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General Assembly Substitute Bill No. 363
February Session, 2024
AN ACT CONCERNING ASSORTED REVISIONS TO THE EDUCATION
STATUTES.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General
Assembly convened:
Section 1. Section 10-16b of the 2024 supplement to the general 1
statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof 2
(Effective July 1, 2024): 3
(a) In the public schools the program of instruction offered shall 4
include at least the following subject matter, as taught by legally 5
qualified teachers: [, the] The arts; career education; consumer 6
education; personal financial management and financial literacy; health 7
and safety, including, but not limited to, human growth and 8
development, nutrition, first aid, including cardiopulmonary 9
resuscitation training in accordance with the provisions of section 10-10
16qq, disease prevention and cancer awareness, including, but not 11
limited to, age and developmentally appropriate instruction in 12
performing self-examinations for the purposes of screening for breast 13
cancer and testicular cancer, community and consumer health, physical, 14
mental and emotional health, including youth suicide prevention, 15
substance abuse prevention, including instruction relating to opioid use 16
and related disorders, safety, which shall include the safe use of social 17
media, as defined in section 9-601, and may include the dangers of gang 18 Substitute Bill No. 363
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membership, and accident prevention; language arts, including reading, 19
writing, grammar, speaking and spelling; mathematics; physical 20
education; science, which shall include the climate change curriculum 21
described in subsection (d) of this section; social studies, including, but 22
not limited to, citizenship, economics, geography, government, history 23
and Holocaust and genocide education and awareness in accordance 24
with the provisions of section 10-18f; African-American and black 25
studies in accordance with the provisions of section 10-16ss; Puerto 26
Rican and Latino studies in accordance with the provisions of section 27
10-16ss; Native American studies, in accordance with the provisions of 28
section 10-16vv; computer programming instruction; recycling and 29
renewable energy; and in addition, on at least the secondary level, one 30
or more world languages; vocational education; and the black and 31
Latino studies course in accordance with the provisions of sections 10-32
16tt and 10-16uu. For purposes of this subsection, world languages shall 33
include American Sign Language, provided such subject matter is 34
taught by a qualified instructor under the supervision of a teacher who 35
holds a certificate issued by the State Board of Education. For purposes 36
of this subsection, the "arts" means any form of visual or performing 37
arts, which may include, but not be limited to, dance, music, art and 38
theatre; and "reading" means evidence-based instruction that focuses on 39
competency in oral language, phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, 40
vocabulary, rapid automatic name or letter name fluency and reading 41
comprehension. 42
(b) If a local or regional board of education requires its pupils to take 43
a course in a world language, the parent or guardian of a pupil 44
identified as deaf or hard of hearing may request in writing that such 45
pupil be exempted from such requirement and, if such a request is 46
made, such pupil shall be exempt from such requirement. 47
(c) Each local and regional board of education shall on September 1, 48
1982, and annually thereafter at such time and in such manner as the 49
Commissioner of Education shall request, attest to the State Board of 50
Education that such local or regional board of education offers at least 51 Substitute Bill No. 363
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the program of instruction required pursuant to this section, and that 52
such program of instruction is planned, ongoing and systematic. 53
(d) The State Board of Education shall make available curriculum 54
materials and such other materials as may assist local and regional 55
boards of education in developing instructional programs pursuant to 56
this section. The State Board of Education, within available 57
appropriations and utilizing available resource materials, shall assist 58
and encourage local and regional boards of education to include: (1) 59
Holocaust and genocide education and awareness; (2) the historical 60
events surrounding the Great Famine in Ireland; (3) African-American 61
and black studies; (4) Puerto Rican and Latino studies; (5) Native 62
American studies; (6) personal financial management, including, but 63
not limited to, financial literacy as developed in the plan provided under 64
section 10-16pp; (7) training in cardiopulmonary resuscitation and the 65
use of automatic external defibrillators; (8) labor history and law, 66
including organized labor, the collective bargaining process, existing 67
legal protections in the workplace, the history and economics of free 68
market capitalism and entrepreneurialism, and the role of labor and 69
capitalism in the development of the American and world economies; 70
(9) climate change consistent with the Next Generation Science 71
Standards; (10) topics approved by the state board upon the request of 72
local or regional boards of education as part of the program of 73
instruction offered pursuant to subsection (a) of this section; [and] (11) 74
instruction relating to the Safe Haven Act, sections 17a-57 to 17a-61, 75
inclusive; and (12) recycling and renewable energy, including, but not 76
limited to, protocols for recycling and reducing food waste. The 77
Department of Energy and Environmental Protection shall be available 78
to each local and regional board of education for the development of 79
