Researcher: JC Page 1 4/22/24
OLR Bill Analysis
sHB 5051
AN ACT ESTABLISHING EARLY START CT.
TABLE OF CONTENTS:
SUMMARY
§§ 1 & 2 — PURPOSE OF EARLY START CT
Makes OEC responsible for operating and administering a state-funded early care and
education system to coordinate and facilitate efficient delivery of early childhood care
(“Early Start CT”)
§ 3 — SLIDING FEE SCALE
Requires OEC to establish a sliding fee scale for families participating in Early Start CT
§ 4 — POLICIES AND PROCEDURES
Requires OEC to implement (1) policies and procedures necessary to administer Early Start
CT, (2) infant and toddler and school-age ratios and group size requirements, and (3) head
teacher staffing requirements; requires existing ratios, group size requirements, and
staffing requirements to remain applicable until replaced by policies and procedures OEC
implements while adopting regulations
§ 5 — FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE
Allows eligible entities to enter into a contract with OEC to receive state financial
assistance to operate early childhood care and education programs; establishes eligibility
requirements and allows the OEC commissioner to consider certain criteria when
determining eligibility; requires any contract to be made contingent upon available funding
and a successful application to an OEC-issued RFP; requires OEC to allocate a certain
amount of funding for coordination, program evaluation, and administration; and creates
per-child and per-classroom rates for assistance by age
§ 6 — UNEXPENDED FUNDS
Allows up to $1 million in unexpended Early Start CT funds, beginning FY 26, to be used to
(1) provide professional development for early childhood care and education program
providers or (2) support early childhood education programs in satisfying staff qualification
requirements
§ 7 — ACCREDITATION REQUIREMENTS
Generally requires any program participating in Early Start CT to be accredited or
approved within three years of entering into an OEC contract
§ 8 — LOCAL GOVERNAN CE PARTNERS
Requires local governance partners to represent each community receiving Early Start CT
funds and the membership of each local governance partner to reflect the racial, ethnic,
and socioeconomic composition of the town or region it serves and to consist of early care
and education stakeholders; requires each local governance partner to (1) conduct a data- 2024HB-05051-R000596-BA.DOCX
Researcher: JC Page 2 4/22/24
driven needs assessment for the town or region the partner serves and (2) employ a staff
liaison
§ 9 — COMPETITIVE GRANT PROGRAM
Requires the OEC commissioner to establish a state-funded competitive program in which
contracts are entered into with federal Head Start grantees to improve and increase access
to Early Head Start and Head Start programs
§ 10 — ALLOCATION OF FUNDS TO RESCS
Allows the OEC commissioner to allocate funds to RESCs to provide (1) professional
development services, (2) technical assistance and evaluation, and (3) program planning
and implementation activities, and other entities
§§ 11 & 12 — CHILD CARE HOMES AND CENTER S FOR
DISADVANTAGED CHILDREN
Maintains current per-child grant amounts in FY 24 for certain children and requires OEC
to pay in an individual grant a per-child rate, or an equivalent per classroom rate, that the
commissioner determines for FYs 25 and 26
§§ 13 & 14 — SCHOOL READINESS PROGRAM PE R CHILD COST
LIMITATIONS
Extends the FY 25 cap on the per-child cost of OEC’s school readiness program through
FY 26; requires OEC’s annual Head Start and Early Head Start grant allocations for FYs
25 and 26 to be in an amount determined under the per-child cost OEC is required to pay
under § 11 of the bill
§ 15 — FAMILY CHILD CARE HOME LICENSE EXPANSION
Allows the OEC commissioner to issue a license to maintain a family child care home to a
town in New London County, and moves out the expiration date for all of the licenses the
OEC commissioner issued under the family child care home license expansion from June
30, 2026, to June 30, 2028
§ 16 — REPEALER
Repeals various sections related to school readiness programs in light of the bill
establishing Early Start CT
BACKGROUND
SUMMARY
This bill makes the Office of Early Childhood (OEC) responsible for
operating and administering a state-funded early care and education
system to coordinate and facilitate efficient delivery of early childhood
care (“Early Start CT”) and establishes policies and procedures for
program operation and administration. It also makes related minor,
technical, and conforming changes.
