Substitute Senate Bill No. 1
Public Act No. 23-167
AN ACT CONCERNING TRANSPARENCY IN EDUCATION.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General
Assembly convened:
Section 1. Section 10-227 of the general statutes is repealed and the
following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1, 2023):
(a) Each board of education shall cause the superintendent to make
returns not later than September first of each year to the Commissioner
of Education of the receipts, expenditures and statistics, as prescribed
by the commissioner, provided each such board may submit revisions
to the returns in such form and with such documentation as required by
the commissioner no later than December thirty-first of each year
following the September submission. Such reports or returns required
shall be [made] filed in accordance with the instructions furnished by
the commissioner, shall be certified no later than December thirty-first
of each year by the independent public accountant selected pursuant to
section 7-392 for the purpose of auditing municipal accounts, and shall
be subject to Department of Education verification. If the returns and
statistics and revisions called for by said commissioner are not [sent]
filed on or before the days specified in this section or if the returns are
not certified as required by the commissioner on or before December
thirty-first, each local and regional board of education required by law
to make separate returns, whose returns and statistics or revisions are Substitute Senate Bill No. 1
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delayed until after those days, shall forfeit of the total sum which is paid
for such board of education from the State Treasurer an amount to be
determined by the State Board of Education, which amount shall be not
less than one thousand dollars nor more than ten thousand dollars. The
amount so forfeited shall be withheld from a subsequent grant payment
as determined by the commissioner. Notwithstanding the penalty
provision of this section, the Commissioner of Education may waive
said forfeiture for good cause.
(b) Not later than February 15, 2024, and annually thereafter, the
Department of Education shall publish on its Internet web site the data
contained in the reports and returns filed pursuant to subsection (a) of
this section by education program type, expense function, expense
object and funding source, including, but not limited to, federal,
combined state and local and combined private and other sources for
the school and district level. The department shall develop and publish
a guide that contains definitions for each category of expenditure and
funding source.
(c) Not later than February 15, 2025, and annually thereafter, the
Department of Education shall develop and publish the data contained
in the reports and returns filed pursuant to subsection (a) of this section
in a format that allows financial comparisons between school districts
and schools, including student enrollment and demographic statistics
as of October first of the school year in which such reports and returns
were filed.
Sec. 2. (NEW) (Effective July 1, 2023) On and after July 1, 2023, the
Department of Education shall annually offer a training program to
newly elected members of local and regional boards of education. Such
training program shall be developed by the department and include, but
not be limited to, the role and responsibilities of a board member, the
duties and obligations of a board of education and school district
budgeting and education finance. The Department of Education may Substitute Senate Bill No. 1
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collaborate with an association that represents boards of education in
the state, and accept gifts, grants and donations, including in-kind
donations, to implement the provisions of this section.
Sec. 3. (NEW) (Effective July 1, 2023) On and after July 1, 2023, any
person who has been elected to a local or regional board of education
for the first time shall complete, at a time and in a manner prescribed by
the Department of Education, the training program for newly elected
members of local and regional boards of education, as described in
section 2 of this act. Each such member shall complete such training
program not later than one year after assuming office.
Sec. 4. Subsections (c) to (f), inclusive, of section 10-262u of the
general statutes are repealed and the following is substituted in lieu
thereof (Effective July 1, 2023):
(c) (1) For the fiscal year ending June 30, 2023, and each fiscal year
thereafter, the Comptroller shall withhold from any town that (A) was
designated as an alliance district pursuant to subdivision (2) of
subsection (b) of this section any increase in funds received over the
amount the town received for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2012,
pursuant to subsection (a) of section 10-262i, and (B) was designated as
an alliance district for the first time pursuant to subdivision (3) of
subsection (b) of this section, any increase in funds received over the
amount the town received for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2022,
pursuant to subsection (a) of section 10-262i. The Comptroller shall
transfer such funds to the Commissioner of Education.
(2) Upon receipt of an application pursuant to subsection (d) of this
section or section 10-156gg, as amended by this act, the Commissioner
of Education may pay such funds to the town designated as an alliance
district and such town shall pay all such funds to the local or regional
board of education for such town on the condition that such funds shall
be expended in accordance with (A) the improvement plan described in Substitute Senate Bill No. 1
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subsection (d) of this section, (B) the minority candidate certification,
retention or residency year program pursuant to section 10-156gg, as
amended by this act, (C) the family resource center program, pursuant
to section 10-4o, to establish a family resource center in each elementary
school under the jurisdiction of such board, (D) the provisions of
subsection (c) of section 10-262i, and [(D)] (E) any guidelines developed
by the State Board of Education for such funds. Such funds shall be used
to improve student achievement and recruit and retain minority
teachers in such alliance district and to offset any other local education
costs approved by the commissioner.
(d) The local or regional board of education for a town designated as
an alliance district may apply to the Commissioner of Education, at such
time and in such manner as the commissioner prescribes, to receive any
increase in funds received over the amount the town received for the
prior fiscal year pursuant to subsection (a) of section 10-262i.
Applications pursuant to this subsection shall include objectives and
performance targets and [a] an improvement plan that are developed,
in part, on the strategic use of student academic performance data. Such
improvement plan may include, but not be limited to, the following: (1)
A tiered system of interventions for the schools under the jurisdiction of
such board based on the needs of such schools, (2) ways to strengthen
the foundational programs in reading, through the intensive reading
instruction program pursuant to section 10-14u, as amended by this act,
to ensure reading mastery in kindergarten to grade three, inclusive, with
a focus on standards and instruction, proper use of data, intervention
strategies, current information for teachers, parental engagement, and
teacher professional development, (3) additional learning time,
including extended school day or school year programming
administered by school personnel or external partners, (4) a talent
strategy that includes, but is not limited to, teacher and school leader
recruitment and assignment, career ladder policies that draw upon
guidelines for a model teacher evaluation program adopted by the State Substitute Senate Bill No. 1
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Board of Education, pursuant to section 10-151b, and adopted by each
local or regional board of education. Such talent strategy may include
provisions that demonstrate increased ability to attract, retain, promote
and bolster the performance of staff in accordance with performance
evaluation findings and, in the case of new personnel, other indicators
of effectiveness, (5) training for school leaders and other staff on new
teacher evaluation models, (6) provisions for the cooperation and
coordination with early childhood education providers to ensure
alignment with district expectations for student entry into kindergarten,
including funding for an existing local Head Start program, (7)
provisions for the cooperation and coordination with other
governmental and community programs to ensure that students receive
adequate support and wraparound services, including community
school models, (8) provisions for implementing and furthering state-
wide education standards adopted by the State Board of Education and
all activities and initiatives associated with such standards, (9) strategies
for attracting and recruiting minority teachers and administrators, (10)
provisions for the enhancement of bilingual education programs,
pursuant to section 10-17f, or other language acquisition services to
English language learners, including, but not limited to, participation in
the English language learner pilot program, established pursuant to
section 10-17n, (11) entering into the model school district
responsibilities agreement, described in section 10-223l, (12) leadership
succession plans that provide training and learning opportunities for
administrators and are designed to assist in the seamless transition of
school and district personnel in and out of leadership positions in the
school district and the continuous implementation of improvement
plans developed under this subsection, (13) implementing the policy
adopted pursuant to section 10-223m to improve completion rates of the
Free Application for Federal Student Aid by students enrolled in grade
twelve in a high school under the jurisdiction of such board or students
enrolled in an adult education program maintained by such board
pursuant to section 10-69, and, as applicable, the parent and guardians Substitute Senate Bill No. 1
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of such students, and (14) any additional categories or goals as
determined by the commissioner. Such improvement plan shall
demonstrate collaboration with key stakeholders, as identified by the
commissioner, with the goal of achieving efficiencies and the alignment
of intent and practice of current programs with conditional programs
identified in this subsection. The commissioner may (A) require changes
in any improvement plan submitted by a local or regional board of
education before the commissioner approves an application under this
subsection, and (B) permit a local or regional board of education, as part
of such improvement plan, to use a portion of any funds received under
this section for the purposes of paying tuition charged to such board
pursuant to subdivision (1) of subsection (k) of section 10-264l or
subsection (b) of section 10-264o. Each such local and regional board of
education shall annually submit such improvement plan to the
department.
(e) The State Board of Education may develop guidelines and criteria
for the administration of such funds under this section.
(f) The commissioner may withhold such funds if the local or regional
board of education fails to comply with the provisions of this section.
The commissioner may renew such funding if the local or regional
board of education provides evidence that the school district of such
board is achieving the objectives and performance targets approved by
the commissioner stated in the improvement plan submitted under this
section.
Sec. 5. (NEW) (Effective July 1, 2023) The Department of Education
shall publish on its Internet web site the improvement plan submitted
pursuant to subsection (d) of section 10-262u of the general statutes, as
amended by this act, for each local or regional board of education for a
town designated as an alliance district pursuant to said section 10-262u.
Sec. 6. (Effective July 1, 2023) (a) For the fiscal years ending June 30, Substitute Senate Bill No. 1
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2024, to June 30, 2026, inclusive, the Department of Education shall
administer a wholesome school meals pilot program that awards a grant
to an alliance district, as defined in section 10-262u of the general
statutes, as amended by this act, for the purpose of embedding a
professional chef in such alliance district to assist school meal programs
in building the capacity of food service staff, improving school meal
quality, increasing diner satisfaction, streamlining operations and
establishing a financially viable school meal program. The department
shall partner with an organization that specializes in the placement of
chefs for the purposes described in this subsection.
(b) Not later than October 1, 2023, a local or regional board of
education for a town designated as an alliance district may apply to the
department, in a form and manner prescribed by the department, for a
grant under this section.
(c) The department shall review each application submitted under
subsection (b) of this section and award five grants under this section.
Each grant recipient shall receive an annual grant of one hundred fifty
thousand dollars in each year of the pilot program. Such grant shall be
expended for the purposes described in subsection (a) of this section.
(d) Not later than January 1, 2027, the department shall submit a
report on the wholesome school meals pilot program to the joint
standing committees of the General Assembly having cognizance of
matters relating to education and appropriations, in accordance with the
provisions of section 11-4a of the general statutes.
Sec. 7. (Effective from passage) The Department of Education shall
conduct a study regarding the use of virtual reality as part of classroom
instruction in grades nine to twelve, inclusive. Such study shall include,
but need not be limited to, a review of best practices for the use of virtual
reality as part of classroom instruction, appropriate safety measures for
such use and how a local or regional board of education may Substitute Senate Bill No. 1
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responsibly invest in and purchase virtual reality equipment and
programs. Not later than January 1, 2025, the department shall submit a
report of its findings and any recommendations to the joint standing
committee of the General Assembly having cognizance of matters
relating to education, in accordance with the provisions of section 11-4a
of the general statutes.
Sec. 8. (NEW) (Effective July 1, 2023) (a) For the fiscal year ending June
30, 2024, and each fiscal year thereafter, the Department of Education
shall establish an educator apprenticeship initiative that enables
students enrolled in an educator preparation program, residency
program or alternate route to certification program to gain classroom
teaching experience while working toward becoming full-time, certified
teachers upon successful completion of such programs under the
educator apprenticeship initiative. The department shall seek
certification from the Labor Department for the educator apprenticeship
initiative for purposes of leveraging federal grants and funding.
(b) The Commissioner of Education shall develop (1) participation
guidelines for those educator preparation programs, residency
programs and alternate route to certification programs included under
the educator apprenticeship initiative, (2) administration guidelines for
the implementation of the educator apprenticeship initiative that are
consistent with federal laws and regulations, and (3) compensation
levels for students enrolled in such educator preparation programs,
residency programs and alternate route to certification programs
included under the educator apprenticeship initiative.
(c) The Commissioner of Education may permit a person enrolled in
a residency program to participate in the educator apprenticeship
initiative upon the request of the superintendent in whose school
district such person is employed or assigned as part of such residency
program. Upon successful completion of such residency program and
with the recommendation of such superintendent, the State Board of Substitute Senate Bill No. 1
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Education shall issue an initial educator certificate to such person and
such person shall not be required to complete the examination
requirements set forth in section 10-145f of the general statutes.
Sec. 9. Subsection (a) of section 10-220 of the general statutes is
repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1,
2023):
(a) Each local or regional board of education shall maintain good
public elementary and secondary schools, implement the educational
interests of the state, as defined in section 10-4a, and provide such other
educational activities as in its judgment will best serve the interests of
the school district; provided any board of education may secure such
opportunities in another school district in accordance with provisions of
the general statutes and shall give all the children of the school district,
including children receiving alternative education, as defined in section
10-74j, as nearly equal advantages as may be practicable; shall provide
an appropriate learning environment for all its students which includes
(1) adequate instructional books, supplies, materials, equipment,
staffing, facilities and technology, (2) equitable allocation of resources
among its schools, (3) proper maintenance of facilities, and (4) a safe
school setting; shall, in accordance with the provisions of subsection (f)
of this section, maintain records of allegations, investigations and
reports that a child has been abused or neglected by a school employee,
as defined in section 53a-65, employed by the local or regional board of
education; shall have charge of the schools of its respective school
district; shall make a continuing study of the need for school facilities
and of a long-term school building program and from time to time make
recommendations based on such study to the town; shall adopt and
implement an indoor air quality program that provides for ongoing
maintenance and facility reviews necessary for the maintenance and
improvement of the indoor air quality of its facilities; shall adopt and
implement a green cleaning program, pursuant to section 10-231g, that Substitute Senate Bill No. 1
Public Act No. 23-167 10 of 95
provides for the procurement and use of environmentally preferable
cleaning products in school buildings and facilities; on and after July 1,
2021, and every five years thereafter, shall report to the Commissioner
of Administrative Services on the condition of its facilities and the action
taken to implement its long-term school building program, indoor air
quality program and green cleaning program, which report the
Commissioner of Administrative Services shall use to prepare a report
every five years that said commissioner shall submit in accordance with
section 11-4a to the joint standing committee of the General Assembly
having cognizance of matters relating to education; shall advise the
Commissioner of Administrative Services of the relationship between
any individual school building project pursuant to chapter 173 and such
long-term school building program; shall have the care, maintenance
and operation of buildings, lands, apparatus and other property used
for school purposes and at all times shall insure all such buildings and
all capital equipment contained therein against loss in an amount not
less than eighty per cent of replacement cost; shall determine the
number, age and qualifications of the pupils to be admitted into each
school; shall develop and implement a written [plan for minority
educator recruitment] increasing educator diversity plan for purposes
of subdivision (3) of section 10-4a; shall employ and dismiss the teachers
of the schools of such district subject to the provisions of sections 10-151
and 10-158a; shall designate the schools which shall be attended by the
various children within the school district; shall make such provisions
as will enable each child of school age residing in the district to attend
some public day school for the period required by law and provide for
the transportation of children wherever transportation is reasonable and
desirable, and for such purpose may make contracts covering periods of
not more than (A) five years, or (B) ten years if such contract includes
transportation provided by at least one zero-emission school bus, as
defined in 42 USC 16091(a)(8), as amended from time to time; may
provide alternative education, in accordance with the provisions of
section 10-74j, or place in another suitable educational program a pupil Substitute Senate Bill No. 1
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enrolling in school who is nineteen years of age or older and cannot
acquire a sufficient number of credits for graduation by age twenty-one;
may arrange with the board of education of an adjacent town for the
instruction therein of such children as can attend school in such adjacent
town more conveniently; shall cause each child five years of age and
over and under eighteen years of age who is not a high school graduate
and is living in the school district to attend school in accordance with
the provisions of section 10-184, and shall perform all acts required of it
by the town or necessary to carry into effect the powers and duties
imposed by law.
Sec. 10. (NEW) (Effective July 1, 2023) (a) Not later than March 15, 2024,
each local and regional board of education shall submit the increasing
educator diversity plan described in subsection (a) of section 10-220 of
the general statutes, as amended by this act, to the Commissioner of
Education for review and approval.
(b) The Commissioner of Education shall review each increasing
educator diversity plan submitted pursuant to subsection (a) of this
section. The commissioner may approve such plan or may return such
plan to the local or regional board of education that submitted such plan
with instructions to revise such plan. Not later than May 15, 2024, any
such board shall revise such plan in accordance with such instructions
and submit such revised plan to the commissioner for approval.
(c) For the school year commencing July 1, 2024, and each school year
thereafter, each local and regional board of education shall implement
the increasing educator diversity plan approved by the commissioner
pursuant to subsection (b) of this section. Each such board shall make
such plan available on the Internet web site of such board.
(d) The Department of Education shall make each increasing
educator diversity plan available on the Internet web site of the
department. Substitute Senate Bill No. 1
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Sec. 11. Section 10-156ii of the general statutes is repealed and the
following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1, 2023):
(a) There is established [a minority teacher candidate scholarship
program] an aspiring educators diversity scholarship program
administered by the Department of Education. The program shall
provide an annual scholarship to [minority] diverse students who (1)
graduated from a public high school in a priority school district, as
described in section 10-266p, and (2) are enrolled in a teacher
preparation program at any four-year institution of higher education.
[Maximum grants shall not exceed twenty thousand dollars per year] A
diverse student may receive an annual scholarship in an amount up to
ten thousand dollars for each year such diverse student is enrolled and
in good standing in a teacher preparation program. As used in this
section, ["minority"] "diverse" has the same meaning as provided in
section 10-156bb, as amended by this act.
(b) Not later than January 1, 2023, the department shall, in
consultation with the chairpersons of the joint standing committee of the
General Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to education,
develop a policy concerning the administration of the scholarship. Such
policy shall include, but need not be limited to, provisions regarding (1)
any additional eligibility criteria, (2) payment and distribution of the
scholarships to diverse students through the teacher preparation
programs in which they are enrolled, and (3) the notification of students
in high school in priority school districts of the scholarship program,
including the opportunity to apply for a scholarship under the program
while enrolled in high school and prior to graduation if such student
will be enrolled in a teacher preparation program during the following
fall semester at a four-year institution of higher education.
(c) For the fiscal years ending June 30, 2024, and each fiscal year
thereafter, the department shall award scholarships in accordance with
the provisions of this section and the guidelines developed pursuant to Substitute Senate Bill No. 1
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subsection (b) of this section.
