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General Assembly Raised Bill No. 5437
February Session, 2024
LCO No. 2727
Referred to Committee on EDUCATION
Introduced by:
(ED)
AN ACT CONCERNING MANDATE RELIEF.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General
Assembly convened:
Section 1. (NEW) (Effective July 1, 2024) (a) There is established the 1
Educator Professional Development Mandate Review Advisory 2
Council. The council shall advise and provide annual reports to the joint 3
standing committee of the General Assembly having cognizance of 4
matters relating to education on the cost and implementation of existing 5
mandates concerning educator professional development and in-service 6
training, as well as the impact of any proposals relating to additions or 7
revisions to such professional development and in-service training. 8
(b) The council shall consist of the following members: 9
(1) One appointed by the speaker of the House of Representatives, 10
who shall be a representative of the Connecticut Association of Boards 11
of Education; 12
(2) One appointed by the president pro tempore of the Senate, who 13
shall be a representative of the Connecticut Association of Public School 14
Superintendents; 15 Bill No. 5437
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(3) One appointed by the majority leader of the House of 16
Representatives, who shall be a representative of the Connecticut 17
Association of Schools; 18
(4) One appointed by the majority leader of the Senate, who shall be 19
a representative of the Connecticut Association of School Business 20
Officials; 21
(5) One appointed by the minority leader of the House of 22
Representatives, who shall be a member of a local or regional board of 23
education; 24
(6) One appointed by the minority leader of the Senate, who shall be 25
a representative of the Connecticut Federation of School 26
Administrators; 27
(7) One appointed by the House chairperson of the joint standing 28
committee of the General Assembly having cognizance of matters 29
relating to education, who shall be a paraeducator in a public school in 30
this state; 31
(8) One appointed by the Senate chairperson of the joint standing 32
committee of the General Assembly having cognizance of matters 33
relating to education, who shall be a teacher in a public school in this 34
state; 35
(9) One appointed by the House ranking member of the joint standing 36
committee of the General Assembly having cognizance of matters 37
relating to education, who shall be a paraeducator in a public school in 38
this state; and 39
(10) One appointed by the Senate ranking member of the joint 40
standing committee of the General Assembly having cognizance of 41
matters relating to education, who shall be a teacher in a public school 42
in this state. 43
(c) All initial appointments to the council shall be made not later than 44 Bill No. 5437
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August 1, 2024. The initial terms for the members appointed shall 45
terminate on January 31, 2029. Terms following the initial terms shall be 46
for five years. Any member of the council may serve more than one 47
term. Any vacancy shall be filled by the appointing authority. 48
(d) The speaker of the House of Representatives and the president 49
pro tempore of the Senate shall select the chairpersons of the council 50
from among the members of the council. Such chairpersons shall 51
schedule the first meeting of the council, which shall be held not later 52
than October 1, 2024. 53
(e) The administrative staff of the joint standing committee of the 54
General Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to education 55
shall serve as administrative staff of the council. 56
(f) Not later than January 1, 2025, and annually thereafter, the council 57
shall develop and submit an annual report on its review of the 58
implementation and cost of existing requirements relating to 59
professional development, as described in sections 10-148a, 10-148b and 60
10-148d of the general statutes, and in-service training, as described in 61
section 10-220a of the general statutes, as amended by this act, on 62
educators and local and regional boards of education. Such annual 63
report shall include, but need not be limited to, (1) a review of all 64
existing professional development and in-service training mandates 65
required by state and federal law, (2) the costs incurred by local and 66
regional boards of education resulting from the provision of such 67
professional development and in-service training, (3) how such 68
professional development and in-service training is being provided and 69
implemented by local and regional boards of education, including who 70
is receiving and completing such professional development and in-71
service training, and (4) the manner in which and how often such 72
professional development and in-service training is offered and 73
provided. The council shall submit such report, and any 74
recommendations for legislation, to the joint standing committee of the 75
General Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to education 76
and the Commissioner of Education, in accordance with the provisions 77 Bill No. 5437
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of section 11-4a of the general statutes. 78
Sec. 2. (NEW) (Effective July 1, 2024) (a) On and after July 1, 2025, the 79
Department of Education shall establish and implement a state-wide 80
educator professional development and in-service training records 81
database for the purpose of collecting and storing records of educator 82
professional development and in-service training completion. The 83
database shall be designed for the purpose of establishing a 84
standardized electronic data collection and reporting protocol that will 85
(1) facilitate compliance with the professional development 86
requirements under sections 10-148a and 10-148b of the general statutes, 87
and in-service training requirements under section 10-220a of the 88
general statutes, as amended by this act, (2) improve intradistrict and 89
interdistrict sharing of records and information exchanges, and (3) 90
maintain the confidentiality of such educator data. Such database shall 91
be accessible by superintendents, administrators and educators for the 92
purpose of reporting, sharing and accessing such educator data. 93
(b) The database shall not be considered a public record for the 94
purposes of section 1-210 of the general statutes. 95
Sec. 3. (Effective July 1, 2024) The Department of Education may 96
collaborate with any association that represents schools in the state and 97
has experience in the development or implementation of a database that 98
collects and maintains records of training or professional development 99
completion, in the establishment of the state-wide educator professional 100
development and in-service training records database, as described in 101
