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General Assembly Substitute Bill No. 7217
January Session, 2025
AN ACT CONCERNING VARIOUS REVISIONS TO THE EDUCATION
STATUTES.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General
Assembly convened:
Section 1. (NEW) (Effective July 1, 2025) For the fiscal year ending June 1
30, 2026, and each fiscal year thereafter, during the preparation of the 2
itemized estimate of the cost of maintenance of public schools for the 3
ensuing year pursuant to section 10-222 of the general statutes, as 4
amended by this act, the superintendent of schools shall provide the 5
members of the local board of education the original amount and actual 6
amount of each line item for the two fiscal years immediately preceding 7
the fiscal year in which such itemized estimate is being prepared and 8
the original amount and current amount of each line item for the fiscal 9
year in which such itemized estimate is being prepared. As used in this 10
section, "itemized estimate" means an estimate in which broad 11
budgetary categories including, but not limited to, salaries, fringe 12
benefits, utilities, supplies and grounds maintenance are divided into 13
one or more line items, "original amount" means the amount of a line 14
item that was appropriated to such line item at the start of the fiscal year, 15
and "actual amount" means the amount of a line item at the conclusion 16
of the fiscal year. 17
Sec. 2. Section 10-222 of the general statutes is repealed and the 18
following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1, 2025): 19 Substitute Bill No. 7217
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Each local board of education shall prepare an itemized estimate of 20
the cost of maintenance of public schools for the ensuing year and shall 21
submit such estimate to the board of finance in each town or city having 22
a board of finance, to the board of selectmen in each town having no 23
board of finance or otherwise to the authority making appropriations 24
for the school district, not later than two months preceding the annual 25
meeting at which appropriations are to be made. Such estimate shall 26
include the original amount and actual amount of each line item for the 27
two fiscal years immediately preceding the fiscal year in which such 28
estimate is being prepared and the original amount and current amount 29
of each line item for the fiscal year in which such estimate is being 30
prepared. The board or authority that receives such estimate shall, not 31
later than ten days after the date the board of education submits such 32
estimate, make spending recommendations and suggestions to such 33
board of education as to how such board of education may consolidate 34
noneducational services and realize financial efficiencies. Such board of 35
education may accept or reject the suggestions of the board of finance, 36
board of selectmen or appropriating authority and shall provide the 37
board of finance, board of selectmen or appropriating authority with a 38
written explanation of the reason for any rejection. The money 39
appropriated by any municipality for the maintenance of public schools 40
shall be expended by and in the discretion of the board of education. 41
Except as provided in this subsection, any such board may transfer any 42
unexpended or uncontracted-for portion of any appropriation for 43
school purposes to any other item of such itemized estimate. Boards 44
may, by adopting policies and procedures, authorize designated 45
personnel to make limited transfers under emergency circumstances if 46
the urgent need for the transfer prevents the board from meeting in a 47
timely fashion to consider such transfer. All transfers made in such 48
instances shall be announced at the next regularly scheduled meeting of 49
the board and a written explanation of such transfer shall be provided 50
to the legislative body of the municipality or, in a municipality where 51
the legislative body is a town meeting, to the board of selectmen. 52
Expenditures by the board of education shall not exceed the 53
appropriation made by the municipality, with such money as may be 54 Substitute Bill No. 7217
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received from other sources for school purposes. If any occasion arises 55
whereby additional funds are needed by such board, the chairman of 56
such board shall notify the board of finance, board of selectmen or 57
appropriating authority, as the case may be, and shall submit a request 58
for additional funds in the same manner as is provided for departments, 59
boards or agencies of the municipality and no additional funds shall be 60
expended unless such supplemental appropriation shall be granted and 61
no supplemental expenditures shall be made in excess of those granted 62
through the appropriating authority. The annual report of the board of 63
education shall, in accordance with section 10-224, include a summary 64
showing (1) the total cost of the maintenance of schools, (2) the amount 65
