifications" means at least one of the following 56
	90	+	qualifications: (A) A bachelor's degree or higher with a concentration in 57
	91	+	early childhood education from a regionally accredited institution of 58
	92	+	higher education, (B) a bachelor's degree or higher without a 59
	93	+	concentration in early childhood education, but with not less than 60
	94	+	twelve credits applicable to early childhood education from a regionally 61
	95	+	accredited institution of higher education, (C) certification pursuant to 62
	96	+	section 10-145b with an endorsement in early childhood education or 63
	97	+	early childhood special education, or (D) being deemed qualified by the 64
	98	+	office on the basis of having (i) verified employment in a state-funded 65
	99	+	child care program, and (ii) obtained not less than twelve credits 66
	100	+	applicable to early childhood education from a regionally accredited 67
	101	+	institution of higher education. 68
	102	+	(b) (1) The office shall be the lead agency for school readiness. For 69
	103	+	purposes of this section and section 10-16u, school readiness program 70
	104	+	providers eligible for funding from the office shall include local and 71
	105	+	regional boards of education, regional educational service centers, 72
	106	+	family resource centers and providers of child care centers, group child 73
	107	+	care homes and family child care homes, as described in section 19a-77, 74
	108	+	Head Start programs, preschool programs and other programs that 75
	109	+	meet any standards established by the commissioner. The office shall 76 Raised Bill No. 6686
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124		-	subsection, the commissioner shall give preference to applications 88
125		-	submitted by regional school readiness councils and may, within 89
126		-	available appropriations, provide a grant to such town or regional 90
127		-	school readiness council that increases the number of spaces for 91
128		-	eligible children who reside in an area or town described in 92
129		-	subparagraphs (A) to (D), inclusive, of this subdivision, in an 93
130		-	accredited school readiness program or a school readiness program 94
131		-	seeking accreditation. 95
132		-	(2) (A) Except as provided in subparagraph (C) of this subdivision, 96
133		-	commencing with the fiscal year ending June 30, 2005, if a town 97
134		-	received a grant pursuant to subdivision (1) of this subsection and is 98
135		-	no longer eligible to receive such a grant, the town may receive a 99
136		-	phase-out grant for each of the three fiscal years following the fiscal 100
137		-	year such town received its final grant pursuant to subdivision (1) of 101
138		-	this subsection. 102
139		-	(B) The amount of such phase-out grants shall be determined as 103
140		-	follows: (i) For the first fiscal year following the fiscal year such town 104
141		-	received its final grant pursuant to subdivision (1) of this subsection, in 105
142		-	an amount that does not exceed seventy-five per cent of the grant 106
143		-	amount such town received for the town or school's final year of 107
144		-	eligibility pursuant to subdivision (1) of this subsection; (ii) for the 108
145		-	second fiscal year following the fiscal year such town received its final 109
146		-	grant pursuant to subdivision (1) of this subsection, in an amount that 110
147		-	does not exceed fifty per cent of the grant amount such town received 111
148		-	for the town's or school's final year of eligibility pursuant to 112
149		-	subdivision (1) of this subsection; and (iii) for the third fiscal year 113
150		-	following the fiscal year such town received its final grant pursuant to 114
151		-	subdivision (1) of this subsection, in an amount that does not exceed 115
152		-	twenty-five per cent of the grant amount such town received for the 116
153		-	town's or school's final year of eligibility pursuant to subdivision (1) of 117
154		-	this subsection. 118
155		-	(C) For the fiscal year ending June 30, 2011, and each fiscal year 119
156		-	thereafter, any town that received a grant pursuant to subparagraph 120 Substitute Bill No. 6686
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	114	+
	115	+	establish standards for school readiness programs. The standards may 77
	116	+	include, but need not be limited to, guidelines for staff-child 78
	117	+	interactions, curriculum content, including preliteracy development, 79
	118	+	lesson plans, parental involvement, staff qualifications, in accordance 80
	119	+	with subdivision (2) of this this subsection, and training, transition to 81
	120	+	school and administration. The office shall develop age-appropriate 82
	121	+	developmental skills and goals for children attending such programs. 83
	122	+	The commissioner, in consultation with the president of the Connecticut 84
	123	+	State Colleges and Universities, the Commissioners of Education and 85
	124	+	Social Services and other appropriate entities, shall develop a 86
	125	+	professional development program for the staff of school readiness 87
	126	+	programs. 88
	127	+	[(2) For purposes of this section: 89
	128	+	(A) Prior to July 1, 2022, "staff qualifications" means that for each 90
	129	+	early childhood education program accepting state funds for infant, 91
	130	+	toddler and preschool spaces associated with such program's child care 92
	131	+	program or school readiness program, there is in each classroom an 93
	132	+	individual who has at least the following: (i) A childhood development 94
	133	+	associate credential or an equivalent credential issued by an 95
	134	+	organization approved by the commissioner and twelve credits or more 96
	135	+	in early childhood education or child development, as determined by 97
	136	+	the commissioner or the president of the Connecticut State Colleges and 98
	137	+	Universities, after consultation with the commissioner, from an 99
	138	+	institution of higher education (I) accredited by the Board of Regents for 100
	139	+	Higher Education or Office of Higher Education, and (II) regionally 101
	140	+	accredited; (ii) an associate degree with twelve credits or more in early 102
	141	+	childhood education or child development, as determined by the 103
	142	+	commissioner or the president of the Connecticut State Colleges and 104
	143	+	Universities, after consultation with the commissioner, from such an 105
	144	+	institution; (iii) a four-year degree with twelve credits or more in early 106
	145	+	childhood education or child development, as determined by the 107
	146	+	commissioner or the president of the Connecticut State Colleges and 108
	147	+	Universities, after consultation with the commissioner, from such an 109
	148	+	institution; (iv) certification pursuant to section 10-145b with an 110 Raised Bill No. 6686
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163		-	(B) of subdivision (1) of this subsection for the fiscal year ending June 121
164		-	30, 2010, shall continue to receive a grant under this subsection even if 122
165		-	the town no longer meets the criteria for such grant pursuant to 123
166		-	subparagraph (B) of subdivision (1) of this subsection. 124
167		-	(e) (1) If funds appropriated for the purposes of subsection (c) of this 125
168		-	section are not expended, the commissioner may deposit such 126
169		-	unexpended funds in the account established under section 10-16aa 127
170		-	and use such unexpended funds in accordance with the provisions of 128
171		-	section 10-16aa. 129
172		-	(2) For the fiscal year ending June 30, 2015, and each fiscal year 130
173		-	thereafter, if funds appropriated for the purposes of subsection (c) of 131
174		-	this section are not expended, an amount up to one million dollars of 132
175		-	such unexpended funds may be available for the provision of 133
176		-	professional development for early childhood care and education 134
177		-	program providers, and staff employed in such programs, provided 135
178		-	such programs accept state funds for infant, toddler and preschool 136
179		-	slots. Such unexpended funds may be available for use in accordance 137
180		-	with the provisions of this subparagraph for the subsequent fiscal year. 138
181		-	The commissioner may use such unexpended funds on and after July 139
182		-	1, 2015, to support early childhood education programs accepting state 140
183		-	funds in satisfying the staff qualifications requirements of 141
184		-	subparagraphs (B) and (C) of subdivision (2) of subsection (b) of this 142
185		-	section. The commissioner shall use any such funds to provide 143
186		-	assistance to individual staff members, giving priority to those staff 144
187		-	members (A) attending an institution of higher education accredited 145
188		-	by the Board of Regents for Higher Education or the Office of Higher 146
189		-	Education, and approved by the Office of Early Childhood, and 147
190		-	regionally accredited, at a maximum of ten thousand dollars per staff 148
191		-	member per year for the cost of higher education courses leading to a 149
192		-	bachelor's degree or, not later than December 31, 2015, an associate 150
193		-	degree, as such degrees are described in said subparagraphs (B) and 151
194		-	(C), or (B) receiving noncredit competency-based training approved by 152
195		-	the office, at a maximum of one thousand dollars per staff member per 153 Substitute Bill No. 6686
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	153	+
	154	+	endorsement in early childhood education or special education; (v) an 111
	155	+	associate degree with a concentration in early childhood education from 112
	156	+	an institution of higher education that is regionally accredited; or (vi) a 113
	157	+	bachelor's degree with a concentration in early childhood education 114
	158	+	from an institution of higher education that is regionally accredited; 115
	159	+	(B) From July 1, 2022, until June 30, 2025, "staff qualifications" means 116
	160	+	that for each early childhood education program accepting state funds 117
	161	+	for infant, toddler and preschool spaces associated with such program's 118
	162	+	child care program or school readiness program, (i) at least fifty per cent 119
	163	+	of those individuals with the primary responsibility for a classroom of 120
	164	+	children (I) hold certification pursuant to section 10-145b with an 121
	165	+	endorsement in early childhood education or early childhood special 122
	166	+	education, (II) have been issued an early childhood teacher credential, 123
	167	+	pursuant to section 10-520b, (III) hold at least an associate degree with a 124
	168	+	concentration in early childhood education from an institution of higher 125
	169	+	education that is regionally accredited, or (IV) satisfy the requirements 126
	170	+	of subdivision (3), (4) or (5) of this subsection, and (ii) such remaining 127
	171	+	individuals with the primary responsibility for a classroom of children 128
	172	+	hold a childhood development associate credential or an equivalent 129
	173	+	credential issued by an organization approved by the commissioner and 130
	174	+	twelve credits or more in early childhood education or child 131
	175	+	development, as determined by the commissioner or the president of 132
	176	+	the Connecticut State Colleges and Universities, after consultation with 133
	177	+	the commissioner, from an institution of higher education (I) accredited 134
	178	+	by the Board of Regents for Higher Education or Office of Higher 135
	179	+	Education, and (II) regionally accredited; 136
	180	+	(C) From July 1, 2025, until June 30, 2029, "staff qualifications" means 137
	181	+	that for each early childhood education program accepting state funds 138
	182	+	for infant, toddler and preschool spaces associated with such program's 139
	183	+	child care program or school readiness program, (i) at least fifty per cent 140
	184	+	of those individuals with the primary responsibility for a classroom of 141
	185	+	children (I) hold certification pursuant to section 10-145b with an 142
	186	+	endorsement in early childhood education or early childhood special 143
	187	+	education, (II) have been issued an early childhood teacher credential, 144 Raised Bill No. 6686
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202		-	year, provided such staff members have applied for all available 154
203		-	federal and state scholarships and grants, and such assistance does not 155
204		-	exceed such staff members' financial need. Individual staff members 156
205		-	shall apply for such unexpended funds in a manner determined by the 157
206		-	commissioner. The commissioner shall determine how such 158
207		-	unexpended funds shall be distributed. 159
208		-	(3) If funds appropriated for the purposes of subsection (c) of this 160
209		-	section are not expended pursuant to subsection (c) of this section, 161
210		-	deposited pursuant to subdivision (1) of this subsection, or used 162
211		-	pursuant to subdivision (2) of this subsection, the commissioner may 163
212		-	use such unexpended funds to support local school readiness 164
213		-	programs. The commissioner may use such funds for purposes 165
214		-	including, but not limited to, (A) assisting local school readiness 166
215		-	programs in meeting and maintaining accreditation requirements, (B) 167
216		-	providing training in implementing the preschool assessment and 168
217		-	curriculum frameworks, including training to enhance literacy 169
218		-	teaching skills, (C) developing a state-wide preschool curriculum, (D) 170
219		-	developing student assessments for students in grades kindergarten to 171
220		-	two, inclusive, (E) developing and implementing best practices for 172
221		-	parents in supporting preschool and kindergarten student learning, (F) 173
