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General Assembly Raised Bill No. 6880
January Session, 2023
LCO No. 5525
Referred to Committee on EDUCATION
Introduced by:
(ED)
AN ACT CONCERNING ASSORTED REVISIONS TO THE EDUCATION
STATUTES.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General
Assembly convened:
Section 1. Subsection (e) of section 10-220 of the general statutes is 1
repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1, 2
2023): 3
(e) Each local and regional board of education shall establish a school 4
district curriculum committee. The committee shall recommend, 5
develop, review and approve all curriculum for the local or regional 6
school district. Each local and regional board of education shall post on 7
its Internet web site all curriculum approved by the committee and all 8
associated curriculum materials and shall allow a period for public 9
comment related to such curriculum and curriculum materials at each 10
regular and special meeting of such board. 11
Sec. 2. Section 10-215 of the general statutes is amended by adding 12
subsection (d) as follows (Effective July 1, 2023): 13
(NEW) (d) Each local or regional board of education shall post the 14 Raised Bill No. 6880
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nutritional value of each school lunch, breakfast or other such feeding 15
provided by such board on its Internet web site and in the school 16
cafeteria or other central area of food consumption of each school in the 17
local or regional school district. 18
Sec. 3. Section 10-73d of the general statutes is repealed and the 19
following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1, 2023): 20
A public school student who is both under seventeen years of age and 21
a [mother] parent may request permission from the local or regional 22
board of education to attend adult education classes. The local or 23
regional board of education may, by a majority vote of the members of 24
the board present and voting at a regular or special meeting of the board 25
called for such purpose, assign such student to adult education classes. 26
Sec. 4. Subsection (a) of section 10-221q of the general statutes is 27
repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1, 28
2023): 29
(a) Except as otherwise provided in subsection (b) of this section, each 30
local and regional board of education and the governing authority for 31
each state charter school, interdistrict magnet school and endowed 32
academy approved pursuant to section 10-34, shall permit at schools 33
under its jurisdiction the sale of only the following beverages to students 34
from any source, including, but not limited to, school stores, vending 35
machines, school cafeterias, and any fund-raising activities on school 36
premises, whether or not school sponsored: (1) Milk that may be whole 37
milk or flavored but contain no artificial sweeteners and no more than 38
four grams of sugar per ounce, (2) nondairy milks such as soy or rice 39
milk, which may be flavored but contain no artificial sweeteners, no 40
more than four grams of sugar per ounce, no more than thirty-five per 41
cent of calories from fat per portion and no more than ten per cent of 42
calories from saturated fat per portion, (3) one hundred per cent fruit 43
juice, vegetable juice or combination of such juices, containing no added 44
sugars, sweeteners or artificial sweeteners, (4) beverages that contain 45
only water and fruit or vegetable juice and have no added sugars, 46 Raised Bill No. 6880
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sweeteners or artificial sweeteners, and (5) water, which may be 47
flavored but contain no added sugars, sweeteners, artificial sweeteners 48
or caffeine. Portion sizes of beverages, other than water as described in 49
subdivision (5) of this subsection, that are offered for sale pursuant to 50
this subsection shall not exceed twelve ounces. 51
Sec. 5. Section 10-15k of the general statutes is repealed and the 52
following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1, 2023): 53
(a) As used in this section: [, "remote learning"] 54
(1) "Remote learning" means instruction by means of one or more 55
Internet-based software platforms as part of a remote learning model; 56
and 57
(2) "Eligible student" means a student who resides in the state, but is 58
unable to attend school in-person due to a medical condition or 59
vaccination status. 60
(b) The Department of Education shall develop a plan for the creation 61
and implementation of a state-wide remote learning school that offers 62
grades kindergarten to twelve, inclusive, and provides remote learning 63
to students. In the course of developing such plan, the department shall 64
(1) consider the findings and recommendations of the report created by 65
the Connecticut Remote Learning Commission pursuant to section 10-66
15j, (2) review remote learning schools and models being implemented 67
in other states, and (3) estimate the number of eligible students. [who 68
reside in Connecticut that may be eligible to enroll in such state-wide 69
remote learning school.] The department shall use, to the extent 70
permissible under federal guidelines, funds received from the 71
Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act, 72
P.L. 116-260, as amended from time to time, to develop such plan. 73
(c) Any state-wide remote learning school that may be created under 74
such plan shall (1) be maintained by and under the direction and control 75
of the State Board of Education, (2) provide in each school year not less 76
than one hundred eighty days of actual school sessions and nine 77 Raised Bill No. 6880
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hundred hours of actual school work for grades kindergarten to twelve, 78
inclusive, provided not more than seven hours of actual school work in 79
any school day shall count toward the total required for the school year, 80
(3) offer coursework and a curriculum that is rigorous, aligned with 81
curriculum guidelines approved by the State Board of Education, and in 82
accordance with the state-wide subject matter content standards, 83
adopted by the state board pursuant to section 10-4, (4) grant a diploma, 84
in accordance with the provisions of section 10-5, to any student 85
enrolled in such state-wide remote learning school who has 86
satisfactorily completed the high school graduation requirements 87
described in section 10-221a, and (5) be created with consideration given 88
to best practices in remote learning, technological capabilities of 89
students throughout the state and equity. 90
(d) The department shall draft a request for proposals for any items 91
required to create and implement a state-wide remote learning school. 92
(e) Not later than [July 1, 2023] January 1, 2024, the department shall 93
submit the plan, the draft request for proposals and any 94
recommendations for legislation related to the implementation of such 95
plan to the joint standing committees of the General Assembly having 96
cognizance of matters relating to education and appropriations, in 97
accordance with the provisions of section 11-4a. 98
Sec. 6. (Effective July 1, 2023) The Department of Education shall study 99
the fiscal impact to the state and to local and regional school districts of 100
the implementation of a school voucher program in which the amount 101
of the per pupil average of the state education cost-sharing grant 102
received by a school district for the school year commencing in 2022, 103
using the October 2023 student census, would follow a child for the 104
payment of tuition and fees at an approved nonpublic school. Not later 105
than January 1, 2024, the department shall submit, in accordance with 106
the provisions of section 11-4a of the general statutes, to the joint 107
standing committee of the General Assembly having cognizance of 108
matters relating to education a report on the results of the study. 109 Raised Bill No. 6880
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Sec. 7. Subsection (a) of section 10-221o of the general statutes is 110
repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1, 111
2023): 112
(a) Each local and regional board of education shall require each 113
school under its jurisdiction to (1) offer all full day students a daily lunch 114
period of not less than [twenty] thirty minutes, and (2) include in the 115
regular school day for each student enrolled in elementary school time 116
devoted to physical exercise of not less than twenty minutes in total, 117
except that a planning and placement team may develop a different 118
schedule for a child requiring special education and related services in 119
accordance with chapter 164 and the Individuals With Disabilities 120
Education Act, 20 USC 1400 et seq., as amended from time to time. In 121
the event of a conflict with this section and any provision of chapter 164, 122
such other provision of chapter 164 shall be deemed controlling. 123
Nothing in this subsection shall prevent a local or regional board of 124
education from including an additional amount of time, beyond the 125
twenty minutes required for physical exercise, devoted to undirected 126
play during the regular school day for each student enrolled in 127
elementary school. 128
Sec. 8. Section 10-220 of the general statutes is amended by adding 129
subsection (g) as follows (Effective July 1, 2023): 130
(NEW) (g) Each local or regional board of education conducting a 131
regular or special meeting of such board shall make available for public 132
inspection the agenda for the meeting or any associated documents that 133
may be reviewed by members of the board at such meeting and post 134
such agenda and documents on the Internet web site of such board. 135
Sec. 9. (NEW) (Effective July 1, 2023) (a) The Commissioner of 136
Education shall appoint a parent advisory committee and a teacher 137
advisory committee to include the perspective of each committee in the 138
development and implementation of policies by the Department of 139
Education. Each committee shall have the following duties: (1) Advise 140
the commissioner and the administrators and staff of the department, 141 Raised Bill No. 6880
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(2) hold not fewer than quarterly meetings, two of which shall be in 142