section 2 of this act. The department may develop the state-wide 102
educator professional development and in-service training database, or 103
the department may purchase a database that conforms to the 104
requirements for such database described in section 2 of this act. 105
Sec. 4. Subsection (a) of section 10-220a of the 2024 supplement to the 106
general statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu 107
thereof (Effective July 1, 2024): 108 Bill No. 5437
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(a) Each local or regional board of education shall provide an in-109
service training program for its teachers, administrators and pupil 110
personnel who hold the initial educator, provisional educator or 111
professional educator certificate. Such program shall provide such 112
teachers, administrators and pupil personnel with information on (1) 113
the nature and the relationship of alcohol and drugs, as defined in 114
section 21a-240, to health and personality development, and procedures 115
for discouraging their abuse, (2) health and mental health risk reduction 116
education that includes, but need not be limited to, the prevention of 117
risk-taking behavior by children and the relationship of such behavior 118
to substance abuse, pregnancy, sexually transmitted diseases, including 119
HIV-infection and AIDS, as defined in section 19a-581, violence, teen 120
dating violence, domestic violence and child abuse, (3) school violence 121
prevention, conflict resolution [,] and the prevention of and response to 122
youth suicide, [and the identification and prevention of and response to 123
bullying, as defined in subsection (a) of section 10-222d, except that (A) 124
those boards of education that implement any evidence-based model 125
approach that is approved by the Department of Education and is 126
consistent with subsection (c) of section 10-145a, sections 10-222d, 10-127
222g and 10-222h, subsection (g) of section 10-233c and sections 1 and 3 128
of public act 08-160, shall not be required to provide in-service training 129
on the identification and prevention of and response to bullying, and 130
(B)] provided such school violence prevention training shall be in a 131
manner prescribed in a school security and safety plan, in accordance 132
with the provisions of section 10-222n, (4) cardiopulmonary 133
resuscitation and other emergency life saving procedures, (5) the 134
requirements and obligations of a mandated reporter, (6) the detection 135
and recognition of, and evidence-based structured literacy interventions 136
for, students with dyslexia, as defined in section 10-3d, [(7) culturally 137
responsive pedagogy and practice, including, but not limited to, the 138
video training module relating to implicit bias and anti-bias in the hiring 139
process in accordance with the provisions of section 10-156hh, (8) the 140
principles and practices of social-emotional learning and restorative 141
practices, (9)] (7) the laws governing the implementation of planning 142
and placement team meetings and concerning plans pursuant to Section 143 Bill No. 5437
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504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended from time to time, 144
[(10)] (8) an annual update of the new state and federal policies 145
concerning special education, recommendations and best practices, and 146
[(11)] (9) emergency response to students who experience a seizure in a 147
school, including, but not limited to, the recognition of the signs and 148
symptoms of seizures, the appropriate steps for seizure first aid, 149
information about seizure action plans for students and, for those 150
authorized to administer medication under section 10-212a, the 151
administration of seizure rescue medication or prescribed electrical 152
stimulation using a Vagus Nerve Stimulator magnet. The manner and 153
frequency of the provision of the information described in subdivisions 154
(1) to (9), inclusive, of this subsection shall be determined by the 155
professional development and evaluation committee, established 156
pursuant to subsection (b) of this section, provided such information is 157
provided at least once every five years. Each local or regional board of 158
education shall allow any school paraeducator or noncertified employee 159
to participate, on a voluntary basis, in any in-service training program 160
provided pursuant to this section. 161
Sec. 5. Subsection (a) of section 10-220a of the 2024 supplement to the 162
general statutes, as amended by section 60 of public act 23-167, is 163
repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1, 164
2025): 165
(a) Each local or regional board of education shall provide an in-166
service training program for its teachers, administrators and pupil 167
personnel who hold the initial educator, provisional educator or 168
professional educator certificate. Such program shall provide such 169
teachers, administrators and pupil personnel with information on (1) 170
the nature and the relationship of alcohol and drugs, as defined in 171
subdivision (17) of section 21a-240, to health and personality 172
development, and procedures for discouraging their abuse, (2) health 173
and mental health risk reduction education that includes, but need not 174
be limited to, the prevention of risk-taking behavior by children and the 175
relationship of such behavior to substance abuse, pregnancy, sexually 176 Bill No. 5437
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transmitted diseases, including HIV-infection and AIDS, as defined in 177
section 19a-581, violence, teen dating violence, domestic violence and 178
child abuse, (3) school violence prevention, conflict resolution [,] and the 179
prevention of and response to youth suicide, [and the identification and 180
prevention of and response to bullying, as defined in section 10-222aa, 181
except that those boards of education that implement any evidence-182
based model approach that is approved by the Department of Education 183
and is consistent with subsection (c) of section 10-145a, subsection (g) of 184
section 10-233c and sections 1 and 3 of public act 08-160, shall not be 185
required to provide in-service training on the identification and 186
prevention of and response to bullying,] (4) cardiopulmonary 187
resuscitation and other emergency life saving procedures, (5) the 188
requirements and obligations of a mandated reporter, and (6) the 189
detection and recognition of, and evidence-based structured literacy 190
interventions for, students with dyslexia, as defined in section 10-3d. [, 191
(7) culturally responsive pedagogy and practice, including, but not 192
limited to, the video training module relating to implicit bias and anti-193
bias in the hiring process in accordance with the provisions of section 194