222		-	developing and implementing strategies for children to successfully 174
223		-	transition to preschool and from preschool to kindergarten, including 175
224		-	through parental engagement and whole-family supports that may be 176
225		-	utilized through the two-generational initiative, established pursuant 177
226		-	to section 17b-112l, or through other available resources, (G) providing 178
227		-	for professional development, including assisting in career ladder 179
228		-	advancement, for school readiness staff, (H) providing supplemental 180
229		-	grants to other towns that are eligible for grants pursuant to subsection 181
230		-	(c) of this section, and (I) developing a plan to provide spaces in an 182
231		-	accredited school readiness program or a school readiness program 183
232		-	seeking accreditation to all eligible children who reside in an area or 184
233		-	town described in subparagraphs (A) to (D), inclusive, of subdivision 185
234		-	(1) of subsection (d) of this section. 186 Substitute Bill No. 6686
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	192	+
	193	+	pursuant to subdivision (2) of section 10-520b, (III) hold at least a 145
	194	+	bachelor's degree with a concentration in early childhood education 146
	195	+	from an institution of higher education that is regionally accredited, or 147
	196	+	(IV) satisfy the requirements of subdivision (3), (4) or (5) of this 148
	197	+	subsection, and (ii) such remaining individuals with the primary 149
	198	+	responsibility for a classroom of children (I) hold an associate degree 150
	199	+	with a concentration in early childhood education from an institution of 151
	200	+	higher education that is regionally accredited, or (II) have been issued 152
	201	+	an early childhood teacher credential, pursuant to subdivision (1) of 153
	202	+	section 10-520b; and 154
	203	+	(D) On and after July 1, 2029, "staff qualifications" means that for each 155
	204	+	early childhood education program accepting state funds for infant, 156
	205	+	toddler and preschool spaces associated with such program's child care 157
	206	+	program or school readiness program, one hundred per cent of those 158
	207	+	individuals with the primary responsibility for a classroom of children 159
	208	+	(i) hold certification pursuant to section 10-145b with an endorsement in 160
	209	+	early childhood education or early childhood special education, (ii) have 161
	210	+	been issued an early childhood teacher credential, pursuant to 162
	211	+	subdivision (2) of section 10-520b, (iii) hold at least a bachelor's degree 163
	212	+	with a concentration in early childhood education from an institution of 164
	213	+	higher education that is regionally accredited, or (iv) satisfy the 165
	214	+	requirements of subdivision (3), (4) or (5) of this subsection. 166
	215	+	(3) Any individual with a bachelor's degree in early childhood 167
	216	+	education or child development or a bachelor's degree and twelve 168
	217	+	credits or more in early childhood education or child development, 169
	218	+	who, on or before June 30, 2015, is employed by an early childhood 170
	219	+	education program that accepts state funds for infant, toddler and 171
	220	+	preschool spaces associated with such program's child care program or 172
	221	+	school readiness program shall be considered to meet the staff 173
	222	+	qualifications required under subparagraphs (B) to (D), inclusive, of 174
	223	+	subdivision (2) of this subsection. No such early childhood education 175
	224	+	program shall terminate any such individual from employment for 176
	225	+	purposes of meeting the staff qualification requirements set forth in 177
	226	+	subparagraph (B), (C) or (D) of subdivision (2) of this subsection. 178 Raised Bill No. 6686
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241		-	(f) Any school readiness program that receives funds pursuant to 187
242		-	this section or section 10-16u shall not discriminate on the basis of race, 188
243		-	color, national origin, gender, religion or disability. For purposes of 189
244		-	this section, a nonsectarian program means any public or private 190
245		-	school readiness program that is not violative of the Establishment 191
246		-	Clause of the Constitution of the State of Connecticut or the 192
247		-	Establishment Clause of the Constitution of the United States of 193
248		-	America. 194
249		-	(g) Subject to the provisions of this subsection, no funds received by 195
250		-	a town pursuant to subsection (c) or (d) of this section or section 10-196
251		-	16u shall be used to supplant federal, state or local funding received by 197
252		-	such town for early childhood education, provided a town may use an 198
253		-	amount determined in accordance with this subsection for 199
254		-	coordination, program evaluation and administration. Such amount 200
255		-	shall be at least five per cent of the total grant allocation, but not more 201
256		-	than seventy-five thousand dollars and shall be determined by the 202
257		-	commissioner based on the school readiness grant award allocated to 203
258		-	the town pursuant to subsection (c) or (d) of this section or section 10-204
259		-	16u and the number of operating sites for coordination, program 205
260		-	evaluation and administration. Such amount shall be increased by an 206
261		-	amount equal to local funding provided for early childhood education 207
262		-	coordination, program evaluation and administration, not to exceed 208
263		-	twenty-five thousand dollars. Each town that receives a grant pursuant 209
264		-	to subsection (c) or (d) of this section or section 10-16u shall designate 210
265		-	a person to be responsible for such coordination, program evaluation 211
266		-	and administration and to act as a liaison between the town and the 212
267		-	commissioner. Each school readiness program that receives funds 213
268		-	pursuant to this section or section 10-16u shall provide information to 214
269		-	the commissioner or the school readiness council, as requested, that is 215
270		-	necessary for purposes of any school readiness program evaluation. 216
271		-	(h) Any town receiving a grant pursuant to this section may use 217
272		-	such grant, with the approval of the commissioner, to prepare a facility 218
273		-	or staff for operating a school readiness program and shall be adjusted 219 Substitute Bill No. 6686
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	231	+
	232	+	(4) Any individual with an associate degree or a bachelor's degree in 179
	233	+	early childhood education or child development or an associate degree 180
	234	+	or a bachelor's degree and twelve credits or more in early childhood 181
	235	+	education or child development from an institution of higher education 182
	236	+	that is regionally accredited, other than an associate degree or a 183
	237	+	bachelor's degree with a concentration in early childhood education, 184
	238	+	may submit documentation concerning such degree for review and 185
	239	+	assessment by the office as to whether such degree has a sufficient 186
	240	+	concentration in early childhood education so as to satisfy the 187
	241	+	requirements set forth in subparagraphs (B) to (D), inclusive, of 188
	242	+	subdivision (2) of this subsection. 189
	243	+	(5) Any individual with an associate degree with twelve credits or 190
	244	+	more in early childhood education or child development, as determined 191
	245	+	by the commissioner or the president of the Connecticut State Colleges 192
	246	+	and Universities, after consultation with the commissioner, from an 193
	247	+	institution of higher education (A) accredited by the Board of Regents 194
	248	+	for Higher Education or Office of Higher Education, and (B) regionally 195
	249	+	accredited, who has been employed in the same early childhood 196
	250	+	education program that accepts state funds for infant, toddler and 197
	251	+	preschool spaces associated with such program's child care program or 198
	252	+	school readiness program since 1995 shall be considered to meet the staff 199
	253	+	qualifications required under subparagraphs (B) to (D), inclusive, of 200
	254	+	subdivision (2) of this subsection until June 30, 2025. On and after July 201
	255	+	1, 2025, such individual shall hold a childhood development associate 202
	256	+	credential or an equivalent credential, described in subparagraph (A) of 203
	257	+	subdivision (2) of this subsection, or otherwise meet the staff 204
	258	+	qualifications required under subparagraphs (C) and (D) of subdivision 205
	259	+	(2) of this subsection. Any such individual who terminates his or her 206
	260	+	employment with such early childhood education program on or before 207
	261	+	June 30, 2025, and accepts a position at another early childhood 208
	262	+	education program accepting state funds for spaces associated with 209
	263	+	such program's child care program or school readiness program shall 210
	264	+	submit documentation of such individual's progress toward meeting 211
	265	+	the staff qualification requirements set forth in subparagraph (B) to (D), 212 Raised Bill No. 6686
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280		-	based on the number of days of operation of a school readiness 220
281		-	program if a shorter term of operation is approved by the 221
282		-	commissioner. 222
283		-	(i) A town may use grant funds to purchase spaces for eligible 223
284		-	children who reside in such town at an accredited school readiness 224
285		-	program located in another town. A regional school readiness council 225
286		-	may use grant funds to purchase spaces for eligible children who 226
287		-	reside in the region covered by the council at an accredited school 227
288		-	readiness program located outside such region. 228
289		-	(j) Children enrolled in school readiness programs funded pursuant 229
290		-	to this section shall not be counted (1) as resident students for 230
291		-	purposes of subdivision (22) of section 10-262f, or (2) in the 231
292		-	determination of average daily membership pursuant to subdivision 232
293		-	(2) of subsection (a) of section 10-261. 233
294		-	(k) (1) Up to two per cent of the amount of the appropriation for this 234
295		-	section may be allocated to the competitive grant program pursuant to 235
296		-	subsection (d) of this section. The determination of the amount of such 236
297		-	allocation shall be made on or before August first. 237
298		-	(2) Up to two per cent of the amount of the appropriation for this 238
299		-	section may be used by the commissioner in a manner consistent with 239
300		-	the provisions of section 10-509. 240
301		-	[(l) For the fiscal year ending June 30, 2020, and each fiscal year 241
302		-	thereafter, any school readiness program that (1) is licensed by the 242
303		-	Office of Early Childhood pursuant to chapter 368a, (2) provides full-243
304		-	day and year-round child care and education programs for children, 244
305		-	and (3) receives funds pursuant to this section or section 10-16u, shall 245
306		-	use any amount of the per child cost as described in subdivision (1) of 246
307		-	subsection (b) of section 10-16q that is over the amount of eight 247
308		-	thousand nine hundred twenty-seven dollars, exclusively to increase 248
309		-	the salaries of those individuals with direct responsibility for teaching 249
310		-	or caring for children in a classroom at such school readiness 250 Substitute Bill No. 6686
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	270	+
	271	+	inclusive, of subdivision (2) of this subsection in a manner determined 213
	272	+	by the office.] 214
	273	+	(2) (A) From July 1, 2023, to June 30, 2027, inclusive, not less than 215
	274	+	twenty-five per cent of the designated staff members at each state-216
	275	+	funded child care program shall meet minimum qualifications. 217
	276	+	(B) From July 1, 2027, to June 30, 2030, inclusive, not less than fifty 218
	277	+	per cent of the designated staff members at each state-funded child care 219
	278	+	program shall meet minimum qualifications. 220
	279	+	(C) From July 1, 2030, to June 30, 2033, inclusive, not less than 221
	280	+	seventy-five per cent of the designated staff members at each state-222
	281	+	funded child care program shall meet minimum qualifications. 223
	282	+	(D) On and after July 1, 2033, not less than one hundred per cent of 224
	283	+	designated staff members at each state-funded child care program shall 225
	284	+	meet minimum qualifications. 226
	285	+	(c) The commissioner shall establish a grant program to provide 227
	286	+	spaces in accredited school readiness programs located in priority 228
	287	+	school districts, as described in section 10-266p, or in former priority 229
	288	+	school districts for eligible children. The state, acting by and in the 230
	289	+	discretion of the Commissioner of Early Childhood, in consultation with 231
	290	+	a town or regional school readiness council, may enter into a contract 232
	291	+	with a municipality, local or regional board of education, regional 233
	292	+	educational service center, family resource center, provider of a child 234
	293	+	care center, group child care home or family child care home, as 235
	294	+	described in section 19a-77, Head Start program, preschool program or 236
	295	+	other program that meets such standards established by the 237
	296	+	commissioner, to provide, within available appropriations, state 238
	297	+	financial assistance. Eligibility shall be determined for a five-year period 239
	298	+	based on an applicant's designation as a priority school district for the 240
	299	+	initial year of application, except that if a school district that receives a 241