(d) The Commissioner of Education shall develop scholarship
repayment criteria for recipients who are not employed as a certified
teacher by a local or regional board of education in the state following
graduation from a teacher preparation program. Any amounts repaid to
the department shall be deposited in the General Fund.
[(d)] (e) The department may accept gifts, grants and donations, from
any source, public or private, for the [minority teacher candidate]
aspiring educators diversity scholarship program.
(f) Not later than January 1, 2024, and annually thereafter, the
department shall develop a report that includes annual data on the race
and ethnicity of the diverse students who receive a scholarship under
the program and the teacher preparation program in which they are
enrolled. The department shall submit such report to the joint standing
committee of the General Assembly having cognizance of matters
relating to education, in accordance with the provisions of section 11-4a.
Sec. 12. Section 10-156bb of the general statutes is repealed and the
following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1, 2023):
There is established [a Minority Teacher Recruitment Policy
Oversight Council] an Increasing Educator Diversity Policy Oversight
Council within the Department of Education. The council shall consist
of (1) the Commissioner of Education, or the commissioner's designee,
(2) two representatives from the Task Force to Diversify the Educator
Workforce, established pursuant to section 10-156aa, (3) one
representative from each of the exclusive bargaining units for certified
employees, chosen pursuant to section 10-153b, (4) the president of the
Connecticut State Colleges and Universities, or the president's designee,
and (5) a representative from an alternate route to certification program,
appointed by the Commissioner of Education. The council shall hold Substitute Senate Bill No. 1
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quarterly meetings and advise, at least quarterly, the Commissioner of
Education, or the commissioner's designee, on ways to (A) encourage
[minority] diverse students in middle and secondary school [students]
to attend institutions of higher education and enter teacher preparation
programs, (B) recruit [minority] diverse students attending institutions
of higher education to enroll in teacher preparation programs and
pursue teaching careers, (C) recruit and retain [minority teachers]
diverse educators in Connecticut schools, (D) recruit [minority teachers]
diverse educators from other states to teach in Connecticut schools, and
(E) recruit [minority] diverse professionals in other fields to enter
teaching. The council shall report, annually, in accordance with the
provisions of section 11-4a, on the recommendations given to the
commissioner, or the commissioner's designee, pursuant to the
provisions of this section, to the joint standing committee of the General
Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to education. For
purposes of this section, ["minority"] "diverse" means individuals whose
race is defined as other than white, or whose ethnicity is defined as
Hispanic or Latino by the federal Office of Management and Budget for
use by the Bureau of Census of the United States Department of
Commerce.
Sec. 13. Section 10-156ee of the general statutes is repealed and the
following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1, 2023):
Not later than January 1, 2019, the Department of Education, in
consultation with the [Minority Teacher Recruitment Policy Oversight
Council] Increasing Educator Diversity Policy Oversight Council,
established pursuant to section 10-156bb, as amended by this act, shall
(1) identify relevant research and successful practices to enhance
[minority teacher] recruitment of diverse educators throughout the
state, (2) identify and establish public, private and philanthropic
partnerships to increase [minority teacher] recruitment of diverse
educators, (3) utilize, monitor and evaluate innovative methods to Substitute Senate Bill No. 1
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attract [minority] diverse educator candidates to the teaching
profession, particularly in subject areas in which a teacher shortage
exists, as determined by the Commissioner of Education pursuant to
section 10-8b, (4) modernize the process for educators to obtain educator
certification under this chapter by eliminating obstacles to certification
to increase competitiveness with other states, (5) identify and utilize
high-quality, affordable and bias-free educator assessments, (6) adopt
cut scores for educator assessments, that do not exceed the multistate
cut scores, to increase competitiveness with surrounding states, (7)
support new and existing educator preparation programs that commit
to enrolling greater numbers of [minority teacher] diverse educator
candidates in a manner that supports interstate reciprocity, (8) monitor,
advise and support, and intervene in when necessary, local and regional
boards of education's efforts to prioritize [minority teacher] recruitment
of diverse educators and develop innovative strategies to attract and
retain [minority teachers] diverse educators within their districts, (9) (A)
on and after July 1, 2019, include a question regarding the demographic
data of applicants for positions requiring educator certification in the
department's annual hiring survey distributed to local and regional
boards of education, and (B) not later than July 1, 2020, and annually
thereafter, submit a report, in accordance with the provisions of section
11-4a, on the applicant demographic data collected pursuant to
subparagraph (A) of this subdivision to the Task Force to Diversify the
Educator Workforce, established pursuant to section 10-156aa, and to
the joint standing committee of the General Assembly having
cognizance of matters relating to education, and (10) not later than July
1, 2022, develop and make available, in consultation with the State
Education Resource Center, a video training module for school district
personnel involved in or responsible for hiring educators relating to
implicit bias and anti-bias in the hiring process. For purposes of this
section, ["minority"] "diverse" has the same meaning as provided in
section 10-156bb, as amended by this act. Substitute Senate Bill No. 1
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Sec. 14. Section 10-156ff of the general statutes is repealed and the
following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1, 2023):
For the school year commencing July 1, 2020, and each school year
thereafter, the [Minority Teacher Recruitment Policy Oversight Council]
Increasing Educator Diversity Policy Oversight Council, established
pursuant to section 10-156bb, as amended by this act, in consultation
with the Task Force to Diversify the Educator Workforce, established
pursuant to section 10-156aa, shall develop and implement strategies
and utilize existing resources to ensure that at least two hundred fifty
new [minority] diverse teachers and administrators, of which at least
thirty per cent are men, are hired and employed by local and regional
boards of education each year in the state. As used in this section,
["minority"] "diverse" has the same meaning as provided in section 10-
156bb, as amended by this act.
Sec. 15. (NEW) (Effective July 1, 2023) (a) For the school year
commencing July 1, 2023, and each school year thereafter, the State
Board of Education may issue an adjunct professor permit to any person
who is a nontenured and part-time instructor employed by a public or
independent institution of higher education in the state. Such permit
shall authorize such person to be employed by a local or regional board
of education and hold a part-time position of not more than twenty-five
classroom instructional hours per week to teach in grades nine to
twelve, inclusive, of a public school and provide instruction as part of
college and career readiness programming offered by such board,
including, but not limited to, an early college experience, advanced
placement classes, career and technical education, the International
Baccalaureate program, a dual enrollment program, a dual credit
program and apprenticeships.
(b) During a period of such employment, a person holding an adjunct
professor permit shall be under the supervision of the superintendent of
schools or of a principal, administrator or supervisor designated by such Substitute Senate Bill No. 1
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superintendent who shall regularly observe, guide and evaluate the
performance of assigned duties by such holder of an adjunct professor
permit.
(c) Each such adjunct professor permit shall be valid for three years
and may be renewed by the Commissioner of Education for good cause
upon the request of the superintendent of schools for the district
employing such person.
(d) Any local or regional board of education employing a person who
holds an adjunct professor permit issued under this section shall
provide a program to assist each such person. Such program shall
include academic and classroom support service components.
(e) Any person holding an adjunct professor permit pursuant to this
section shall become a member of the exclusive bargaining unit for
certified employees chosen pursuant to section 10-153b of the general
statutes and shall be subject to the same collective bargaining agreement
as the members of such exclusive bargaining unit, unless otherwise
agreed to by the employing local or regional board of education and
such exclusive bargaining unit.
(f) No person holding an adjunct professor permit shall fill a position
that will result in the displacement of any person holding a teaching
certificate under section 10-145b of the general statutes who is already
employed at such school.
(g) Any person holding an adjunct professor permit pursuant to this
section shall not be deemed to be eligible for membership in the
teachers' retirement system solely by reason of such permit, provided
any such person who holds a regular teacher's certificate issued by the
State Board of Education shall not be excluded from membership in said
system.
Sec. 16. Subsections (a) and (b) of section 10-25b of the general statutes Substitute Senate Bill No. 1
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are repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July
1, 2023):
(a) Not later than January 1, 2024, the Department of Education, in
collaboration with the State Education Resource Center, shall develop a
model curriculum for grades kindergarten to grade eight, inclusive, that
may be used in whole or in part by any local [and] or regional [boards]
board of education.
(b) The content of the model curriculum shall (1) be rigorous, age-
appropriate, aligned with curriculum guidelines approved by the State
Board of Education and in accordance with the state-wide subject matter
content standards, adopted by the state board pursuant to section 10-4,
(2) be in accordance with the program of instruction and subject matter
requirements prescribed in section 10-16b, and (3) include and integrate
throughout such model curriculum at least the following: (A) The
subject matter prescribed in section 10-16b, (B) Native American studies,
(C) Asian American and Pacific Islander studies, (D) lesbian, gay,
bisexual, transgender, queer and other sexual orientations and gender
identities studies, (E) climate change, (F) personal financial
management and financial literacy, (G) the military service and
experience of American veterans, (H) civics and citizenship, including
instruction in digital citizenship and media literacy that provides
students with the knowledge and skills necessary to safely, ethically,
responsibly and effectively use digital technologies to create and
consume digital content, communicate with others and participate in
social and civic activities, (I) the principles of social-emotional learning,
[and] (J) racism, (K) cursive writing, and (L) world languages beginning
in kindergarten.
Sec. 17. Subsection (g) of section 10-221a of the general statutes is
repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1,
2023): Substitute Senate Bill No. 1
Public Act No. 23-167 19 of 95
(g) Only courses taken in grades nine to twelve, inclusive, and that
are in accordance with the state-wide subject matter content standards,
adopted by the State Board of Education pursuant to section 10-4, shall
satisfy the graduation requirements set forth in this section, except that
a local or regional board of education may grant a student credit (1)
toward meeting the high school graduation requirements upon the
successful demonstration of mastery of the subject matter content
described in this section achieved through educational experiences and
opportunities that provide flexible and multiple pathways to learning,
including cross-curricular graduation requirements, career and
technical education, virtual learning, work-based learning, service
learning, dual enrollment and early college, courses taken in middle
school, internships and student-designed independent studies,
provided such demonstration of mastery is in accordance with such
state-wide subject matter content standards; (2) toward meeting a
specified course requirement upon the successful completion in grade
seven or eight of any course, the primary focus of which corresponds
directly to the subject matter of a specified course requirement in grades
nine to twelve, inclusive; (3) toward meeting the high school graduation
requirement upon the successful completion of a world language course
(A) in grade six, seven or eight, (B) through on-line coursework, or (C)
offered privately through a nonprofit provider, provided such student
achieves a passing grade on an examination prescribed, within available
appropriations, by the Commissioner of Education and such credits do
not exceed four; (4) toward meeting the high school graduation
requirement upon achievement of a passing grade on a subject area
proficiency examination identified and approved, within available
appropriations, by the Commissioner of Education, regardless of the
number of hours the student spent in a public school classroom learning
such subject matter; (5) toward meeting the high school graduation
requirement upon the successful completion of coursework during the
school year or summer months at an institution accredited by the Board
of Regents for Higher Education or Office of Higher Education or Substitute Senate Bill No. 1
Public Act No. 23-167 20 of 95
regionally accredited. One three-credit semester course, or its
equivalent, at such an institution shall equal one-half credit for purposes
of this section; [or] (6) toward meeting the high school graduation
requirement upon the successful completion of on-line coursework,
provided the local or regional board of education has adopted a policy
in accordance with this subdivision for the granting of credit for on-line
coursework. Such a policy shall ensure, at a minimum, that (A) the
workload required by the on-line course is equivalent to that of a similar
course taught in a traditional classroom setting, (B) the content is
rigorous and aligned with curriculum guidelines approved by the State
Board of Education, where appropriate, (C) the course engages students
and has interactive components, which may include, but are not limited
to, required interactions between students and their teachers,
participation in on-line demonstrations, discussion boards or virtual
labs, (D) the program of instruction for such on-line coursework is
planned, ongoing and systematic, and (E) the courses are (i) taught by
teachers who are certified in the state or another state and have received
training on teaching in an on-line environment, or (ii) offered by
institutions of higher education that are accredited by the Board of
Regents for Higher Education or Office of Higher Education or
regionally accredited; or (7) toward meeting the high school graduation
requirement upon the successful completion of a credit recovery
program approved by the Commissioner of Education.
Sec. 18. (Effective July 1, 2023) For the fiscal year ending June 30, 2024,
the Secretary of the Office of Policy and Management, in consultation
with the Commissioner of Education, shall reclassify not less than four
authorized positions at the Department of Education that remain
unfilled for the purpose of administering the aspiring educators
diversity scholarship program, established pursuant to section 10-156ii
of the general statutes, as amended by this act, and implementing
programs related to recruitment and retention of diverse educators,
provided one such reclassified position shall require experience in Substitute Senate Bill No. 1
Public Act No. 23-167 21 of 95
communications and be in the Talent Office and responsible for
marketing the aspiring educators diversity scholarship program and
such recruitment and retention programs. The department shall use
funds appropriated to the department's personal services account for
the purpose of filling the four staff positions reclassified pursuant to this
section.
Sec. 19. Subsection (k) of section 10-266aa of the general statutes is
repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1,
2023):
(k) On or before March first of each year, the Commissioner of
Education shall determine if the enrollment in the program pursuant to
subsection (c) of this section for the fiscal year is below the number of
students for which funds were appropriated. If the commissioner
determines that the enrollment is below such number, the additional
funds shall [not lapse but shall] be used by the commissioner in
accordance with this subsection.
(1) Any amount up to five hundred thousand dollars of such
[nonlapsing] additional funds shall be used for supplemental grants to
receiving districts on a pro rata basis for each out-of-district student in
the program pursuant to subsection (c) of this section who attends the
same school in the receiving district as at least nine other such out-of-
district students, not to exceed one thousand dollars per student.
(2) Any amount up to and including five hundred thousand dollars
of such [nonlapsing] additional funds available after payment is made
pursuant to subdivision (1) of this subsection shall be paid to the State
Education Resource Center, established pursuant to section 10-357a, to
provide professional development to certified employees, in accordance
with the provisions of section 10-148a, and training for other school
personnel in receiving districts. Substitute Senate Bill No. 1
Public Act No. 23-167 22 of 95
(3) Any [such nonlapsing] amount up to and including two million
dollars of such additional funds remaining after payment is made
pursuant to subdivisions (1) and (2) of this subsection shall be used for
the provision of wrap-around services to students participating in the
program, including, but not limited to, academic tutoring, family
support and experiential learning opportunities.
Sec. 20. Section 10-14hh of the general statutes is repealed and the
following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective from passage):
(a) [For] (1) Except as otherwise provided in subdivision (2) of this
subsection, for the school year commencing July 1, 2023, and each school
year thereafter, each local and regional board of education shall fully
implement a comprehensive reading curriculum model or program for
grades [prekindergarten] kindergarten to grade three, inclusive, that has
been reviewed and [recommended] approved pursuant to section 10-
14ii, as amended by this act.
(2) (A) For the school years commencing July 1, 2023, and July 1, 2024,
a local or regional board of education that has not been granted a waiver
pursuant to subsection (c) of this section and is not fully implementing
a comprehensive reading curriculum model or program for grades
kindergarten to grade three, inclusive, in accordance with the provisions
of subdivision (1) of subsection (a) of this section, shall begin partial
implementation of such comprehensive reading curriculum model or
program, and for the school year commencing July 1, 2025, and each
school year thereafter, such board shall fully implement such
comprehensive reading curriculum model or program in accordance
with the provisions of subsection (a) of this section.
(B) For the school year commencing July 1, 2024, and each school year
thereafter, a local or regional board of education that has been granted
a waiver pursuant to subsection (c) of this section shall implement a
comprehensive reading curriculum model or program other than a Substitute Senate Bill No. 1
Public Act No. 23-167 23 of 95
model or program reviewed and approved pursuant to section 10-14ii,
as amended by this act, in accordance with the provisions of such
waiver.
(b) On or before July 1, [2023] 2025, and biennially thereafter, each
local and regional board of education shall notify the Center for Literacy
Research and Reading Success, established pursuant to section 10-14gg,
as amended by this act, of which comprehensive reading curriculum
model or program that the board is implementing pursuant to
subsection (a) of this section.
[(c) If a local or regional board of education demonstrates to the
Commissioner of Education that such board has insufficient resources
or funding to implement any of the reading curriculum model or
programs reviewed and recommended pursuant to section 10-14ii, the
commissioner shall grant such board an extension of time, if the
commissioner determines that such board demonstrates continued
efforts to commence implementation of a reviewed and recommended
reading curriculum model or program in accordance with this section.]
[(d)] (c) The Commissioner of Education, in consultation with the
director of the Center for Literacy Research and Reading Success, shall,
upon request of a local or regional board of education, grant a waiver
from the provisions of subsection (a) of this section to such board to
implement a comprehensive reading curriculum model or program
other than a model or program reviewed and recommended pursuant
to section 10-14ii, as amended by this act, if the commissioner
determines that such other comprehensive reading curriculum [or]
model or program is (1) evidenced-based and scientifically-based, and
(2) focused on competency in the following areas of reading: Oral
language, phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, rapid
automatic name or letter name fluency and reading comprehension. A
request for a waiver under this subsection shall include (A) data
collected from the reading assessments described in section 10-14t that Substitute Senate Bill No. 1
Public Act No. 23-167 24 of 95
has been disaggregated by race, ethnicity, gender, eligibility for free or
reduced priced lunches, students whose primary language is not
English and students with disabilities, and (B) a strategy to address
remaining reading achievement gaps, as defined in section 10-14u, as
amended by this act.
Sec. 21. Section 10-14ii of the general statutes is repealed and the
following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective from passage):
Not later than July 1, 2022, the director of the Center for Literacy
Research and Reading Success, in consultation with the Reading
Leadership Implementation Council established pursuant to section 10-
14gg, as amended by this act, shall review and approve at least five
comprehensive reading curriculum models or programs to be
implemented by local and regional boards of education according to the
unique needs of each school district in accordance with the provisions
of section 10-14hh, as amended by this act. Such comprehensive reading
curriculum models or programs shall be (1) evidenced-based and
scientifically-based, and (2) focused on competency in the following
areas of reading: Oral language, phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency,
vocabulary, rapid automatic name or letter name fluency and reading
comprehension.