EFFECTIVE DATE: July 1, 2026, unless otherwise noted below. 2024HB-05051-R000596-BA.DOCX
Researcher: JC Page 3 4/22/24
§§ 1 & 2 — PURPOSE OF EARLY START CT
Makes OEC responsible for operating and administering a state-funded early care and
education system to coordinate and facilitate efficient delivery of early childhood care
(“Early Start CT”)
The bill makes OEC responsible for operating and administering a
state-funded early care and education system to coordinate and
facilitate efficient delivery of early childhood care (“Early Start CT”) to
(1) provide open access for infants and toddlers and pre-school age
children to high quality programs that promote the health and safety of
children and prepare them for school, and (2) prevent or minimize the
potential for developmental delay in children before age five.
The bill also requires OEC to operate Early Start CT to facilitate the
racial, ethnic, and socioeconomic diversity of the children, families, and
staff in Early Start CT programs.
Service Coordination
Under the bill, Early Start CT must encourage coordination and
cooperation among programs and prevent the duplication of services
and recognize the specific service needs and unique resources available
to particular municipalities. The office must also improve the
availability and quality of Early Start CT programs and their
coordination with the services of child care providers.
Impact on Families
The bill requires Early Start CT to provide opportunities for parents
to choose among affordable, accredited (e.g., National Association for
the Education of Young Children or National Association for Family
Child Care), and Head Start approved programs and strengthen
families through encouragement of family engagement and partnership
in a child’s development and education.
Under the bill, Early Start CT must also enhance a family’s capacity
to meet the special needs of the children, including children with
disabilities. It also must assure that children with disabilities are
integrated into programs available to children who do not have
disabilities. 2024HB-05051-R000596-BA.DOCX
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Funding
The bill requires Early Start CT to maximize local and federal early
childhood education funding to expand capacity and access, and to
reduce educational costs by decreasing the need for special education
services for school-age children.
§ 3 — SLIDING FEE SCALE
Requires OEC to establish a sliding fee scale for families participating in Early Start CT
The bill requires OEC to establish a sliding fee scale for families
participating in Early Start CT. The fee scale must be based on family
income and align with the existing Care 4 Kids sliding fee scale.
§ 4 — POLICIES AND PROCEDURES
Requires OEC to implement (1) policies and procedures necessary to administer Early
Start CT, (2) infant and toddler and school-age ratios and group size requirements, and
(3) head teacher staffing requirements; requires existing ratios, group size requirements,
and staffing requirements to remain applicable until replaced by policies and procedures
OEC implements while adopting regulations
The bill requires the OEC commissioner to implement (1) policies and
procedures necessary to administer the bill’s provisions, (2) infant and
toddler and school-age ratios and group size requirements, and (3) head
teacher staffing requirements for programs serving only school-age
children, while in the process of adopting these policies and procedures
in regulations.
Under the bill, any existing regulations relating to infant and toddler
and school-age ratios, group size requirements, and head teacher
staffing requirements for programs serving only school-age children
that are generally applicable to child care centers and group child care
homes must remain applicable until replaced by the policies and
procedures this section describes.
The bill requires the OEC commissioner to post notice of the intent to
adopt regulations on OEC’s website and the eRegulations System
within 20 days after implementing them. The policies and procedures
are valid until regulations are adopted.
§ 5 — FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE 2024HB-05051-R000596-BA.DOCX
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Allows eligible entities to enter into a contract with OEC to receive state financial
assistance to operate early childhood care and education programs; establishes eligibility
requirements and allows the OEC commissioner to consider certain criteria when
determining eligibility; requires any contract to be made contingent upon available
funding and a successful application to an OEC-issued RFP; requires OEC to allocate a
certain amount of funding for coordination, program evaluation, and administration; and
creates per-child and per-classroom rates for assistance by age
Eligibility Requirements
The bill allows the following eligible entities to enter into a contract
with OEC to receive state financial assistance: municipalities, local and
regional boards of education, regional education service centers
(RESCs), family resource centers, Head Start programs, preschool
programs, nonprofit organizations, child care centers, group or family
child care homes, and any other program that meets the commissioner’s
standards. The assistance is for operating early childhood care and
education programs that focus on providing access to these programs
based on economic, social, or environmental conditions, including in
regions with insufficient access to child care.