	300	+	grant pursuant to this subsection is no longer designated as a priority 242
	301	+	school district at the end of such five-year period, such former priority 243
	302	+	school district shall continue to be eligible to receive a grant pursuant to 244 Raised Bill No. 6686
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317		-	program.] 251
318		-	Sec. 3. Section 10-16t of the general statutes is repealed and the 252
319		-	following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1, 2023): 253
320		-	A local school readiness council may elect to reserve up to five per 254
321		-	cent of the spaces in its school readiness programs for children who are 255
322		-	five years of age and are eligible to attend school pursuant to section 256
323		-	10-15c. Such children shall only be eligible to participate in the school 257
324		-	readiness program if (1) they have been in the program for at least one 258
325		-	year, [and] (2) the parent or legal guardian of such a child, the school 259
326		-	readiness program provider and the local or regional school district in 260
327		-	which the child would otherwise be attending school agree that the 261
328		-	child [is not ready for kindergarten] would benefit from another year 262
329		-	in the program and to defer attendance in kindergarten until the 263
330		-	following year, and (3) a written authorization, signed by the parent or 264
331		-	guardian of such a child, indicating that such child will not attend 265
332		-	kindergarten until the following year is filed with the local or regional 266
333		-	school district in which such child would otherwise be attending 267
334		-	school. 268
335		-	Sec. 4. Subdivision (3) of subsection (a) of section 10-505 of the 269
336		-	general statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu 270
337		-	thereof (Effective July 1, 2023): 271
338		-	(3) "Eligible children" means children (A) [three and] from birth to 272
339		-	four years of age, inclusive, and children five years of age who are not 273
340		-	eligible to enroll in school pursuant to section 10-15c, or who are 274
341		-	eligible to enroll in school and will attend a school readiness program 275
342		-	pursuant to section 10-16t, as amended by this act, and (B) who reside 276
343		-	(i) in an area served by a priority school or a former priority school, as 277
344		-	described in subdivision (2) of subsection (d) of section 10-16p, as 278
345		-	amended by this act, (ii) in a town ranked one to fifty when all towns 279
346		-	are ranked in ascending order according to town wealth, as defined in 280
347		-	subdivision (26) of section 10-262f, whose school district is not a 281
348		-	priority school district pursuant to section 10-266p, (iii) in a town 282 Substitute Bill No. 6686
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	308	+	this subsection. Grant awards shall be made [annually] for the fiscal year 245
	309	+	ending June 30, 2023, and biennially thereafter, contingent upon 246
	310	+	available funding and a satisfactory annual evaluation. The chief elected 247
	311	+	official of such town and the superintendent of schools for such priority 248
	312	+	school district or former priority school district shall submit a plan for 249
	313	+	the expenditure of grant funds and responses to the local request for 250
	314	+	proposal process to the commissioner. The commissioner shall review 251
	315	+	and approve such plans. The plan shall: (1) Be developed in consultation 252
	316	+	with the local or regional school readiness council established pursuant 253
	317	+	to section 10-16r; (2) be based on a needs and resource assessment; (3) 254
	318	+	provide for the issuance of requests for proposals for providers of 255
	319	+	accredited school readiness programs, provided, after the initial 256
	320	+	requests for proposals, facilities that have been approved to operate a 257
	321	+	child care program financed through the Connecticut Health and 258
	322	+	Education Facilities Authority and have received a commitment for debt 259
	323	+	service from the Department of Social Services, pursuant to section 17b-260
	324	+	749i, on or before June 30, 2014, and on or after July 1, 2014, from the 261
	325	+	office, are exempt from the requirement for issuance of annual requests 262
	326	+	for proposals; and (4) identify the need for funding pursuant to section 263
	327	+	17b-749a in order to extend the hours and days of operation of school 264
	328	+	readiness programs in order to provide child care services for children 265
	329	+	attending such programs. 266
	330	+	(d) (1) The commissioner shall establish a competitive grant program 267
	331	+	to provide spaces in accredited school readiness programs or school 268
	332	+	readiness programs seeking accreditation located in (A) an area served 269
	333	+	by a priority school or a former priority school, (B) a town ranked one 270
	334	+	to fifty when all towns are ranked in ascending order according to town 271
	335	+	wealth, as defined in subdivision (26) of section 10-262f, whose school 272
	336	+	district is not a priority school district pursuant to section 10-266p, (C) a 273
	337	+	town formerly a town described in subparagraph (B) of this subdivision, 274
	338	+	as provided for in subdivision (2) of this subsection, or (D) a town 275
	339	+	designated as an alliance district, as defined in section 10-262u, whose 276
	340	+	school district is not a priority school district pursuant to section 10-277
	341	+	266p. A town in which a priority school is located, a regional school 278 Raised Bill No. 6686
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355		-	formerly a town described in clause (ii) of this subparagraph, as 283
356		-	provided for in subdivision (2) of subsection (d) of section 10-16p, as 284
357		-	amended by this act, or (iv) in a town designated as an alliance district, 285
358		-	as defined in section 10-262u, whose school district is not a priority 286
359		-	school district pursuant to section 10-266p; 287
360		-	Sec. 5. Subsection (b) of section 8-210 of the general statutes is 288
361		-	repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 289
362		-	1, 2023): 290
363		-	(b) The state, acting by and in the discretion of the Commissioner of 291
364		-	Early Childhood, may enter into a contract with a municipality, a 292
365		-	group child care home or family child care home, as described in 293
366		-	section 19a-77, a human resource development agency or a nonprofit 294
367		-	corporation for state financial assistance in developing and operating 295
368		-	child care centers, group child care homes and family child care homes 296
369		-	for children disadvantaged by reasons of economic, social or 297
370		-	environmental conditions, provided no such financial assistance shall 298
371		-	be available for the operating costs of any such child care center, group 299
372		-	child care home or family child care home unless it has been licensed 300
373		-	by the Commissioner of Early Childhood pursuant to section 19a-80. 301
374		-	Such financial assistance shall be available for a program of a 302
375		-	municipality, of a group child care home or family child care home, of 303
376		-	a human resource development agency or of a nonprofit corporation 304
377		-	which may provide for personnel, equipment, supplies, activities, 305
378		-	program materials and renovation and remodeling of the physical 306
379		-	facilities of such child care centers, group child care homes or family 307
380		-	child care homes. Such contract shall provide for state financial 308
381		-	assistance, within available appropriations, in the form of a state grant-309
382		-	in-aid (1) for a portion of the cost of such program, as determined by 310
383		-	the Commissioner of Early Childhood, if not federally assisted, (2) 311
384		-	equal to one-half of the amount by which the net cost of such program, 312
385		-	as approved by the Commissioner of Early Childhood, exceeds the 313
386		-	federal grant-in-aid thereof, or (3) in an amount not less than (A) the 314
387		-	per child cost as described in subdivision (1) of subsection (b) of 315 Substitute Bill No. 6686
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	347	+	readiness council, pursuant to subsection (c) of section 10-16r, for a 279
	348	+	region in which such a school is located or a town described in 280
	349	+	subparagraph (B) of this subdivision may apply for such a grant in an 281
	350	+	amount equal to the number of spaces in an accredited school readiness 282
	351	+	program or a school readiness program seeking accreditation multiplied 283
	352	+	by the per child cost set forth in subdivision (1) of subsection (b) of 284
	353	+	section 10-16q. Eligibility shall be determined for a three-year period 285
	354	+	based on an applicant's designation as having a priority school or being 286
	355	+	a town described in subparagraph (B) of this subdivision for the initial 287
	356	+	year of application. The state, acting by and in the discretion of the 288
	357	+	Commissioner of Early Childhood, in consultation with a town or 289
	358	+	regional school readiness council, may enter into a contract with a 290
	359	+	municipality, local or regional board of education, regional educational 291
	360	+	service center, family resource center, provider of a child care center, 292
	361	+	group child care home or family child care home, as described in section 293
	362	+	19a-77, Head Start program, preschool program or other program that 294
	363	+	meets such standards established by the commissioner, to provide, 295
	364	+	within available appropriations, state financial assistance. The chief 296
	365	+	elected official of such town and the superintendent of schools of the 297
	366	+	school district or the regional school readiness council shall submit a 298
	367	+	plan, as described in subsection (c) of this section, for the expenditure of 299
	368	+	such grant funds to the commissioner. In awarding grants pursuant to 300
	369	+	this subsection, the commissioner shall give preference to applications 301
	370	+	submitted by regional school readiness councils and may, within 302
	371	+	available appropriations, provide a grant to such town or regional 303
	372	+	school readiness council that increases the number of spaces for eligible 304
	373	+	children who reside in an area or town described in subparagraphs (A) 305
	374	+	to (D), inclusive, of this subdivision, in an accredited school readiness 306
	375	+	program or a school readiness program seeking accreditation. 307
	376	+	(2) (A) Except as provided in subparagraph (C) of this subdivision, 308
	377	+	commencing with the fiscal year ending June 30, 2005, if a town received 309
	378	+	a grant pursuant to subdivision (1) of this subsection and is no longer 310
	379	+	eligible to receive such a grant, the town may receive a phase-out grant 311
	380	+	for each of the three fiscal years following the fiscal year such town 312 Raised Bill No. 6686
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394		-	section 10-16q, for each child in such program that is three or four 316
395		-	years of age and each child that is five years of age who is not eligible 317
396		-	to enroll in school, pursuant to section 10-15c, while maintaining 318
397		-	services to children under three years of age under this section, and (B) 319
398		-	thirteen thousand five hundred dollars for each child three years of age 320
399		-	or under who is in infant or toddler care and not in a preschool 321
400		-	program. Any such contract entered into on or after July 1, 2022, shall 322
401		-	include a provision that at least sixty per cent of the children enrolled 323
402		-	in such child care center, group child care home or family child care 324
403		-	home are members of families [that] who are at or below seventy-five 325
404		-	per cent of the state median income. [For the fiscal year ending June 30, 326
405		-	2024, and each fiscal year thereafter, the amount per child pursuant to 327
406		-	subdivision (3) of this subsection that is over the amount of the per 328
407		-	child cost that was prescribed pursuant to the contract under said 329
408		-	subdivision (3) for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2023, shall be used 330
409		-	exclusively to increase the salaries of early childhood educators 331
410		-	employed at the child care center.] The Commissioner of Early 332
411		-	Childhood may authorize child care centers, group child care homes 333
412		-	and family child care homes receiving financial assistance under this 334
413		-	subsection to apply a program surplus to the next program year. The 335
414		-	Commissioner of Early Childhood shall consult with directors of child 336
415		-	care centers in establishing fees for the operation of such centers. For 337
416		-	the fiscal year ending June 30, 2023, the Commissioner of Early 338
417		-	Childhood shall, within available appropriations, enter into contracts 339
418		-	under this section for the purpose of expanding the number of spaces 340
419		-	available to children three years of age or under who are in infant or 341
420		-	toddler care and not in a preschool program. 342
421		-	Sec. 6. Subsections (a) and (b) of section 10-506 of the general 343
422		-	statutes are repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof 344
423		-	(Effective July 1, 2023): 345
424		-	(a) For the fiscal [years] year ending June 30, 2015, [to June 30, 2024, 346
425		-	inclusive] and each fiscal year thereafter, the Office of Early 347
426		-	Childhood, in consultation with the Department of Education, shall 348 Substitute Bill No. 6686