10-156hh, and (8) the principles and practices of social-emotional 195
learning and restorative practices.] The manner and frequency of the 196
provision of the information described in subdivisions (1) to (6), 197
inclusive, of this subsection shall be determined by the professional 198
development and evaluation committee, established pursuant to 199
subsection (b) of this section, provided such information is provided at 200
least once every five years. Each local or regional board of education 201
may allow any [paraprofessional] paraeducator or noncertified 202
employee to participate, on a voluntary basis, in any in-service training 203
program provided pursuant to this section. 204
Sec. 6. Subsection (b) of section 10-222d of the general statutes is 205
repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1, 206
2024): 207
(b) Each local and regional board of education shall develop and 208
implement a safe school climate plan to address the existence of bullying 209 Bill No. 5437
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and teen dating violence in its schools. Such plan shall: (1) Enable 210
students to anonymously report acts of bullying to school employees 211
and require students and the parents or guardians of students to be 212
notified at the beginning of each school year of the process by which 213
students may make such reports, (2) enable the parents or guardians of 214
students to file written reports of suspected bullying, (3) require school 215
employees who witness acts of bullying or receive reports of bullying to 216
orally notify the safe school climate specialist, described in section 10-217
222k, or another school administrator if the safe school climate specialist 218
is unavailable, not later than one school day after such school employee 219
witnesses or receives a report of bullying, and to file a written report not 220
later than two school days after making such oral report, (4) require the 221
safe school climate specialist to investigate or supervise the 222
investigation of all reports of bullying and ensure that such 223
investigation is completed promptly after receipt of any written reports 224
made under this section and that the parents or guardians of the student 225
alleged to have committed an act or acts of bullying and the parents or 226
guardians of the student against whom such alleged act or acts were 227
directed receive prompt notice that such investigation has commenced, 228
(5) require the safe school climate specialist to review any anonymous 229
reports, except that no disciplinary action shall be taken solely on the 230
basis of an anonymous report, (6) include a prevention and intervention 231
strategy, as defined by section 10-222g, for school employees to deal 232
with bullying and teen dating violence, (7) provide for the inclusion of 233
language in student codes of conduct concerning bullying, (8) require 234
each school to notify the parents or guardians of students who commit 235
any verified acts of bullying and the parents or guardians of students 236
against whom such acts were directed not later than forty-eight hours 237
after the completion of the investigation described in subdivision (4) of 238
this subsection (A) of the results of such investigation, and (B) verbally 239
and by electronic mail, if such parents' or guardians' electronic mail 240
addresses are known, that such parents or guardians may refer to the 241
plain language explanation of the rights and remedies available under 242
sections 10-4a and 10-4b published on the Internet web site of the local 243
or regional board of education pursuant to section 10-222r, (9) require 244 Bill No. 5437
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each school to invite the parents or guardians of a student against whom 245
such act was directed to a meeting to communicate to such parents or 246
guardians the measures being taken by the school to ensure the safety 247
of the student against whom such act was directed and policies and 248
procedures in place to prevent further acts of bullying, (10) require each 249
school to invite the parents or guardians of a student who commits any 250
verified act of bullying to a meeting, separate and distinct from the 251
meeting required in subdivision (9) of this subsection, to discuss specific 252
interventions undertaken by the school to prevent further acts of 253
bullying, (11) establish a procedure for each school to document and 254
maintain records relating to reports and investigations of bullying in 255
such school and to maintain a list of the number of verified acts of 256
bullying in such school and make such list available for public 257
inspection, and annually report such number to the Department of 258
Education, and in such manner as prescribed by the Commissioner of 259
Education, (12) direct the development of case-by-case interventions for 260
addressing repeated incidents of bullying against a single individual or 261
recurrently perpetrated bullying incidents by the same individual that 262
may include both counseling and discipline, (13) prohibit 263
discrimination and retaliation against an individual who reports or 264
assists in the investigation of an act of bullying, (14) direct the 265
development of student safety support plans for students against whom 266
an act of bullying was directed that address safety measures the school 267
will take to protect such students against further acts of bullying, (15) 268
require the principal of a school, or the principal's designee, to notify the 269
appropriate local law enforcement agency when such principal, or the 270
principal's designee, believes that any acts of bullying constitute 271
criminal conduct, (16) prohibit bullying (A) on school grounds, at a 272
school-sponsored or school-related activity, function or program 273
whether on or off school grounds, at a school bus stop, on a school bus 274
or other vehicle owned, leased or used by a local or regional board of 275
education, or through the use of an electronic device or an electronic 276
mobile device owned, leased or used by the local or regional board of 277
education, and (B) outside of the school setting if such bullying (i) 278
creates a hostile environment at school for the student against whom 279 Bill No. 5437
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such bullying was directed, or (ii) infringes on the rights of the student 280
against whom such bullying was directed at school, or (iii) substantially 281
disrupts the education process or the orderly operation of a school, (17) 282
require, at the beginning of each school year, each school to provide all 283
school employees with a written or electronic copy of the school 284
district's safe school climate plan, and (18) require that all school 285
employees annually complete the training described in [section 10-220a 286