Under the bill, to receive this financial assistance (1) a child care
center or group or family child care home must be licensed by the OEC
commissioner and (2) a local or regional board of education or RESC
must be approved by the state Department of Education.
Under the bill, at least 60% of eligible children participating in Early
Start CT and enrolled in a child care center or group or family child care
home must be members of a family that is at or below 75% of the state
median income.
The bill requires the majority of programs eligible for the financial
assistance to serve children that reside in, or attend programs located in,
priority school districts, former priority school districts, or towns with
schools deemed severe need schools because 40% or more of the lunches
served are served to students eligible for free or reduced priced lunches.
The bill allows the OEC commissioner, when determining eligibility
for financial assistance, to consider (1) a community’s Care 4 Kids
participation and (2) the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s
(CDC) social vulnerability index as the census tract determines. The 2024HB-05051-R000596-BA.DOCX
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index may include a review of a community’s indices of social,
economic, racial, housing, transportation, and household characteristics
as the CDC determines.
Request for Proposals (RFP)
The bill requires any contract to be made contingent upon available
funding and a successful application to an OEC-issued RFP informed by
the appropriate local governance partner’s needs assessment and
community plan (see § 8). The bill exempts from the RFP requirement
any Early Start CT facility that has (1) been approved to operate a child
care program financed through the Connecticut Health and Education
Facilities Authority (CHEFA) and (2) received a commitment for debt
service from the Department of Social Services on or before June 30,
2014, and from OEC on or after July 1, 2014.
Funding for Program Administration and Operation
Under the bill, OEC must allocate an amount up to 5% of the total
funding for each town or city or the participating towns or cities in the
case of a regional application, but no more than $75,000 per town or city
for coordination, program evaluation, and administration. The bill
requires the allocated amount to be increased by an amount equal to
local funding provided for early childhood education coordination,
program evaluation, and administration, not to exceed $25,000.
The bill prohibits any Early Start CT program that receives funds
from discriminating based on ancestry; race; color; national origin; sex;
gender identity or expression; sexual orientation; religion; learning,
physical, intellectual, or mental disability; or any other protected class.
It also prohibits funds received from being used to supplant federal,
state, or local funding received for early childhood education on behalf
of children in an early childhood education program.
The bill allows OEC to use up to 2% of funds allocated to the early
care and education appropriation to evaluate program effectiveness and
impact on participating children, families, and programs, including (1)
child outcomes, (2) later school performance, (3) quality standards, (4)
professional development and preparation, and (5) parent engagement 2024HB-05051-R000596-BA.DOCX
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impact.
Per-Child and Per-Classroom Rate
The bill allows OEC to pay, in an individual contract for FY 27, a per-
child rate or an equivalent per-classroom rate that the commissioner
determines.
Under the bill, OEC must pay, for each eligible child enrolled in an
Early Start CT program, a per-child cost of at least:
1. $10,500 for each child aged three or four, or aged five and not
eligible to enroll in school, or an equivalent rate and amount per
classroom for 18 children; or
2. $13,500 for each child under age three who is in toddler or infant
care and not in a preschool program, or an equivalent rate and
amount per classroom for eight children.
The bill requires OEC to use data-driven, outcomes-based contract
provisions to facilitate and incentivize full enrollment.
§ 6 — UNEXPENDED FUN DS
Allows up to $1 million in unexpended Early Start CT funds, beginning FY 26, to be used
to (1) provide professional development for early childhood care and education program
providers or (2) support early childhood education programs in satisfying staff
qualification requirements
The bill allows, for FY 26 and each fiscal year after, up to $1 million
in unexpended Early Start CT funds to be available for:
1. providing professional development for early childhood care
and education program providers, and staff employed in these
programs, as long as these programs accept state funds for infant,
toddler, and preschool slots; and
2. supporting early childhood education programs in satisfying the
staff qualification requirements, as long as these programs accept
state funds.