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	386	+	received its final grant pursuant to subdivision (1) of this subsection. 313
	387	+	(B) The amount of such phase-out grants shall be determined as 314
	388	+	follows: (i) For the first fiscal year following the fiscal year such town 315
	389	+	received its final grant pursuant to subdivision (1) of this subsection, in 316
	390	+	an amount that does not exceed seventy-five per cent of the grant 317
	391	+	amount such town received for the town or school's final year of 318
	392	+	eligibility pursuant to subdivision (1) of this subsection; (ii) for the 319
	393	+	second fiscal year following the fiscal year such town received its final 320
	394	+	grant pursuant to subdivision (1) of this subsection, in an amount that 321
	395	+	does not exceed fifty per cent of the grant amount such town received 322
	396	+	for the town's or school's final year of eligibility pursuant to subdivision 323
	397	+	(1) of this subsection; and (iii) for the third fiscal year following the fiscal 324
	398	+	year such town received its final grant pursuant to subdivision (1) of 325
	399	+	this subsection, in an amount that does not exceed twenty-five per cent 326
	400	+	of the grant amount such town received for the town's or school's final 327
	401	+	year of eligibility pursuant to subdivision (1) of this subsection. 328
	402	+	(C) For the fiscal year ending June 30, 2011, and each fiscal year 329
	403	+	thereafter, any town that received a grant pursuant to subparagraph (B) 330
	404	+	of subdivision (1) of this subsection for the fiscal year ending June 30, 331
	405	+	2010, shall continue to receive a grant under this subsection even if the 332
	406	+	town no longer meets the criteria for such grant pursuant to 333
	407	+	subparagraph (B) of subdivision (1) of this subsection. 334
	408	+	(e) (1) If funds appropriated for the purposes of subsection (c) of this 335
	409	+	section are not expended, the commissioner may deposit such 336
	410	+	unexpended funds in the account established under section 10-16aa and 337
	411	+	use such unexpended funds in accordance with the provisions of section 338
	412	+	10-16aa. 339
	413	+	(2) For the fiscal year ending June 30, 2015, and each fiscal year 340
	414	+	thereafter, if funds appropriated for the purposes of subsection (c) of 341
	415	+	this section are not expended, an amount up to one million dollars of 342
	416	+	such unexpended funds may be available for the provision of 343
	417	+	professional development for early childhood care and education 344 Raised Bill No. 6686
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433		-	design and administer the Connecticut Smart Start competitive grant 349
434		-	program to provide grants to local and regional boards of education 350
435		-	for capital and operating expenses related to establishing or expanding 351
436		-	a preschool program under the jurisdiction of the board of education 352
437		-	for the town. A local or regional board of education may submit an 353
438		-	application to the office, in accordance with the provisions of 354
439		-	subsection (b) of this section, and may receive (1) a grant for capital 355
440		-	expenses in an amount not to exceed seventy-five thousand dollars per 356
441		-	classroom for costs related to the renovation of an existing public 357
442		-	school to accommodate the establishment or expansion of a preschool 358
443		-	program, and (2) an annual grant for operating expenses (A) in an 359
444		-	amount not to exceed five thousand dollars per child served by such 360
445		-	grant, or (B) in an amount not to exceed seventy-five thousand dollars 361
446		-	for each preschool classroom, provided no town shall receive a total 362
447		-	annual grant for operating expenses greater than three hundred 363
448		-	thousand dollars. Each local or regional board of education that 364
449		-	establishes or expands a preschool program under this section shall be 365
450		-	eligible to receive an annual grant for operating expenses for a period 366
451		-	of five years, provided such preschool program meets standards 367
452		-	established by the Commissioner of Early Childhood. Such local or 368
453		-	regional board of education may submit an application for renewal of 369
454		-	such grant to the office. 370
455		-	(b) On and after July 1, 2014, local and regional boards of education, 371
456		-	individually or cooperatively, pursuant to section 10-158a, may apply, 372
457		-	at such time and in such manner as the commissioner prescribes, to the 373
458		-	office for a capital grant and an operating grant for the purposes 374
459		-	described in subsection (a) of this section. To be eligible to receive such 375
460		-	grants under this section, an applicant board of education shall (1) 376
461		-	demonstrate that it has a need for establishing or expanding a 377
462		-	preschool program using information requested by the commissioner 378
463		-	on a form prescribed by the commissioner, such as data collected from 379
464		-	the preschool experience survey, described in section 10-515, (2) 380
465		-	submit a plan for the expenditure of grant funds received under this 381
466		-	section that outlines how such board of education will use such funds 382 Substitute Bill No. 6686
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	422	+
	423	+	program providers, and staff employed in such programs, provided 345
	424	+	such programs accept state funds for infant, toddler and preschool slots. 346
	425	+	Such unexpended funds may be available for use in accordance with the 347
	426	+	provisions of this subparagraph for the subsequent fiscal year. The 348
	427	+	commissioner may use such unexpended funds on and after July 1, 2015, 349
	428	+	to support early childhood education programs accepting state funds in 350
	429	+	satisfying the staff qualifications requirements of subparagraphs (B) and 351
	430	+	(C) of subdivision (2) of subsection (b) of this section. The commissioner 352
	431	+	shall use any such funds to provide assistance to individual staff 353
	432	+	members, giving priority to those staff members (A) attending an 354
	433	+	institution of higher education accredited by the Board of Regents for 355
	434	+	Higher Education or the Office of Higher Education, and approved by 356
	435	+	the Office of Early Childhood, and regionally accredited, at a maximum 357
	436	+	of ten thousand dollars per staff member per year for the cost of higher 358
	437	+	education courses leading to a bachelor's degree or, not later than 359
	438	+	December 31, 2015, an associate degree, as such degrees are described 360
	439	+	in said subparagraphs (B) and (C), or (B) receiving noncredit 361
	440	+	competency-based training approved by the office, at a maximum of one 362
	441	+	thousand dollars per staff member per year, provided such staff 363
	442	+	members have applied for all available federal and state scholarships 364
	443	+	and grants, and such assistance does not exceed such staff members' 365
	444	+	financial need. Individual staff members shall apply for such 366
	445	+	unexpended funds in a manner determined by the commissioner. The 367
	446	+	commissioner shall determine how such unexpended funds shall be 368
	447	+	distributed. 369
	448	+	(3) If funds appropriated for the purposes of subsection (c) of this 370
	449	+	section are not expended pursuant to subsection (c) of this section, 371
	450	+	deposited pursuant to subdivision (1) of this subsection, or used 372
	451	+	pursuant to subdivision (2) of this subsection, the commissioner may 373
	452	+	use such unexpended funds to support local school readiness programs. 374
	453	+	The commissioner may use such funds for purposes including, but not 375
	454	+	limited to, (A) assisting local school readiness programs in meeting and 376
	455	+	maintaining accreditation requirements, (B) providing training in 377
	456	+	implementing the preschool assessment and curriculum frameworks, 378 Raised Bill No. 6686
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473		-	to establish or expand a preschool program, including, but not limited 383
474		-	to, the amount that such board will contribute to the operation of such 384
475		-	preschool program and how such board of education will provide 385
476		-	access to preschool for children who would not otherwise be able to 386
477		-	enroll in a preschool program, and (3) submit a letter of support for 387
478		-	establishing or expanding a preschool program by the local or regional 388
479		-	school readiness council, described in section 10-16r, if any, for the 389
480		-	school district. The commissioner shall give priority to boards of 390
481		-	education (A) that demonstrate the greatest need for the establishment 391
482		-	or expansion of a preschool program, and (B) whose plan allocates at 392
483		-	least sixty per cent of the spaces in such preschool program to children 393
484		-	who are members of families [that] who are at or below seventy-five 394
485		-	per cent of the state median income. [, or fifty per cent of the spaces in 395
486		-	such preschool program to children who are eligible for free and 396
487		-	reduced price lunches.] The commissioner, in reviewing applications 397
488		-	submitted under this subsection, shall also take into consideration (i) 398
489		-	whether an applicant board of education (I) currently offers a full-day 399
490		-	kindergarten program, (II) will be cooperating and coordinating with 400
491		-	other governmental and community programs to provide services 401
492		-	during periods when the preschool program is not in session, or (III) 402
493		-	will collaborate with other boards of education, as part of a 403
494		-	cooperative arrangement pursuant to section 10-158a, to offer a 404
495		-	regional preschool program, and (ii) current community capacity for 405
496		-	preschool programs and current opportunities for preschool for 406
497		-	children in the community. 407
498		-	Sec. 7. Subsection (b) of section 10-500 of the general statutes is 408
499		-	repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 409
500		-	1, 2023): 410
501		-	(b) The office shall be responsible for: 411
502		-	(1) Delivering services to young children and their families to 412
503		-	ensure optimal health, safety and learning for each young child, 413
504		-	including, but not limited to, coordinating agency efforts and data 414
505		-	sharing in the two-generational initiative established pursuant to 415 Substitute Bill No. 6686
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	461	+
	462	+	including training to enhance literacy teaching skills, (C) developing a 379
	463	+	state-wide preschool curriculum, (D) developing student assessments 380
	464	+	for students in grades kindergarten to two, inclusive, (E) developing 381
	465	+	and implementing best practices for parents in supporting preschool 382
	466	+	and kindergarten student learning, (F) developing and implementing 383
	467	+	strategies for children to successfully transition to preschool and from 384
	468	+	preschool to kindergarten, including through parental engagement and 385
	469	+	whole-family supports that may be utilized through the two -386
	470	+	generational initiative, established pursuant to section 17b-112l, or 387
	471	+	through other available resources, (G) providing for professional 388
	472	+	development, including assisting in career ladder advancement, for 389
	473	+	school readiness staff, (H) providing supplemental grants to other 390
	474	+	towns that are eligible for grants pursuant to subsection (c) of this 391
	475	+	section, and (I) developing a plan to provide spaces in an accredited 392
	476	+	school readiness program or a school readiness program seeking 393
	477	+	accreditation to all eligible children who reside in an area or town 394
	478	+	described in subparagraphs (A) to (D), inclusive, of subdivision (1) of 395
	479	+	subsection (d) of this section. 396
	480	+	(f) Any school readiness program that receives funds pursuant to this 397
	481	+	section or section 10-16u shall not discriminate on the basis of race, color, 398
	482	+	national origin, gender, religion or disability. For purposes of this 399
	483	+	section, a nonsectarian program means any public or private school 400
	484	+	readiness program that is not violative of the Establishment Clause of 401
	485	+	the Constitution of the State of Connecticut or the Establishment Clause 402
	486	+	of the Constitution of the United States of America. 403
	487	+	(g) Subject to the provisions of this subsection, no funds received by 404
	488	+	a town pursuant to subsection (c) or (d) of this section or section 10-16u 405
	489	+	shall be used to supplant federal, state or local funding received by such 406
	490	+	town for early childhood education, provided a town may use an 407
	491	+	amount determined in accordance with this subsection for coordination, 408
	492	+	program evaluation and administration. Such amount shall be at least 409
	493	+	five per cent of the total grant allocation, but not more than seventy-five 410
	494	+	thousand dollars and shall be determined by the commissioner based 411
	495	+	on the school readiness grant award allocated to the town pursuant to 412 Raised Bill No. 6686
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512		-	section 17b-112l; 416
513		-	(2) Developing and implementing the early childhood information 417
514		-	system, in accordance with the provisions of section 10-501; 418
515		-	(3) Developing and reporting on the early childhood accountability 419
516		-	plan, in accordance with the provisions of section 10-503; 420
517		-	(4) Implementing a communications strategy for outreach to 421
518		-	families, service providers and policymakers; 422