Sec. 22. Subsection (a) of section 10-14gg of the general statutes is
repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective from
passage):
(a) The Department of Education shall establish a Center for Literacy
Research and Reading Success within the department. The center shall
be responsible for (1) the implementation of the coordinated state-wide
reading plan for students in kindergarten to grade three, inclusive,
established pursuant to section 10-14v; (2) researching and developing,
in collaboration with the Office of Early Childhood, a birth to grade
twelve reading success strategy to be included in the alignment of Substitute Senate Bill No. 1
Public Act No. 23-167 25 of 95
reading instruction with the two-generational initiative, established
pursuant to section 17b-112l; (3) (A) providing direct support to schools
and boards of education to improve reading outcomes for students in
kindergarten to grade three, inclusive, and other reading initiatives, and
(B) supporting teachers, schools and boards of education engaged in
improving through coaching, leadership training, professional
development, parental engagement and technical assistance that is
consistent with the intensive reading instruction program, as described
in section 10-14u, as amended by this act, and aligned with evidence-
based practices; (4) providing independent, random reviews of how a
local or regional board of education is implementing (A) a
comprehensive reading curriculum model or program for grades
[prekindergarten] kindergarten to grade three, inclusive, pursuant to
section 10-14hh, as amended by this act, and (B) an approved reading
assessment, pursuant to section 10-14t; (5) receiving and publicly
reporting, not later than September 1, [2023] 2025, and biennially
thereafter, the comprehensive reading curriculum model or program
being implemented by each local and regional board of education
pursuant to section 10-14hh, as amended by this act; (6) developing and
maintaining an Internet web site for the purpose of disseminating tools
and information associated with the intensive reading instruction
program for student reading; (7) serving as a collaborative center for
institutions of higher education and making available to the faculty of
teacher preparation programs (A) the science of teaching reading, (B)
the intensive reading instruction program, and (C) samples of available
comprehensive reading curriculum models or programs reviewed and
[recommended] approved pursuant to section 10-14ii, as amended by
this act; and (8) reviewing and publicly reporting on progress made by
teacher preparation programs to include comprehensive reading
curriculum models or programs reviewed and [recommended]
approved pursuant to section 10-14ii, as amended by this act.
Sec. 23. Subsection (a) of section 10-14u of the general statutes is Substitute Senate Bill No. 1
Public Act No. 23-167 26 of 95
repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective from
passage):
(a) As used in this section: [and section 10-3c:]
(1) "Achievement gaps" means the existence of a significant disparity
in the academic performance of students among and between (A) racial
groups, (B) ethnic groups, (C) socioeconomic groups, (D) genders, and
(E) English language learners and students whose primary language is
English.
(2) "Opportunity gaps" means the ways in which race, ethnicity,
socioeconomic status, English proficiency, community wealth, familial
situations or other factors intersect with the unequal or inequitable
distribution of resources and opportunities to contribute to or
perpetuate lower educational expectations, achievement or attainment.
(3) "Scientifically-based reading research and instruction" means (A)
a comprehensive program or a collection of instructional practices that
is based on reliable, valid evidence showing that when such programs
or practices are used, students can be expected to achieve satisfactory
reading progress, and (B) the integration of instructional strategies for
continuously assessing, evaluating and communicating the student's
reading progress and needs in order to design and implement ongoing
interventions so that students of all ages and proficiency levels can read
and comprehend text and apply higher level thinking skills. Such
comprehensive program or collection of practices includes, but is not
limited to, instruction in the following areas of reading: Oral language,
phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, rapid automatic
name or letter name fluency and reading comprehension.
Sec. 24. (Effective from passage) The Center for Literacy Research and
Reading Success, in consultation with the Reading Leadership
Implementation Council, established pursuant to section 10-14gg of the Substitute Senate Bill No. 1
Public Act No. 23-167 27 of 95
general statutes, as amended by this act, shall review issues related to
the implementation of a comprehensive reading curriculum model or
program pursuant to section 10-14hh of the general statutes, as
amended by this act. Such review shall include (1) the provision of
technical assistance to those local and regional boards of education that
have been denied a waiver from the provisions of subsection (a) of said
section 10-14hh of the general statutes, (2) an examination of the impact
of the science of reading master class that uses all of the components of
reading, such as phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary and
comprehension, and (3) upon completion of the Department of
Education's independent impact evaluation, a determination of how to
scale for use to develop educators who are ready and able to support
individual student learning and the science of reading.
Sec. 25. (Effective July 1, 2023) (a) Not later than January 1, 2025, the
Commissioner of Education shall, within available appropriations,
conduct an audit of state and local testing requirements and
administration. Such audit shall focus on (1) the state-wide mastery
examination, as described in section 10-14n of the general statutes, and
local standardized assessments used to monitor student and district
academic progress and achievement, (2) the amount of time devoted to
student preparation or educator instruction for the state-wide mastery
examination and such local standardized assessments, including the
amount of time that such preparation and instruction takes away from
regular instruction. Such audit shall also include recommendations
relating to any limitations on the amount of time that may be devoted
to administering the state-wide mastery examination and such local
standardized assessments. Such audit shall be conducted in a manner
that complies with the requirements set forth in 20 USC 6361 to 20 USC
6363, inclusive, as amended from time to time, so that the commissioner
may submit an application for a grant to conduct such audit and other
related activities under the Every Student Succeeds Act, P. L. 114-95. Substitute Senate Bill No. 1
Public Act No. 23-167 28 of 95
(b) Not later than January 1, 2025, the commissioner shall submit a
report of the audit described in subsection (a) of this section to the joint
standing committees of the General Assembly having cognizance of
matters relating to education and appropriations and the budgets of
state agencies, in accordance with the provisions of section 11-4a of the
general statutes.
Sec. 26. (NEW) (Effective July 1, 2023) (a) As used in this section:
(1) "Local farm" means a farm, farmers' cooperative, food hub or
wholesale distributor located in Connecticut.
(2) "Regional farm" means a farm, farmers' cooperative, food hub or
wholesale distributor located in New York, Massachusetts, Rhode
Island, Vermont, New Hampshire or Maine.
(3) "Locally sourced food" means produce and other farm products
that have a traceable point of origin within Connecticut that are grown
or produced at, or sold by, a local farm and includes, but is not limited
to, value-added dairy, fish, pork, beef, poultry, eggs, fruits, vegetables
and minimally processed foods.
(4) "Regionally sourced food" means produce and other farm
products that have a traceable point of origin within New York,
Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Vermont, New Hampshire or Maine that
are grown or produced at, or sold by, a regional farm and includes, but
is not limited to, value-added dairy, fish, pork, beef, poultry, eggs, fruits,
vegetables and minimally processed foods.
(5) "Eligible board of education" means a local or regional board of
education that is participating in the National School Lunch Program.
(6) "Eligible meal program" means a meal program provided by an
eligible board of education to its students or a meal provided as part of
such board's participation in the National School Lunch Program, Substitute Senate Bill No. 1
Public Act No. 23-167 29 of 95
School Breakfast Program, Seamless Summer Option, After School
Snack Program, Summer Food Service Program or the At -Risk
Afterschool Meals component of the Child and Adult Care Food
Program administered by the United States Department of Agriculture.
(b) For the fiscal year ending June 30, 2024, and each fiscal year
thereafter, the Department of Agriculture, in consultation with the
Department of Education, shall administer the local food for schools
incentive program. Such program shall provide reimbursement
payments to eligible boards of education for the purchase of locally
sourced food and regionally sourced food that may be used as part of
such board's participation in an eligible meal program. An eligible
board of education shall be entitled to receive reimbursement payments
in accordance with the guidelines developed pursuant to subsection (e)
of this section and in an amount equal to (1) one-half of such board's
expenditures for locally sourced foods, and (2) one-third of such board's
expenditures for regionally sourced foods.
(c) (1) The department shall receive requests from eligible boards of
education for reimbursement payments under the program in a manner
similar to how the department receives applications under section 10-
215b of the general statutes.
(2) Each eligible board of education shall (A) maintain a record of
such board's expenditures for all locally sourced food and regionally
sourced food, as well as documentation confirming the place of origin
of such food, as prescribed by the department, and (B) submit, upon
request of the department, such records and documentation to the
department for review.
(d) Any locally sourced food or regionally sourced food for which an
eligible board of education seeks reimbursement payments under this
section, shall comply with the nutrition standards established by the
department pursuant to section 10-215e of the general statutes. Substitute Senate Bill No. 1
Public Act No. 23-167 30 of 95
(e) The department shall develop guidelines for the implementation
of the program. Such guidelines shall (1) establish a maximum
reimbursement amount based on total student enrollment for each
eligible board of education, (2) assist eligible boards of education in
participating in the program, and (3) promote geographic, social,
economic and racial equity, which may include a preference for socially
disadvantaged farmers, as defined in 7 USC 2279(a), as amended from
time to time, or small farm businesses.
(f) The department shall develop a survey to be distributed annually
to any eligible board of education that receives reimbursement
payments under this section. Such survey shall be designed to collect
information to assist the department in implementing and improving
the program.
(g) In addition to the reimbursement payments otherwise provided
pursuant to this section, the department may, within available
appropriations, provide supplemental grants to eligible boards of
education. Such supplemental grant funds may be expended for the
purpose of purchasing kitchen equipment, engaging with school
nutrition or farm-to-school consultants or training relating to the
processing, preparation and serving of locally sourced food and
regionally sourced food. In awarding supplemental grants under this
subsection, the department shall give priority to an eligible board of
education for a town designated as an alliance district pursuant to
section 10-262u of the general statutes, as amended by this act.
(h) The department may accept gifts, grants and donations, including
in-kind donations, for the administration of the local food for schools
incentive program and to implement the provisions of this section.
(i) Any unexpended funds appropriated for purposes of this section
shall not lapse at the end of the fiscal year but shall be available for
expenditure during the next fiscal year. Substitute Senate Bill No. 1
Public Act No. 23-167 31 of 95
(j) Notwithstanding the provisions of this section, for the fiscal year
ending June 30, 2024, and each fiscal year thereafter, the amount of
reimbursement payments payable to eligible boards of education shall
be reduced proportionately if the total of such reimbursement payments
in such year exceeds the amount appropriated for such reimbursement
payments for such year.
(k) Not later than January 1, 2025, and annually thereafter, the
department shall submit a report on the local food for schools incentive
program to the joint standing committee of the General Assembly
having cognizance of matters relating to education, in accordance with
the provisions of section 11-4a of the general statutes. Such report shall
include, but need not be limited to, an accounting of the funds
appropriated and received by the department for the program,
descriptions of the reimbursement payments made under the program
and an evaluation of the program.
Sec. 27. Section 10-215l of the general statutes is repealed and the
following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1, 2023):
(a) The Department of Agriculture, in consultation with the advisory
committee described in subsection (c) of this section, shall administer
the CT Grown for CT Kids Grant Program. Such program shall assist
local and regional boards of education to develop farm-to-school
programs that will increase the availability of local foods in child
nutrition programs, allow educators to use hands-on educational
techniques to teach students about nutrition and farm-to-school
connections, sustain relationships with local farmers and producers,
enrich the educational experience of students, improve the health of
children in the state and enhance the state's economy.
(b) A local or regional board of education, regional educational
service center, cooperative arrangement pursuant to section 10-158a,
child care centers, group child care homes and family child care homes, Substitute Senate Bill No. 1
Public Act No. 23-167 32 of 95
as such terms are described in section 19a-77, or any organization or
entity administering or assisting in the development of a farm-to-school
program, may apply, in a form and manner prescribed by the
department, for a grant under this section. Such grant shall be used to
develop or implement a farm-to-school program, which may include (1)
the purchase of equipment, resources or materials, including, but not
limited to, local food products, gardening supplies, field trips to farms,
gleaning on farms and stipends to visiting farmers, (2) the provision of
professional development and skills training for educators, school
nutrition professionals, parents, caregivers, child care providers and
employees and volunteers of organizations administering or assisting in
the development and implementation of farm-to-school programs, and
(3) piloting new purchasing systems and programs.
(c) The department shall convene an advisory committee to assist in
the administration of the CT Grown for CT Kids Grant Program. The
advisory committee shall consist of the Commissioner of Education, or
the commissioner's designee, and individuals representing stakeholder
groups that reflect the demographic and geographic diversity of the
state, selected by the Commissioner of Agriculture. The advisory
committee shall (1) assist the department in reviewing applications and
awarding grants under this section, and (2) provide technical assistance
to grant recipients in the development and implementation of farm-to-
school programs.
(d) In awarding grants under this section, the department shall (1)
give priority to applicants (A) located in alliance districts, as defined in
section 10-262u, as amended by this act, or who are providers of school
readiness programs, as defined in section 10-16p, and (B) who
demonstrate broad commitment from school administrators, school
nutrition professionals, educators and community stakeholders, and (2)
not award a grant that is in an amount greater than ten per cent of the
total amount available for the fiscal year. Substitute Senate Bill No. 1
Public Act No. 23-167 33 of 95
(e) The department may accept gifts, grants and donations, including
in-kind donations, for the administration of the CT Grown for CT Kids
Grant Program and to implement the provisions of this section.
(f) Not later than January 1, 2023, and annually thereafter, the
department shall submit a report on the CT Grown for CT Kids Grant
Program to the joint standing committee of the General Assembly
having cognizance of matters relating to education, in accordance with
the provisions of section 11-4a. Such report shall include, but need not
be limited to, an accounting of the funds appropriated and received by
the department for the program, descriptions of each grant awarded
under the program and how such grant was expended by the recipient,
and an evaluation of the program and the success of local farm-to-school
programs that have received grant awards under this section.
(g) For the fiscal year ending June 30, 2024, and each fiscal year
thereafter, if the funds appropriated for the purposes of this section are
not expended, the department shall use such unexpended funds to
administer the local food for schools incentive program in accordance
with the provisions of section 26 of this act.
Sec. 28. (NEW) (Effective July 1, 2023) (a) Any local or regional board
of education may partner with one or more local employers that are in
the aviation or aerospace industry to develop and provide an
apprenticeship training program for students in the school district
governed by such board. Such apprenticeship training program shall
include, but need not be limited to, (1) on-site training in which students
may learn immediate job skills and earn course credit, and (2) the
provision of information to students concerning the programs of study
offered at the CT Aero Tech School for Aviation Maintenance
Technicians and assistance with the application for admission to said
school.
(b) Not later than sixty days after the first student cohort completes Substitute Senate Bill No. 1
Public Act No. 23-167 34 of 95
an apprenticeship training program provided pursuant to subsection (a)
of this section, and annually thereafter, the local or regional board of
education that provides such program shall submit a report, in
accordance with the provisions of section 11-4a of the general statutes,
to the joint standing committee of the General Assembly having
cognizance of matters relating to education. Such report shall include,
but need not be limited to, the number of students who (1) participated
in and completed such program, and (2) enrolled in the CT Aero Tech
School for Aviation Maintenance Technicians after completing such
program.
Sec. 29. (NEW) (Effective July 1, 2023) (a) Not later than January 1,
2024, the Commissioner of Education shall (1) in consultation with the
School Paraeducator Advisory Council, established pursuant to section
10-155k of the general statutes, develop a model program for
paraeducator training for students in grades nine to twelve, inclusive,
in which such students may be qualified to work as paraeducators upon
graduation from high school, and (2) distribute such model program to
each local and regional board of education.
(b) A local or regional board of education may adopt the model
program for paraeducator training developed pursuant to subsection (a)
of this section for students in grades nine to twelve, inclusive. Not later
than one year after adopting such program, and annually thereafter,
such board of education shall submit a report, in accordance with the
provisions of section 11-4a of the general statutes, to the joint standing
committee of the General Assembly having cognizance of matters
relating to education. Such report shall include, but not be limited to,
the number of students who (1) participated and completed such
program by grade, and (2) found employment as a paraeducator after
graduation from high school.
Sec. 30. Section 10-220d of the general statutes is repealed and the
following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1, 2023): Substitute Senate Bill No. 1
Public Act No. 23-167 35 of 95
Each local and regional board of education shall provide full access
to technical education and career schools, regional agricultural science
and technology education centers, interdistrict magnet schools, charter
schools and interdistrict student attendance programs for the
recruitment of students attending the schools under the board's
jurisdiction, provided such recruitment is not for the purpose of
interscholastic athletic competition. Each local and regional board of
education shall provide information relating to technical education and
career schools, regional agricultural science and technology education
centers, interdistrict magnet schools, charter schools, alternative high
schools and interdistrict student attendance programs on the board's
Internet web site. Each local and regional board of education shall
annually distribute to students in middle school and require school
counselors to provide [information] to students and parents of students
in middle and high schools within such board's jurisdiction [of]
information concerning the availability of (1) vocational, technical,
technological and postsecondary education and training at technical
education and career schools, and (2) agricultural science and
technology education at regional agricultural science and technology
education centers, and publish such information on the Internet web site
of such board.
Sec. 31. (NEW) (Effective July 1, 2023) (a) Not later than January 1,
2024, the Department of Education shall, within available
appropriations, establish a preapprenticeship grant program. The
department shall award grants to any local or regional board of
education that incorporates a preapprenticeship program in the
curriculum for grades nine to twelve, inclusive, provided such
preapprenticeship program (1) is registered with the Labor Department,
and (2) meets any criteria established by the Department of Education.
The Department of Education shall award a grant to such board of
education in an amount not less than one thousand dollars for each
student that completes the preapprenticeship program. Substitute Senate Bill No. 1
Public Act No. 23-167 36 of 95
(b) Not later than January 1, 2025, and annually thereafter, the
Department of Education shall submit a report, in accordance with the
provisions of section 11-4a of the general statutes, to the joint standing
committee of the General Assembly having cognizance of matters
relating to education. Such report shall include, but need not be limited
to, (1) the amount of grants awarded during the prior year, and (2) the
types of preapprenticeship programs completed by students during the
prior year.