The bill requires the OEC commissioner to determine how the
unexpended funds are distributed. 2024HB-05051-R000596-BA.DOCX
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Under the bill, with the consent of the Office of Policy and
Management secretary, any unexpended funds that OEC does not
distribute may be used for the following:
1. assisting programs in meeting and maintaining accreditation
requirements;
2. providing training in implementing preschool assessments and
curricula;
3. developing and implementing best practices for parents in
supporting preschool and kindergarten student learning;
4. developing and implementing strategies for children to
successfully transition to preschool and from preschool to
kindergarten, including through parental engagement and
whole-family supports that may be used through the two-
generational initiative or other available resources; and
5. providing professional development.
§ 7 — ACCREDITATION REQUIREMENTS
Generally requires any program participating in Early Start CT to be accredited or
approved within three years of entering into an OEC contract
The bill requires any program participating in Early Start CT to be
accredited or Early Head Start or Head Start approved within three
years of entering a contract with OEC. Under the bill, any program not
accredited must have an approved program plan within 12 months of
entering into a contract with OEC.
§ 8 — LOCAL GOVERNAN CE PARTNERS
Requires local governance partners to represent each community receiving Early Start CT
funds and the membership of each local governance partner to reflect the racial, ethnic,
and socioeconomic composition of the town or region it serves and to consist of early care
and education stakeholders; requires each local governance partner to (1) conduct a data-
driven needs assessment for the town or region the partner serves and (2) employ a staff
liaison
The bill requires local governance partners be established, within
available appropriations, to assist in providing early care and education
in a community under Early Start CT. The bill allows two or more towns 2024HB-05051-R000596-BA.DOCX
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or school districts and appropriate representatives of groups or entities
interested in early childhood education in a region to establish a
regional governance partner. It requires OEC to monitor each local or
regional governance partner for compliance with the bill’s provisions.
Membership
The bill requires the membership of each local or regional governance
partner to reflect the racial, ethnic, and socioeconomic composition of
the town or region it serves. Membership must consist of early care and
education stakeholders, including the following:
1. elected and appointed officials;
2. parents;
3. representatives with expertise in early childhood education;
4. a Smart Start representative, where applicable;
5. local education and healthcare providers in the community;
6. a local homeless education liaison;
7. community representatives from workforce or job training
entities; and
8. other community representatives who provide services to
children.
Role and Responsibilities
Under the bill, a local or regional governance partner must do the
following:
1. conduct and administer a data-driven needs assessment for its
respective community or region (see below),
2. employ strategies to solicit parental engagement and
membership,
3. provide periodic technical assistance on best practices in early 2024HB-05051-R000596-BA.DOCX
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childhood and family engagement for its town or region,
4. jointly sponsor professional development opportunities with
OEC, and
5. ensure that community outreach is regularly conducted and
maintained with community stakeholders.
The bill also requires each local or regional governance partner to
designate a staff person to be responsible for early childhood program
coordination, program evaluation, and administration and to act as a
liaison between participating towns and the commissioner.
Data-Driven Needs Assessment
The bill requires each local or regional governance partner, within
available appropriations, to conduct a data-driven needs assessment for
the town or region the partner serves. The needs assessment must
include recommendations for the preferred distribution and allocation
of child care spaces in the partner’s respective town or region, and
subject to OEC’s approval, may include a data-driven methodology to
reassign child care spaces before the contract date lapses.
Under the bill, OEC must create the needs assessment in
collaboration with communities. The assessment must directly inform,
among other things, child care space assignment across a mixed delivery
system, including licensed family child care providers, group child care
homes, child care centers, and license-exempt public schools.