519		-	(5) Beginning a state-wide longitudinal evaluation of the school 423
520		-	readiness program examining the educational progress of children 424
521		-	from prekindergarten programs to grade four, inclusive; 425
522		-	(6) Developing, coordinating and supporting public and private 426
523		-	partnerships to aid early childhood initiatives; 427
524		-	(7) Developing a state-wide developmentally appropriate 428
525		-	kindergarten entrance inventory that measures a child's level of 429
526		-	preparedness for kindergarten, but shall not be used as a measurement 430
527		-	tool for program accountability; 431
528		-	(8) Creating a unified set of reporting requirements for the purpose 432
529		-	of collecting the data elements necessary to perform quality 433
530		-	assessments and longitudinal analysis; 434
531		-	(9) Comparing and analyzing data collected pursuant to reporting 435
532		-	requirements created under subdivision (8) of this subsection with the 436
533		-	data collected in the state-wide public school information system, 437
534		-	pursuant to section 10-10a, for population-level analysis of children 438
535		-	and families; 439
536		-	(10) Continually monitoring and evaluating all early care and 440
537		-	education and child development programs and services, focusing on 441
538		-	program outcomes in satisfying the health, safety, developmental and 442
539		-	educational needs of all children; 443 Substitute Bill No. 6686
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	500	+
	501	+	subsection (c) or (d) of this section or section 10-16u and the number of 413
	502	+	operating sites for coordination, program evaluation and 414
	503	+	administration. Such amount shall be increased by an amount equal to 415
	504	+	local funding provided for early childhood education coordination, 416
	505	+	program evaluation and administration, not to exceed twenty-five 417
	506	+	thousand dollars. Each town that receives a grant pursuant to 418
	507	+	subsection (c) or (d) of this section or section 10-16u shall designate a 419
	508	+	person to be responsible for such coordination, program evaluation and 420
	509	+	administration and to act as a liaison between the town and the 421
	510	+	commissioner. Each school readiness program that receives funds 422
	511	+	pursuant to this section or section 10-16u shall provide information to 423
	512	+	the commissioner or the school readiness council, as requested, that is 424
	513	+	necessary for purposes of any school readiness program evaluation. 425
	514	+	(h) Any town receiving a grant pursuant to this section may use such 426
	515	+	grant, with the approval of the commissioner, to prepare a facility or 427
	516	+	staff for operating a school readiness program and shall be adjusted 428
	517	+	based on the number of days of operation of a school readiness program 429
	518	+	if a shorter term of operation is approved by the commissioner. 430
	519	+	(i) A town may use grant funds to purchase spaces for eligible 431
	520	+	children who reside in such town at an accredited school readiness 432
	521	+	program located in another town. A regional school readiness council 433
	522	+	may use grant funds to purchase spaces for eligible children who reside 434
	523	+	in the region covered by the council at an accredited school readiness 435
	524	+	program located outside such region. 436
	525	+	(j) Children enrolled in school readiness programs funded pursuant 437
	526	+	to this section shall not be counted (1) as resident students for purposes 438
	527	+	of subdivision (22) of section 10-262f, or (2) in the determination of 439
	528	+	average daily membership pursuant to subdivision (2) of subsection (a) 440
	529	+	of section 10-261. 441
	530	+	(k) (1) Up to two per cent of the amount of the appropriation for this 442
	531	+	section may be allocated to the competitive grant program pursuant to 443
	532	+	subsection (d) of this section. The determination of the amount of such 444 Raised Bill No. 6686
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546		-	(11) Coordinating home visitation services across programs for 444
547		-	young children; 445
548		-	(12) Providing information and technical assistance to persons 446
549		-	seeking early care and education and child development programs and 447
550		-	services; 448
551		-	(13) Assisting state agencies and municipalities in obtaining 449
552		-	available federal funding for early care and education and child 450
553		-	development programs and services; 451
554		-	(14) Providing technical assistance to providers of early care and 452
555		-	education programs and services to obtain licensing and improve 453
556		-	program quality; 454
557		-	(15) Establishing a quality rating and improvement system 455
558		-	developed by the office that covers home-based, center-based and 456
559		-	school-based early child care and learning; 457
560		-	(16) Maintaining an accreditation facilitation initiative to assist early 458
561		-	childhood care and education program and service providers in 459
562		-	achieving national standards and program improvement; 460
563		-	(17) Consulting with the Early Childhood Cabinet, established 461
564		-	pursuant to section 10-16z, and the Head Start advisory committee, 462
565		-	established pursuant to section 10-16n; 463
566		-	(18) Ensuring a coordinated and comprehensive state-wide system 464
567		-	of professional development for providers and staff of early care and 465
568		-	education and child development programs and services; 466
569		-	(19) Providing families with opportunities for choice in services 467
570		-	including quality child care and community-based family-centered 468
571		-	services; 469
572		-	(20) Integrating early childhood care and education and special 470
573		-	education services; 471 Substitute Bill No. 6686
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	537	+
	538	+	allocation shall be made on or before August first. 445
	539	+	(2) Up to two per cent of the amount of the appropriation for this 446
	540	+	section may be used by the commissioner in a manner consistent with 447
	541	+	the provisions of section 10-509. 448
	542	+	[(l) For the fiscal year ending June 30, 2020, and each fiscal year 449
	543	+	thereafter, any school readiness program that (1) is licensed by the 450
	544	+	Office of Early Childhood pursuant to chapter 368a, (2) provides full-451
	545	+	day and year-round child care and education programs for children, 452
	546	+	and (3) receives funds pursuant to this section or section 10-16u, shall 453
	547	+	use any amount of the per child cost as described in subdivision (1) of 454
	548	+	subsection (b) of section 10-16q that is over the amount of eight 455
	549	+	thousand nine hundred twenty-seven dollars, exclusively to increase 456
	550	+	the salaries of those individuals with direct responsibility for teaching 457
	551	+	or caring for children in a classroom at such school readiness program.] 458
	552	+	Sec. 2. Section 10-16t of the general statutes is repealed and the 459
	553	+	following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1, 2023): 460
	554	+	A local school readiness council may elect to reserve up to five per 461
	555	+	cent of the spaces in its school readiness programs for children who are 462
	556	+	five years of age and are eligible to attend school pursuant to section 10-463
	557	+	15c. Such children shall only be eligible to participate in the school 464
	558	+	readiness program if (1) they have been in the program for at least one 465
	559	+	year, [and] (2) the parent or legal guardian of such a child, the school 466
	560	+	readiness program provider and the local or regional school district in 467
	561	+	which the child would otherwise be attending school agree that the 468
	562	+	child [is not ready for kindergarten] would benefit from another year in 469
	563	+	the program and to defer attendance in kindergarten until the following 470
	564	+	year, and (3) a written authorization, signed by the parent or guardian 471
	565	+	of such a child, indicating that such child will not attend kindergarten 472
	566	+	until the following year is filed with the local or regional school district 473
	567	+	in which such child would otherwise be attending school. 474
	568	+	Sec. 3. Subdivision (3) of subsection (a) of section 10-505 of the general 475
	569	+	statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof 476 Raised Bill No. 6686
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580		-	(21) Promoting universal access to early childhood care and 472
581		-	education; 473
582		-	(22) Ensuring nonduplication of monitoring and evaluation; 474
583		-	(23) Performing any other activities that will assist in the provision 475
584		-	of early care and education and child development programs and 476
585		-	services; 477
586		-	(24) Developing early learning and development standards to be 478
587		-	used by early care and education providers; 479
588		-	(25) Developing and implementing a performance-based evaluation 480
589		-	system to evaluate licensed child care centers, in accordance with the 481
590		-	provisions of section 17b-749f; [and] 482
591		-	(26) Promoting the delivery of services to infants and toddlers to 483
592		-	ensure optimal health, safety and learning of children from birth to 484
593		-	three years of age; and 485
594		-	(27) Establishing a parent cabinet to advise the office on ways to 486
595		-	strengthen partnership and communication with families, bring 487
596		-	awareness to gaps and barriers to services, increase access to services 488
597		-	for families and help make improvements to the lives of young 489
598		-	children and families in the state. 490
599		-	Sec. 8. Section 10-502 of the general statutes is repealed and the 491
600		-	following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1, 2023): 492
601		-	The Office of Early Childhood shall collaborate with and may, 493
602		-	within available appropriations, provide funding to local [and 494
603		-	regional] early childhood [councils] collaboratives for the 495
604		-	implementation of early care and education and child development 496
605		-	programs at the local level. Such local early childhood [councils] 497
606		-	collaboratives shall: (1) Develop and implement a comprehensive plan 498
607		-	for an early childhood system for the community served by such local 499
608		-	early childhood [council] collaborative, (2) develop policy and 500 Substitute Bill No. 6686
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	574	+
	575	+	(Effective July 1, 2023): 477
	576	+	(3) "Eligible children" means children (A) [three and] from birth to 478
	577	+	four years of age, inclusive, and children five years of age who are not 479
	578	+	eligible to enroll in school pursuant to section 10-15c, or who are eligible 480
	579	+	to enroll in school and will attend a school readiness program pursuant 481
	580	+	to section 10-16t, as amended by this act, and (B) who reside (i) in an 482
	581	+	area served by a priority school or a former priority school, as described 483
	582	+	in subdivision (2) of subsection (d) of section 10-16p, as amended by this 484
	583	+	act, (ii) in a town ranked one to fifty when all towns are ranked in 485
	584	+	ascending order according to town wealth, as defined in subdivision 486
	585	+	(26) of section 10-262f, whose school district is not a priority school 487
	586	+	district pursuant to section 10-266p, (iii) in a town formerly a town 488
	587	+	described in clause (ii) of this subparagraph, as provided for in 489
	588	+	subdivision (2) of subsection (d) of section 10-16p, as amended by this 490
	589	+	act, or (iv) in a town designated as an alliance district, as defined in 491
	590	+	section 10-262u, whose school district is not a priority school district 492
	591	+	pursuant to section 10-266p; 493
	592	+	Sec. 4. Subsection (b) of section 8-210 of the general statutes is 494
	593	+	repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1, 495
	594	+	2023): 496
	595	+	(b) The state, acting by and in the discretion of the Commissioner of 497
	596	+	Early Childhood, may enter into a contract with a municipality, a group 498
	597	+	child care home or family child care home, as described in section 19a-499
	598	+	77, a human resource development agency or a nonprofit corporation 500
	599	+	for state financial assistance in developing and operating child care 501
	600	+	centers, group child care homes and family child care homes for 502
	601	+	children disadvantaged by reasons of economic, social or environmental 503
	602	+	conditions, provided no such financial assistance shall be available for 504
	603	+	the operating costs of any such child care center, group child care home 505
	604	+	or family child care home unless it has been licensed by the 506
	605	+	Commissioner of Early Childhood pursuant to section 19a-80. Such 507
	606	+	financial assistance shall be available for a program of a municipality, of 508
	607	+	a group child care home or family child care home, of a human resource 509 Raised Bill No. 6686
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615		-	program planning, (3) encourage community participation by 501
616		-	emphasizing substantial parental involvement, (4) collect, analyze and 502
617		-	evaluate data with a focus on program and service outcomes, (5) 503
618		-	allocate resources, and (6) perform any other functions that will assist 504
619		-	in the provision of early childhood programs and services. Such local 505
620		-	early childhood [councils] collaboratives may enter into memoranda of 506
621		-	agreement with the local or regional school readiness council, 507
622		-	described in section 10-16r, of the town or region served by such local 508