or] section 10-222j. The notification required pursuant to subdivision (8) 287
of this subsection and the invitation required pursuant to subdivision 288
(9) of this subsection shall include a description of the response of school 289
employees to such acts and any consequences that may result from the 290
commission of further acts of bullying. 291
Sec. 7. Section 10-233m of the 2024 supplement to the general statutes 292
is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 293
1, 2024): 294
Each local or regional board of education that assigns a school 295
resource officer to any school under the jurisdiction of such board shall 296
enter into a memorandum of understanding with a local law 297
enforcement agency regarding the role and responsibility of such school 298
resource officer. Such memorandum of understanding shall (1) be 299
maintained in a central location in the school district and posted on the 300
Internet web site of the school district and each school in which such 301
school resource officer is assigned, (2) include provisions addressing 302
daily interactions between students and school personnel with school 303
resource officers, and (3) include a graduated response model for 304
student discipline. Any such memorandum of understanding entered 305
into, extended, updated or amended (A) on or after July 1, 2021, shall 306
include a provision that requires all school resource officers to complete, 307
while in the performance of their duties as school resource officers and 308
during periods when such school resource officers are assigned to be at 309
the school, any separate training specifically related to social-emotional 310
learning and restorative practices provided to certified employees of the 311
school pursuant to [sections] section 10-148a, [and 10-220a,] and (B) on 312 Bill No. 5437
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or after July 1, 2023, shall include provisions specifying a school 313
resource officer's duties concerning, and procedures for, the restraint of 314
students, use of firearms, school-based arrests and reporting of any 315
investigations and behavioral interventions of challenging behavior or 316
conflict that escalates to violence or constitutes a crime, pursuant to the 317
provisions of section 10-233p, provided such provisions are in 318
accordance with any laws or policies concerning the duties of police 319
officers. For the purposes of this section, "school resource officer" means 320
a sworn police officer of a local law enforcement agency who has been 321
assigned to a school pursuant to an agreement between the local or 322
regional board of education and the chief of police of a local law 323
enforcement agency. 324
Sec. 8. Subsection (a) of section 22a-226e of the 2024 supplement to 325
the general statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu 326
thereof (Effective July 1, 2024): 327
(a) (1) On and after January 1, 2014, each commercial food wholesaler 328
or distributor, industrial food manufacturer or processor, supermarket, 329
resort or conference center that is located not more than twenty miles 330
from an authorized source-separated organic material composting 331
facility and that generates an average projected volume of not less than 332
one hundred four tons per year of source-separated organic materials 333
shall: (A) Separate such source-separated organic materials from other 334
solid waste; and (B) ensure that such source-separated organic materials 335
are recycled at any authorized source-separated organic material 336
composting facility that has available capacity and that will accept such 337
source-separated organic material. 338
(2) On and after January 1, 2020, each commercial food wholesaler or 339
distributor, industrial food manufacturer or processor, supermarket, 340
resort or conference center that is located not more than twenty miles 341
from an authorized source-separated organic material composting 342
facility and that generates an average projected volume of not less than 343
fifty-two tons per year of source-separated organic materials shall: (A) 344
Separate such source-separated organic materials from other solid 345 Bill No. 5437
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waste; and (B) ensure that such source-separated organic materials are 346
recycled at any authorized source-separated organic material 347
composting facility that has available capacity and that will accept such 348
source-separated organic material. 349
(3) On and after January 1, 2022, each commercial food wholesaler or 350
distributor, industrial food manufacturer or processor, supermarket, 351
resort or conference center that is located not more than twenty miles 352
from either an authorized source-separated organic material 353
composting facility an authorized transfer station or any collection 354
location authorized to receive source-separated organic materials, and 355
that generates an average projected volume of not less than twenty-six 356
tons per year of source-separated organic materials shall: (A) Separate 357
such source-separated organic materials from other solid waste; and (B) 358
ensure that such source-separated organic materials are recycled at any 359
authorized source-separated organic material composting facility that 360
has available capacity and that will accept such source-separated 361
organic material. 362
(4) On and after January 1, 2025, each commercial food wholesaler or 363
distributor, industrial food manufacturer or processor, supermarket, 364
resort, conference center or institution that generates an average 365
projected volume of not less than twenty-six tons per year of source-366
separated organic materials shall: (A) Separate such source-separated 367
organic materials from other solid waste; and (B) ensure that such 368
source-separated organic materials are recycled at any authorized 369
source-separated organic material composting facility that has available 370
capacity and that will accept such source-separated organic material. 371
For the purposes of this section "institution" means any establishment 372
engaged in providing hospitality, entertainment or rehabilitation and 373
health care services, and any hospital [, public or private educational 374
facility] or correctional facility. 375
(5) On and after July 1, 2025, each public or private educational 376
facility that is located not more than twenty miles from either an 377
authorized source-separated organic material composting facility and 378 Bill No. 5437
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that generates an average projected volume of not less than twenty-six 379
tons per year of source-separated organic materials shall: (A) Separate 380
such source-separated organic materials from other solid waste; and (B) 381
ensure that such source-separated organic materials are recycled at any 382
authorized source-separated organic material composting facility that 383