Staff Liaison
The bill requires each local or regional governance partner to hire a
staff liaison to aid and support the partner in implementing this
section’s provisions and ensure collaboration with OEC related to
planning improvements to the state early care and education
governance structure. The staff liaison must also ensure that:
1. partnerships are established and fostered among child care
providers, 2024HB-05051-R000596-BA.DOCX
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2. cooperation is maintained with OEC in monitoring and
evaluating child care programs,
3. existing and potential resources and services available to children
are identified,
4. recommendations are made to school officials about transition
from child care programs to preschool programs and
kindergarten,
5. effective community engagement strategies are used to ensure
diverse participation, and
6. biannual child assessments OEC approves are performed at
programs and done in partnership with families.
The staff liaison must also ensure (1) an information exchange with
other community organization serving children’s and families’ needs
and (2) facilitation and coordination of efficient, data-driven delivery of
services to children and families, including referral procedures and
before and after school child care for children attending school day and
school year programs.
§ 9 — COMPETITIVE GRANT PROGRAM
Requires the OEC commissioner to establish a state-funded competitive program in which
contracts are entered into with federal Head Start grantees to improve and increase access
to Early Head Start and Head Start programs
The bill requires the OEC commissioner, as part of Early Start CT, to
establish a state-funded competitive grant program for nonprofit
agencies and local and regional boards of education that are federal
Head Start grantees, to assist with enhancing program quality and
increasing the:
1. number of children served in programs that are both a Head Start
program and Early Head Start grantee or delegate,
2. number of Early Head Start children served above those who are
federally funded, and 2024HB-05051-R000596-BA.DOCX
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3. hours for children currently receiving Early Head Start services.
Additionally, it requires the grant program to assist with establishing
extended-day and full-day, year-round, Head Start programs or
expanding existing Head Start programs to extended-day or full-day,
year round programs.
Under the bill, nonprofit agencies or boards of education seeking
grants must apply to the commissioner on forms and at times the
commissioner prescribes. The bill allows the commissioner to adopt
regulations to establish the grant program.
The bill requires the commissioner to include contract provisions
requiring at least 25% of funding to be used to enhance program quality.
Contracts must be funded within available appropriations, or from
federal funds and private donations, and all Head Start programs
funded under the bill must comply with federal Head Start performance
standards.
§ 10 — ALLOCATION OF FUNDS TO RESCS
Allows the OEC commissioner to allocate funds to RESCs to provide (1) professional
development services, (2) technical assistance and evaluation, and (3) program planning
and implementation activities, and other entities
The bill authorizes the OEC commissioner, within available
appropriations, to allocate funds to RESCs to provide professional
development services, technical assistance and evaluation, and program
planning and implementation activities; local and regional boards of
education; child care centers; group and family child care homes; and
other early childhood care and education entities as the commissioner
determines.
Under the bill, any funds the commissioner allocates must be spent
according to procedures and conditions the commissioner sets.
§§ 11 & 12 — CHILD CARE HOMES AND CENTE RS FOR
DISADVANTAGED CHILDR EN
Maintains current per-child grant amounts in FY 24 for certain children and requires
OEC to pay in an individual grant a per-child rate, or an equivalent per classroom rate,
that the commissioner determines for FYs 25 and 26 2024HB-05051-R000596-BA.DOCX
Researcher: JC Page 13 4/22/24
By law, the state, through the OEC commissioner, may enter into
contracts that provide state financial assistance (i.e., grants) to
municipalities, human resource development agencies, nonprofit
corporations, or group or family child care homes for developing and
operating child care homes or centers for disadvantaged children.
Existing law requires that these contracts with the state provide for a
grant, within available appropriations, for an amount at least equal to
the per child cost set in state law for each child aged three to five not yet
eligible to enroll in school.
The bill maintains the above-described grant through the end of FY
24, and requires OEC, for FYs 25 and 26, to pay in an individual contract
or a grant, a per-child rate, or an equivalent per-classroom rate, in an
amount the commissioner determines.
Under the bill, the per-child cost must be at least:
1. $10,500 for each child aged three or four, or aged five and not
eligible to enroll in school, or an equivalent rate and amount per
classroom for 18 children; or
2. $13,500 for each child under age three who is in toddler or infant
care and not in a preschool program, or an equivalent rate and
amount per classroom for eight children.