623		-	early childhood [council] collaborative to perform the duties and 509
624		-	functions of a school readiness council, in accordance with the 510
625		-	provisions of section 10-16r, or if no such local or regional school 511
626		-	readiness council exists for the town or region of such local early 512
627		-	childhood [council] collaborative, perform the duties and functions of 513
628		-	a school readiness council, in accordance with the provisions of section 514
629		-	10-16r. 515
630		-	Sec. 9. Subsection (d) of section 19a-87a of the general statutes are 516
631		-	repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 517
632		-	1, 2023): 518
633		-	(d) Any person having reasonable cause to believe that a child care 519
634		-	center or a group child care home is operating without a current and 520
635		-	valid license or in violation of regulations adopted under section 19a-521
636		-	79 or in a manner which may pose a potential danger to the health, 522
637		-	welfare and safety of a child receiving child care services, may report 523
638		-	such information to the Office of Early Childhood. The office shall 524
639		-	investigate any report or complaint received pursuant to this 525
640		-	subsection. The name of the person making the report or complaint 526
641		-	shall not be disclosed unless (1) such person consents to such 527
642		-	disclosure, (2) a judicial or administrative proceeding results 528
643		-	therefrom, [or] (3) a license action pursuant to subsection (a) of this 529
644		-	section results therefrom, or (4) a state or federal law enforcement 530
645		-	officer, including, but not limited to, a military law enforcement 531
646		-	authority under the United States Department of Defense, requests 532
647		-	such information. All records obtained by the office in connection with 533 Substitute Bill No. 6686
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	612	+
	613	+	development agency or of a nonprofit corporation which may provide 510
	614	+	for personnel, equipment, supplies, activities, program materials and 511
	615	+	renovation and remodeling of the physical facilities of such child care 512
	616	+	centers, group child care homes or family child care homes. Such 513
	617	+	contract shall provide for state financial assistance, within available 514
	618	+	appropriations, in the form of a state grant-in-aid (1) for a portion of the 515
	619	+	cost of such program, as determined by the Commissioner of Early 516
	620	+	Childhood, if not federally assisted, (2) equal to one-half of the amount 517
	621	+	by which the net cost of such program, as approved by the 518
	622	+	Commissioner of Early Childhood, exceeds the federal grant-in-aid 519
	623	+	thereof, or (3) in an amount not less than (A) the per child cost as 520
	624	+	described in subdivision (1) of subsection (b) of section 10-16q, for each 521
	625	+	child in such program that is three or four years of age and each child 522
	626	+	that is five years of age who is not eligible to enroll in school, pursuant 523
	627	+	to section 10-15c, while maintaining services to children under three 524
	628	+	years of age under this section, and (B) thirteen thousand five hundred 525
	629	+	dollars for each child three years of age or under who is in infant or 526
	630	+	toddler care and not in a preschool program. Any such contract entered 527
	631	+	into on or after July 1, 2022, shall include a provision that at least sixty 528
	632	+	per cent of the children enrolled in such child care center, group child 529
	633	+	care home or family child care home are members of families [that] who 530
	634	+	are at or below seventy-five per cent of the state median income. [For 531
	635	+	the fiscal year ending June 30, 2024, and each fiscal year thereafter, the 532
	636	+	amount per child pursuant to subdivision (3) of this subsection that is 533
	637	+	over the amount of the per child cost that was prescribed pursuant to 534
	638	+	the contract under said subdivision (3) for the fiscal year ending June 30, 535
	639	+	2023, shall be used exclusively to increase the salaries of early childhood 536
	640	+	educators employed at the child care center.] The Commissioner of 537
	641	+	Early Childhood may authorize child care centers, group child care 538
	642	+	homes and family child care homes receiving financial assistance under 539
	643	+	this subsection to apply a program surplus to the next program year. 540
	644	+	The Commissioner of Early Childhood shall consult with directors of 541
	645	+	child care centers in establishing fees for the operation of such centers. 542
	646	+	For the fiscal year ending June 30, 2023, the Commissioner of Early 543
	647	+	Childhood shall, within available appropriations, enter into contracts 544 Raised Bill No. 6686
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654		-	any such investigation shall not be subject to the provisions of section 534
655		-	1-210 for a period of thirty days from the date of the petition or other 535
656		-	event initiating such investigation, or until such time as the 536
657		-	investigation is terminated pursuant to a withdrawal or other informal 537
658		-	disposition or until a hearing is convened pursuant to chapter 54, 538
659		-	whichever is earlier, except such records, whether obtained or 539
660		-	generated by the office, shall be disclosed, without redaction, to a state 540
661		-	or federal law enforcement officer, including, but not limited to, a 541
662		-	military law enforcement authority under the United States 542
663		-	Department of Defense upon written request. A formal statement of 543
664		-	charges issued by the office shall be subject to the provisions of section 544
665		-	1-210 from the time that it is served or mailed to the respondent. 545
666		-	Records which are otherwise public records shall not be deemed 546
667		-	confidential merely because they have been obtained in connection 547
668		-	with an investigation under this section. 548
669		-	Sec. 10. Subsection (e) of section 19a-87e of the general statutes is 549
670		-	repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 550
671		-	1, 2023): 551
672		-	(e) Any person having reasonable cause to believe that a family 552
673		-	child care home, as defined in section 19a-77, is operating without a 553
674		-	current and valid license or in violation of the regulations adopted 554
675		-	under section 19a-87b or in a manner which may pose a potential 555
676		-	danger to the health, welfare and safety of a child receiving child care 556
677		-	services, may report such information to the Office of Early Childhood. 557
678		-	The office shall investigate any report or complaint received pursuant 558
679		-	to this subsection. The name of the person making the report or 559
680		-	complaint shall not be disclosed unless (1) such person consents to 560
681		-	such disclosure, (2) a judicial or administrative proceeding results from 561
682		-	such report or complaint, [or] (3) a license action pursuant to 562
683		-	subsection (a) of this section results from such report or complaint, or 563
684		-	(4) a state or federal law enforcement officer, including, but not limited 564
685		-	to, a military law enforcement authority under the United States 565
686		-	Department of Defense, requests such information. All records 566 Substitute Bill No. 6686
	651	+	LCO No. 3398 18 of 28
	652	+
	653	+	under this section for the purpose of expanding the number of spaces 545
	654	+	available to children three years of age or under who are in infant or 546
	655	+	toddler care and not in a preschool program. 547
	656	+	Sec. 5. Subsections (a) and (b) of section 10-506 of the general statutes 548
	657	+	are repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 549
	658	+	1, 2023): 550
	659	+	(a) For the fiscal [years] year ending June 30, 2015, [to June 30, 2024, 551
	660	+	inclusive] and each fiscal year thereafter, the Office of Early Childhood, 552
	661	+	in consultation with the Department of Education, shall design and 553
	662	+	administer the Connecticut Smart Start competitive grant program to 554
	663	+	provide grants to local and regional boards of education for capital and 555
	664	+	operating expenses related to establishing or expanding a preschool 556
	665	+	program under the jurisdiction of the board of education for the town. 557
	666	+	A local or regional board of education may submit an application to the 558
	667	+	office, in accordance with the provisions of subsection (b) of this section, 559
	668	+	and may receive (1) a grant for capital expenses in an amount not to 560
	669	+	exceed seventy-five thousand dollars per classroom for costs related to 561
	670	+	the renovation of an existing public school to accommodate the 562
	671	+	establishment or expansion of a preschool program, and (2) an annual 563
	672	+	grant for operating expenses (A) in an amount not to exceed five 564
	673	+	thousand dollars per child served by such grant, or (B) in an amount not 565
	674	+	to exceed seventy-five thousand dollars for each preschool classroom, 566
	675	+	provided no town shall receive a total annual grant for operating 567
	676	+	expenses greater than three hundred thousand dollars. Each local or 568
	677	+	regional board of education that establishes or expands a preschool 569
	678	+	program under this section shall be eligible to receive an annual grant 570
	679	+	for operating expenses for a period of five years, provided such 571
	680	+	preschool program meets standards established by the Commissioner 572
	681	+	of Early Childhood. Such local or regional board of education may 573
	682	+	submit an application for renewal of such grant to the office. 574
	683	+	(b) On and after July 1, 2014, local and regional boards of education, 575
	684	+	individually or cooperatively, pursuant to section 10-158a, may apply, 576
	685	+	at such time and in such manner as the commissioner prescribes, to the 577 Raised Bill No. 6686
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693		-	obtained by the office in connection with any such investigation shall 567
694		-	not be subject to the provisions of section 1-210 for a period of thirty 568
695		-	days from the date of the petition or other event initiating such 569
696		-	investigation, or until such time as the investigation is terminated 570
697		-	pursuant to a withdrawal or other informal disposition or until a 571
698		-	hearing is convened pursuant to chapter 54, whichever is earlier, 572
699		-	except such records, whether obtained or generated by the office, shall 573
700		-	be disclosed, without redaction, to a state or federal law enforcement 574
701		-	officer, including, but not limited to, a military law enforcement 575
702		-	authority under the United States Department of Defense, upon 576
703		-	written request. A formal statement of charges issued by the office 577
704		-	shall be subject to the provisions of section 1-210 from the time that it is 578
705		-	served or mailed to the respondent. Records which are otherwise 579
706		-	public records shall not be deemed confidential merely because they 580
707		-	have been obtained in connection with an investigation under this 581
708		-	section. 582
709		-	Sec. 11. Section 19a-429 of the general statutes is repealed and the 583
710		-	following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1, 2023): 584
711		-	Any person having reasonable cause to believe that a youth camp, 585
712		-	as defined in section 19a-420, is operating without a current and valid 586
713		-	license or in violation of regulations adopted under section 19a-428 or 587
714		-	in a manner which may pose a potential danger to the health, welfare 588
715		-	and safety of a child receiving youth camp services, may report such 589
716		-	information to the office. The office shall investigate any report or 590
717		-	complaint received pursuant to this section. In connection with any 591
718		-	investigation of a youth camp, the commissioner or the commissioner's 592
719		-	authorized agent may administer oaths, issue subpoenas, compel 593
720		-	testimony and order the production of books, records and documents. 594
721		-	If any person refuses to appear, to testify or to produce any book, 595
722		-	record or document when so ordered, a judge of the Superior Court 596
723		-	may make such order as may be appropriate to aid in the enforcement 597
724		-	of this section. The name of the person making the report or complaint 598
725		-	shall not be disclosed unless (1) such person consents to such 599 Substitute Bill No. 6686
	689	+	LCO No. 3398 19 of 28
	690	+
	691	+	office for a capital grant and an operating grant for the purposes 578
	692	+	described in subsection (a) of this section. To be eligible to receive such 579
	693	+	grants under this section, an applicant board of education shall (1) 580
	694	+	demonstrate that it has a need for establishing or expanding a preschool 581
	695	+	program using information requested by the commissioner on a form 582
	696	+	prescribed by the commissioner, such as data collected from the 583
	697	+	preschool experience survey, described in section 10-515, (2) submit a 584
	698	+	plan for the expenditure of grant funds received under this section that 585
	699	+	outlines how such board of education will use such funds to establish 586
	700	+	or expand a preschool program, including, but not limited to, the 587
	701	+	amount that such board will contribute to the operation of such 588
	702	+	preschool program and how such board of education will provide 589
	703	+	access to preschool for children who would not otherwise be able to 590
	704	+	enroll in a preschool program, and (3) submit a letter of support for 591