has available capacity and that will accept such source-separated 384
organic material. 385
Sec. 9. Section 10-248a of the general statutes is repealed and the 386
following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective from passage): 387
For the fiscal year ending June 30, [2020] 2024, and each fiscal year 388
thereafter, notwithstanding any provision of the general statutes or any 389
special act, municipal charter, home rule ordinance or other ordinance, 390
[the board of finance in each town having a board of finance, the board 391
of selectmen in each town having no board of finance or the authority 392
making appropriations for the school district for each town] a local 393
board of education may deposit into a nonlapsing account any 394
unexpended funds from the prior fiscal year from the budgeted 395
appropriation for education, [for the town,] provided (1) such deposited 396
amount does not exceed two per cent of the total budgeted 397
appropriation for education for such prior fiscal year, (2) each 398
expenditure from such account shall be made only for educational 399
purposes, and (3) each such expenditure shall be authorized by the local 400
board of education for such town. 401
Sec. 10. Subdivision (2) of subsection (d) of section 10-51 of the 402
general statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu 403
thereof (Effective from passage): 404
(2) [On and after June 7, 2006] For the fiscal year ending June 30, 2024, 405
and each fiscal year thereafter, a regional board of education, by a 406
majority vote of its members, may create a reserve fund for [capital and 407
nonrecurring] educational expenditures. Such fund shall thereafter be 408
termed ["reserve fund for capital and nonrecurring expenditures"] 409
"reserve fund for educational expenditures". The aggregate amount of 410 Bill No. 5437
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annual and supplemental appropriations by a district to such fund shall 411
not exceed two per cent of the annual district budget for such fiscal year. 412
Annual appropriations to such fund shall be included in the share of net 413
expenses to be paid by each member town. Supplemental 414
appropriations to such fund may be made from estimated fiscal year 415
end surplus in operating funds. Interest and investment earnings 416
received with respect to amounts held in the fund shall be credited to 417
such fund. The board shall annually submit a complete and detailed 418
report of the condition of such fund to the member towns. Upon the 419
recommendation and approval by the regional board of education, any 420
part or the whole of such fund may be used for [capital and 421
nonrecurring] educational expenditures. [, but such use shall be 422
restricted to the funding of all or part of the planning, construction, 423
reconstruction or acquisition of any specific capital improvement or the 424
acquisition of any specific item of equipment.] Upon the approval of any 425
such expenditure an appropriation shall be set up, plainly designated 426
for the [project or acquisition] educational expenditure for which it has 427
been authorized. [, and such unexpended appropriation may be 428
continued until such project or acquisition is completed.] Any 429
unexpended portion of such appropriation remaining [after such 430
completion] shall revert to said fund. If any authorized appropriation is 431
set up pursuant to the provisions of this subsection and through 432
unforeseen circumstances [the completion of the project or acquisition 433
for which such appropriation has been designated is impossible to 434
attain] the board is unable to expend the total amount of such 435
appropriation, the board, by a majority vote of its members, may 436
terminate such appropriation which then shall no longer be in effect. 437
Such fund may be discontinued, after the recommendation and 438
approval by the regional board of education, and any amounts held in 439
the fund shall be transferred to the general fund of the district. 440
Sec. 11. Section 10-221a of the 2024 supplement to the general statutes 441
is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 442
1, 2024): 443 Bill No. 5437
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(a) For classes graduating from 1988 to 2003, inclusive, no local or 444
regional board of education shall permit any student to graduate from 445
high school or grant a diploma to any student who has not satisfactorily 446
completed a minimum of twenty credits, not fewer than four of which 447
shall be in English, not fewer than three in mathematics, not fewer than 448
three in social studies, not fewer than two in science, not fewer than one 449
in the arts or vocational education and not fewer than one in physical 450
education. 451
(b) For classes graduating from 2004 to 2022, inclusive, no local or 452
regional board of education shall permit any student to graduate from 453
high school or grant a diploma to any student who has not satisfactorily 454
completed a minimum of twenty credits, not fewer than four of which 455
shall be in English, not fewer than three in mathematics, not fewer than 456
three in social studies, including at least a one-half credit course on 457
civics and American government, not fewer than two in science, not 458
fewer than one in the arts or vocational education and not fewer than 459
one in physical education. 460
(c) [Commencing with] For classes graduating [in] from 2023 [, and 461
for each graduating class thereafter] to 2026, inclusive, no local or 462
regional board of education shall permit any student to graduate from 463
high school or grant a diploma to any student who has not satisfactorily 464
completed a minimum of twenty-five credits, including not fewer than: 465
(1) Nine credits in the humanities, including civics and the arts; (2) nine 466
credits in science, technology, engineering and mathematics; (3) one 467
credit in physical education and wellness; (4) one credit in health and 468
safety education, as described in section 10-16b; and (5) one credit in 469
world languages, subject to the provisions of subsection [(h)] (g) of this 470
section. A local or regional board of education may require a student to 471
complete a one credit mastery-based diploma assessment in order to 472
graduate from high school or be granted a diploma. 473
[(d) Commencing with classes graduating in 2025, and for each 474
graduating class thereafter, no local or regional board of education shall 475
permit any student to graduate from high school or grant a diploma to 476 Bill No. 5437
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any student who has not satisfied the requirements of section 10-221z 477
and not satisfactorily completed a minimum of twenty-five credits, 478
including not fewer than: (1) Nine credits in the humanities, including 479