curriculum on climate change as described in this subsection. 80
Sec. 2. Section 10-16b of the 2024 supplement to the general statutes, 81
as amended by section 32 of public act 22-80, section 3 of public act 23-82
21, section 7 of public act 23-150 and section 19 of public act 23-160, is 83
repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1, 84 Substitute Bill No. 363
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2025): 85
(a) In the public schools the program of instruction offered shall 86
include at least the following subject matter, as taught by legally 87
qualified teachers: [, the] The arts; career education; consumer 88
education; personal financial management and financial literacy; health 89
and safety, including, but not limited to, human growth and 90
development, nutrition, first aid, including cardiopulmonary 91
resuscitation training in accordance with the provisions of section 10-92
16qq, disease prevention and cancer awareness, including, but not 93
limited to, age and developmentally appropriate instruction in 94
performing self-examinations for the purposes of screening for breast 95
cancer and testicular cancer, community and consumer health, physical, 96
mental and emotional health, including youth suicide prevention, 97
substance abuse prevention, including instruction relating to opioid use 98
and related disorders, safety, which shall include the safe use of social 99
media, as defined in section 9-601, and may include the dangers of gang 100
membership, and accident prevention; language arts, including reading, 101
writing, grammar, speaking and spelling; mathematics; physical 102
education; science, which may include the climate change curriculum 103
described in subsection (d) of this section; social studies, including, but 104
not limited to, civics and media literacy, citizenship, economics, 105
geography, government, history and Holocaust and genocide education 106
and awareness in accordance with the provisions of section 10-18f; 107
African-American and black studies in accordance with the provisions 108
of section 10-16ss; Puerto Rican and Latino studies in accordance with 109
the provisions of section 10-16ss; Native American studies, in 110
accordance with the provisions of section 10-16vv; Asian American and 111
Pacific Islander studies, in accordance with the provisions of section [10-112
66ww] 10-16ww; computer programming instruction; recycling and 113
renewable energy; and in addition, on at least the secondary level, one 114
or more world languages; vocational education; and the black and 115
Latino studies course in accordance with the provisions of sections 10-116
16tt and 10-16uu. For purposes of this subsection, world languages shall 117
include American Sign Language, provided such subject matter is 118 Substitute Bill No. 363
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taught by a qualified instructor under the supervision of a teacher who 119
holds a certificate issued by the State Board of Education. For purposes 120
of this subsection, the "arts" means any form of visual or performing 121
arts, which may include, but not be limited to, dance, music, art and 122
theatre; and "reading" means evidence-based instruction that focuses on 123
competency in oral language, phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, 124
vocabulary, rapid automatic name or letter name fluency and reading 125
comprehension. 126
(b) If a local or regional board of education requires its pupils to take 127
a course in a world language, the parent or guardian of a pupil 128
identified as deaf or hard of hearing may request in writing that such 129
pupil be exempted from such requirement and, if such a request is 130
made, such pupil shall be exempt from such requirement. 131
(c) Each local and regional board of education shall on September 1, 132
1982, and annually thereafter at such time and in such manner as the 133
Commissioner of Education shall request, attest to the State Board of 134
Education that such local or regional board of education offers at least 135
the program of instruction required pursuant to this section, and that 136
such program of instruction is planned, ongoing and systematic. 137
(d) The State Board of Education shall make available curriculum 138
materials and such other materials as may assist local and regional 139
boards of education in developing instructional programs pursuant to 140
this section. The State Board of Education, within available 141
appropriations and utilizing available resource materials, shall assist 142
and encourage local and regional boards of education to include: (1) 143
Holocaust and genocide education and awareness; (2) the historical 144
events surrounding the Great Famine in Ireland; (3) African-American 145
and black studies; (4) Puerto Rican and Latino studies; (5) Native 146
American studies; (6) Asian American and Pacific Islander studies; (7) 147
personal financial management, including, but not limited to, financial 148
literacy as developed in the plan provided under section 10-16pp; (8) 149
training in cardiopulmonary resuscitation and the use of automatic 150
external defibrillators; (9) labor history and law, including organized 151 Substitute Bill No. 363
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labor, the collective bargaining process, existing legal protections in the 152
workplace, the history and economics of free market capitalism and 153
entrepreneurialism, and the role of labor and capitalism in the 154
development of the American and world economies; (10) climate change 155
consistent with the Next Generation Science Standards; (11) topics 156
approved by the state board upon the request of local or regional boards 157
of education as part of the program of instruction offered pursuant to 158
subsection (a) of this section; [and] (12) instruction relating to the Safe 159