received from the state and other sources for the maintenance of schools, 66
and (3) the net cost to the municipality of the maintenance of schools. 67
For purposes of this [subsection] section, "meeting" means a meeting, as 68
defined in section 1-200, [and] "itemized estimate" means an estimate in 69
which broad budgetary categories including, but not limited to, salaries, 70
fringe benefits, utilities, supplies and grounds maintenance are divided 71
into one or more line items, "original amount" means the amount of a 72
line item that was appropriated to such line item at the start of the fiscal 73
year, and "actual amount" means the amount of a line item at the 74
conclusion of the fiscal year. 75
Sec. 3. Subsection (a) of section 10-51 of the general statutes is 76
repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1, 77
2025): 78
(a) The fiscal year of a regional school district shall be July first to June 79
thirtieth. Except as otherwise provided in this subsection, not less than 80
two weeks before the annual meeting held pursuant to section 10-47, the 81
board shall hold a public district meeting to present a proposed budget 82
for the next fiscal year. Any public district meeting held pursuant to this 83
section may be accessible to the public by means of electronic equipment 84
or by means of electronic equipment in conjunction with an in-person 85
meeting, in accordance with the provisions of section 1-225a. Such 86
proposed budget shall include the original amount and actual amount 87
of each line item in the budget for the two fiscal years immediately 88 Substitute Bill No. 7217
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preceding the fiscal year in which such proposed budget is being 89
presented and the original amount and current amount of each line item 90
for the budget of the fiscal year in which such proposed budget is being 91
presented. Any person may recommend the inclusion or deletion of 92
expenditures at such time. After the public hearing, the board shall 93
prepare an annual budget for the next fiscal year, make available on 94
request copies thereof and deliver a reasonable number to the town 95
clerk of each of the towns in the district at least five days before the 96
annual meeting. At the annual meeting on the first Monday in May, the 97
board shall present a budget which includes a statement of (1) estimated 98
receipts and expenditures for the next fiscal year, (2) estimated receipts 99
and expenditures for the current fiscal year, (3) estimated surplus or 100
deficit in operating funds at the end of the current fiscal year, (4) bonded 101
or other debt, (5) estimated per pupil expenditure for the current and 102
for the next fiscal year, (6) the original amount and actual amount of 103
each line item in the budget for the two fiscal years immediately 104
preceding the fiscal year in which such budget is being presented and 105
the original amount and current amount of each line item for the budget 106
of the fiscal year in which such budget is being presented, and [(6)] (7) 107
such other information as is necessary in the opinion of the board. 108
Persons present and eligible to vote under section 7-6 may accept or 109
reject the proposed budget except as provided below. No person who is 110
eligible to vote in more than one town in the regional school district is 111
eligible to cast more than one vote on any issue considered at a regional 112
school district meeting or referendum held pursuant to this section. Any 113
person who violates this section by fraudulently casting more than one 114
vote or ballot per issue shall be fined not more than three thousand five 115
hundred dollars and shall be imprisoned not more than two years and 116
shall be disenfranchised. The regional board of education may, in the 117
call to the meeting, designate that the vote on the motion to adopt the 118
budget shall be by paper ballots at the district meeting held on the 119
budget or by a "yes" or "no" vote on the voting tabulators in each of the 120
member towns on the day following the district meeting. If submitted 121
to a vote by voting tabulator, questions may be included on the ballot 122
for persons voting "no" to indicate whether the budget is too high or too 123 Substitute Bill No. 7217
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low, provided the vote on such questions shall be for advisory purposes 124
only and not binding upon the board. Two hundred or more persons 125
qualified to vote in any regional district meeting called to adopt a 126
budget may petition the regional board, in writing, at least three days 127
prior to such meeting, requesting that any item or items on the call of 128
such meeting be submitted to the persons qualified to vote in the 129
meeting for a vote by paper ballot or on the voting tabulators in each of 130
the member towns on the day following the district meeting and in 131
accordance with the appropriate procedures provided in section 7-7. If 132
a majority of such persons voting reject the budget, the board shall, 133