Sec. 32. (Effective July 1, 2023) Not later than January 1, 2024, the
Department of Education, in partnership with local and regional boards
of education, public institutions of higher education and independent
institutions of higher education, as defined in section 10a-173 of the
general statutes, shall, within the limits of available funding, expand
opportunities for dual credit and dual enrollment for students in grades
nine to twelve, inclusive, in the state in various subject areas, including,
but not limited to, courses that are required to pursue health care
occupations. The work to expand such opportunities shall include, but
need not be limited to, (1) the creation of resources, such as an online
inventory of dual credit and dual enrollment programs and model
agreements to promote information sharing between boards of
education and institutions of higher education, (2) support for
curriculum development and professional development for teachers
and faculty to create new career pathways for in-demand industries,
such as health care, and (3) tuition assistance for students who enroll in
dual credit and dual enrollment programs. Not later than January 1,
2024, the Department of Education shall submit a report, in accordance
with the provisions of section 11-4a of the general statutes, to the joint
standing committee of the General Assembly having cognizance of
matters relating to education on the department's efforts to expand
opportunities for dual credit and dual enrollment pursuant to this
section. Substitute Senate Bill No. 1
Public Act No. 23-167 37 of 95
Sec. 33. (Effective from passage) The executive director of the Technical
Education and Career System shall convene a working group to
determine the feasibility, cost and plan for development of an aerospace
advanced manufacturing high school. The members of the working
group shall include, but need not be limited to, representatives of the
Governor's Workforce Council and the Department of Economic and
Community Development and business and community organizations
related to the aerospace industry. The executive director shall appoint
the members of the working group and shall serve as the chairperson.
Not later than January 1, 2025, the executive director shall submit, in
accordance with the provisions of section 11-4a of the general statutes,
to the joint standing committee of the General Assembly having
cognizance of matters relating to education a report detailing the
conclusions and recommendations of the working group.
Sec. 34. Section 10-212 of the general statutes is repealed and the
following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1, 2023):
(a) Each local or regional board of education shall appoint one or
more school nurses or nurse practitioners. Such school nurses and nurse
practitioners appointed by such boards shall be qualified pursuant to
regulations adopted in accordance with the provisions of chapter 54 by
the State Board of Education in consultation with the Department of
Public Health, except any school nurse or nurse practitioner appointed
by or under contract with a local or regional board of education shall
not be required to have at least the equivalent of one year full time
working experience as a registered nurse during the five years
immediately prior to appointment or employment as a school nurse or
nurse practitioner. Such school nurses may also act as visiting nurses in
the town, may visit the homes of pupils in the public schools and shall
assist in executing the orders of the school medical advisor, if there is
any in such town, and perform such other duties as are required by such
board. Substitute Senate Bill No. 1
Public Act No. 23-167 38 of 95
(b) Notwithstanding any provision of the general statutes or any
regulation of Connecticut state agencies, nothing in this section shall be
construed to prohibit the administering of medications by parents or
guardians to their own children on school grounds.
(c) School nurses and nurse practitioners appointed by or under
contract with any local or regional board of education and any nurse
provided to a nonpublic school under the provisions of section 10-217a
shall submit to a criminal history records check in accordance with the
provisions of section 29-17a.
(d) On and after July 1, 2024, each school nurse or nurse practitioner
appointed by or under contract with a local or regional board of
education shall complete at least fifteen hours of professional
development programs or activities approved and provided by such
local or regional board of education, in accordance with the provisions
of section 35 of this act, in each two-year period, provided such
professional development programs or activities include training and
instruction in the implementation of individualized education
programs and plans pursuant to Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of
1973, as amended from time to time.
Sec. 35. (NEW) (Effective July 1, 2023) For the school year commencing
July 1, 2024, and each school year thereafter, each local and regional
board of education shall annually approve and provide professional
development programs or activities for all school nurses and nurse
practitioners appointed by or under contract with such board. Each
board shall provide such professional development programs or
activities related to training and instruction in the implementation of
individualized education programs and plans pursuant to Section 504
of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended from time to time, to any
new school nurse or nurse practitioner not later than thirty days after
such school nurse or nurse practitioner has been appointed by or
entered into a contract with such board. Substitute Senate Bill No. 1
Public Act No. 23-167 39 of 95
Sec. 36. (Effective from passage) (a) There is established the Building
Educational Responsibility with Greater Improvement Networks
Commission. The commission shall study (1) issues relating to
education funding entitled to local and regional boards of education,
charter schools and operators of interdistrict magnet school programs
under the provisions of section 10-262h of the general statutes, and
section 10-66ee of the general statutes, (2) accountability measures for
(A) alliance districts, (B) charter schools, and (C) interdistrict magnet
school programs, (3) the adequacy of financial reporting by (A) local and
regional boards of education, including financial reporting associated
with participation in the state-wide interdistrict public school
attendance program, established pursuant to section 10-266aa of the
general statutes, (B) the governing councils of state and local charter
schools and charter management organizations, and (C) operators of
interdistrict magnet school programs, and (4) the financial impact of
interdistrict magnet school programs, charter schools and the state-wide
interdistrict public school attendance program on local and regional
boards of education, including, but not limited to, equalization aid grant
amounts, transportation costs, special education services and other
general educational costs for children who reside in the school district
but do not attend a school under the jurisdiction of the board of
education for such school district.
(b) (1) The portion of such study regarding issues relating to
education funding entitled to local and regional boards of education,
charter schools and interdistrict magnet schools shall include, but need
not be limited to, an analysis of and recommendations relating to (A)
the compensation, benefits, retention and recruitment of teachers,
paraprofessionals and social workers, (B) restrictions on the use of any
additional funds received pursuant to section 10-262h of the general
statutes, (C) reporting requirements for school districts receiving
additional funds provided under the provisions of section 10-262h of the
general statutes, (D) optimal class sizes, and (E) the inclusion of special Substitute Senate Bill No. 1
Public Act No. 23-167 40 of 95
education as a need factor in the equalization aid grant formula under
section 10-262h of the general statutes.
(2) The portion of such study regarding alliance districts shall
include, but need not be limited to, (A) an analysis of the process by
which alliance district plans are developed by boards of education and
are reviewed and approved by the Commissioner of Education, and
recommendations for narrowing the focus of or replacing such plans,
(B) a consideration of the removal of the withholding of a portion of an
alliance district's equalization aid grant under section 10-262u of the
general statutes, as amended by this act, (C) the feasibility of creating
independent financial audits of the expenditures under the entire
budget of boards of education for alliance districts, (D) the feasibility of
requiring boards of education for alliance districts to hold hearings on
interventions and make annual evaluations of any new programming
established in the school district, (E) a consideration of establishing
guidelines for the hiring of nonclassroom personnel, and (F) a
consideration of interventions that the Department of Education may
take in regard to the operations of an alliance district.
(3) The portion of such study regarding charter schools shall include,
but need not be limited to, (A) the feasibility of allowing for a full grade
expansion of existing charters, including grade expansion, (B) an
examination of the impact of moratoriums on the granting of new
charters, as well as the approval of new interdistrict magnet school
programs, (C) a consideration of the duration of the length of a charter's
validity, and (D) an examination of the charter renewal process,
including the standards used by the State Board of Education during its
determination of whether to renew a charter and the creation of an
accountability scale.
(4) The portion of such study regarding interdistrict magnet schools
shall include, but need not be limited to, oversight policies for
interdistrict magnet school programs operated by regional education Substitute Senate Bill No. 1
Public Act No. 23-167 41 of 95
service centers relating to tuition increases, enrollment and funding
caps.
(c) The commission shall consist of the following members:
(1) The speaker of the House of Representatives, or the speaker's
designee;
(2) Two appointed by the speaker of the House of Representatives,
one of whom is a representative of the Connecticut Association of Public
School Superintendents and one of whom is a representative of the
RESC Alliance;
(3) The president pro tempore of the Senate, or the president pro
tempore's designee;
(4) Two appointed by the president pro tempore of the Senate, one of
whom is a representative of Special Education Equity for Kids and one
of whom is a representative of the Center for Children's Advocacy;
(5) Three appointed by the majority leader of the House of
Representatives, one of whom is a representative of the Connecticut
School Counselor Association, one of whom is a representative of the
Connecticut Education Association and one of whom is a representative
of the Connecticut Voices for Children;
(6) Three appointed by the majority leader of the Senate, one of whom
is a representative of the American Federation of Teachers-Connecticut,
one of whom is a representative of ConnCAN and one of whom is a
representative of the School and State Finance Project;
(7) Three appointed by the minority leader of the House of
Representatives, one of whom is a representative of the Connecticut
Association of School Administrators and one of whom is a
representative of the Connecticut Association of School Business Substitute Senate Bill No. 1
Public Act No. 23-167 42 of 95
Officials, and one of whom is a member of a local or regional board of
education for an alliance district, in consultation with the Connecticut
Association of Boards of Education;
(8) Three appointed by the minority leader of the Senate, one of
whom is a representative of the Connecticut Charter School Association,
one of whom is the executive director of an agricultural science and
technology education center and one of whom is a representative of the
Connecticut Council of Administrators of Special Education;
(9) The Commissioner of Education, or the commissioner's designee;
and
(10) The Secretary of the Office of Policy and Management, or the
secretary's designee.
(d) All initial appointments to the commission shall be made not later
than thirty days after the effective date of this section. Any vacancy shall
be filled by the appointing authority.
(e) The speaker of the House of Representatives and the president pro
tempore of the Senate, or their designees, shall serve as the chairpersons
of the commission and shall schedule the first meeting of the
commission, which shall be held not later than sixty days after the
effective date of this section.
(f) The administrative staff of the joint standing committee of the
General Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to education
shall serve as administrative staff of the commission.
(g) (1) Not later than February 1, 2024, the commission shall submit a
report on the portion of the study described in subdivision (1) of
subsection (b) of this section, in accordance with the provisions of
section 11-4a of the general statutes, on its findings and
recommendations to the joint standing committees of the General Substitute Senate Bill No. 1
Public Act No. 23-167 43 of 95
Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to education and
appropriations.
(2) Not later than January 15, 2025, the commission shall submit a
report on the portion of the study described in subdivisions (2) and (3)
of subsection (b) of this section, in accordance with the provisions of
section 11-4a of the general statutes, on its findings and
recommendations to the joint standing committee of the General
Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to education.
(3) The commission shall terminate on the date that it submits the last
of such reports or July 1, 2025, whichever is later.
Sec. 37. (NEW) (Effective July 1, 2023) Not later than May twentieth of
each school year, each local and regional board of education, operator
of an interdistrict magnet school program and governing council of a
state or local charter school shall annually submit to the Department of
Education the number of students enrolled as of April first of such
school year for such board, operator or governing council. In the case of
a local or regional board of education that (1) is a sending district or
receiving district, as those terms are defined in section 10-266aa of the
general statutes, as amended by this act, under the state-wide
interdistrict public school attendance program, (2) is an operator of an
interdistrict magnet school program, or (3) operates an agricultural
science and technology educator center, such board shall annually
submit to the department the number of students participating in such
program as of April first of such school year, separately for in-district
and out-of-district students.
Sec. 38. Section 10-262u of the general statutes is repealed and the
following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1, 2024):
(a) As used in this section and section 10-262i:
(1) ["Alliance district"] "Educational reform district" means a school Substitute Senate Bill No. 1
Public Act No. 23-167 44 of 95
district for a town that [(A)] is among the towns with the [thirty-three]
twenty lowest accountability index scores, as calculated by the
Department of Education. [, or (B) was previously designated as an
alliance district by the Commissioner of Education for the fiscal years
ending June 30, 2013, to June 30, 2022, inclusive.]
(2) "Legacy alliance district" means a school district for a town that
was designated as an alliance district by the Commissioner of Education
for the fiscal years ending June 30, 2013, to June 30, 2024, inclusive.
[(2)] (3) "Accountability index" has the same meaning as provided in
section 10-223e.
[(3)] (4) "Mastery test data of record" has the same meaning as
provided in section 10-262f, as amended by this act.
[(4) "Educational reform district" means an alliance district that is
among the ten lowest accountability index scores when all towns are
ranked highest to lowest in accountability index scores.]
(b) (1) For the fiscal year ending June 30, 2013, the Commissioner of
Education shall designate thirty school districts as alliance reform
districts. Any school district designated as an alliance district shall be so
designated for a period of five years. On or before June 30, 2016, the
Department of Education shall determine if there are any additional
alliance districts.
(2) For the fiscal year ending June 30, 2018, the commissioner shall
designate thirty-three school districts as alliance districts. Any school
district designated as an alliance district shall be so designated for a
period of five years.
(3) For the fiscal year ending June 30, 2023, the commissioner shall
designate thirty-six school districts as alliance districts. Any school
district designated as an alliance district shall be so designated for a Substitute Senate Bill No. 1
Public Act No. 23-167 45 of 95
period of [five] two years.
(4) For the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025, the commissioner shall
designate twenty school districts as educational reform districts. Any
school district designated as an educational reform district shall be so
designated for a period of two years.
(c) (1) For the fiscal year ending June 30, [2023, and each fiscal year
thereafter, the Comptroller shall withhold from any town that (A) was
designated as an alliance district pursuant to subdivision (2) of
subsection (b) of this section any increase in funds received over the
amount the town received for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2012,
pursuant to subsection (a) of section 10-262i, and (B) was designated as
an alliance district for the first time pursuant to subdivision (3) of
subsection (b) of this section, any increase in funds received over the
amount the town received for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2022,
pursuant to subsection (a) of section 10-262i.] 2025, and each fiscal year
thereafter, the Comptroller shall withhold from any town that was
designated as an educational reform district pursuant to subdivision (4)
of subsection (b) of this section any increase in funds received over the
amount the town received for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2012,
pursuant to subsection (a) of section 10-262i. The Comptroller shall
transfer such funds to the Commissioner of Education.
(2) Upon receipt of an application pursuant to subsection (d) of this
section or section 10-156gg, as amended by this act, the Commissioner
of Education may pay such funds to the town designated as an [alliance]
educational reform district and such town shall pay all such funds to the
local or regional board of education for such town on the condition that
such funds shall be expended in accordance with (A) the improvement
plan described in subsection (d) of this section, (B) the minority
candidate certification, retention or residency year program pursuant to
section 10-156gg, as amended by this act, (C) the family resource center
program, pursuant to section 10-4o, to establish a family resource center Substitute Senate Bill No. 1
Public Act No. 23-167 46 of 95
in each elementary school under the jurisdiction of such board, (D) the
provisions of subsection (c) of section 10-262i, and [(D)] (E) any
guidelines developed by the State Board of Education for such funds.
Such funds shall be used to improve student achievement and recruit
and retain minority teachers in such [alliance] educational reform
district and to offset any other local education costs approved by the
commissioner.
(d) The local or regional board of education for a town designated as
an [alliance] educational reform district may apply to the Commissioner
of Education, at such time and in such manner as the commissioner
prescribes, to receive any increase in funds received over the amount
the town received for the prior fiscal year pursuant to subsection (a) of
section 10-262i. Applications pursuant to this subsection shall include
objectives and performance targets and [a] an improvement plan that
are developed, in part, on the strategic use of student academic
performance data. Such improvement plan may include, but not be
limited to, the following: (1) A tiered system of interventions for the
schools under the jurisdiction of such board based on the needs of such
schools, (2) ways to strengthen the foundational programs in reading,
through the intensive reading instruction program pursuant to section
10-14u, as amended by this act, to ensure reading mastery in
kindergarten to grade three, inclusive, with a focus on standards and
instruction, proper use of data, intervention strategies, current
information for teachers, parental engagement, and teacher professional
development, (3) additional learning time, including extended school
day or school year programming administered by school personnel or
external partners, (4) a talent strategy that includes, but is not limited to,
teacher and school leader recruitment and assignment, career ladder
policies that draw upon guidelines for a model teacher evaluation
program adopted by the State Board of Education, pursuant to section
10-151b, and adopted by each local or regional board of education. Such
talent strategy may include provisions that demonstrate increased Substitute Senate Bill No. 1
Public Act No. 23-167 47 of 95
ability to attract, retain, promote and bolster the performance of staff in
accordance with performance evaluation findings and, in the case of
new personnel, other indicators of effectiveness, (5) training for school
leaders and other staff on new teacher evaluation models, (6) provisions
for the cooperation and coordination with early childhood education
providers to ensure alignment with district expectations for student
entry into kindergarten, including funding for an existing local Head
Start program, (7) provisions for the cooperation and coordination with
other governmental and community programs to ensure that students
receive adequate support and wraparound services, including
community school models, (8) provisions for implementing and
furthering state-wide education standards adopted by the State Board
of Education and all activities and initiatives associated with such
standards, (9) strategies for attracting and recruiting minority teachers
and administrators, (10) provisions for the enhancement of bilingual
education programs, pursuant to section 10-17f, or other language
acquisition services to English language learners, including, but not
limited to, participation in the English language learner pilot program,
established pursuant to section 10-17n, (11) entering into the model
school district responsibilities agreement, described in section 10-223l,
(12) leadership succession plans that provide training and learning
opportunities for administrators and are designed to assist in the
seamless transition of school and district personnel in and out of
leadership positions in the school district and the continuous
implementation of improvement plans developed under this
subsection, (13) implementing the policy adopted pursuant to section
10-223m to improve completion rates of the Free Application for Federal
Student Aid by students enrolled in grade twelve in a high school under
the jurisdiction of such board or students enrolled in an adult education
program maintained by such board pursuant to section 10-69, and, as
applicable, the parent and guardians of such students, and (14) any
additional categories or goals as determined by the commissioner. Such
improvement plan shall demonstrate collaboration with key Substitute Senate Bill No. 1
Public Act No. 23-167 48 of 95
stakeholders, as identified by the commissioner, with the goal of
achieving efficiencies and the alignment of intent and practice of current
programs with conditional programs identified in this subsection. The
commissioner may (A) require changes in any improvement plan
submitted by a local or regional board of education before the
commissioner approves an application under this subsection, and (B)
permit a local or regional board of education, as part of such
improvement plan, to use a portion of any funds received under this
section for the purposes of paying tuition charged to such board
pursuant to subdivision (1) of subsection (k) of section 10-264l or
subsection (b) of section 10-264o. Each such local and regional board of
education shall annually submit such improvement plan to the
department.