Haven Act, sections 17a-57 to 17a-61, inclusive; and (13) recycling and 160
renewable energy, including, but not limited to, protocols for recycling 161
and reducing food waste. The Department of Energy and 162
Environmental Protection shall be available to each local and regional 163
board of education for the development of curriculum on climate 164
change as described in this subsection. 165
Sec. 3. Section 10-211f of the 2024 supplement to the general statutes 166
is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 167
1, 2024): 168
For the school year commencing July 1, 2024, and each school year 169
thereafter, each local and regional board of education shall annually 170
approve and provide professional development programs or activities 171
for all school nurses and nurse practitioners appointed by or under 172
contract with such board. [Each board shall provide] As part of such 173
professional development programs or activities [related to] provided 174
by each local and regional board of education under this section, each 175
new school nurse or nurse practitioner shall receive and complete (1) 176
training and instruction in the implementation of individualized 177
education programs and plans pursuant to Section 504 of the 178
Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended from time to time, [to any new 179
school nurse or nurse practitioner] not later than thirty days after such 180
school nurse or nurse practitioner has been appointed by or entered into 181
a contract with such board, and (2) an orientation to school health 182
services, developed by an association that represents nurses in the state, 183
not later than six months after such nurse or nurse practitioner has been 184 Substitute Bill No. 363
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appointed by or entered into a contract with such board. 185
Sec. 4. Section 10-227 of the 2024 supplement to the general statutes 186
is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 187
1, 2024): 188
(a) Each board of education shall cause the superintendent to make 189
returns not later than September first of each year to the Commissioner 190
of Education of the receipts, expenditures and statistics, as prescribed 191
by the commissioner, provided each such board may submit revisions 192
to the returns in such form and with such documentation as required by 193
the commissioner [no] not later than [December] January thirty-first of 194
each year following the September submission. Such reports or returns 195
required shall be filed in accordance with the instructions furnished by 196
the commissioner, shall be certified [no] not later than [December] 197
January thirty-first of each year by the independent public accountant 198
selected pursuant to section 7-392 for the purpose of auditing municipal 199
accounts, and shall be subject to Department of Education verification. 200
If the returns and statistics and revisions called for by said commissioner 201
are not filed on or before the days specified in this section or if the 202
returns are not certified as required by the commissioner on or before 203
[December] January thirty-first, each local and regional board of 204
education required by law to make separate returns, whose returns and 205
statistics or revisions are delayed until after those days, shall forfeit of 206
the total sum which is paid for such board of education from the State 207
Treasurer an amount to be determined by the State Board of Education, 208
which amount shall be not less than one thousand dollars nor more than 209
ten thousand dollars. The amount so forfeited shall be withheld from a 210
subsequent grant payment as determined by the commissioner. 211
Notwithstanding the penalty provision of this section, the 212
Commissioner of Education may waive said forfeiture for good cause. 213
(b) Not later than [February 15, 2024] March 15, 2025, and annually 214
thereafter, the Department of Education shall publish on its Internet 215
web site the data contained in the reports and returns filed pursuant to 216
subsection (a) of this section by education program type, expense 217 Substitute Bill No. 363
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function, expense object and funding source, including, but not limited 218
to, federal, combined state and local and combined private and other 219
sources for the school and district level. The department shall develop 220
and publish a guide that contains definitions for each category of 221
expenditure and funding source. 222
(c) Not later than [February] March 15, 2025, and annually thereafter, 223
the Department of Education shall develop and publish the data 224
contained in the reports and returns filed pursuant to subsection (a) of 225
this section in a format that allows financial comparisons between 226
school districts and schools, including student enrollment and 227
demographic statistics as of October first of the school year in which 228
such reports and returns were filed. 229
Sec. 5. Subsection (d) of section 10-76d of the 2024 supplement to the 230
general statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu 231
thereof (Effective July 1, 2024): 232
(d) To meet its obligations under sections 10-76a to 10-76g, inclusive, 233
any local or regional board of education may make agreements with 234
another such board or subject to the consent of the parent or guardian 235
of any child affected thereby, make agreements, or on and after July 1, 236
2019, enter into a contract with any private provider of special education 237
services, as defined in section 10-91g, private school, or public or private 238
agency or institution, including a group home to provide the necessary 239
programs or services, but no expenditures made pursuant to a contract 240
with a private provider of special education services, private school, 241
agency or institution for such special education shall be paid under the 242