within four weeks thereafter and upon notice of not less than one week, 134
call a district meeting to consider the same or an amended budget. Such 135
meetings shall be convened at such intervals until a budget is approved. 136
If the budget is not approved before the beginning of a fiscal year, the 137
disbursing officer for each member town, or the designee of such officer, 138
shall make necessary expenditures to such district in amounts equal to 139
the total of the town's appropriation to the district for the previous year 140
and the town's proportionate share in any increment in debt service over 141
the previous fiscal year, pursuant to section 7-405 until the budget is 142
approved. The town shall receive credit for such expenditures once the 143
budget is approved for the fiscal year. After the budget is approved, the 144
board shall estimate the share of the net expenses to be paid by each 145
member town in accordance with subsection (b) of this section and 146
notify the treasurer thereof. With respect to adoption of a budget for the 147
period from the organization of the board to the beginning of the first 148
full fiscal year, the board may use the above procedure at any time 149
within such period. If the board needs to submit a supplementary 150
budget, the general procedure specified in this section shall be used. As 151
used in this section, "original amount" and "actual amount" have the 152
same meanings as provided in section 10-222, as amended by this act. 153
Sec. 4. Section 10-233m of the general statutes is repealed and the 154
following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1, 2025): 155
Each local or regional board of education that assigns a school 156
resource officer to any school under the jurisdiction of such board shall 157 Substitute Bill No. 7217
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enter into a memorandum of understanding with a local law 158
enforcement agency regarding the role and responsibility of such school 159
resource officer. [Such] Not later than January 1, 2026, such 160
memorandum of understanding shall (1) be maintained in a central 161
location in the school district and posted on the Internet web site of the 162
school district and each school in which such school resource officer is 163
assigned, (2) include provisions addressing daily interactions between 164
students and school personnel with school resource officers, and (3) 165
include a graduated response model for student discipline. Any such 166
memorandum of understanding entered into, extended, updated or 167
amended [(A)] on or after July 1, 2021, shall include a provision that 168
requires all school resource officers to complete, while in the 169
performance of their duties as school resource officers and during 170
periods when such school resource officers are assigned to be at the 171
school, any separate training specifically related to social-emotional 172
learning and restorative practices provided to certified employees of the 173
school pursuant to section 10-148a. [, and (B)] Any such memorandum 174
of understanding entered into, extended, updated or amended on or 175
after July 1, 2023, shall include provisions specifying a school resource 176
officer's duties concerning, and procedures for, the restraint of students, 177
use of firearms, school-based arrests and reporting of any investigations 178
and behavioral interventions of challenging behavior or conflict that 179
escalates to violence or constitutes a crime, pursuant to the provisions 180
of section 10-233p, provided such provisions are in accordance with any 181
laws or policies concerning the duties of police officers. Each such 182
memorandum of understanding shall be updated not less frequently 183
than every three years. For the purposes of this section, "school resource 184
officer" means a sworn police officer of a local law enforcement agency 185
who has been assigned to a school pursuant to an agreement between 186
the local or regional board of education and the chief of police of a local 187
law enforcement agency. 188
Sec. 5. Subsection (a) of section 1-231 of the general statutes is 189
repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1, 190
2025): 191 Substitute Bill No. 7217
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(a) At an executive session of a public agency, attendance shall be 192
limited to (1) members of [said] such body, [and] (2) in the case of a local 193
or regional board of education and upon invitation by such board, the 194
superintendent of schools in the superintendent's capacity as chief 195
executive officer of the board, and (3) persons invited by [said] such 196
body to present testimony or opinion pertinent to matters before [said] 197
such body, provided [that] such persons' attendance shall be limited to 198
the period for which their presence is necessary to present such 199
testimony or opinion and, provided further, [that] the minutes of such 200
executive session shall disclose all persons who are in attendance except 201
