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General Assembly Governor's Bill No. 14
February Session, 2024
LCO No. 507
Referred to Committee on EDUCATION
Introduced by:
Request of the Governor Pursuant
to Joint Rule 9
AN ACT ASSISTING SCHOOL DISTRICTS IN IMPROVING
EDUCATIONAL OUTCOMES.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General
Assembly convened:
Section 1. Subsection (a) of section 10-14z of the general statutes is 1
repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1, 2
2024): 3
(a) There is established an Office of Dyslexia and Reading Disabilities 4
within the Department of Education which shall be under the 5
management of a chief. The chief shall be qualified by training and 6
experience to perform the duties of the office, including, but not limited 7
to, expertise in higher education, dyslexia and structured literacy. The 8
Office of Dyslexia and Reading Disabilities shall (1) verify the 9
compliance of (A) educator preparation programs, as defined in section 10
10-146c, including intermediate administrator and supervisor 11
programs, and (B) applicants for an initial, provisional or professional 12
educator certificate pursuant to the provisions of chapter 166 relating to 13
scientifically-based reading research and instruction, as defined in 14 Governor's Bill No. 14
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section 10-14u, structured literacy instruction and training, dyslexia 15
instruction and training, including, but not limited to, the compliance 16
verifications required pursuant to sections 10-14aa to 10-14cc, inclusive; 17
(2) review and recommend changes, as necessary, to the State Board of 18
Education's process for approval of educator preparation programs 19
related to such compliance verifications; and (3) provide guidance to 20
and consult with the department's Talent Office related to such 21
compliance verifications. 22
Sec. 2. Subsection (a) of section 10-14gg of the 2024 supplement to the 23
general statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu 24
thereof (Effective July 1, 2024): 25
(a) The Department of Education shall establish a Center for Literacy 26
Research and Reading Success within the department. The center shall 27
be responsible for (1) the implementation of the coordinated state-wide 28
reading plan for students in kindergarten to grade three, inclusive, 29
established pursuant to section 10-14v; (2) researching and developing, 30
in collaboration with the Office of Early Childhood, a birth to grade 31
twelve reading success strategy to be included in the alignment of 32
reading instruction with the two-generational initiative, established 33
pursuant to section 17b-112l; (3) (A) providing direct support to schools 34
and boards of education to improve reading outcomes for students in 35
kindergarten to grade three, inclusive, and other reading initiatives, and 36
(B) supporting teachers, schools and boards of education engaged in 37
improving through coaching, leadership training, professional 38
development, parental engagement and technical assistance that is 39
consistent with the intensive reading instruction program, as described 40
in section 10-14u and aligned with evidence-based practices; (4) 41
providing independent, random reviews of how a local or regional 42
board of education is implementing (A) a comprehensive reading 43
curriculum model or program for grades kindergarten to grade three, 44
inclusive, pursuant to section 10-14hh, and (B) an approved reading 45
assessment, pursuant to section 10-14t; (5) receiving and publicly 46
reporting, not later than September 1, 2025, and biennially thereafter, 47
the comprehensive reading curriculum model or program being 48 Governor's Bill No. 14
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implemented by each local and regional board of education pursuant to 49
section 10-14hh; (6) developing and maintaining an Internet web site for 50
the purpose of disseminating tools and information associated with the 51
intensive reading instruction program for student reading; and (7) 52
serving as a collaborative center for institutions of higher education and 53
making available to the faculty of teacher preparation programs [(A) the 54
science of teaching reading, (B) the intensive reading instruction 55
program, and (C) samples of available comprehensive reading 56
curriculum models or programs reviewed and approved pursuant to 57
section 10-14ii; and (8) reviewing and publicly reporting on progress 58
made by teacher preparation programs to include comprehensive 59
reading curriculum models or programs reviewed and approved 60
pursuant to section 10-14ii] (A) resources and research supporting 61
scientifically-based reading instruction, and (B) Connecticut's K-3 62
Literacy Strategy, developed by the center. 63
Sec. 3. (NEW) (Effective July 1, 2024) Not later than July 1, 2025, the 64
Department of Education shall develop compliance measures and audit 65
procedures to determine the compliance of educator preparation 66
programs, including intermediate administrator and supervisor 67
programs, in the provision of instruction on scientifically-based reading 68
research and instruction, as defined in section 10-14u of the general 69
statutes. 70
Sec. 4. (NEW) (Effective from passage) Not later than September 1, 2024, 71
and every five years thereafter, the State Board of Education shall 72
develop, and revise as necessary, a model policy on the use of cellular 73
mobile telephones and other mobile electronic devices, as defined in 74
section 10-222d of the general statutes, in schools. Such policy shall 75
consider the various needs of students, such as age and grade level, and 76
include appropriate enforcement provisions. The department shall 77
make such model policy available on its Internet web site. 78
Sec. 5. (Effective July 1, 2024) (a) As used in this section, "advanced 79
course or program" means an honors class, advanced placement class, 80
International Baccalaureate program, Cambridge International 81 Governor's Bill No. 14
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program, dual enrollment program, dual credit course or program, 82
early college program or any other advanced or accelerated course or 83
program that is offered, and for which credit is awarded, by a local or 84
regional board of education in grades nine to twelve, inclusive. 85
(b) The Department of Education shall conduct a study regarding the 86
feasibility of establishing and administering a state-wide program that 87
supports public high school students in participating in an advanced 88
course or program, and which gives priority to students from low-89
income families. In conducting such study, the department shall consult 90
with local and regional boards of education and public and independent 91
institutions of higher education. Such study shall review current in-state 92
programs to provide advanced courses or programs, identify and 93
analyze similar programs in other states, and provide recommendations 94
on the framework and criteria for implementing a state-wide program 95
in the state. 96
(c) Not later than January 1, 2026, the department shall submit such 97
report, and any recommendations on the establishment and 98
implementation of such state-wide program, to the joint standing 99
committee of the General Assembly having cognizance of matters 100
relating to education in accordance with the provisions of section 11-4a 101
of the general statutes. 102
Sec. 6. (NEW) (Effective July 1, 2024) Not later than January 1, 2025, 103
and every five years thereafter, the Department of Education shall 104
develop and make available to local and regional boards of education, a 105
guide of recommended resource allocation strategies designed to target 106
the allocation and expenditure of local, state and federal funds to 107
improve student academic outcomes. Such guide shall include, but need 108
not be limited to, recommendations relating to the percentage of funds 109
boards of education should expend on administrative overhead and 110
ongoing costs related to the provision of public education, such as 111
teacher salaries, other specialized education interventions and any other 112
categories the department determines is relevant and is based on best 113
practices. The department shall make such guide available in its Internet 114 Governor's Bill No. 14
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web site. 115
This act shall take effect as follows and shall amend the following
sections:
Section 1 July 1, 2024 10-14z(a)
Sec. 2 July 1, 2024 10-14gg(a)
Sec. 3 July 1, 2024 New section
Sec. 4 from passage New section
Sec. 5 July 1, 2024 New section
Sec. 6 July 1, 2024 New section
Statement of Purpose:
To implement the Governor's budget recommendations.
[Proposed deletions are enclosed in brackets. Proposed additions are indicated by underline, except
that when the entire text of a bill or resolution or a section of a bill or resolution is new, it is not
underlined.]