(e) The State Board of Education may develop guidelines and criteria
for the administration of such funds under this section.
(f) The commissioner may withhold such funds if the local or regional
board of education fails to comply with the provisions of this section.
The commissioner may renew such funding if the local or regional
board of education provides evidence that the school district of such
board is achieving the objectives and performance targets approved by
the commissioner stated in the improvement plan submitted under this
section.
(g) Any local or regional board of education receiving funding under
this section shall submit an annual expenditure report to the
commissioner on such form and in such manner as requested by the
commissioner. The commissioner shall determine if (1) the local or
regional board of education shall repay any funds not expended in
accordance with the approved application, or (2) such funding should
be reduced in a subsequent fiscal year up to an amount equal to the
amount that the commissioner determines is out of compliance with the
provisions of this subsection. Substitute Senate Bill No. 1
Public Act No. 23-167 49 of 95
(h) Any balance remaining for each local or regional board of
education at the end of any fiscal year shall be carried forward for such
local or regional board of education for the next fiscal year.
(i) The local or regional board of education of a school district for a
town that is among the fifty towns with the lowest accountability index
scores, as calculated by the Department of Education, but has not been
designated as an educational reform district by the Commissioner of
Education, may request technical assistance or other specialized
interventions from the department for the provision of academic
support services to students.
Sec. 39. Subdivision (2) of section 10-262f of the general statutes is
repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1,
2024):
(2) "Base aid ratio" means for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2018, and
each fiscal year thereafter, the sum of (A) one minus the town's wealth
adjustment factor, and (B) the town's base aid ratio adjustment factor, if
any, except that a town's base aid ratio shall not be less than (i) ten per
cent for a town designated as an educational reform district or a legacy
alliance district, as those terms are defined in section 10-262u, as
amended by this act, or a priority school district, as described in section
10-266p, and (ii) one per cent for a town that is not designated as an
alliance district or a priority school district.
Sec. 40. Subdivision (3) of subsection (d) of section 12-18b of the
general statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu
thereof (Effective July 1, 2024):
(3) Each [municipality] (A) town designated as an educational reform
district or a legacy alliance district pursuant to section 10-262u, as
amended by this act, or (B) municipality in which more than fifty per
cent of the property is state-owned real property shall be classified as a Substitute Senate Bill No. 1
Public Act No. 23-167 50 of 95
tier one municipality.
Sec. 41. Subdivision (2) of subsection (c) of section 10-156gg of the
general statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu
thereof (Effective July 1, 2023):
(2) For the fiscal year ending June 30, [2023, and each fiscal year
thereafter] 2024, the Commissioner of Education shall withhold from an
alliance district, from the funds transferred by the Comptroller pursuant
to subsection (c) of section 10-262u, as amended by this act, ten per cent
of any increase in such funds that such alliance district [receives]
received for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2021, over the amount of such
funds that it received for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2020. The
department shall use such funds to make a payment to such alliance
district and such alliance district shall expend such payment for any of
the costs described in subsection (e) of this section.
Sec. 42. Section 370 of public act 22-118 is repealed and the following
is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective from passage):
(a) There is established a working group to study and make
recommendations related to indoor air quality within school buildings.
Such recommendations shall include, but need not be limited to:
(1) The optimal humidity and temperature ranges to ensure healthy
air and promote student learning;
(2) Threshold school air quality emergency conditions warranting
temporary school closures based on the presence of insufficient heat, an
excessive combination of indoor temperature and humidity levels, or
some other thresholds;
(3) Criteria for rating the priority of heating, ventilation and air
conditioning repair and remediation needs, including the public health
condition and needs of the students attending a school; Substitute Senate Bill No. 1
Public Act No. 23-167 51 of 95
(4) Optimal heating, ventilation and air conditioning system
performance benchmarks for minimizing the spread of infectious
disease;
(5) Protocols to be used by school districts to receive, investigate and
address complaints or evidence of mold, pest infestation, hazardous
odors or chemicals and poor indoor air-quality;
(6) The frequency with which local and regional boards of education
should be providing for a uniform inspection and evaluation program
of the indoor air quality within school buildings, such as the
Environmental Protection Agency's Indoor Air Quality Tools for
Schools Program, and whether such program should be provided for at
all schools or only at those constructed before or after a certain date;
(7) Best practices for the proper maintenance of heating, ventilation
and air conditions systems in school buildings, including the frequency
and scope of such maintenance;
(8) A system of equitable distribution of funds, based on need, under
the heating, ventilation and air conditioning system grant program
pursuant to section 10-265r of the general statutes;
(9) Ways to make the reports and results of the uniform inspections
and evaluations of the indoor air quality and heating, ventilation and
air conditioning systems of school buildings, conducted pursuant to
section 10-220 of the general statutes, as amended by this act, accessible
and searchable;
[(8)] (10) Any other criteria affecting school indoor air quality; and
[(9)] (11) Proposals for legislation to carry out any of the
recommendations of the working group.
(b) The working group shall consist of the following members: Substitute Senate Bill No. 1
Public Act No. 23-167 52 of 95
(1) Three appointed by the president pro tempore of the Senate, one
of whom is a representative of ConnectiCOSH, one of whom is a
representative of the Associated Sheet Metal and Roofing Contractors of
Connecticut, and one of whom is a member of the Senate;
(2) Three appointed by the speaker of the House of Representatives,
one of whom is a specialist in the field of children's health, one of whom
[shall] is a representative of the Connecticut State Building Trades
Council, and one of whom is a member of the House of Representatives;
(3) Two appointed by the majority leader of the Senate, one of whom
is a representative of the American Federation of Teachers-Connecticut
and one of whom is a representative of the Connecticut Association of
Public School Superintendents;
(4) Two appointed by the majority leader of the House of
Representatives, one of whom is a representative of the Connecticut
Education Association and one of whom is a representative of the
Connecticut Association of Boards of Education;
(5) Two appointed by the minority leader of the Senate, one of whom
is a specialist in the field of medicine on respiratory health and one of
whom is a representative of the Council of Small Towns;
(6) Two appointed by the minority leader of the House, one of whom
is an industrial hygienist and one of whom is a representative of the
Mechanical Contractors of Connecticut;
(7) Two appointed by the Governor, one of whom is a school nurse
and one of whom is a representative of the Connecticut Conference of
Municipalities;
(8) The Secretary of the Office of Policy and Management, or the
Secretary's designee; Substitute Senate Bill No. 1
Public Act No. 23-167 53 of 95
(9) The Commissioner of Education, or the commissioner's designee;
(10) The Commissioner of Administrative Services, or the
commissioner's designee;
(11) The Labor Commissioner, or the commissioner's designee;
(12) The Commissioner of Public Health, or the commissioner's
designee;
(13) The Commissioner of Consumer Protection, or the
commissioner's designee; and
(14) The Commissioner of Energy and Environmental Protection, or
the commissioner's designee.
(c) All appointments to the working group shall be made not later
than sixty days after the effective date of this section. Any vacancy shall
be filled by the appointing authority.
(d) The member of the Senate appointed by the president pro
tempore of the Senate pursuant to subdivision (1) of subsection (b) of
this section and the member of the House of [Representative]
Representatives appointed by the speaker of the House of
Representatives pursuant to subdivision (2) of subsection (b) of this
section shall serve as the chairpersons of the working group. Such
chairpersons shall schedule the first meeting of the working group,
which shall be held not later than sixty days after the effective date of
this section.
(e) Not later than [January 4, 2023] July 1, 2024, the working group
shall submit a report on its findings and recommendations to the
Governor and the joint standing committees of the General Assembly
having cognizance of matters relating to education, labor and public
health, in accordance with the provisions of section 11-4a of the general Substitute Senate Bill No. 1
Public Act No. 23-167 54 of 95
statutes. The working group shall terminate on [January 4, 2023] July 1,
2024, or on the submission of the report, whichever is later.
Sec. 43. (NEW) (Effective July 1, 2023) (a) The Department of
Administrative Services shall develop a standard school building
indoor air quality reporting form to be used by local and regional boards
of education when conducting a uniform inspection and evaluation
program of the indoor air quality within a school building pursuant to
subdivision (2) of subsection (d) of section 10-220 of the general statutes,
as amended by this act. The department shall make such form available
on its Internet web site.
(b) The department shall develop a standard school building heating,
ventilation and air conditioning system reporting form to be used by
local and regional boards of education when conducting a uniform
inspection and evaluation of the heating, ventilation and air
conditioning system within a school building pursuant to subdivision
(3) of subsection (d) of section 10-220 of the general statutes, as amended
by this act. The department shall make such form available on its
Internet web site.
(c) The department may consult with representatives from the indoor
air quality and heating, ventilation and air conditioning industry to
develop the standard reporting forms described in this section.
Sec. 44. Subsection (d) of section 10-220 of the general statutes is
repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1,
2023):
(d) (1) As used in this subsection:
(A) "Certified testing, adjusting and balancing technician" means a
technician certified to perform testing, adjusting and balancing of
heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems by the Associated Air
Balance Council, the National Environmental Balancing Bureau or the Substitute Senate Bill No. 1
Public Act No. 23-167 55 of 95
Testing, Adjusting and Balancing Bureau, or an individual training
under the supervision of a Testing, Adjusting and Balancing Bureau
certified technician or a person certified to perform ventilation
assessments of heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems
through a certification body accredited by the American National
Standards Institute;
(B) "Heating, ventilation and air conditioning system" means the
equipment, distribution network, controls and terminals that provide,
either collectively or individually, heating, ventilation or air
conditioning to a building; and
(C) "Indoor air quality" has the same meaning as used by the United
States Department of Labor Occupational Safety and Health
Administration Standard Number 1910.1000 "OSHA Policy on Indoor
Air Quality".
(2) [Prior to January 1, 2008, and every three years thereafter, for
every school building that is or has been constructed, extended,
renovated or replaced on or after January 1, 2003] On and after January
1, 2024, and annually thereafter, a local or regional board of education
shall provide for a uniform inspection and evaluation program of the
indoor air quality within [such buildings, such as] each school building
using the Environmental Protection Agency's Indoor Air Quality Tools
for Schools Program. The inspection and evaluation program shall
include, but not be limited to, a review, inspection or evaluation of the
following: (A) The heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems; (B)
radon levels in the air; (C) potential for exposure to microbiological
airborne particles, including, but not limited to, fungi, mold and
bacteria; (D) chemical compounds of concern to indoor air quality
including, but not limited to, volatile organic compounds; (E) the degree
of pest infestation, including, but not limited to, insects and rodents; (F)
the degree of pesticide usage; (G) the presence of and the plans for
removal of any hazardous substances that are contained on the list Substitute Senate Bill No. 1
Public Act No. 23-167 56 of 95
prepared pursuant to Section 302 of the federal Emergency Planning
and Community Right-to-Know Act, 42 USC 9601 et seq.; (H) ventilation
systems; (I) plumbing, including water distribution systems, drainage
systems and fixtures; (J) moisture incursion; (K) the overall cleanliness
of the facilities; (L) building structural elements, including, but not
limited to, roofing, basements or slabs; (M) the use of space, particularly
areas that were designed to be unoccupied; and (N) the provision of
indoor air quality maintenance training for building staff. Local and
regional boards of education conducting evaluations pursuant to this
subsection shall (i) make available for public inspection the results of the
inspection and evaluation at a regularly scheduled board of education
meeting and on the [board's or each individual school's web site]
Internet web site of such board and on the Internet web site, if any, of
each individual school, and (ii) submit the report and results of such
inspection and evaluation to the Department of Administrative Services
using the form developed pursuant to section 43 of this act.
(3) Prior to January 1, [2024] 2025, and every five years thereafter, a
local or regional board of education shall provide for a uniform
inspection and evaluation of the heating, ventilation and air
conditioning system within each school building under its jurisdiction.
Such inspection and evaluation shall be performed by a certified testing,
adjusting and balancing technician, an industrial hygienist certified by
the American Board of Industrial Hygiene or the Board for Global EHS
Credentialing, or a mechanical engineer. Such heating, ventilation and
air conditioning systems inspection and evaluation shall include, but
need not be limited to: (A) Testing for maximum filter efficiency, (B)
physical measurements of outside air delivery rate, (C) verification of
the appropriate condition and operation of ventilation components, (D)
measurement of air distribution through all system inlets and outlets,
(E) verification of unit operation and that required maintenance has
been performed in accordance with the most recent indoor ventilation
standards promulgated by the American Society of Heating, Substitute Senate Bill No. 1
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Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers, (F) verification of control
sequences, (G) verification of carbon dioxide sensors and acceptable
carbon dioxide concentrations indoors, and (H) collection of field data
for the installation of mechanical ventilation if none exist. The
ventilation systems inspection and evaluation shall identify to what
extent each school's current ventilation system components, including
any existing central or noncentral mechanical ventilation system, are
operating in such a manner as to provide appropriate ventilation to the
school building in accordance with most recent indoor ventilation
standards promulgated by the American Society of Heating,
Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers. The inspection and
evaluation shall result in a written report, and such report shall include
any corrective actions necessary to be performed to the mechanical
ventilation system or the heating, ventilation and air conditioning
infrastructure, including installation of filters meeting the most optimal
level of filtration available for a given heating, ventilation and air
conditioning system, installation of carbon dioxide sensors and
additional maintenance, repairs, upgrades or replacement. Any such
corrective actions shall be performed, where appropriate, by a
contractor, who is licensed in accordance with chapter 393. Any local or
regional board of education conducting an inspection and evaluations
pursuant to this subsection shall (i) make available for public inspection
the results of such inspection and evaluation at a regularly scheduled
meeting of such board and on the Internet web site of such board and
on the Internet web site, if any, of each individual school, and (ii) submit
the report and results of such inspection and evaluation to the
Department of Administrative Services using the form developed
pursuant to section 43 of this act. A local or regional board of education
shall not be required to provide for a uniform inspection and evaluation
under this subdivision for any school building that will cease to be used
as a school building within the three years from when such inspection
and evaluation is to be performed. Any local or regional board of
education that has provided for an inspection that was performed in a Substitute Senate Bill No. 1
Public Act No. 23-167 58 of 95
different format, but is deemed equivalent by the department, may use
such inspection in lieu of a uniform inspection and evaluation under this
subdivision. The Department of Administrative Services may, upon
request of a local or regional board of education, grant a waiver of the
January 1, 2025, deadline for the provision of a uniform inspection and
evaluation under this subdivision if the department finds that (I) there
is an insufficient number of certified testing, adjusting and balancing
technicians, industrial hygienists certified by the American Board of
Industrial Hygiene or the Board for Global EHS Credentialing or
mechanical engineers to perform such inspection and evaluation, or (II)
such board has scheduled such inspection and evaluation for a date after
January 1, 2025. Such waiver shall be valid for one year.
Sec. 45. (NEW) (Effective July 1, 2023) On or before July 1, 2024, the
Commissioner of Public Health shall develop guidelines regarding the
establishment of an optimal thermal comfort range of sixty-five to
eighty degrees Fahrenheit for school buildings and facilities, except that
gymnasiums and natatoriums may have a larger optimal thermal
comfort range.
Sec. 46. (NEW) (Effective July 1, 2023) (a) As used in this section:
(1) "Alliance district" has the same meaning as provided in section 10-
262u of the general statutes, as amended by this act;
(2) "Private entity" means any individual, corporation, general
partnership, limited partnership, limited liability partnership, joint
venture, nonprofit organization or other business entity;
(3) "Public-private partnership" means the relationship established
between the local or regional board of education for a town designated
as an alliance district, a community college and a private entity for the
purpose of implementing a pathways in technology early college high
school program; and Substitute Senate Bill No. 1
Public Act No. 23-167 59 of 95
(4) "Pathways in technology early college high school program"
means a program of instruction in which students in grades nine to
twelve, inclusive, complete high school and college-level coursework
while simultaneously engaging in industry-guided workforce
development.
(b) For the fiscal year ending June 30, 2024, and each fiscal year
thereafter, the Department of Education shall annually issue a request
for proposals to local and regional boards of education for towns
designated as alliance districts for the establishment of a new public-
private partnership or the enhancement of an existing pathways in
technology early college high school program. The department shall
review such proposals and award a grant to two such boards for the
costs associated with the establishment of a new public-private
partnership or enhancement of a pathways in technology early college
high school program.
Sec. 47. (NEW) (Effective July 1, 2023) As used in this section, sections
48 to 55, inclusive, of this act and sections 71 and 74 of this act:
(1) "School climate" means the quality and character of the school life,
with a particular focus on the quality of the relationships within the
school community, and which is based on patterns of people's
experiences of school life and that reflects the norms, goals, values,
interpersonal relationships, teaching, learning, leadership practices and
organizational structures within the school community.
(2) "Social and emotional learning" means the process through which
children and adults achieve emotional intelligence through the
competencies of self-awareness, self-management, social awareness,
relationship skills and responsible decision-making.
(3) "Emotional intelligence" means the ability to (A) perceive,
recognize and understand emotions in oneself or others, (B) use Substitute Senate Bill No. 1
Public Act No. 23-167 60 of 95
emotions to facilitate cognitive activities, including, but not limited to,
reasoning, problem solving and interpersonal communication, (C)
understand and identify emotions, and (D) manage emotions in oneself
and others.
(4) "Bullying" means unwanted and aggressive behavior among
children in grades kindergarten to twelve, inclusive, that involves a real
or perceived power imbalance.
(5) "School environment" means a school-sponsored or school-related
activity, function or program, whether on or off school grounds,
including at a school bus stop or on a school bus or other vehicle owned,
leased or used by a local or regional board of education, and may
include other activities, functions or programs that occur outside of a
school-sponsored or school-related activity, function or program if
bullying at or during such other activities, functions or programs
negatively impacts the school environment.
(6) "Cyberbullying" means any act of bullying through the use of the
Internet, interactive and digital technologies, cellular mobile telephone
or other mobile electronic devices or any other electro nic
communication.