job applicants who attend for the purpose of being interviewed by such 202
agency. 203
Sec. 6. Subdivision (2) of subsection (d) of section 10-51 of the general 204
statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof 205
(Effective July 1, 2025): 206
(2) For the fiscal year ending June 30, 2024, and each fiscal year 207
thereafter, a regional board of education, by a majority vote of its 208
members, may create a reserve fund for educational expenditures. Such 209
fund shall thereafter be termed "reserve fund for educational 210
expenditures". The aggregate amount of annual and supplemental 211
appropriations by a district to such fund shall not exceed two per cent 212
of the annual district budget for such fiscal year. Annual appropriations 213
to such fund shall be included in the share of net expenses to be paid by 214
each member town. Supplemental appropriations to such fund may be 215
made from estimated fiscal year end surplus in operating funds. Interest 216
and investment earnings received with respect to amounts held in the 217
fund shall be credited to such fund. The board shall annually submit a 218
complete and detailed report of the condition of such fund to the 219
member towns. Upon the recommendation and approval by the 220
regional board of education, any part or the whole of such fund may be 221
used for educational expenditures. Upon the approval of any such 222
expenditure an appropriation shall be set up, plainly designated for the 223
educational expenditure for which it has been authorized. Any 224
unexpended portion of such appropriation remaining shall revert to 225 Substitute Bill No. 7217
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[said] such fund. If any authorized appropriation is set up pursuant to 226
the provisions of this subsection and through unforeseen circumstances 227
the board is unable to expend the total amount of such appropriation, 228
the board, by a majority vote of its members, may terminate such 229
appropriation which then shall no longer be in effect. Such fund may be 230
discontinued, after the recommendation and approval by the regional 231
board of education, and any amounts held in the fund shall be 232
transferred to the general fund of the district. For the fiscal year ending 233
June 30, 2026, and each fiscal year thereafter, a regional board of 234
education may deposit any funds previously appropriated to and 235
currently in a separate reserve fund for capital and nonrecurring 236
expenditures under the control of such board in the reserve fund for 237
educational expenditures. 238
Sec. 7. Subsection (a) of section 10-214 of the general statutes is 239
repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1, 240
2025): 241
(a) Each local or regional board of education shall provide annually 242
to each pupil in kindergarten and grades one and three to five, inclusive, 243
a vision screening and may additionally provide such vision screening 244
annually to each pupil in preschool and grade two. Such vision 245
screening may be performed using a Snellen chart or an equivalent 246
screening device, or an automated vision screening device. The 247
superintendent of schools shall give written notice to the parent or 248
guardian of each pupil (1) who is found to have any defect of vision or 249
disease of the eyes, with a brief statement describing such defect or 250
disease and a recommendation for the pupil to be examined by an 251
optometrist licensed under chapter 380 or an ophthalmologist licensed 252
under chapter 370, and (2) who did not receive such vision screening, 253
with a brief statement explaining why such pupil did not receive such 254
vision screening. 255
Sec. 8. Subdivision (1) of subsection (b) of section 10-287 of the general 256
statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof 257
(Effective July 1, 2025): 258 Substitute Bill No. 7217
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(b) (1) All orders and contracts for school building construction 259
receiving state assistance under this chapter, except as provided in 260
subdivisions (2) to (4), inclusive, of this subsection, shall be awarded to 261
the lowest responsible qualified bidder only after a public invitation to 262
bid, except for (A) school building projects for which the town or 263
regional school district is using a state contract pursuant to subsection 264
(d) of section 10-292 or a cooperative purchasing contract offered 265
through a regional education service center, and (B) change orders, 266
those contracts or orders costing less than ten thousand dollars and 267
those of an emergency nature, as determined by the Commissioner of 268
Administrative Services, in which cases the contractor or vendor may be 269
selected by negotiation, provided no local fiscal regulations, ordinances 270
or charter provisions conflict. [Any of the qualified bidders under this 271
subdivision may be a cooperative purchasing contract offered through 272
a regional educational service center or a council of government.] 273