civics and the arts; (2) nine credits in science, technology, engineering 480
and mathematics; (3) one credit in physical education and wellness; (4) 481
one credit in health and safety education, as described in section 10-16b; 482
and (5) one credit in world languages, subject to the provisions of 483
subsection (h) of this section. A local or regional board of education may 484
require a student to complete a one credit mastery-based diploma 485
assessment in order to graduate from high school or be granted a 486
diploma.] 487
[(e)] (d) Commencing with classes graduating in 2027, and for each 488
graduating class thereafter, no local or regional board of education shall 489
permit any student to graduate from high school or grant a diploma to 490
any student who has not satisfied the requirements of section 10-221z, 491
as amended by this act, and not satisfactorily completed a minimum of 492
twenty-five credits, including not fewer than: (1) Nine credits in the 493
humanities, including civics and the arts; (2) nine credits in science, 494
technology, engineering and mathematics; (3) one credit in physical 495
education and wellness; (4) one credit in health and safety education, as 496
described in section 10-16b; (5) one credit in world languages, subject to 497
the provisions of subsection [(h)] (g) of this section; and (6) one-half 498
credit in personal financial management and financial literacy, which 499
may count towards the requirement described in subdivision (1) or (2) 500
of this subsection or as an elective credit. [A local or regional board of 501
education may require a student to complete a one credit mastery-based 502
diploma assessment in order to graduate from high school or be granted 503
a diploma.] 504
[(f)] (e) Commencing with classes graduating in 2023, and for each 505
graduating class thereafter, local and regional boards of education shall 506
provide adequate student support and remedial services for students 507
beginning in grade seven. Such student support and remedial services 508
shall provide alternate means for a student to complete any of the high 509 Bill No. 5437
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school graduation requirements described in subsections (c) [to (e)] and 510
(d), inclusive, of this section, if such student is unable to satisfactorily 511
complete any of the required courses or exams. Such student support 512
and remedial services shall include, but not be limited to, (1) allowing 513
students to retake courses in summer school or through an on-line 514
course; (2) allowing students to enroll in a class offered at a constituent 515
unit of the state system of higher education, as defined in section 10a-1, 516
pursuant to subdivision (4) of subsection [(i)] (h) of this section; (3) 517
allowing students who received a failing score, as determined by the 518
Commissioner of Education, on an end of the school year exam to take 519
an alternate form of the exam; and (4) allowing those students whose 520
individualized education programs state that such students are eligible 521
for an alternate assessment to demonstrate competency on any of the 522
five core courses through success on such alternate assessment. 523
[(g)] (f) Any student who presents a certificate from a physician or 524
advanced practice registered nurse stating that, in the opinion of the 525
physician or advanced practice registered nurse, participation in 526
physical education is medically contraindicated because of the physical 527
condition of such student, shall be excused from the physical education 528
requirement, provided the credit for physical education may be fulfilled 529
by an elective. 530
[(h)] (g) Determination of eligible credits shall be at the discretion of 531
the local or regional board of education, provided the primary focus of 532
the curriculum of eligible credits corresponds directly to the subject 533
matter of the specified course requirements. The local or regional board 534
of education may permit a student to graduate during a period of 535
expulsion pursuant to section 10-233d, if the board determines the 536
student has satisfactorily completed the necessary credits pursuant to 537
this section. The requirements of this section shall apply to any student 538
requiring special education pursuant to section 10-76a, except when the 539
planning and placement team for such student determines the 540
requirement not to be appropriate. For purposes of this section, a credit 541
shall consist of not less than the equivalent of a forty-minute class period 542 Bill No. 5437
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for each school day of a school year except for a credit or part of a credit 543
toward high school graduation earned (1) at an institution accredited by 544
the Board of Regents for Higher Education or Office of Higher 545
Education or regionally accredited, (2) through on-line coursework that 546
is in accordance with a policy adopted pursuant to subsection [(i)] (h) of 547
this section, or (3) through a demonstration of mastery based on 548
competency and performance standards, in accordance with guidelines 549
adopted by the State Board of Education. 550
[(i)] (h) Only courses taken in grades nine to twelve, inclusive, and 551
that are in accordance with the state-wide subject matter content 552
standards, adopted by the State Board of Education pursuant to section 553
10-4, shall satisfy the graduation requirements set forth in this section, 554
except that a local or regional board of education may grant a student 555
credit (1) toward meeting the high school graduation requirements 556
upon the successful demonstration of mastery of the subject matter 557
content described in this section achieved through educational 558
experiences and opportunities that provide flexible and multiple 559
pathways to learning, including cross -curricular graduation 560
requirements, career and technical education, virtual learning, work-561
based learning, service learning, dual enrollment and early college, 562
courses taken in middle school, internships and student-designed 563
independent studies, provided such demonstration of mastery is in 564
accordance with such state-wide subject matter content standards; (2) 565
toward meeting a specified course requirement upon the successful 566
completion in grade seven or eight of any course, the primary focus of 567
which corresponds directly to the subject matter of a specified course 568
requirement in grades nine to twelve, inclusive; (3) toward meeting the 569
high school graduation requirement upon the successful completion of 570
a world language course (A) in grade six, seven or eight, (B) through on-571
line coursework, or (C) offered privately through a nonprofit provider, 572
provided such student achieves a passing grade on an examination 573
prescribed, within available appropriations, by the Commissioner of 574