(7) "Teen dating violence" means any act of physical, emotional or
sexual abuse, including stalking, harassing and threatening, that occurs
between two students who are currently in or who have recently been
in a dating relationship.
(8) "Mobile electronic device" means any hand-held or other portable
electronic equipment capable of providing data communication
between two or more individuals, including, but not limited to, a text
messaging device, a paging device, a personal digital assistant, a laptop
computer, equipment that is capable of playing a video game or a digital
video disk or equipment on which digital images are taken or Substitute Senate Bill No. 1
Public Act No. 23-167 61 of 95
transmitted.
(9) "Electronic communication" means any transfer of signs, signals,
writing, images, sounds, data or intelligence of any nature transmitted
in whole or in part by a wire, radio, electromagnetic, photoelectronic or
photo-optical system.
(10) "School climate improvement plan" means a building-specific
plan developed by the school climate committee, in collaboration with
the school climate specialist, using school climate survey data and any
other relevant information, through a process that engages all members
of the school community and involves such members in a series of
overlapping systemic improvements, school-wide instructional
practices and relational practices that prevent, identify and respond to
challenging behavior, including, but not limited to alleged bullying and
harassment in the school environment.
(11) "Restorative practices" means evidence and research-based
system-level practices that focus on (A) building high-quality,
constructive relationships among the school community, (B) holding
each student accountable for any challenging behavior, and (C)
ensuring each such student has a role in repairing relationships and
reintegrating into the school community.
(12) "School climate survey" means a research-based, validated and
developmentally appropriate survey administered to students, school
employees and families of students, in the predominant languages of
the members of the school community, that measures and identifies
school climate needs and tracks progress through a school climate
improvement plan.
(13) "Connecticut school climate policy" means the school climate
policy developed, updated and approved by an association in the state
that represents boards of education and adopted by the Social and Substitute Senate Bill No. 1
Public Act No. 23-167 62 of 95
Emotional Learning and School Climate Advisory Collaborative,
established pursuant to section 10-222q of the general statutes, as
amended by this act, that provides a framework for an effective and
democratically informed school climate improvement process that
serves to implement Connecticut school climate standards, and includes
a continuous cycle of (A) planning and preparation, (B) evaluation, (C)
action planning, and (D) implementation.
(14) "School employee" means (A) a teacher, substitute teacher,
administrator, school superintendent, school counselor, school
psychologist, social worker, school nurse, physician, paraeducator or
coach employed by a local or regional board of education, or (B) any
other individual who, in the performance of his or her duties, has
regular contact with students and who provides services to or on behalf
of students enrolled in a public school, pursuant to a contract with a
local or regional board of education.
(15) "School community" means any individuals, groups, businesses,
public institutions and nonprofit organizations that are invested in the
welfare and vitality of a public school system and the community in
which it is located, including, but not limited to, students and their
families, members of the local or regional board of education, volunteers
at a school and school employees.
(16) "Challenging behavior" means behavior that negatively impacts
school climate or interferes, or is at risk of interfering, with the learning
or safety of a student or the safety of a school employee.
Sec. 48. (NEW) (Effective July 1, 2023) The Social and Emotional
Learning and School Climate Advisory Collaborative, established
pursuant to section 10-222q of the general statutes, as amended by this
act, shall convene a subcommittee of said collaborative to (1) not later
than February 1, 2024, develop Connecticut school climate standards
based on nationally recognized school climate research and best Substitute Senate Bill No. 1
Public Act No. 23-167 63 of 95
practices, (2) create a uniform bullying complaint form to be included
by the Department of Education on its Internet web site and by local and
regional boards of education on each board's Internet web site and in
each board's student handbooks, and (3) provide guidance to local and
regional boards of education on the implementation of the Connecticut
school climate policy.
Sec. 49. (NEW) (Effective July 1, 2023) (a) For the school years
commencing July 1, 2023, and July 1, 2024, each local and regional board
of education may adopt and implement the Connecticut school climate
policy in accordance with the provisions of sections 47 to 55, inclusive,
of this act, in lieu of implementing the provisions of sections 10-222d,
10-222g to 10-222i, inclusive, 10-222k and 10-222p of the general statutes.
(b) For the school year commencing July 1, 2025, and each school year
thereafter, each local and regional board of education shall adopt and
implement the Connecticut school climate policy in accordance with the
provisions of sections 47 to 55, inclusive, of this act.
Sec. 50. (NEW) (Effective July 1, 2023) For the school year commencing
July 1, 2025, and each school year thereafter, the superintendent of
schools for each school district, or an administrator appointed by the
superintendent, shall serve as the school climate coordinator for the
school district. The school climate coordinator shall be responsible for
(1) providing district-level leadership and support for the
implementation of the school climate improvement plan for each school,
developed pursuant to section 54 of this act, (2) collaborating with the
school climate specialist, as described in section 51 of this act, for each
school to (A) develop a continuum of strategies to prevent, identify and
respond to challenging behavior, including, but not limited to, alleged
bullying and harassment in the school environment, and (B)
communicate such strategies to the school community, including, but
not limited to, through publication the district student handbook, (3)
collecting and maintaining data regarding school climate improvement, Substitute Senate Bill No. 1
Public Act No. 23-167 64 of 95
including, but not limited to, school discipline records, school climate
assessments, attendance rates, social and emotional learning
assessments, academic growth data, types of bullying complaints
submitted by members of the school community, types of challenging
behavior addressed using the restorative practices response policy,
adopted pursuant to section 74 of this act, and data concerning the
implementation of restorative practices, and (4) meeting with the school
climate specialist for each school at least twice during the school year to
(A) identify strategies to improve school climate, including, but not
limited to, by responding to challenging behavior and implementing
evidence and research-based interventions, such as restorative
practices, (B) propose recommendations for revisions to the school
climate improvement plan, and (C) assist with the completion of the
school climate survey.
Sec. 51. (NEW) (Effective July 1, 2023) For the school year commencing
July 1, 2025, and each school year thereafter, the principal of each school,
or a school employee who holds professional certification pursuant to
section 10-145 of the general statutes, is trained in school climate
improvement or restorative practices and is designated as the school
climate specialist by the school principal, shall serve as the school
climate specialist for the school. The school climate specialist shall be
responsible for (1) leading in the prevention, identification and response
to challenging behavior, including, but not limited to, reports of alleged
bullying and harassment, (2) implementing evidence and research-
based interventions, including, but not limited to, restorative practices,
(3) scheduling meetings for and leading the school climate committee,
as described in section 52 of this act, and (4) leading the implementation
of the school climate improvement plan, developed pursuant to section
54 of this act.
Sec. 52. (NEW) (Effective July 1, 2023) (a) For the school year
commencing July 1, 2025, and each school year thereafter, each school Substitute Senate Bill No. 1
Public Act No. 23-167 65 of 95
climate specialist, as described in section 51 of this act, shall appoint
members to the school climate committee who are racially, culturally
and linguistically diverse and representative of various roles in the
school community. The school climate committee shall consist of (1) the
school climate specialist, (2) a teacher selected by the exclusive
bargaining representative for certified employees chosen pursuant to
section 10-153b of the general statutes, (3) a demographically
representative group of students enrolled at the school, as
developmentally appropriate, (4) families of students enrolled at the
school, and (5) other members of the school community, as determined
by the school climate specialist. Membership of the school climate
committee shall be annually reviewed and approved by the school
climate specialist, in coordination with the school climate coordinator,
as described in section 50 of this act.
(b) The school climate committee shall be responsible for (1) assisting
in the development, annual scheduling and administration of the school
climate survey, pursuant to section 53 of this act, and reviewing of the
school climate survey data, (2) using the school climate survey data to
identify strengths and challenges to improve school climate, and to
create or propose revisions to the school climate improvement plan,
developed pursuant to section 54 of this act, (3) assisting in the
implementation of the school climate improvement plan and
recommending any improvements or revisions to the plan, (4) advising
on strategies to improve school climate and implementing evidence and
research-based interventions, including, but not limited to, restorative
practices, in the school community, (5) annually providing notice of the
uniform bullying complaint form created pursuant to section 48 of this
act, or similar complaint form used by the school, to the school
community, and (6) engaging the school community, at community
meetings held at least twice during the school year, in the
implementation of the school climate improvement plan. Substitute Senate Bill No. 1
Public Act No. 23-167 66 of 95
Sec. 53. (NEW) (Effective July 1, 2023) For the school year commencing
July 1, 2025, and biennially thereafter, the school climate committee, as
described in section 52 of this act, for each school shall administer a
school climate survey to students, school employees and families of
students, provided the parent or guardian of each student shall receive
prior written notice of the content and administration of such school
climate survey and shall have a reasonable opportunity to opt such
student out of such school climate survey.
Sec. 54. (NEW) (Effective July 1, 2023) For the school year commencing
July 1, 2025, and each school year thereafter, the school climate
specialist, as described in section 51 of this act, for each school, in
collaboration with the school climate coordinator, as described in
section 50 of this act, shall develop, and update as necessary, a school
climate improvement plan. Such plan shall be based on the results of the
school climate survey, administered pursuant to section 53 of this act,
any recommendations from the school climate committee, as described
in section 52 of this act, the protocols and supports, described in section
71 of this act and any other data the school climate specialist and school
climate coordinator deemed relevant. Such plan shall be submitted to
the school climate coordinator for review and approval on or before
December thirty-first of each school year. Upon approval of such plan,
a written or electronic copy of such plan shall be made available to
members of the school community and such plan shall be used in the
prevention of, identification of and response to challenging behavior.
Sec. 55. (NEW) (Effective July 1, 2023) For the school year commencing
July 1, 2024, and each school year thereafter, each local and regional
board of education shall provide resources and training regarding social
and emotional learning, school climate and culture and evidence and
research-based interventions, including, but not limited to, restorative
practices to school employees. Such resources and training may be made
available at each school under the jurisdiction of such board and include Substitute Senate Bill No. 1
Public Act No. 23-167 67 of 95
technical assistance in the implementation of a school climate
improvement plan. Any school employee may participate in any such
training offered by the board under this section. The school climate
coordinator, as described in section 50 of this act, shall select, and
approve, the individuals or organizations that will provide such
training.
Sec. 56. Subsection (c) of section 10-10g of the general statutes is
repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1,
2025):
(c) For the school year commencing July 1, 2020, and each school year
thereafter, the Department of Education shall disseminate the
information published pursuant to subsection (b) of this section to each
local and regional board of education. Each local and regional board of
education shall require the provision of such information to any (1)
student or parent or guardian of a student who expresses to a school
employee, as defined in section [10-222d] 47 of this act, that such student
or parent or guardian or a person residing with such student or parent
or guardian does not feel safe at home due to domestic violence, and (2)
parent or guardian of a student who authorizes the transfer of such
student's education records to another school.
Sec. 57. Subsection (c) of section 10-145a of the general statutes is
repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1,
2025):
(c) Any candidate in a program of teacher preparation leading to
professional certification shall complete a school violence, bullying, as
defined in section [10-222d] 47 of this act, and suicide prevention and
conflict resolution component of such a program.
Sec. 58. Subdivision (1) of subsection (e) of section 10-145o of the
general statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu Substitute Senate Bill No. 1
Public Act No. 23-167 68 of 95
thereof (Effective July 1, 2025):
(e) (1) Beginning teachers shall satisfactorily complete instructional
modules in the following areas: (A) Classroom management and
climate, which shall include training regarding the prevention,
identification and response to [school] bullying, as defined in section
[10-222d] 47 of this act, and the prevention of and response to youth
suicide; (B) lesson planning and unit design; (C) delivering instruction;
(D) assessing student learning; and (E) professional practice. Beginning
teachers shall complete two modules in their first year in the program
and three modules in their second year in the program, except as
otherwise provided by the Commissioner of Education, or as provided
for in subsection (h) of this section.
Sec. 59. Section 10-212e of the general statutes is repealed and the
following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1, 2025):
No claim for damages shall be made against a town, local or regional
board of education or school employee, as defined in section [10-222d]
47 of this act, for any injury or damage resulting from the provision of
food or dietary supplements by a parent or guardian, or a person
designated by such parent or guardian, on school grounds to a student
with glycogen storage disease under an individualized health care and
glycogen storage disease action plan, pursuant to section 10-212c.
Sec. 60. Subsection (a) of section 10-220a of the general statutes is
repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1,
2025):
(a) Each local or regional board of education shall provide an in-
service training program for its teachers, administrators and pupil
personnel who hold the initial educator, provisional educator or
professional educator certificate. Such program shall provide such
teachers, administrators and pupil personnel with information on (1) Substitute Senate Bill No. 1
Public Act No. 23-167 69 of 95
the nature and the relationship of alcohol and drugs, as defined in
subdivision (17) of section 21a-240, to health and personality
development, and procedures for discouraging their abuse, (2) health
and mental health risk reduction education that includes, but need not
be limited to, the prevention of risk-taking behavior by children and the
relationship of such behavior to substance abuse, pregnancy, sexually
transmitted diseases, including HIV-infection and AIDS, as defined in
section 19a-581, violence, teen dating violence, domestic violence and
child abuse, (3) school violence prevention, conflict resolution, the
prevention of and response to youth suicide and the identification and
prevention of and response to bullying, as defined in [subsection (a) of
section 10-222d] section 47 of this act, except that those boards of
education that implement any evidence-based model approach that is
approved by the Department of Education and is consistent with
subsection (c) of section 10-145a, as amended by this act, [sections 10-
222d, 10-222g and 10-222h,] subsection (g) of section 10-233c and
sections 1 and 3 of public act 08-160, shall not be required to provide in-
service training on the identification and prevention of and response to
bullying, (4) cardiopulmonary resuscitation and other emergency life
saving procedures, (5) the requirements and obligations of a mandated
reporter, (6) the detection and recognition of, and evidence-based
structured literacy interventions for, students with dyslexia, as defined
in section 10-3d, (7) culturally responsive pedagogy and practice,
including, but not limited to, the video training module relating to
implicit bias and anti-bias in the hiring process in accordance with the
provisions of section 10-156hh, and (8) the principles and practices of
social-emotional learning and restorative practices. Each local or
regional board of education may allow any paraprofessional or
noncertified employee to participate, on a voluntary basis, in any in-
service training program provided pursuant to this section.
Sec. 61. Section 10-222j of the general statutes is repealed and the
following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1, 2025): Substitute Senate Bill No. 1
Public Act No. 23-167 70 of 95
The Department of Education shall provide, within available
appropriations, annual training to school employees, as defined in
section [10-222d] 47 of this act, except those school employees who hold
professional certification pursuant to section 10-145b unless such school
employee who holds professional certification is the [district safe school
climate coordinator, the safe school climate specialist or a member of the
safe school climate committee, as described in section 10-222k] school
climate coordinator, as described in section 50 of this act, the school
climate specialist, as described in section 51 of this act, or a member of
the school climate committee, as described in section 52 of this act, on
the prevention, identification and response to [school] bullying and teen
dating violence, as defined in section [10-222d] 47 of this act, and the
prevention of and response to youth suicide. Such training may include,
but not be limited to, (1) developmentally appropriate strategies to
prevent bullying and teen dating violence among students in school and
outside of the school setting, (2) developmentally appropriate strategies
for immediate and effective interventions to stop bullying and teen
dating violence, (3) information regarding the interaction and
relationship between students committing acts of bullying and teen
dating violence, students against whom such acts of bullying and teen
dating violence are directed and witnesses of such acts of bullying and
teen dating violence, (4) research findings on bullying and teen dating
violence, such as information about the types of students who have been
shown to be at-risk for bullying and teen dating violence in the school
setting, (5) information on the incidence and nature of cyberbullying, as
defined in section [10-222d] 47 of this act, (6) Internet safety issues as
they relate to cyberbullying, or (7) information on the incidence of youth
suicide, methods of identifying youths at risk of suicide and
developmentally appropriate strategies for effective interventions to
prevent youth suicide. Such training may be presented in person by
mentors, offered in state-wide workshops or through on-line courses.
Sec. 62. Section 10-222l of the general statutes is repealed and the Substitute Senate Bill No. 1
Public Act No. 23-167 71 of 95
following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1, 2025):
(a) No claim for damages shall be made against a school employee,
as defined in section [10-222d] 47 of this act, who reports, investigates
and responds to bullying or teen dating violence, as defined in section
[10-222d] 47 of this act, in accordance with the provisions of the [safe
school climate plan, described in section 10-222d] school climate
improvement plan, as described in section 54 of this act, if such school
employee was acting in good faith in the discharge of his or her duties
or within the scope of his or her employment. The immunity provided
in this subsection does not apply to acts or omissions constituting gross,
reckless, wilful or wanton misconduct.
(b) No claim for damages shall be made against a student, parent or
guardian of a student or any other individual who reports an act of
bullying or teen dating violence to a school employee, in accordance
with the provisions of the [safe school climate plan described in section
10-222d] school climate improvement plan, if such individual was
acting in good faith. The immunity provided in this subsection does not
apply to acts or omissions constituting gross, reckless, wilful or wanton
misconduct.
(c) No claim for damages shall be made against a local or regional
board of education that implements the [safe school climate plan,
described in section 10-222d,] school climate improvement plan and
reports, investigates and responds to bullying or teen dating violence,
as defined in section [10-222d] 47 of this act, if such local or regional
board of education was acting in good faith in the discharge of its duties.
The immunity provided in this subsection does not apply to acts or
omissions constituting gross, reckless, wilful or wanton misconduct.
Sec. 63. Subsection (b) of section 10-222m of the general statutes is
repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1,
2025): Substitute Senate Bill No. 1
Public Act No. 23-167 72 of 95
(b) For the school year commencing July 1, 2014, and each school year
thereafter, each local and regional board of education shall establish a
school security and safety committee at each school under the
jurisdiction of such board. The school security and safety committee
shall be responsible for assisting in the development of the school
security and safety plan for the school and administering such plan.