provisions of section 10-76g, unless (1) such contract includes a 243
description of the educational program and other treatment the child is 244
to receive, a statement of minimal goals and objectives which it is 245
anticipated such child will achieve, an estimated time schedule for 246
returning the child to the community or transferring such child to 247
another appropriate facility, and an explanation of how the tuition or 248
costs for services provided under the agreement or contract are to be 249
calculated, (2) subject to the provisions of this subsection, the 250 Substitute Bill No. 363
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educational needs of the child for whom such special education is being 251
provided cannot be met by public school arrangements in the opinion 252
of the commissioner who, before granting approval of such contract for 253
purposes of payment, shall consider such factors as the particular needs 254
of the child, the appropriateness and efficacy of the program offered by 255
such private school, agency or institution, and the economic feasibility 256
of comparable alternatives, and (3) commencing with the 1987-1988 257
school year and for each school year thereafter, each such private 258
provider of special education services, private school, agency or 259
institution has been approved for special education by the 260
Commissioner of Education or by the appropriate agency for facilities 261
located out of state, except as provided in subsection (b) of this section. 262
Notwithstanding the provisions of subdivision (2) of this subsection or 263
any regulations adopted by the State Board of Education setting 264
placement priorities, placements pursuant to this section and payments 265
under section 10-76g may be made pursuant to such a contract if the 266
public arrangements are more costly than the private provider of special 267
education services, private school, institution or agency, provided the 268
private provider of special education services, private school, institution 269
or agency meets the educational needs of the child and its program is 270
appropriate and efficacious. Any payment under the provisions of 271
section 10-76g shall include all expenditures incurred by a local or 272
regional board of education pursuant to a contract with a private 273
provider of special education services, private school, agency or 274
institution, to the extent permitted under said section, during the school 275
year in which such private provider of special education services, 276
private school, agency or institution provided such services, even if such 277
private provider of special education services, private school, agency or 278
institution is approved for special education by the Commissioner of 279
Education during such school year. Notwithstanding the provisions of 280
this subsection to the contrary, nothing in this subsection shall (A) 281
require the removal of a child from a nonapproved facility if the child 282
was placed there prior to July 7, 1987, pursuant to the determination of 283
a planning and placement team that such a placement was appropriate 284
and such placement was approved by the Commissioner of Education, 285 Substitute Bill No. 363
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or (B) prohibit the placement of a child at a nonapproved facility if a 286
planning and placement team determines prior to July 7, 1987, that the 287
child be placed in a nonapproved facility for the 1987-1988 school year. 288
Each child placed in a nonapproved facility as described in 289
subparagraphs (A) and (B) of subdivision (3) of this subsection may 290
continue at the facility provided the planning and placement team or 291
hearing officer appointed pursuant to section 10-76h determines that the 292
placement is appropriate. Expenditures incurred by any local or 293
regional board of education to maintain children in nonapproved 294
facilities as described in said subparagraphs (A) and (B) shall be paid 295
pursuant to the provisions of section 10-76g. Any local or regional board 296
of education may enter into a contract with the owners or operators of 297
any sheltered workshop or rehabilitation center for provision of an 298
education occupational training program for children requiring special 299
education who are at least sixteen years of age, provided such workshop 300
or institution shall have been approved by the appropriate state agency. 301
Whenever any child is identified by a local or regional board of 302
education as a child requiring special education and such board of 303
education determines that the requirements for special education could 304
be met by a program provided within the district or by agreement with 305
another board of education except for the child's need for services other 306
than educational services such as medical, psychiatric or institutional 307
care or services, such board of education may meet its obligation to 308
furnish special education for such child by paying the reasonable cost of 309
special education instruction in a private provider of special education 310
services, private school, hospital or other institution provided such 311
board of education or the commissioner concurs that placement in such 312
institution is necessary and proper and no state institution is available 313
to meet such child's needs. Any such private provider of special 314
education services, private school, hospital or other institution receiving 315
such reasonable cost of special education instruction by such board of 316
education shall submit all required documentation to such board of 317
education for purposes of submitting claims to the Medicaid School 318
Based Child Health Program administered by the Department of Social 319
Services. 320 Substitute Bill No. 363
