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OLR Bill Analysis
sSB 1201
AN ACT CONCERNING AUTHORIZATION OF STATE GRANT
COMMITMENTS FOR SCHOOL BUILDING PROJECTS AND
REVISIONS TO THE SCHOOL BUILDING PROJECTS STATUTES.
TABLE OF CONTENTS:
§ 1 — SCHOOL CONSTRUCTION GRANT COMMITME NTS
Authorizes 22 school construction state grant commitments totaling $723.78 million
toward total project costs of $1.14 billion; reauthorizes two projects with an additional
state grant commitment of $37.6 million
§ 2 — SCHOOL BUILDING PROJECTS ADVISORY COUNCIL
MEMBERSHIP
Adds two members to the council
§ 3 — STATE REIMBURSEMENT GRANT RATE
Increases the reimbursement percentage range for new construction projects for grant
applications made on and after June 1, 2022
§§ 4 & 5 — FEDERAL FUNDING
Eliminates the requirement to subtract federal funds received from the project costs before
calculating the state reimbursement grant; allows any town to use federal funds to finance
its local share of a school building project
§§ 6 & 7 — SCHOOL CONSTRUCTION PROJECT EXEMPTIONS,
WAIVERS, AND MODIFICATIONS
Exempts two projects from statutory and regulatory requirements to allow these projects
to be reauthorized due to a change in scope or cost and to receive a higher state
reimbursement percentage for their grants
§ 1 — SCHOOL CONSTRU CTION GRANT COMMITME NTS
Authorizes 22 school construction state grant commitments totaling $723.78 million
toward total project costs of $1.14 billion; reauthorizes two projects with an additional
state grant commitment of $37.6 million
This bill authorizes school construction state grant commitments
totaling $723.78 million toward total estimated project costs of $1.14
billion. It also reauthorizes two projects that have changed substantially
in scope and cost with an additional state grant commitment of $37.6 2023SB-01201-R000666-BA.DOCX
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million.
Under the state school construction grant program, the state
reimburses towns and local districts for a percentage of eligible school
construction costs through state general obligation (GO) bonds (with
less wealthy municipalities receiving a higher reimbursement). The
municipalities pay the remaining costs. For the state-operated
Connecticut Technical Education and Career System (CTECS), also
known as the technical high schools, the state pays 100% of the project
costs.
For each project authorized by the bill, the table below shows the
district, school, project type, estimates for total cost and state grant
commitment, and state reimbursement rate.
Table: 2023 School Construction Grant Commitments
District School Project
Type
Estimated
Project Costs
Estimated
Grant
Reimbursement
Rate
Bristol
Northeast
Middle
School
New $89,068,965 $52,800,082 59.28%
Cheshire
Norton
Elementary
School
New 76,656,200 38,328,100 50%
Cheshire
North End
Elementary
School
New 89,942,900 44,971,450 50%
Cromwell
Cromwell
Middle
School
New 55,933,717 22,172,125 39.64%
Madison
Elementary
School
New 61,150,000 11,135,415 18.21%
Norwalk
South
Norwalk
Elementary
School
New 76,000,000 45,600,000 60%
Stamford
Roxbury
Elementary
School
New 86,000,000 51,600,000 60%
Darien
Hindley
Elementary
School
Extension/
alteration
27,550,000 5,705,605 20.71%
Darien
Holmes
Elementary
School
Extension/
alteration
25,600,000 5,301,760 20.71% 2023SB-01201-R000666-BA.DOCX
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District School Project
Type
Estimated
Project Costs
Estimated
Grant
Reimbursement
Rate
Darien
Royle
Elementary
School
Extension/
alteration
29,100,000 6,026,610 20.71%
Hartford
Expeditionary
Learning
Academy at
Moylan
School
Alteration 94,571,305 89,842,740 95%
Hartford
Parkville
Community
School
Alteration 60,888,341 57,843,924 95%
Hartford
McDonough
Middle
School
Alteration 59,859,491 56,866,516 95%
Regional
District 18
Mile Creek
Elementary
School
Extension/
alteration
24,911,028 9,075,088 36.43%
ACES
ACES @
Bassett
Alteration 65,533,047 52,426,438 80%
ACES
ACES @
Chase
Purchase
of facility
69,624,095 55,699,276 80%
ACES
Wintergreen
Interdistrict
Magnet
School
Purchase
of facility
20,180,514 16,144,411 80%
Cromwell
Central
administration
New 2,670,683 529,329 19.82%
Stratford
Franklin
Elementary
School
Alteration 521,920 311,273 59.64%
Stratford
Wilcoxson
Elementary
School
Alteration 400,946 239,124 59.64%
Norwich
John B.
Stanton
Elementary
School
New 66,078,262 52,862,610 80%
Norwich
Greeneville
Elementary
School
New 60,368,429 48,294,743 80%
Totals
$1,142,609,843 $723,776,619
Reauthorized Projects
The bill also reauthorizes the proposal for two school construction
projects with a change in cost and scope. This results in an additional 2023SB-01201-R000666-BA.DOCX
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state grant commitment of $37,610,051. The table below describes the
changes to these projects.