Such school security and safety committee shall consist of a local police
officer, a local first responder, a teacher and an administrator employed
at the school, a mental health professional, as defined in section 10-76t,
a parent or guardian of a student enrolled in the school and any other
person the board of education deems necessary. Any parent or guardian
serving as a member of a school security and safety committee shall not
have access to [any] information reported to such committee [, pursuant
to subparagraph (c) of subdivision (2) of subsection (c) of section 10-
222k] that would result in a violation of the Family Educational Rights
and Privacy Act of 1974, 20 USC 1232g, as amended from time to time.
Sec. 64. Subsection (a) of section 10-222n of the general statutes is
repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1,
2025):
(a) Not later than January 1, 2014, the Department of Emergency
Services and Public Protection, in consultation with the Department of
Education, shall develop school security and safety plan standards. Not
later than January 1, 2020, and every three years thereafter, the
Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection, in
consultation with the Department of Education, shall reevaluate and
update the school security and safety plan standards. The school
security and safety plan standards shall be an all-hazards approach to
emergencies at public schools and shall include, but not be limited to,
(1) involvement of local officials, including the chief executive officer of
the municipality, the superintendent of schools, law enforcement, fire,
public health, emergency management and emergency medical Substitute Senate Bill No. 1
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services, in the development of school security and safety plans, (2) a
command center organization structure based on the federal National
Incident Management System and a description of the responsibilities
of such command center organization, (3) a requirement that a school
security and safety committee be established at each school, in
accordance with the provisions of section 10-222m, as amended by this
act, (4) crisis management procedures, (5) a requirement that local law
enforcement and other local public safety officials evaluate, score and
provide feedback on fire drills and crisis response drills, conducted
pursuant to section 10-231, (6) a requirement that local and regional
boards of education annually submit reports to the Department of
Emergency Services and Public Protection regarding such fire drills and
crisis response drills, (7) procedures for managing various types of
emergencies, (8) a requirement that each local and regional board of
education conduct a security and vulnerability assessment for each
school under the jurisdiction of such board every two years and develop
a school security and safety plan for each such school, in accordance
with the provisions of section 10-222m, as amended by this act, based
on the results of such assessment, (9) a requirement that the [safe school
climate committee for each school, established pursuant to section 10-
222k] school climate committee, as described in section 52 of this act,
collect and evaluate information relating to instances of disturbing or
threatening behavior that may not meet the definition of bullying, as
defined in section [10-222d] 47 of this act, and report such information,
as necessary, to the [district safe school climate coordinator, described
in section 10-222k] school climate coordinator, as described in section 50
of this act, and the school security and safety committee for the school,
established pursuant to section 10-222m, as amended by this act, and
(10) a requirement that the school security and safety plan for each
school provide an orientation on such school security and safety plan to
each school employee, as defined in section [10-222d] 47 of this act, at
such school and provide violence prevention training in a manner
prescribed in such school security and safety plan. The Department of Substitute Senate Bill No. 1
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Emergency Services and Public Protection shall make such standards
available to local officials, including local and regional boards of
education, and the Department of Education shall distribute such
standards to all public schools within the state.
Sec. 65. Subsection (a) of section 10-222q of the general statutes is
repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1,
2025):
(a) There is established a social and emotional learning and school
climate advisory collaborative. The collaborative shall (1) collect
information concerning the school climate improvement efforts of local
and regional boards of education, (2) document any needs articulated
by local and regional boards of education for technical assistance and
training relating to fostering positive school climates, (3) identify best
practices for promoting positive school climates, (4) direct resources to
support state-wide and local initiatives on issues relating to fostering
and improving positive school climates and improving access to social
and emotional learning in schools, (5) develop an assessment for
screening students in grades three to twelve, inclusive, to determine
whether such students are at risk for suicide, (6) develop a biennial state-
wide school climate survey, as described in subsection (c) of section 2 of
public act 19-166, (7) [develop a model positive school climate policy, as
described in subsection (a) of section 2 of public act 19-166] adopt a
Connecticut school climate policy, as defined in section 47 of this act, (8)
develop a plain language explanation of the rights and remedies
available under sections 10-4a and 10-4b for distribution to parents and
guardians, [pursuant to subdivision (2) of subsection (c) of section 10-
222d,] and provide such explanation to each local and regional board of
education not later than January 1, 2021, and (9) perform other functions
concerning social and emotional learning and fostering positive school
climates.
Sec. 66. Section 10-222w of the general statutes is repealed and the Substitute Senate Bill No. 1
Public Act No. 23-167 75 of 95
following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1, 2025):
Not later than January 1, 2022, the Social Emotional Learning and
School Climate Advisory Collaborative, established pursuant to section
10-222q, as amended by this act, shall convene a working group to (1)
review sections 10-222d to 10-222p, inclusive, of the general statutes,
revision of 1958, revised to January 1, 2021, relating to bullying and safe
school climate plans, (2) make recommendations concerning (A)
amendments to said sections 10-222d to 10-222p, inclusive, of the
general statutes, revision of 1958, revised to January 1, 2021, and (B) the
inclusion of restorative practices in safe school climate plans, [and (C)
state-wide adoption of the National School Climate Standards,] and (3)
provide technical assistance and support to local and regional boards of
education in adopting and implementing the Connecticut Model School
Climate Policy, policy number 5131.914. The Social Emotional Learning
and School Climate Advisory Collaborative may consult with or include
representatives from the national Collaborative for Academic, Social,
and Emotional Learning as members of the working group in
implementing the provisions of this section.
Sec. 67. Subsection (o) of section 10-236b of the general statutes is
repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1,
2025):
(o) (1) Each local or regional board of education shall provide training
regarding the physical restraint and seclusion of students to the
members of the crisis intervention team for each school in the district,
identified pursuant to subdivision (2) of this subsection. A local or
regional board of education may provide such training to any teacher,
as defined in section 10-144d, administrator, as defined in section 10-
144e, school paraprofessional or other school employee, as defined in
section [10-222d] 47 of this act, designated by the school principal and
who has direct contact with students. Such training shall be provided
during the school year commencing July 1, 2017, and each school year Substitute Senate Bill No. 1
Public Act No. 23-167 76 of 95
thereafter, and shall include, but not be limited to:
(A) An overview of the relevant laws and regulations regarding the
use of physical restraint and seclusion on students and the proper uses
of physical restraint and seclusion. For the school year commencing July
1, 2017, and annually thereafter, such overview shall be provided by the
Department of Education, in a manner and form as prescribed by the
Commissioner of Education;
(B) The creation of a plan by which each local and regional board of
education shall provide training regarding the prevention of incidents
requiring physical restraint or seclusion of students. Such plan shall be
implemented not later than July 1, 2018. The Department of Education
may, within available appropriations, provide ongoing monitoring and
support to local or regional boards of education regarding the
formulation and implementation of the plan; and
(C) The creation of a plan by which each local or regional board of
education shall provide training regarding the proper means of physical
restraint or seclusion of a student, including, but not limited to, (i)
various types of physical restraint and seclusion; (ii) the differences
between life-threatening physical restraint and other varying levels of
physical restraint; (iii) the differences between permissible physical
restraint and pain compliance techniques; and (iv) monitoring methods
to prevent harm to a student who is physically restrained or in seclusion.
Such plan shall be implemented not later than July 1, 2018;
(2) For the school year commencing July 1, 2017, and each school year
thereafter, each local and regional board of education shall require each
school in the district to identify a crisis intervention team consisting of
any teacher, as defined in section 10-144d, administrator, as defined in
section 10-144e, school paraprofessional or other school employee, as
defined in section [10-222d] 47 of this act, designated by the school
principal and who has direct contact with students. Such teams shall Substitute Senate Bill No. 1
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respond to any incident in which the use of physical restraint or
seclusion may be necessary as an emergency intervention to prevent
immediate or imminent injury to a student or to others. Each member of
the crisis intervention team shall be recertified in the use of physical
restraint and seclusion pursuant to subparagraph (C) of subdivision (1)
of this subsection or chapter 814e on an annual basis. Each local and
regional board of education shall maintain a list of the members of the
crisis intervention team for each school.
Sec. 68. Subdivision (33) of section 12-81 of the general statutes is
repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1,
2025):
(33) Musical instruments, radios, television sets, cellular mobile
telephones, computers and mobile electronic devices, as defined in
section [10-222d] 47 of this act, used by and belonging to any family;
Sec. 69. Subsection (c) of section 17a-52a of the general statutes is
repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1,
2025):
(c) The director of health for each local health department and district
department of health shall determine the eligibility criteria for
participation in the youth suicide prevention training program.
Participants shall be members of the following groups within such
district: (1) Employees of such local health department and district
department of health, (2) employees of youth service bureaus
established pursuant to section 10-19m, (3) school employees, as defined
in section [10-222d] 47 of this act, (4) employees and volunteers of youth-
serving organizations, (5) employees and volunteers of operators of
youth athletic activities, as defined in section 21a-432, (6) employees of
municipal social service agencies, (7) members of paid municipal or
volunteer fire departments, and (8) members of local police
departments. With respect to school employees, such training program Substitute Senate Bill No. 1
Public Act No. 23-167 78 of 95
may be included as part of an in-service training program provided
pursuant to section 10-220a, as amended by this act.
Sec. 70. Subdivision (1) of subsection (c) of section 17a-453h of the
general statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu
thereof (Effective July 1, 2025):
(c) (1) For the school year commencing July 1, [2014] 2025, the
Commissioner of Mental Health and Addiction Services shall provide
mental health first aid training to any person appointed to serve as the
[district safe school climate coordinator, pursuant to section 10-222k]
school climate coordinator, as described in section 50 of this act. Each
such [district safe] school climate coordinator shall successfully
complete such mental health first aid training.
Sec. 71. (NEW) (Effective July 1, 2023) A school climate improvement
plan developed pursuant to section 54 of this act shall align with the
Connecticut school climate standards, developed pursuant to section 48
of this act, and include protocols and supports to enhance classroom
safety and address challenging behavior. At a minimum, such protocols
and supports shall specify:
(1) The contact information of an administrator designated by the
school climate specialist, as described in section 51 of this act, to be
notified by school employees of any incidents of challenging behavior
that results in student discipline or removal from the classroom, and the
contact information of any other administrator or school employee to be
notified of such incidents in the absence of the designated administrator;
(2) The process by which the designated administrator will assess the
facts, severity and intentionality of an incident of challenging behavior;
(3) Each designated location to which a student may be sent pursuant
to section 10-233b of the general statutes when a student is temporarily
removed from a classroom and the supports such student may receive Substitute Senate Bill No. 1
Public Act No. 23-167 79 of 95
at such location, including, but not limited to, intervention from a school
employee trained to provide such intervention, therapeutic resources,
available mental health supports, instructional materials and
technology or other resources to address the temporary needs of such
student;
(4) Ways to address challenging behavior, enhance resiliency,
increase the use of de-escalation strategies and improve social and
emotional skills, which may include, but is not limited to, the use of
training, therapeutic mental health supports, restorative practices or
trauma-informed instructional strategies;
(5) The safeguards established to ensure that any supports, services
or interventions provided under this section to any student who
receives special education or accommodation for a disability comply
with the provisions of sections 10-76d and 10-236b of the general
statutes, as amended by this act, the requirements of Section 504 of the
Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended from time to time, the
Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, 20 USC 1400 et seq., as
amended from time to time, and such student's individualized
education program or plan pursuant to Section 504 of the Rehabilitation
Act of 1973;
(6) Tiered responses, based on level of impact or frequency of
occurrence, to incidents of challenging behavior that (A) require
temporarily clearing a classroom or removing a majority of students to
reduce likelihood of injury, (B) indicate credible intention to cause
bodily harm to self or others, or (C) result in an injury that requires
medical attention beyond basic first aid, or less severe injuries caused
by the same person on more than one occasion, verified by the school
nurse or other medical professional. Such tiered responses shall include,
but need not be limited to, the following:
(i) For a single such incident, the school principal shall notify the Substitute Senate Bill No. 1
Public Act No. 23-167 80 of 95
parents or guardians of each student involved in such incident in a
manner that complies with the requirements of the Family Educational
Rights and Privacy Act, 20 USC 1232g, as amended from time to time;
(ii) For a subsequent such incident, the school principal shall invite
the parents or guardians of each student involved in such incident to a
meeting, either in person at the school or virtually, to discuss the specific
supports or interventions that are applicable to such student, including,
but not limited to, restorative practices;
(iii) For multiple subsequent such incidents or a single such incident
that causes severe harm, the school principal shall provide notice to the
parents or guardians of each student involved in such incident of other
resources for supports and interventions, including, but not limited to,
the 2-1-1 Infoline program, services or programs available through the
Behavioral Health Partnership, established pursuant to section 17a-22h
of the general statutes or other resources for professional services,
support or crisis intervention.
(7) A requirement for the superintendent of schools to submit, at least
annually, to the local or regional board of education a report concerning
the number of incidents, as described in subdivision (6) of this section,
that occurred during the prior year, the grade level of each student
involved in such incidents and the supports, services or interventions
provided in response to such incidents to address the needs of students
and school employees. Such report shall be produced in a manner that
does not result in the disclosure of data identifiable to individual
students in accordance with the Family Educational Rights and Privacy
Act, 20 USC 1232g, as amended from time to time, and the Department
of Education's data suppression guidelines;
(8) A prohibition on the discrimination or retaliation against any
person who reports or assists in the investigation of an incident of
challenging behavior, as described in subdivision (6) of this section; Substitute Senate Bill No. 1
Public Act No. 23-167 81 of 95
(9) For incidents of challenging behavior, as described in subdivision
(6) of this section, (A) a requirement for a meeting between an
administrator and the school employee who witness such incident, not
later than two days after the date such incident occurred, to determine
the supports and interventions required to address the needs of students
and school employees, provided the supports and interventions for any
student who receives special education shall be determined by the
planning and placement team for such student and notice of such
incident shall be submitted to the planning and placement team not later
than two days after the date such incident occurred, and (B) a process
by which a teacher may request a behavior intervention meeting
pursuant to section 10-236c of the general statutes.
Sec. 72. Section 10-233m of the general statutes is repealed and the
following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1, 2023):
Each local or regional board of education that assigns a school
resource officer to any school under the jurisdiction of such board shall
enter into a memorandum of understanding with a local law
enforcement agency regarding the role and responsibility of such school
resource officer. Such memorandum of understanding shall (1) be
maintained in a central location in the school district and posted on the
Internet web site of the school district and each school in which such
school resource officer is assigned, (2) include provisions addressing
daily interactions between students and school personnel with school
resource officers, and [shall] (3) include a graduated response model for
student discipline. Any such memorandum of understanding entered
into, extended, updated or amended (A) on or after July 1, 2021, shall
include a provision that requires all school resource officers to complete,
while in the performance of their duties as school resource officers and
during periods when such school resource officers are assigned to be at
the school, any separate training specifically related to social-emotional
learning and restorative practices provided to certified employees of the Substitute Senate Bill No. 1
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school pursuant to sections 10-148a and 10-220a, as amended by this act,
and (B) on or after July 1, 2023, shall include provisions specifying a
school resource officer's duties concerning, and procedures for, the
restraint of students, use of firearms, school-based arrests and reporting
of any investigations and behavioral interventions pursuant to the
provisions of section 73 of this act. For the purposes of this section,
"school resource officer" means a sworn police officer of a local law
enforcement agency who has been assigned to a school pursuant to an
agreement between the local or regional board of education and the
chief of police of a local law enforcement agency.
Sec. 73. (NEW) (Effective July 1, 2023) Each school resource officer, as
defined in section 10-233m of the general statutes, as amended by this
act, shall submit to the chief of police of such school resource officer's
local law enforcement agency a report for each investigation or
behavioral intervention conducted by such school resource officer not
later than five school days after conducting such investigation or
behavioral intervention. The chief of police shall submit such report to
the superintendent of schools for the school district in which such
investigation or behavioral intervention occurred in accordance with
the provisions of the memorandum of understanding entered into
pursuant to section 10-233m of the general statutes, as amended by this
act, but shall be not less frequently than monthly. Such superintendent
shall submit such report to the local or regional board of education of
the school district. Such report shall include, but need not be limited to,
(1) the date, time and location of such investigation or behavioral
intervention, (2) the name and badge number of such school resource
officer, (3) the race, ethnicity, gender, age and disability status for each
student involved in such investigation or behavioral intervention, (4)
the reason for and nature of such investigation or behavioral
intervention, (5) the disposition of such investigation or behavioral
intervention, and (6) whether any student involved in such
investigation or behavioral intervention was (A) searched, (B) apprised Substitute Senate Bill No. 1
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of such student's constitutional rights, (C) issued a citation or a
summons, (D) arrested, or (E) detained, including the amount of time
such student was detained. For purposes of this section, "investigation
or behavioral intervention" means a circumstance in which a school
resource officer is conducting (i) a fact-finding inquiry concerning
student behavior or school safety, including, but not limited to,
emergency circumstances, or (ii) an intervention to resolve violent or
nonviolent student behavior or conflicts.
Sec. 74. (NEW) (Effective July 1, 2023) For the school year commencing
July 1, 2025, and each school year thereafter, each local and regional
board of education shall adopt a restorative practices response policy to
be implemented by school employees for incidents of challenging
behavior or student conflict that is nonviolent and does not constitute a
crime. Such policy shall not include the involvement of a school resource
office or other law enforcement official, unless such challenging
behavior or conflict escalates to violence or constitutes a crime.
Sec. 75. (Effective July 1, 2023) The Commissioner of Education shall
establish a working group under the Connecticut School Discipline
Collaborative to study current school discipline practices, including, but
not limited to, discipline practices that lead to students becoming
justice-involved. The members of such working group shall be
appointed by the commissioner and be representative of students,
educators, community members, experts in child welfare and
development, mental health care providers and experts in restorative
practices, as defined in section 47 of this act. Not later than July 1, 2024,
such working group shall submit, in accordance with the provisions of
section 11-4a of the general statutes, to the joint standing committee of
the General Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to
education a report concerning the results of such study and any
recommendations for school discipline reform. For the purpose of this
section, "justice-involved" means being involved with the juvenile Substitute Senate Bill No. 1
Public Act No. 23-167 84 of 95
justice system as a result of being accused of a delinquent or criminal
act.