Education and such credits do not exceed four; (4) toward meeting the 575
high school graduation requirement upon achievement of a passing 576 Bill No. 5437
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grade on a subject area proficiency examination identified and 577
approved, within available appropriations, by the Commissioner of 578
Education, regardless of the number of hours the student spent in a 579
public school classroom learning such subject matter; (5) toward 580
meeting the high school graduation requirement upon the successful 581
completion of coursework during the school year or summer months at 582
an institution accredited by the Board of Regents for Higher Education 583
or Office of Higher Education or regionally accredited. One three-credit 584
semester course, or its equivalent, at such an institution shall equal one-585
half credit for purposes of this section; (6) toward meeting the high 586
school graduation requirement upon the successful completion of on-587
line coursework, provided the local or regional board of education has 588
adopted a policy in accordance with this subdivision for the granting of 589
credit for on-line coursework. Such a policy shall ensure, at a minimum, 590
that (A) the workload required by the on-line course is equivalent to that 591
of a similar course taught in a traditional classroom setting, (B) the 592
content is rigorous and aligned with curriculum guidelines approved 593
by the State Board of Education, where appropriate, (C) the course 594
engages students and has interactive components, which may include, 595
but are not limited to, required interactions between students and their 596
teachers, participation in on-line demonstrations, discussion boards or 597
virtual labs, (D) the program of instruction for such on-line coursework 598
is planned, ongoing and systematic, and (E) the courses are (i) taught by 599
teachers who are certified in the state or another state and have received 600
training on teaching in an on-line environment, or (ii) offered by 601
institutions of higher education that are accredited by the Board of 602
Regents for Higher Education or Office of Higher Education or 603
regionally accredited; or (7) toward meeting the high school graduation 604
requirement upon the successful completion of a credit recovery 605
program approved by the Commissioner of Education. 606
[(j)] (i) A local or regional board of education may offer one-half credit 607
in community service which, if satisfactorily completed, shall qualify for 608
high school graduation credit pursuant to this section, provided such 609
community service is supervised by a certified school administrator or 610 Bill No. 5437
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teacher and consists of not less than fifty hours of actual service that may 611
be performed at times when school is not regularly in session and not 612
less than ten hours of related classroom instruction. [For purposes of 613
this section, community service does not include partisan political 614
activities.] The State Board of Education shall assist local and regional 615
boards of education in meeting the requirements of this section. [The 616
State Board of Education shall award a community service recognition 617
award to any student who satisfactorily completes fifty hours or more 618
of community service in accordance with the provisions of this 619
subsection.] 620
[(k)] (j) (1) A local or regional board of education may award a 621
diploma to a veteran, as defined in subsection (a) of section 27-103, 622
which veteran or person served during World War II or the Korean 623
hostilities, as described in section 51-49h, or during the Vietnam Era, as 624
defined in section 27-103, withdrew from high school prior to 625
graduation in order to serve in the armed forces of the United States and 626
did not receive a diploma as a consequence of such service. 627
(2) A local or regional board of education may award a diploma to 628
any person who (A) withdrew from high school prior to graduation to 629
work in a job that assisted the war effort during World War II, December 630
7, 1941, to December 31, 1946, inclusive, (B) did not receive a diploma as 631
a consequence of such work, and (C) has been a resident of the state for 632
at least fifty consecutive years. 633
(3) (A) A local or regional board of education under whose 634
jurisdiction a student would otherwise be attending school if such 635
student were not educated under the oversight of the education unit of 636
the Department of Children and Families established pursuant to 637
section 17a-3b, shall award a diploma to any such student seventeen 638
years of age or older who satisfactorily completes the minimum credits 639
required pursuant to this section for students graduating in the year in 640
which such diploma is awarded. 641
(B) If no such local or regional board of education can be identified, 642 Bill No. 5437
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the Department of Children and Families shall determine whether a 643
student educated under the oversight of the education unit of the 644
department who is seventeen years of age or older has satisfactorily 645
completed the minimum credits required pursuant to this section for 646
students graduating in the year in which a diploma is sought by such 647
student and the department shall award a diploma to any such student 648
who has met such requirement. 649
[(l)] (k) For the school year commencing July 1, 2012, and each school 650
year thereafter, each local and regional board of education shall create a 651
student success plan for each student enrolled in a public school, 652
beginning in grade six. Such student success plan shall include a 653
student's career and academic choices in grades six to twelve, inclusive. 654
Beginning in grade six, such student success plan shall provide evidence 655
of career exploration in each grade including, but not limited to, careers 656
in manufacturing. The Department of Education shall revise and issue 657
to local and regional boards of education guidance regarding changes 658
to such student success plans. On and after July 1, 2020, in creating such 659
student success plans, consideration shall be given to career and 660
academic choices in computer science, science, technology, engineering 661
and mathematics. On and after July 1, 2021, such student success plans 662
shall be created, if possible, in collaboration with each student and the 663
parent or guardian of such student. On and after July 1, 2022, such 664
student success plans shall, to the extent it does not conflict with the 665
career choices of the student or such student's parent or guardian, 666
include an academic plan that is in compliance with the challenging 667
curriculum policy adopted by the local or regional board of education 668