person, (3) provide recommendations on the topics, determined in 143
consultation with department administrators, related to improving 144
elementary and secondary education, including, but not limited to, 145
teacher recruitment, special education, testing and assessment, 146
equitable distribution of teachers, diversity among teachers, school 147
safety and social and emotional learning, and (4) submit annual reports 148
summarizing the work of such committee to the department and be 149
available to consult with department administrators on the annual 150
report or any recommendations provided pursuant to subdivision (3) of 151
this subsection. 152
(b) The parent advisory committee and the teacher advisory 153
committee shall each consist of not fewer than ten members. The 154
Commissioner of Education shall appoint the members of each 155
committee from a pool of applications submitted to the Department of 156
Education for such purpose, with the goal of appointing a membership 157
of each committee that is representative of the diversity of teachers and 158
students in the state and the areas of expertise designated by 159
department administrators, in consultation with any existing parent 160
advisory committee and teacher advisory committee. The members of 161
the teacher advisory committee shall be current regular or special 162
education teachers in the state, not less than five of whom shall also have 163
been members of the Connecticut Teachers of the Year Council in any 164
year as a teacher of the year, finalist or semifinalist. The members of the 165
parent advisory committee shall include representation for urban, 166
suburban and rural school districts and for schools providing an 167
elementary school, middle school and high school education. The 168
commissioner shall only appoint those individuals as members of each 169
committee who have (1) an understanding of current issues in public 170
education, (2) experience working in educational policy, (3) (A) 171
exceptional instructional practice with an ability to engage students as 172
a teacher, or (B) demonstrated a history of holding leadership roles 173
within schools or advocacy groups as a parent, and (4) submitted an 174
application to the department's Talent Office for membership on the 175 Raised Bill No. 6880
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parent advisory committee or the teacher advisory committee. 176
(c) For the initial appointments made to the parent advisory group 177
and the teacher advisory group, not fewer than five members of each 178
advisory group shall be appointed for a term of one year from the date 179
of appointment and the remaining five members of each advisory group 180
shall be appointed for a term of two years from the date of appointment. 181
The members appointed to each advisory group in each subsequent year 182
thereafter shall be appointed for a term of two years from the date of 183
appointment. Any member may be reappointed for more than one term, 184
provided such member reapplies for each new term. Members shall 185
continue to serve until their successors are appointed. Any vacancy 186
occurring other than by expiration of term shall be filled for the balance 187
of the unexpired term by the Commissioner of Education from the 188
existing pool of applicants for such committee. 189
(d) The members of the parent advisory group and the teacher 190
advisory group shall serve without compensation, except, within the 191
limits of available funds, (1) such members shall be reimbursed for 192
expenses necessarily incurred in the performance of their duties, and (2) 193
the local or regional board of education that employs a member of the 194
teacher advisory group shall be reimbursed for payments to substitute 195
teachers incurred as a result of such member performing necessary 196
duties for such committee. 197
This act shall take effect as follows and shall amend the following
sections:
Section 1 July 1, 2023 10-220(e)
Sec. 2 July 1, 2023 10-215(d)
Sec. 3 July 1, 2023 10-73d
Sec. 4 July 1, 2023 10-221q(a)
Sec. 5 July 1, 2023 10-15k
Sec. 6 July 1, 2023 New section
Sec. 7 July 1, 2023 10-221o(a)
Sec. 8 July 1, 2023 10-220(g)
Sec. 9 July 1, 2023 New section
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Statement of Purpose:
To (1) require boards of education to post online curriculum materials
and the nutrition value of school meals, (2) allow all minor parents to
request enrollment in adult education, (3) allow public schools to serve
whole milk, (4) study the implementation of a state-wide virtual school
for children with medical conditions or who are unvaccinated, (5) study
the fiscal impact of school voucher programs, (6) increase lunch time for
students from twenty minutes to thirty minutes, (7) require the posting
of a meeting agenda and any associated documents on the board of
education's web site, and (8) require the Commissioner of Education to
appoint a parent advisory group and a teacher advisory group.
[Proposed deletions are enclosed in brackets. Proposed additions are indicated by underline, except
that when the entire text of a bill or resolution or a section of a bill or resolution is new, it is not
underlined.]