Sec. 76. Section 10-220 of the general statutes is amended by adding
subsection (g) as follows (Effective January 1, 2024):
(NEW) (g) For the school year commencing July 1, 2024, and each
school year thereafter, any local or regional board of education with a
rate of in-school suspensions, out-of-school suspensions and expulsions
that is deemed high or disproportionate by the Commissioner of
Education based on the examination of data pursuant to section 10-233n,
as amended by this act, shall (1) develop strategies to reduce the number
of such suspensions and expulsions, and (2) submit such strategies to
the Department of Education in the form and manner prescribed by the
commissioner.
Sec. 77. Subsection (b) of section 10-233n of the general statutes is
repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective January
1, 2024):
(b) The Department of Education shall annually examine data
relating to in-school suspensions, out-of-school suspensions, expulsions
and school-based arrests that has been submitted as part of the strategic
school profile report pursuant to section 10-220, as amended by this act,
and shall disaggregate such data by school, race, ethnicity, gender, age,
students with disabilities, English language learners, as defined in
section 10-76kk, students who are eligible for free or reduced priced
lunch pursuant to federal law and regulations, and type of offense for
which the school-based arrests were made and the number of arrests
made annually at each school within the school district. The department
shall annually submit [a report] to the State Board of Education, and
post on its Internet web site, a report regarding the examination and
disaggregation of such data, [and make the report available on the
department's Internet web site] any strategies developed pursuant to Substitute Senate Bill No. 1
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subsection (g) of section 10-220, as amended by this act, and the results
of such strategies.
Sec. 78. (NEW) (Effective January 1, 2024) On and after July 1, 2024, the
Department of Education shall, within available appropriations,
provide support, on-site monitoring and oversight of schools that are
implementing strategies developed pursuant to subsection (g) of section
10-220 of the general statutes, as amended by this act.
Sec. 79. (NEW) (Effective July 1, 2023) Not later than January 1, 2024,
the Department of Education shall provide to each local and regional
board of education a list of recommended assessments for determining
the suicide risk of students who exhibit mental health distress, have
been identified as at risk of suicide or are considered to be at an
increased risk of suicide based on the risk factors identified pursuant to
subsection (f) of section 10-221 of the general statutes, as amended by
this act. Such list may include, but need not be limited to, the Columbia-
Suicide Severity Rating Scale.
Sec. 80. Subsection (f) of section 10-221 of the general statutes is
repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1,
2023):
(f) Each local and regional board of education shall adopt a written
policy and procedures for dealing with youth suicide prevention and
youth suicide attempts. Each such board of education may (1) establish
a student assistance program to identify (A) risk factors for youth
suicide, based on the state-wide strategic suicide prevention plan
developed by the Connecticut Suicide Advisory Board, established
pursuant to section 17a-52, and shall include, but need not be limited to,
youth who are (i) bereaved by suicide, (ii) disabled or have chronic
health conditions, such as mental health or substance use disorders, (iii)
involved in the juvenile justice system, (iv) experiencing homelessness
or placed in an out-of-home setting, such as foster care, or (v) lesbian, Substitute Senate Bill No. 1
Public Act No. 23-167 86 of 95
gay, bisexual, transgender or questioning, (B) procedures to intervene
with such youths, (C) referral services, and (D) training for teachers and
other school professionals and students who provide assistance in the
program, and (2) use an assessment, from a list of such assessments
recommended by the Department of Education pursuant to section 79
of this act, to determine the suicide risk of students who exhibit mental
health distress, have been identified as at risk of suicide or are
considered to be at an increased risk of suicide based on the risk factors
identified pursuant to subdivision (1) of this subsection. Students who
are assessed based on such risk factors shall receive heightened
consideration during such assessment.
Sec. 81. (Effective from passage) Not later than January 1, 2025, the
Department of Education shall submit to the Juvenile Justice Policy and
Oversight Committee, established pursuant to section 46b-121n of the
general statutes, a report assessing the educational experiences and
outcomes of students who are expelled and placed in alternative
educational opportunities, offered pursuant to subsection (d) of section
10-233d of the general statutes, and how such alternative educational
opportunities compare to the standards adopted by the State Board of
Education pursuant to section 10-233o of the general statutes. Such
report shall include, but need not be limited to, (1) the total number of
students who were expelled and placed in alternative educational
opportunities during the prior school year, (2) the types of alternative
educational opportunities in which such students were placed, and (3)
any engagement and outcome measure for such students.
Sec. 82. (NEW) (Effective from passage) (a) The Department of
Education's Connecticut School Discipline Collaborative shall advise
the Commissioner of Education and the State Board of Education on
strategies to reduce the overall and disproportionate use of out-of-
school suspensions and expulsions.
(b) On and after October 1, 2023, the duties of the Connecticut School Substitute Senate Bill No. 1
Public Act No. 23-167 87 of 95
Discipline Collaborative shall include, but need not be limited to, (1)
developing guidance to reduce the number of out-of-school suspensions
and expulsions of students in grades preschool to two, inclusive, (2)
providing evidence-based and developmentally appropriate definitions
and examples of conduct that is of a violent or sexual nature in the
context that such conduct may allow an out-of-school suspension of a
student in grades preschool to two, inclusive, pursuant to subsection (g)
of section 10-233c of the general statutes, and (3) recommending
developmentally appropriate interventions for a student in grades
preschool to two, inclusive, as an alternative to out-of-school
suspension.
Sec. 83. Section 4 of public act 22-80, as amended by section 7 of public
act 22-116, is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof
(Effective from passage):
(a) For the fiscal years ending June 30, 2023, to June 30, 2025,
inclusive, the Department of Education shall administer a grant
program to provide grants to local and regional boards of education for
the purpose of hiring and retaining additional school social workers,
school psychologists, school counselors, school nurses and licensed
marriage and family therapists.
(b) Applications for grants pursuant to subsection (a) of this section
shall be filed with the Commissioner of Education at such time and in
such manner as the commissioner prescribes. As part of the application,
an applicant shall submit a (1) plan for the expenditure of grant funds,
and (2) copy of the completed survey described in section 3 of public act
22-80. Such plan shall include, but need not be limited to, the number of
additional school social workers, school psychologists, school
counselors, school nurses or licensed marriage and family therapists to
be hired, the number of school social workers, school psychologists,
school counselors, school nurses or licensed marriage and family
therapists being retained who were previously hired with the assistance Substitute Senate Bill No. 1
Public Act No. 23-167 88 of 95
of grant funds awarded under this section, whether such school social
workers, school psychologists, school counselors, school nurses or
licensed marriage and family therapists will be conducting assessments
of students or providing services to students based on the results of
assessments, and the type of services that will be provided by such
school social workers, school psychologists, school counselors, school
nurses and licensed marriage and family therapists.
(c) In determining whether to award an applicant a grant under this
section, the commissioner shall give priority to those school districts (1)
with large student-to-school social worker ratios, student-to-school
psychologist ratios, student-to-school counselor ratios, student-to-
school nurse ratios or student-to-licensed marriage and family therapist
ratios, or (2) that have a high volume of student utilization of mental
health services.
(d) For the fiscal year ending June 30, 2023, the commissioner may
award a grant to an applicant and shall determine the amount of the
grant award based on the plan submitted by such applicant pursuant to
subsection (b) of this section. The commissioner shall pay a grant to each
grant recipient in each of the fiscal years ending June 30, 2023, to June
30, 2025, inclusive, as follows: (1) For the fiscal year ending June 30, 2023,
the amount of the grant shall be as determined by the commissioner
under this subsection; (2) for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2024, the
amount of the grant shall be the same amount as the grant awarded for
the prior fiscal year; and (3) for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025, the
amount of the grant shall be seventy per cent of the amount of the grant
awarded for the prior fiscal year.
(e) Grant recipients shall file annual expenditure reports with the
department at such time and in such manner as the commissioner
prescribes. Grant recipients shall refund to the department [(1) any
unexpended amounts at the close of the fiscal year in which the grant
was awarded, and (2)] any amounts not expended in accordance with Substitute Senate Bill No. 1
Public Act No. 23-167 89 of 95
the plan for which such grant application was approved.
(f) The department shall annually track and calculate the utilization
rate of the grant program for each grant recipient. Such utilization rate
shall be calculated using metrics that include, but need not be limited
to, the number of students served and the hours of service provided
using grant funds awarded under the program.
(g) For purposes of carrying out the provisions of this section, the
Department of Education may accept funds from private sources or any
state agency, gifts, grants and donations, including, but not limited to,
in-kind donations.
(h) (1) Not later than January 1, 2024, and each January first thereafter
until and including January 1, 2026, the commissioner shall submit a
report, in accordance with the provisions of section 11-4a of the general
statutes, on the expenditure report and utilization rate, calculated
pursuant to subsection (f) of this section, for each grant recipient to the
joint standing committees of the General Assembly having cognizance
of matters relating to education and children.
(2) Not later than January 1, 2026, the Commissioner of Education
shall develop recommendations concerning (A) whether such grant
program should be extended and funded for the fiscal year ending June
30, 2026, and each fiscal year thereafter, and (B) the amount of the grant
award under the program. The commissioner shall submit such
recommendations, in accordance with the provisions of section 11-4a of
the general statutes, to the joint standing committees of the General
Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to education and
children.
Sec. 84. Section 13 of public act 22-47, as amended by section 10 of
public act 22-116, is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu
thereof (Effective from passage): Substitute Senate Bill No. 1
Public Act No. 23-167 90 of 95
(a) For the fiscal years ending June 30, [2023] 2024, to June 30, [2025]
2026, inclusive, the Department of Education shall administer a grant
program to provide grants to local and regional boards of education for
the purpose of hiring additional school mental health specialists. As
used in this section, "school mental health specialist" has the same
meaning as provided in section 12 of public act 22-47.
(b) On and after January 1, 2023, a local or regional board of education
may submit an application for a grant under this section, in such form
and manner as the Commissioner of Education prescribes. As part of the
application, the applicant shall submit (1) a plan for the expenditure of
grant funds, and (2) (A) for an application submitted before July 1, 2023,
the information described in subdivisions (1) to (5), inclusive, of
subsection (b) of section 12 of public act 22-47, and (B) for an application
submitted on or after July 1, 2023, a copy of the completed survey
described in section 12 of public act 22-47. Such plan shall include, but
need not be limited to, the number of additional school mental health
specialists to be hired, if such grant funds will be used to retain any of
the school mental health specialists hired with the assistance of grant
funds awarded under this section, whether such school mental health
specialists will be conducting assessments of students or providing
services to students based on the results of assessments, the type of
services that will be provided by such school mental health specialists,
and a description of how such board will implement the provisions of
subsection (f) of this section.
(c) In determining whether to award an applicant a grant under this
section, the Commissioner of Education shall give priority to those
school districts (1) with large student-to-school mental health specialist
ratios, or (2) that have a high volume of student utilization of mental
health services.
(d) For the fiscal year ending June 30, [2023] 2024, the Commissioner
of Education may award a grant to an applicant and shall determine the Substitute Senate Bill No. 1
Public Act No. 23-167 91 of 95
amount of the grant award based on the plan submitted by such
applicant pursuant to subsection (b) of this section. The commissioner
shall pay a grant to each grant recipient in each of the fiscal years ending
June 30, [2023] 2024, to June 30, [2025] 2026, inclusive, as follows: (1) For
the fiscal year ending June 30, [2023] 2024, the amount of the grant shall
be as determined by the commissioner under this subsection; (2) for the
fiscal year ending June 30, [2024] 2025, the amount of the grant shall be
the same amount as the grant awarded for the prior fiscal year; and (3)
for the fiscal year ending June 30, [2025] 2026, the amount of the grant
shall be seventy per cent of the amount of the grant awarded for the
prior fiscal year.
(e) Grant recipients shall file annual expenditure reports with the
Department of Education at such time, and in such manner, as the
commissioner prescribes. A grant recipient shall only expend grant
funds received under this section in accordance with the plan submitted
pursuant to subsection (b) of this section, and a grant recipient may not
use such grant funds received under this section for the purpose of any
operating expenses that existed prior to receipt of such grant. Grant
recipients shall refund to the department [(1) any unexpended amounts
at the close of the fiscal year in which the grant was awarded, and (2)]
any amounts not expended in accordance with the plan for which such
grant application was approved.
(f) If a local or regional board of education receives a grant under this
section for the hiring of a school counselor, such school counselor shall
provide one-on-one consultations with each student in grades eleven
and twelve on the completion of the Free Application for Federal
Student Aid. If such board can provide evidence to the Commissioner
of Education that the student completion rate of the Free Application for
Federal Student Aid for the school district has increased by at least five
per cent, such board shall receive an additional grant in the amount of
ten per cent of the grant received under this section for the fiscal year in Substitute Senate Bill No. 1
Public Act No. 23-167 92 of 95
which such board provided such evidence.
(g) (1) The Department of Education shall annually track and
calculate the utilization rate of the grant program for each grant
recipient. Such utilization rate shall be calculated using metrics that
include, but need not be limited to, the number of students served and
the hours of service provided using grant funds awarded under the
program.
(2) The department shall annually calculate the return on investment
for the grant program using the expenditure reports filed pursuant to
subsection (e) of this section and the utilization rates calculated
pursuant to subdivision (1) of this subsection.
(h) For purposes of carrying out the provisions of this section, the
Department of Education may accept funds from private sources or any
state agency, gifts, grants and donations, including, but not limited to,
in-kind donations.
(i) (1) Not later than January 1, [2024] 2025, and each January first
thereafter, until and including January 1, [2026] 2027, the Commissioner
of Education shall submit a report, in accordance with the provisions of
section 11-4a of the general statutes, on the utilization rate for each grant
recipient and the return on investment for the grant program, calculated
pursuant to subsection (g) of this section, to the joint standing
committees of the General Assembly having cognizance of matters
relating to education and children.
(2) Not later than January 1, [2026] 2027, the commissioner shall
develop recommendations concerning (A) whether such grant program
should be extended and funded for the fiscal year ending June 30, [2026]
2027, and each fiscal year thereafter, and (B) the amount of the grant
award under the program. The commissioner shall submit such
recommendations, in accordance with the provisions of section 11-4a of Substitute Senate Bill No. 1
Public Act No. 23-167 93 of 95
the general statutes, to the joint standing committees of the General
Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to education and
children.
Sec. 85. Section 14 of public act 22-47 is repealed and the following is
substituted in lieu thereof (Effective from passage):
(a) For the fiscal years ending June 30, [2023] 2024, to June 30, [2025]
2026, inclusive, the Department of Education shall administer a grant
program to provide grants to local and regional boards of education and
operators of youth camps and other summer programs for the delivery
of mental health services to students.
(b) On and after January 1, 2023, applications for grants pursuant to
subsection (a) of this section shall be filed with the Commissioner of
Education at such time, and in such manner, as the commissioner
prescribes. As part of the application, the applicant shall submit (1) a
plan for the expenditure of grant funds, and (2) (A) for an application
submitted by a local or regional board of education before July 1, 2023,
the information described in subdivisions (1) to (5), inclusive, of
subsection (b) of section 12 of [this act] public act 22-47, and (B) for an
application submitted by a local or regional board of education on or
after July 1, 2023, a copy of the completed survey described in section 12
of [this act] public act 22-47.
(c) For the fiscal year ending June 30, [2023] 2024, the Commissioner
of Education may award a grant to an applicant and shall determine the
amount of the grant award based on the plan submitted by such
applicant pursuant to subsection (b) of this section. The commissioner
shall pay a grant to each grant recipient in each of the fiscal years ending
June 30, [2023] 2024, to June 30, [2025] 2026, inclusive, as follows: (1) For
the fiscal year ending June 30, [2023] 2024, the amount of the grant shall
be as determined by the commissioner under this subsection; (2) for the
fiscal year ending June 30, [2024] 2025, the amount of the grant shall be Substitute Senate Bill No. 1
Public Act No. 23-167 94 of 95
the same amount as the grant awarded for the prior fiscal year; and (3)
for the fiscal year ending June 30, [2025] 2026, the amount of the grant
shall be seventy per cent of the amount of the grant awarded for the
prior fiscal year.
(d) Grant recipients shall file expenditure reports with the
Commissioner of Education at such time and in such manner as the
commissioner prescribes. A grant recipient shall only expend grant
funds received under this section in accordance with the plan submitted
pursuant to subsection (b) of this section, and a grant recipient may not
use such grant funds received under this section for the purpose of any
operating expenses that existed prior to receipt of such grant. Grant
recipients shall refund to the Department of Education [(1) any
unexpended amounts at the close of the fiscal year in which the grant
was awarded, and (2)] any amounts not expended in accordance with
the plan for which such grant application was approved.
(e) Each grant recipient, in collaboration with the Department of
Education, shall develop metrics to annually track and calculate the
utilization rate of the grant program for such grant recipient in order to
measure the success of the program. Such grant recipient shall annually
submit such metrics and utilization rate to the department.
(f) For the purposes of carrying out the provisions of this section, the
Department of Education may accept funds from private sources or any
other state agency, gifts, grants and donations, including, but not
limited to, in-kind contributions.
(g) (1) Not later than January 1, [2024] 2025, and each January first
thereafter, until and including January 1, [2026] 2027, the Commissioner
of Education shall submit a report, in accordance with the provisions of
section 11-4a of the general statutes, on the utilization rate for each grant
recipient calculated pursuant to subsection (e) of this section, to the joint
standing committees of the General Assembly having cognizance of Substitute Senate Bill No. 1
Public Act No. 23-167 95 of 95
matters relating to education and children.
(2) Not later than January 1, [2026] 2027, the commissioner shall
develop recommendations concerning (A) whether such grant program
should be extended and funded for the fiscal year ending June 30, [2026]
2027, and each fiscal year thereafter, and (B) the amount of the grant
award under the program. The commissioner shall submit such
recommendations, in accordance with the provisions of section 11-4a of
the general statutes, to the joint standing committees of the General
Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to education and
children.
Sec. 86. Section 10-3c of the general statutes is repealed. (Effective from
passage)
Sec. 87. Sections 10-222d, 10-222g, 10-222h, 10-222i, 10-222k and 10-
222p of the general statutes are repealed. (Effective July 1, 2025)