Table: Reauthorized School Construction Projects
District School Current Law The Bill
Farmington Farmington
High
School
Project Costs $131,666,047 $141,366,047
State Share 39,499,814* 42,409,814
Stamford Westhill
High
School
Project Costs 257,938,824 301,313,888
State Share 206,351,059** 241,051,110
*The 2022 priority list (PA 22-118, § 362) authorized a grant of $24,924,383 (i.e., an 18.93%
reimbursement rate); however, § 385 of that same act allowed the project to receive a 30% reimbursement
rate.
**The 2022 priority list (PA 22-118, § 362) authorized a grant of $51,587,765 (i.e., a 20% reimbursement
rate); however, § 381 of that same act authorized an 80% rate if Stamford establishes a pathway-to-career
regional program at the new school and enrolls students from, and shares services with, surrounding
towns to reduce racial isolation in the community.
EFFECTIVE DATE: Upon passage
§ 2 — SCHOOL BUILDIN G PROJECTS ADVISORY COUNCIL
MEMBERSHIP
Adds two members to the council
The bill increases the School Building Project Advisory Council’s size
from nine members to 11 by adding the Department of Emergency
Services and Public Protection commissioner and the CTECS board
chairperson, or their designees. Under current law, the membership
includes three ex-officio members, or their designees, and six
gubernatorial appointees.
By law, the council must meet at least quarterly to do the following:
1. periodically review the school safety infrastructure criteria for
projects that are awarded state grants (CGS § 10-292r);
2. develop model blueprints for new school building projects;
3. conduct studies, research, and analyses; and 2023SB-01201-R000666-BA.DOCX
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4. make recommendations to the governor and legislature on
improvements to the school building projects processes.
EFFECTIVE DATE: July 1, 2023
§ 3 — STATE REIMBURSEMENT GRANT RATE
Increases the reimbursement percentage range for new construction projects for grant
applications made on and after June 1, 2022
Under current law, for grant applications made on and after June 1,
2022, the state reimbursement rate for new school construction projects
ranges from 10-70%. However, if the applicant district shows that new
construction is less expensive than a renovation, extension, or major
alteration, then the range increases to 20-80%.
The bill increases the reimbursement percentage range for all new
construction, with no additional conditions, to 10-80% for all grant
applications made on and after that same date. (Presumably, this range
supersedes the range set by current law.)
EFFECTIVE DATE: July 1, 2023
§§ 4 & 5 — FEDERAL FUNDING
Eliminates the requirement to subtract federal funds received from the project costs before
calculating the state reimbursement grant; allows any town to use federal funds to finance
its local share of a school building project
Project Cost Calculation (§ 4)
Current law requires that any federal funds or other state funds
received by a town for a school building project be subtracted from the
total project costs before calculating the town’s state reimbursement
grant amount. Beginning July 1, 2023, the bill eliminates the requirement
to subtract federal funds from the project costs. It retains the
requirement to subtract other state funds from these costs.
Local Share (§ 5)
The bill allows towns to use federal funds to finance all or part of the
town’s local share of a school construction project. Current law allows
only the town that is a priority school district with the largest student
enrollment as of October 2003 (i.e., Bridgeport) to use federal funds this 2023SB-01201-R000666-BA.DOCX
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way. By law, priority school districts are those whose students earn low
standardized test scores and have high levels of poverty (CGS § 10-
266p(a)).
EFFECTIVE DATE: July 1, 2023
§§ 6 & 7 — SCHOOL CONSTRUCTION PROJECT EXEMPTIONS,
WAIVERS, AND MODIFICATIONS
Exempts two projects from statutory and regulatory requirements to allow these projects
to be reauthorized due to a change in scope or cost and to receive a higher state
reimbursement percentage for their grants
The bill exempts two school construction projects in Hartford from
statutory and regulatory requirements to allow them to (1) have their
project reauthorized due a change in scope or cost and (2) receive higher
reimbursement percentages for the grants. (These exemptions are
commonly referred to as “notwithstandings.”) Generally, other than the
specific notwithstanding provisions mentioned below, the projects must
meet all other eligibility requirements.
The table below describes the notwithstandings that the bill grants.
Table: Notwithstandings for School Construction Projects
Bill
Section
Town School and Project Exemption, Waiver, or Other
Change
6 Hartford Bulkeley High School,
renovation to implement
the District Model for
Excellence Restructuring
Recommendations and
School Closures
Reauthorizes the project and
allows a change in scope if the
cost does not exceed $210.3
million; waives the filing
deadline to be on the 2023
priority list (§ 1)
Allows a reimbursement rate of
95%, which is the same as the
previously authorized rate (PA
19-1, July Special Session, §
11)
7 Hartford Bulkeley High School,
central administration
facility
Reauthorizes the project due to
change in cost or scope if the
cost does not exceed $34.85
million; waives the filing
deadline to be on the 2023
priority list (§ 1) 2023SB-01201-R000666-BA.DOCX
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Bill
Section
Town School and Project Exemption, Waiver, or Other
Change
Allows a 95% reimbursement
rate, rather than 50% of this
rate (i.e., 47.5%) as otherwise
required by law
EFFECTIVE DATE: Upon passage
COMMITTEE ACTION
Education Committee
Joint Favorable Substitute Change of Reference - FIN
Yea 44 Nay 0 (03/24/2023)
Finance, Revenue and Bonding Committee
Joint Favorable Substitute
Yea 50 Nay 0 (04/19/2023)