The bill requires OEC to use data-driven, outcomes-based contract
provisions to facilitate and incentivize full enrollment.
EFFECTIVE DATE: July 1, 2024
§§ 13 & 14 — SCHOOL READINESS PROGRAM PE R CHILD COST
LIMITATIONS
Extends the FY 25 cap on the per-child cost of OEC’s school readiness program through
FY 26; requires OEC’s annual Head Start and Early Head Start grant allocations for FYs
25 and 26 to be in an amount determined under the per-child cost OEC is required to pay
under § 11 of the bill
The bill extends the FY 25 cap on the per-child cost (i.e., $10,500) of
OEC’s school readiness program through FY 26, and the bill requires the
cap to be in accordance with the per-child cost OEC is required to pay 2024HB-05051-R000596-BA.DOCX
Researcher: JC Page 14 4/22/24
under § 11 of the bill.
Current law requires OEC to annually allocate $150,000 plus $8.50 for
each child to each town that has at least 900 children receiving
temporary family assistance for Head Start and Early Head Start
programs. The bill replaces this allocation for FYs 2025 and 2026 with an
allocation to be in an amount determined in accordance with the per-
child cost OEC is required to pay under § 11 of the bill.
EFFECTIVE DATE: July 1, 2024
§ 15 — FAMILY CHILD CARE HOME LICENSE EX PANSION
Allows the OEC commissioner to issue a license to maintain a family child care home to a
town in New London County, and moves out the expiration date for all of the licenses the
OEC commissioner issued under the family child care home license expansion from June
30, 2026, to June 30, 2028
Under current law, the OEC commissioner may issue family child
care home licenses in seven specified municipalities to a person or group
of people, in a partnership with an association, organization,
corporation, institution, or public or private agency, to provide child
care services in a commissioner-approved space outside of a family
home. These licenses must be issued following existing law.
The bill also allows the commissioner to issue these licenses for a
town in New London County, and appears to move out the expiration
date for all of these licenses by two years from June 30, 2026, to June 30,
2028. (However, the bill also retains a requirement that the licenses
expire on June 30, 2026.)
EFFECTIVE DATE: July 1, 2024
§ 16 — REPEALER
Repeals various sections related to school readiness programs in light of the bill
establishing Early Start CT
The bill makes conforming changes by repealing several early
childhood statutes that relate to the following:
1. state grants for planning, constructing, renovating, developing,
and operating licensed child care centers, group child care 2024HB-05051-R000596-BA.DOCX
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homes, and family child care homes (CGS § 8-210);
2. various school readiness provisions, including (a) OEC’s Head
Start and Early Head Start competitive grant program, (b) state
financial assistance and eligibility for funding school readiness
programs, and (c) school readiness program requirements,
including per child cost limitations and sliding fee scale
requirements (CGS §§ 10-16n to 10-16r);
3. participation by five-year-old children in school readiness
programs (CGS § 10-16t);
4. school readiness program grants in transitional school districts
(CGS § 10-16u);
5. the competitive district grant account (CGS § 10-16aa);
6. early childhood teacher credentialing (CGS § 10-520b);
7. school readiness provider grants (CGS § 17b-749a); and
8. licensed child care center sliding fee scales (CGS § 17b-749d).
BACKGROUND
Related Bills
sSB 286, favorably reported by the Education Committee, has a
substantially similar provision allowing the OEC commissioner to issue
a family child care home license to a town in New London County. The
bill also prohibits the commissioner from issuing more than 20 licenses
under the family child care license expansion, eliminates the license
expiration date of June 30, 2026, and requires licenses to be issued for
four-year terms.
sSB 249, favorably reported by the Commerce Committee, prohibits
the OEC commissioner from issuing more than 20 licenses under the
family child care license expansion, and eliminates the license expiration
date of June 30, 2026.
COMMITTEE ACTION 2024HB-05051-R000596-BA.DOCX
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Education Committee
Joint Favorable Change of Reference - APP
Yea 45 Nay 0 (03/06/2024)
Appropriations Committee
Joint Favorable Substitute
Yea 52 Nay 0 (04/04/2024)