	705	+	establishing or expanding a preschool program by the local or regional 592
	706	+	school readiness council, described in section 10-16r, if any, for the 593
	707	+	school district. The commissioner shall give priority to boards of 594
	708	+	education (A) that demonstrate the greatest need for the establishment 595
	709	+	or expansion of a preschool program, and (B) whose plan allocates at 596
	710	+	least sixty per cent of the spaces in such preschool program to children 597
	711	+	who are members of families [that] who are at or below seventy-five per 598
	712	+	cent of the state median income. [, or fifty per cent of the spaces in such 599
	713	+	preschool program to children who are eligible for free and reduced 600
	714	+	price lunches.] The commissioner, in reviewing applications submitted 601
	715	+	under this subsection, shall also take into consideration (i) whether an 602
	716	+	applicant board of education (I) currently offers a full-day kindergarten 603
	717	+	program, (II) will be cooperating and coordinating with other 604
	718	+	governmental and community programs to provide services during 605
	719	+	periods when the preschool program is not in session, or (III) will 606
	720	+	collaborate with other boards of education, as part of a cooperative 607
	721	+	arrangement pursuant to section 10-158a, to offer a regional preschool 608
	722	+	program, and (ii) current community capacity for preschool programs 609
	723	+	and current opportunities for preschool for children in the community. 610
	724	+	Sec. 6. Subsection (b) of section 17b-749 of the general statutes is 611 Raised Bill No. 6686
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731	727
732		-	disclosure, (2) a judicial or administrative proceeding results 600
733		-	therefrom, [or] (3) a license action pursuant to section 19a-423 results 601
734		-	from such report or complaint, or (4) a state or federal law enforcement 602
735		-	officer, including, but not limited to, a military law enforcement 603
736		-	authority under the United States Department of Defense, requests 604
737		-	such information. All records obtained by the office in connection with 605
738		-	any such investigation shall not be subject to the provisions of section 606
739		-	1-210 for a period of thirty days from the date of the petition or other 607
740		-	event initiating such investigation, or until such time as the 608
741		-	investigation is terminated pursuant to a withdrawal or other informal 609
742		-	disposition or until a hearing is convened pursuant to chapter 54, 610
743		-	whichever is earlier, except such records, whether obtained or 611
744		-	generated by the office, shall be disclosed, without redaction, to a state 612
745		-	or federal law enforcement officer, including, but not limited to, a 613
746		-	military law enforcement authority under the United State s 614
747		-	Department of Defense, upon written request. A formal statement of 615
748		-	charges issued by the office shall be subject to the provisions of section 616
749		-	1-210 from the time that it is served or mailed to the respondent. 617
750		-	Records which are otherwise public records shall not be deemed 618
751		-	confidential merely because they have been obtained in connection 619
752		-	with an investigation under this section. 620
753		-	Sec. 12. (NEW) (Effective July 1, 2023) (a) The Office of Early 621
754		-	Childhood, in consultation with the Department of Public Health, shall 622
755		-	develop best practices for ordering a medical examination by a 623
756		-	physician, physician assistant or advanced practice registered nurse 624
757		-	during any investigation (1) concerning an application, reinstatement 625
758		-	or renewal of a license for a child care center, group child care home or 626
759		-	family child care home, as such terms are defined in section 19a-77 of 627
760		-	the general statutes, (2) of a complaint concerning child care services, 628
761		-	as described in section 19a-77 of the general statutes, or (3) concerning 629
762		-	the possible provision of unlicensed child care services. The best 630
763		-	practices shall include, but need not be limited to, specifications for (A) 631
764		-	who would be subject to a medical examination ordered by the office, 632
765		-	(B) how the nature and scope of a medical examination would be 633 Substitute Bill No. 6686
	728	+	LCO No. 3398 20 of 28
	729	+
	730	+	repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1, 612
	731	+	2023): 613
	732	+	(b) The commissioner shall establish income standards for applicants 614
	733	+	and recipients at a level to include a family with gross income up to fifty 615
	734	+	per cent of the state-wide median income, except the commissioner (1) 616
	735	+	may increase the income level up to the maximum level allowed under 617
	736	+	federal law, (2) upon the request of the Commissioner of Children and 618
	737	+	Families, may waive the income standards for adoptive families so that 619
	738	+	children adopted on or after October 1, 1999, from the Department of 620
	739	+	Children and Families are eligible for the child care subsidy program, 621
	740	+	and (3) [on and after March 1, 2003, shall reduce the income eligibility 622
	741	+	level to up to fifty-five per cent of the state-wide median income for 623
	742	+	applicants and recipients who qualify based on their loss of eligibility 624
	743	+	for temporary family assistance] shall establish a two-tiered income 625
	744	+	eligibility threshold in accordance with 45 CFR 98.21(b), as amended 626
	745	+	from time to time. The commissioner may adopt regulations in 627
	746	+	accordance with chapter 54 to establish income criteria and durational 628
	747	+	requirements for such waiver of income standards. 629
	748	+	Sec. 7. Subsection (b) of section 10-500 of the general statutes is 630
	749	+	repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1, 631
	750	+	2023): 632
	751	+	(b) The office shall be responsible for: 633
	752	+	(1) Delivering services to young children and their families to ensure 634
	753	+	optimal health, safety and learning for each young child, including, but 635
	754	+	not limited to, coordinating agency efforts and data sharing in the two-636
	755	+	generational initiative established pursuant to section 17b-112l; 637
	756	+	(2) Developing and implementing the early childhood information 638
	757	+	system, in accordance with the provisions of section 10-501; 639
	758	+	(3) Developing and reporting on the early childhood accountability 640
	759	+	plan, in accordance with the provisions of section 10-503; 641 Raised Bill No. 6686
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771	762
772		-	determined, (C) how the physician, physician assistant or advanced 634
773		-	practice registered nurse would be chosen to conduct a medical 635
774		-	examination, and (D) the possible consequences and enforcement 636
775		-	mechanisms for any failure to submit to a medical examination. 637
776		-	(b) Not later than February 1, 2024, the Office of Early Childhood 638
777		-	shall submit, in accordance with the provisions of section 11-4a of the 639
778		-	general statutes, to the joint standing committee of the General 640
779		-	Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to education a report 641
780		-	concerning the best practices developed pursuant to subsection (a) of 642
781		-	this section. Such report may include, but need not be limited to, 643
782		-	legislative recommendations to authorize the office to order medical 644
783		-	examinations in accordance with the best practices developed 645
784		-	pursuant to subsection (a) of this section. 646
	763	+	LCO No. 3398 21 of 28
	764	+
	765	+	(4) Implementing a communications strategy for outreach to families, 642
	766	+	service providers and policymakers; 643
	767	+	(5) Beginning a state-wide longitudinal evaluation of the school 644
	768	+	readiness program examining the educational progress of children from 645
	769	+	prekindergarten programs to grade four, inclusive; 646
	770	+	(6) Developing, coordinating and supporting public and private 647
	771	+	partnerships to aid early childhood initiatives; 648
	772	+	(7) Developing a state-wide developmentally appropriate 649
	773	+	kindergarten entrance inventory that measures a child's level of 650
	774	+	preparedness for kindergarten, but shall not be used as a measurement 651
	775	+	tool for program accountability; 652
	776	+	(8) Creating a unified set of reporting requirements for the purpose 653
	777	+	of collecting the data elements necessary to perform quality assessments 654
	778	+	and longitudinal analysis; 655
	779	+	(9) Comparing and analyzing data collected pursuant to reporting 656
	780	+	requirements created under subdivision (8) of this subsection with the 657
	781	+	data collected in the state-wide public school information system, 658
	782	+	pursuant to section 10-10a, for population-level analysis of children and 659
	783	+	families; 660
	784	+	(10) Continually monitoring and evaluating all early care and 661
	785	+	education and child development programs and services, focusing on 662
	786	+	program outcomes in satisfying the health, safety, developmental and 663
	787	+	educational needs of all children; 664
	788	+	(11) Coordinating home visitation services across programs for 665
	789	+	young children; 666
	790	+	(12) Providing information and technical assistance to persons 667
	791	+	seeking early care and education and child development programs and 668
	792	+	services; 669
	793	+	(13) Assisting state agencies and municipalities in obtaining available 670 Raised Bill No. 6686
	794	+
	795	+
	796	+
	797	+	LCO No. 3398 22 of 28
	798	+
	799	+	federal funding for early care and education and child development 671
	800	+	programs and services; 672
	801	+	(14) Providing technical assistance to providers of early care and 673
	802	+	education programs and services to obtain licensing and improve 674
	803	+	program quality; 675
	804	+	(15) Establishing a quality rating and improvement system 676
	805	+	developed by the office that covers home-based, center-based and 677
	806	+	school-based early child care and learning; 678
	807	+	(16) Maintaining an accreditation facilitation initiative to assist early 679
	808	+	childhood care and education program and service providers in 680
	809	+	achieving national standards and program improvement; 681
	810	+	(17) Consulting with the Early Childhood Cabinet, established 682
	811	+	pursuant to section 10-16z, and the Head Start advisory committee, 683
	812	+	established pursuant to section 10-16n; 684
	813	+	(18) Ensuring a coordinated and comprehensive state-wide system of 685
	814	+	professional development for providers and staff of early care and 686
	815	+	education and child development programs and services; 687
	816	+	(19) Providing families with opportunities for choice in services 688
	817	+	including quality child care and community-based family-centered 689
	818	+	services; 690
	819	+	(20) Integrating early childhood care and education and special 691
	820	+	education services; 692
	821	+	(21) Promoting universal access to early childhood care and 693
	822	+	education; 694
	823	+	(22) Ensuring nonduplication of monitoring and evaluation; 695
	824	+	(23) Performing any other activities that will assist in the provision of 696
	825	+	early care and education and child development programs and services; 697
	826	+	(24) Developing early learning and development standards to be 698 Raised Bill No. 6686
	827	+
	828	+
	829	+
	830	+	LCO No. 3398 23 of 28
	831	+
	832	+	used by early care and education providers; 699
	833	+	(25) Developing and implementing a performance-based evaluation 700
	834	+	system to evaluate licensed child care centers, in accordance with the 701
	835	+	provisions of section 17b-749f; [and] 702
	836	+	(26) Promoting the delivery of services to infants and toddlers to 703
	837	+	ensure optimal health, safety and learning of children from birth to three 704
	838	+	years of age; and 705
	839	+	(27) Establishing a parent cabinet to advise the office on ways to 706
	840	+	strengthen partnership and communication with families, bring 707
	841	+	awareness to gaps and barriers to services, increase access to services for 708
	842	+	families and help make improvements to the lives of young children and 709
	843	+	families in the state. 710
	844	+	Sec. 8. Section 10-502 of the general statutes is repealed and the 711
	845	+	following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1, 2023): 712
	846	+	The Office of Early Childhood shall collaborate with and may, within 713
	847	+	available appropriations, provide funding to local [and regional] early 714
	848	+	childhood [councils] collaboratives for the implementation of early care 715
	849	+	and education and child development programs at the local level. Such 716
	850	+	local early childhood [councils] collaboratives shall: (1) Develop and 717
	851	+	implement a comprehensive plan for an early childhood system for the 718
	852	+	community served by such local early childhood [council] collaborative, 719
	853	+	(2) develop policy and program planning, (3) encourage community 720
	854	+	participation by emphasizing substantial parental involvement, (4) 721
	855	+	collect, analyze and evaluate data with a focus on program and service 722
	856	+	outcomes, (5) allocate resources, and (6) perform any other functions 723
	857	+	that will assist in the provision of early childhood programs and 724
	858	+	services. Such local early childhood [councils] collaboratives may enter 725
	859	+	into memoranda of agreement with the local or regional school 726
	860	+	readiness council, described in section 10-16r, of the town or region 727