pursuant to section 10-221x, as amended by this act. On and after July 1, 669
2024, in creating such student success plans, consideration shall be given 670
to enrollment opportunities in the Technical Education and Career 671
System. 672
[(m)] (l) Commencing with classes graduating in 2018, and for each 673
graduating class thereafter, a local or regional board of education may 674
affix the Connecticut State Seal of Biliteracy, as described in subsection 675 Bill No. 5437
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(f) of section 10-5, to a diploma awarded to a student who has achieved 676
a high level of proficiency in English and one or more foreign languages, 677
as defined in said subsection (f). The local or regional board of education 678
shall include on such student's transcript a designation that the student 679
received the Connecticut State Seal of Biliteracy. 680
Sec. 12. Section 10-221z of the 2024 supplement to the general statutes 681
is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 682
1, 2024): 683
(a) No local or regional board of education shall permit any student 684
to graduate from high school or grant a diploma to any student 685
pursuant to section 10-221a, as amended by this act, unless such student 686
has (1) completed a Free Application for Federal Student Aid, (2) 687
completed and submitted to a public institution of higher education an 688
application for institutional financial aid for students without legal 689
immigration status established pursuant to section 10a-161d, or (3) 690
completed a waiver, in accordance with the provisions of subsection (b) 691
of this section and on a form prescribed by the Commissioner of 692
Education, signed by such minor student's parent or legal guardian or 693
by such student if such student is a legally emancipated minor or 694
eighteen years of age or older. 695
(b) Any waiver completed by a student pursuant to subdivision (3) 696
of subsection (a) of this section shall require the parent, legal guardian 697
or student to affirm that such parent, legal guardian or student 698
understands the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, and shall not 699
require the parent, legal guardian or student to state any reasons for 700
choosing not to complete a Free Application for Federal Student Aid or 701
the application for institutional financial aid for students without legal 702
immigration status. On and after March fifteenth of the school year, a 703
principal, school counselor, teacher or other certified educator may 704
complete such waiver on behalf of any student who has not satisfied any 705
of the requirements described in subsection (a) of this section, if such 706
principal, school counselor, teacher or other certified educator affirms 707
that they have made a good faith effort to contact the parent, legal 708 Bill No. 5437
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guardian or student about completion of the Free Application for 709
Federal Student Aid or an application for institutional financial aid for 710
students without legal immigration status. 711
(c) The provisions of this section shall not apply to any student 712
enrolled in an incorporated or endowed high school or academy 713
approved pursuant to section 10-34 and who is not a resident of the 714
state. 715
Sec. 13. Subsection (b) of section 10-76ll of the 2024 supplement to the 716
general statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu 717
thereof (Effective July 1, 2024): 718
(b) On or before July 1, 2015, the State Board of Education shall draft 719
a written bill of rights for parents of children receiving special education 720
services to guarantee that the rights of such parents and children are 721
adequately safeguarded and protected during the provision of special 722
education and related services until such children have graduated from 723
high school or at the end of the school year during which such children 724
reaches age twenty-two, whichever occurs first, under this chapter. Such 725
bill of rights shall inform parents of: (1) The right to request 726
consideration of the provision of transition services for a child receiving 727
special education services who is eighteen until such child has 728
graduated from high school or at the end of the school year during 729
which such child reaches age twenty-two, whichever occurs first, (2) the 730
right to receive transition resources and materials from the department 731
and the local or regional board of education responsible for such child, 732
(3) the requirement that the local or regional board of education 733
responsible for such child shall create a student success plan for each 734
student enrolled in a public school, beginning in grade six, pursuant to 735
subsection [(l)] (k) of section 10-221a, as amended by this act, and (4) the 736
right of such child to receive realistic and specific postgraduation goals 737
as part of such child's individualized education program. 738
Sec. 14. Subsection (b) of section 10-221x of the 2024 supplement to 739
the general statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu 740 Bill No. 5437
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thereof (Effective July 1, 2024): 741
(b) Each local and regional board of education shall create an 742
academic plan for each student identified under the criteria described in 743
subdivision (1) of subsection (a) of this section. In creating an academic 744
plan for a student, such plan shall be designed to enroll such student in 745
one or more advanced course or programs and allow such student to 746
earn college credit or result in career readiness. Each academic plan shall 747
be aligned with (1) the courses or programs offered by the local or 748
regional board of education, (2) such student's student success plan 749
created pursuant to subsection [(l)] (k) of section 10-221a, as amended 750
by this act, (3) the high school graduation requirements under section 751
10-221a, as amended by this act, and (4) any other policies or standards 752
adopted by the board relating to the eligibility for student enrollment in 753
advanced courses or programs. A student, or the parent or guardian of 754
a student, may decline to implement the provisions of an academic plan 755
created for such student. 756
This act shall take effect as follows and shall amend the following
sections:
Section 1 July 1, 2024 New section
Sec. 2 July 1, 2024 New section
Sec. 3 July 1, 2024 New section
Sec. 4 July 1, 2024 10-220a(a)
Sec. 5 July 1, 2025 10-220a(a)
Sec. 6 July 1, 2024 10-222d(b)
Sec. 7 July 1, 2024 10-233m
Sec. 8 July 1, 2024 22a-226e(a)
Sec. 9 from passage 10-248a
Sec. 10 from passage 10-51(d)(2)
Sec. 11 July 1, 2024 10-221a
Sec. 12 July 1, 2024 10-221z
Sec. 13 July 1, 2024 10-76ll(b)
Sec. 14 July 1, 2024 10-221x(b)
ED Joint Favorable C/R APP Bill No. 5437
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