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Sec. 6. Section 10-357e of the general statutes is repealed and the 321
following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1, 2024): 322
The Commissioner of Education [may] shall allocate funds to allow 323
the State Education Resource Center, established pursuant to section 10-324
357a, to provide professional development services, technical assistance 325
and evaluation activities, policy analysis and other forms of assistance 326
to local and regional boards of education, the Department of Education, 327
state and local charter schools, as defined in section 10-66aa, the 328
Technical Education and Career System, established pursuant to section 329
10-95, providers of school readiness programs, as defined in section 10-330
16p, and other educational entities and providers. The State Education 331
Resource Center shall expend such funds in accordance with procedures 332
and conditions prescribed by the commissioner. 333
Sec. 7. Section 10-145aa of the 2024 supplement to the general statutes 334
is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 335
1, 2024): 336
[On and after July 1, 2022, the] The preservice performance 337
assessment, edTPA, as adopted by the State Board of Education on 338
December 7, 2016, shall be used exclusively as an accountability tool for 339
teacher preparation programs, as defined in section 10-10a, offered at 340
institutions of higher education in the state. The results of such 341
preservice performance assessment shall not be used by (1) the State 342
Board of Education to deny an application for the issuance of an initial 343
educator certificate under section 10-145b, or (2) an institution of higher 344
education to deny successful completion of a teacher preparation 345
program. 346
Sec. 8. (NEW) (Effective July 1, 2024) Each local and regional board of 347
education shall conform the design of any school playground designed 348
on or after July 1, 2025, to the principles of universal design. Such 349
playgrounds shall include, at a minimum, (1) play spaces that appeal to 350
a variety of senses and allow multiple forms of play, (2) landform 351
designed to encourage unstructured play, (3) multiple options for 352 Substitute Bill No. 363
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accessing play spaces and equipment that allow for varying levels of 353
ability, and (4) sensory-engaging materials and use of trees and other 354
plantings. As used in this section, "universal design" means a concept of 355
designing spaces with the goal of maximizing usability and access, 356
without the need for adaptation or specialized design. 357
Sec. 9. Subsections (b) and (c) of section 10-14gg of the 2024 358
supplement to the general statutes are repealed and the following is 359
substituted in lieu thereof (Effective from passage): 360
(b) The Center for Literacy Research and Reading Success shall be 361
under the direction of a director who shall, in consultation with the 362
Reading Leadership Implementation Council described in subsection (c) 363
of this section, be responsible for (1) overseeing all activities of the 364
center, (2) facilitating communication between the center, local and 365
regional boards of education and other affiliates of the center, and (3) 366
coordinating the dissemination of information, tools and services made 367
available by the center. 368
(c) The activities of the center shall be informed by the Reading 369
Leadership Implementation Council which shall consist of the following 370
members: (1) The director of the center, or the director's designee; (2) the 371
executive director of the Commission on Women, Children, Seniors, 372
Equity and Opportunity, or the executive director's designee; (3) an 373
individual designated by the Governor, who has experience in literacy 374
or education and is engaged in the development and implementation of 375
the intensive reading instruction program; (4) an individual designated 376
by the speaker of the House of Representatives, who has experience in 377
literacy or education; (5) an individual designated by the president pro 378
tempore of the Senate, who has experience in literacy or education; (6) 379
an individual designated by the minority leader of the House of 380
Representatives, who has experience in literacy or education; (7) an 381
individual designated by the minority leader of the Senate, who has 382
experience in literacy or education; (8) two individuals, designated by 383
the chairperson of the Black and Puerto Rican Caucus of the General 384
Assembly, one of whom has experience with literacy or education and 385 Substitute Bill No. 363
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is engaged in the development and implementation of the intensive 386
reading instruction program, provided such individual is not a member 387
of the General Assembly; (9) the dean of the Neag School of Education 388
at The University of Connecticut, or the dean's designee; and (10) three 389
individuals designated by the Commissioner of Education. The initial 390
terms of the members of the council shall expire on June 30, 2024, and 391
the subsequent appointments shall be made by July 1, 2024. Members 392
shall serve two-year terms and may serve consecutive terms. The 393
Reading Leadership Implementation Council shall develop and publish 394
annual goals for the center and meet at least once every two months. 395
The Reading Leadership Implementation Council may consult with 396
representatives from public, private and philanthropic organizations. 397
This act shall take effect as follows and shall amend the following
sections:
Section 1 July 1, 2024 10-16b
Sec. 2 July 1, 2025 10-16b
Sec. 3 July 1, 2024 10-211f
Sec. 4 July 1, 2024 10-227
Sec. 5 July 1, 2024 10-76d(d)
Sec. 6 July 1, 2024 10-357e
Sec. 7 July 1, 2024 10-145aa
Sec. 8 July 1, 2024 New section
Sec. 9 from passage 10-14gg(b) and (c)
ED Joint Favorable Subst. C/R APP