	861	+	served by such local early childhood [council] collaborative to perform 728
	862	+	the duties and functions of a school readiness council, in accordance 729
	863	+	with the provisions of section 10-16r, or if no such local or regional 730 Raised Bill No. 6686
	864	+
	865	+
	866	+
	867	+	LCO No. 3398 24 of 28
	868	+
	869	+	school readiness council exists for the town or region of such local early 731
	870	+	childhood [council] collaborative, perform the duties and functions of a 732
	871	+	school readiness council, in accordance with the provisions of section 733
	872	+	10-16r. 734
	873	+	Sec. 9. Subsections (d) and (e) of section 19a-87a of the general statutes 735
	874	+	are repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 736
	875	+	1, 2023): 737
	876	+	(d) Any person having reasonable cause to believe that a child care 738
	877	+	center or a group child care home is operating without a current and 739
	878	+	valid license or in violation of regulations adopted under section 19a-79 740
	879	+	or in a manner which may pose a potential danger to the health, welfare 741
	880	+	and safety of a child receiving child care services, may report such 742
	881	+	information to the Office of Early Childhood. The office shall investigate 743
	882	+	any report or complaint received pursuant to this subsection. The name 744
	883	+	of the person making the report or complaint shall not be disclosed 745
	884	+	unless (1) such person consents to such disclosure, (2) a judicial or 746
	885	+	administrative proceeding results therefrom, [or] (3) a license action 747
	886	+	pursuant to subsection (a) of this section results therefrom, or (4) a state 748
	887	+	or federal law enforcement officer, including, but not limited to, a 749
	888	+	military law enforcement authority under the United States Department 750
	889	+	of Defense, requests such information. All records obtained by the office 751
	890	+	in connection with any such investigation shall not be subject to the 752
	891	+	provisions of section 1-210 for a period of thirty days from the date of 753
	892	+	the petition or other event initiating such investigation, or until such 754
	893	+	time as the investigation is terminated pursuant to a withdrawal or 755
	894	+	other informal disposition or until a hearing is convened pursuant to 756
	895	+	chapter 54, whichever is earlier, except such records, whether obtained 757
	896	+	or generated by the office, shall be disclosed, without redaction, to a 758
	897	+	state or federal law enforcement officer, including, but not limited to, a 759
	898	+	military law enforcement authority under the United States Department 760
	899	+	of Defense upon written request. A formal statement of charges issued 761
	900	+	by the office shall be subject to the provisions of section 1-210 from the 762
	901	+	time that it is served or mailed to the respondent. Records which are 763
	902	+	otherwise public records shall not be deemed confidential merely 764 Raised Bill No. 6686
	903	+
	904	+
	905	+
	906	+	LCO No. 3398 25 of 28
	907	+
	908	+	because they have been obtained in connection with an investigation 765
	909	+	under this section. 766
	910	+	(e) In addition to any powers the office may have, in any investigation 767
	911	+	(1) concerning an application, reinstatement or renewal of a license for 768
	912	+	a child care center, a group child care home or a family child care home, 769
	913	+	as such terms are defined in section 19a-77, (2) of a complaint concerning 770
	914	+	child care services, as described in section 19a-77, or (3) concerning the 771
	915	+	possible provision of unlicensed child care services, the office may 772
	916	+	administer oaths, issue subpoenas, compel testimony, [and] order the 773
	917	+	production of books, records and documents and order any person who 774
	918	+	(A) owns, conducts, maintains or operates a child care center, group 775
	919	+	child care home or family child care home or who has an ownership 776
	920	+	interest in or serves as an officer, corporate director or managing 777
	921	+	member of such center or home, and (B) provides child care or 778
	922	+	participates in the management of the provision of child care to submit 779
	923	+	to a medical examination by a physician, physician assistant or 780
	924	+	advanced practice registered nurse. Such physician, physician assistant 781
	925	+	or advanced practice registered nurse shall make a written statement of 782
	926	+	the findings from such medical examination. If any person refuses to 783
	927	+	appear, testify, [or] produce any book, record or document or submit to 784
	928	+	a medical examination when so ordered, a judge of the Superior Court 785
	929	+	shall have jurisdiction and may make such order as may be appropriate 786
	930	+	to aid in the enforcement of this section. 787
	931	+	Sec. 10. Subsection (e) of section 19a-87e of the general statutes is 788
	932	+	repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1, 789
	933	+	2023): 790
	934	+	(e) Any person having reasonable cause to believe that a family child 791
	935	+	care home, as defined in section 19a-77, is operating without a current 792
	936	+	and valid license or in violation of the regulations adopted under section 793
	937	+	19a-87b or in a manner which may pose a potential danger to the health, 794
	938	+	welfare and safety of a child receiving child care services, may report 795
	939	+	such information to the Office of Early Childhood. The office shall 796
	940	+	investigate any report or complaint received pursuant to this subsection. 797 Raised Bill No. 6686
	941	+
	942	+
	943	+
	944	+	LCO No. 3398 26 of 28
	945	+
	946	+	The name of the person making the report or complaint shall not be 798
	947	+	disclosed unless (1) such person consents to such disclosure, (2) a 799
	948	+	judicial or administrative proceeding results from such report or 800
	949	+	complaint, [or] (3) a license action pursuant to subsection (a) of this 801
	950	+	section results from such report or complaint, or (4) a state or federal 802
	951	+	law enforcement officer, including, but not limited to, a military law 803
	952	+	enforcement authority under the United States Department of Defense, 804
	953	+	requests such information. All records obtained by the office in 805
	954	+	connection with any such investigation shall not be subject to the 806
	955	+	provisions of section 1-210 for a period of thirty days from the date of 807
	956	+	the petition or other event initiating such investigation, or until such 808
	957	+	time as the investigation is terminated pursuant to a withdrawal or 809
	958	+	other informal disposition or until a hearing is convened pursuant to 810
	959	+	chapter 54, whichever is earlier, except such records, whether obtained 811
	960	+	or generated by the office, shall be disclosed, without redaction, to a 812
	961	+	state or federal law enforcement officer, including, but not limited to, a 813
	962	+	military law enforcement authority under the United States Department 814
	963	+	of Defense upon written request. A formal statement of charges issued 815
	964	+	by the office shall be subject to the provisions of section 1-210 from the 816
	965	+	time that it is served or mailed to the respondent. Records which are 817
	966	+	otherwise public records shall not be deemed confidential merely 818
	967	+	because they have been obtained in connection with an investigation 819
	968	+	under this section. 820
	969	+	Sec. 11. Section 19a-429 of the general statutes is repealed and the 821
	970	+	following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1, 2023): 822
	971	+	Any person having reasonable cause to believe that a youth camp, as 823
	972	+	defined in section 19a-420, is operating without a current and valid 824
	973	+	license or in violation of regulations adopted under section 19a-428 or 825
	974	+	in a manner which may pose a potential danger to the health, welfare 826
	975	+	and safety of a child receiving youth camp services, may report such 827
	976	+	information to the office. The office shall investigate any report or 828
	977	+	complaint received pursuant to this section. In connection with any 829
	978	+	investigation of a youth camp, the commissioner or the commissioner's 830
	979	+	authorized agent may administer oaths, issue subpoenas, compel 831 Raised Bill No. 6686
	980	+
	981	+
	982	+
	983	+	LCO No. 3398 27 of 28
	984	+
	985	+	testimony and order the production of books, records and documents. 832
	986	+	If any person refuses to appear, to testify or to produce any book, record 833
	987	+	or document when so ordered, a judge of the Superior Court may make 834
	988	+	such order as may be appropriate to aid in the enforcement of this 835
	989	+	section. The name of the person making the report or complaint shall 836
	990	+	not be disclosed unless (1) such person consents to such disclosure, (2) 837
	991	+	a judicial or administrative proceeding results therefrom, [or] (3) a 838
	992	+	license action pursuant to section 19a-423 results from such report or 839
	993	+	complaint, or (4) a state or federal law enforcement officer, including, 840
	994	+	but not limited to, a military law enforcement authority under the 841
	995	+	United States Department of Defense, requests such information. All 842
	996	+	records obtained by the office in connection with any such investigation 843
	997	+	shall not be subject to the provisions of section 1-210 for a period of 844
	998	+	thirty days from the date of the petition or other event initiating such 845
	999	+	investigation, or until such time as the investigation is terminated 846
	1000	+	pursuant to a withdrawal or other informal disposition or until a 847
	1001	+	hearing is convened pursuant to chapter 54, whichever is earlier, except 848
	1002	+	such records, whether obtained or generated by the office, shall be 849
	1003	+	disclosed, without redaction, to a state or federal law enforcement 850
	1004	+	officer, including, but not limited to, a military law enforcement 851
	1005	+	authority under the United States Department of Defense upon written 852
	1006	+	request. A formal statement of charges issued by the office shall be 853
	1007	+	subject to the provisions of section 1-210 from the time that it is served 854
	1008	+	or mailed to the respondent. Records which are otherwise public 855
	1009	+	records shall not be deemed confidential merely because they have been 856
	1010	+	obtained in connection with an investigation under this section. 857
	1011	+	Sec. 12. Section 10-520b of the general statutes is repealed. (Effective 858
	1012	+	July 1, 2023) 859
785	1013		This act shall take effect as follows and shall amend the following
786	1014		sections:
787	1015
788		-	Section 1 July 1, 2023 10-16p(a)(2)
789		-	Sec. 2 July 1, 2023 10-16p(c) to (l)
790		-	Sec. 3 July 1, 2023 10-16t
791		-	Sec. 4 July 1, 2023 10-505(a)(3)
792		-	Sec. 5 July 1, 2023 8-210(b)
793		-	Sec. 6 July 1, 2023 10-506(a) and (b)
	1016	+	Section 1 July 1, 2023 10-16p
	1017	+	Sec. 2 July 1, 2023 10-16t
	1018	+	Sec. 3 July 1, 2023 10-505(a)(3)
	1019	+	Sec. 4 July 1, 2023 8-210(b) Raised Bill No. 6686
	1020	+
	1021	+
	1022	+
	1023	+	LCO No. 3398 28 of 28
	1024	+
	1025	+	Sec. 5 July 1, 2023 10-506(a) and (b)
	1026	+	Sec. 6 July 1, 2023 17b-749(b)
794	1027		Sec. 7 July 1, 2023 10-500(b)
795	1028		Sec. 8 July 1, 2023 10-502
796		-	Sec. 9 July 1, 2023 19a-87a(d)
	1029	+	Sec. 9 July 1, 2023 19a-87a(d) and (e)
797	1030		Sec. 10 July 1, 2023 19a-87e(e)
798	1031		Sec. 11 July 1, 2023 19a-429
799		-	Sec. 12 July 1, 2023 ~~New~~ section
	1032	+	Sec. 12 July 1, 2023 Repealer section
800	1033
801		-	ED Joint Favorable Subst.
	1034	+	Statement of Purpose:
	1035	+	To (1) amend school readiness programs by allowing children to
	1036	+	become eligible at birth rather than age three, requiring grant awards
	1037	+	every two years rather than annually, removing the requirement that
	1038	+	rate increases be used exclusively for staff salaries and requiring that a
	1039	+	written authorization signed by parents be filed with a school district
	1040	+	upon agreement that a child will attend a school readiness program for
	1041	+	another year rather than attend school; (2) remove the requirement that
	1042	+	rate increases for child care centers be used exclusively for staff salaries;
	1043	+	(3) amend the Smart Start program by removing the sunset date and by
	1044	+	removing the requirement that programs in which fifty per cent or more
	1045	+	of children are eligible for free or reduced priced lunches be given a
	1046	+	priority for grants; (4) simplify and extend staff qualification
	1047	+	requirements at state-funded child care programs and repeal the
	1048	+	requirement to issue early childhood teacher credentials; (5) require the
	1049	+	establishment of a two-tier income eligibility threshold for the child care
	1050	+	subsidy program to comply with federal regulations; (6) allow the
	1051	+	establishment of a parent cabinet; (7) rename "early childhood council"
	1052	+	to "local early childhood collaborative"; (8) allow the Office of Early
	1053	+	Childhood to order a medical examination during an investigation of a
	1054	+	child care center, group child care home or family child care home; and
	1055	+	(9) to allow the disclosure, without redaction, to a law enforcement
	1056	+	officer, upon request, of the name of a person making a report or
	1057	+	complaint and any records resulting from an investigation of a child
	1058	+	care center, group child care home, family child care home or youth
	1059	+	camp.
	1060	+	[Proposed deletions are enclosed in brackets. Proposed additions are indicated by underline, except
	1061	+	that when the entire text of a bill or resolution or a section of a bill or resolution is new, it is not
	1062	+	underlined.]
802	1063