Sec. 9. Subsection (c) of section 10-266aa of the general statutes is 274
repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1, 275
2025): 276
(c) The program shall be phased in as provided in this subsection. (1) 277
For the school year commencing in 1998, and for each school year 278
thereafter, the program shall be in operation in the Hartford, New 279
Haven and Bridgeport regions. The Hartford program shall operate as 280
a continuation of the program described in section 10-266j. Students 281
who reside in Hartford, New Haven or Bridgeport may attend school in 282
another school district in the region and students who reside in such 283
other school districts may attend school in Hartford, New Haven or 284
Bridgeport, provided, beginning with the 2001-2002 school year, the 285
proportion of students who are not minority students to the total 286
number of students leaving Hartford, Bridgeport or New Haven to 287
participate in the program shall not be greater than the proportion of 288
students who were not minority students in the prior school year to the 289
total number of students enrolled in Hartford, Bridgeport or New 290
Haven in the prior school year. The regional educational service center 291
operating the program shall make program participation decisions in 292 Substitute Bill No. 7217
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accordance with the requirements of this subdivision. (2) For the school 293
year commencing in 2000, and for each school year thereafter, the 294
program shall be in operation in New London, provided beginning with 295
the 2001-2002 school year, the proportion of students who are not 296
minority students to the total number of students leaving New London 297
to participate in the program shall not be greater than the proportion of 298
students who were not minority students in the prior year to the total 299
number of students enrolled in New London in the prior school year. 300
The regional educational service center operating the program shall 301
make program participation decisions in accordance with this 302
subdivision. (3) The Department of Education may provide, within 303
available appropriations, grants for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2003, 304
to the remaining regional educational service centers to assist school 305
districts in planning for a voluntary program of student enrollment in 306
every priority school district, pursuant to section 10-266p, which is 307
interested in participating in accordance with this subdivision. For the 308
school year commencing in 2003, and for each school year thereafter, the 309
voluntary enrollment program may be in operation in every priority 310
school district in the state. Students from other school districts in the 311
area of a priority school district, as determined by the regional 312
educational service center pursuant to subsection (d) of this section, may 313
attend school in the priority school district, provided such students 314
bring racial, ethnic and economic diversity to the priority school district 315
and do not increase the racial, ethnic and economic isolation in the 316
priority school district. (4) For the school year commencing July 1, 2024, 317
and each school year thereafter, there shall be a pilot program in 318
operation in Danbury and Norwalk. The pilot program shall serve (A) 319
up to fifty students who reside in Danbury, and such students may 320
attend school in the school districts for the towns of New Fairfield, 321
Brookfield, Bethel, Ridgefield and Redding, and (B) up to fifty students 322
who (i) reside in Norwalk, and such students may attend school in the 323
school districts for the towns of Darien, New Canaan, Wilton, Weston 324
and Westport, and (ii) reside in Darien, New Canaan, Wilton, Weston 325
and Westport, and such students may attend school in the school district 326
for the town of Norwalk. School districts which receive students under 327 Substitute Bill No. 7217
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this subdivision as part of the pilot program shall allow such students 328
to attend school in the district until they graduate from high school. (5) 329
For the school year commencing July 1, 2022, and each school year 330
thereafter, the town of Guilford shall be eligible to participate in the 331
program as a receiving district and a sending district with New Haven. 332
(6) For the school year commencing July 1, 2025, and each school year 333
thereafter, the town of Madison shall be eligible to participate in the 334
program as a receiving district and a sending district with New Haven. 335
Sec. 10. Section 10-153b of the general statutes is amended by adding 336
subsection (g) as follows (Effective July 1, 2025): 337
(NEW) (g) For any negotiation with respect to salaries, hours and 338
other conditions of employment with an organization which has been 339
designated or elected the exclusive representative of an administrators' 340
unit or a teachers' unit occurring on or after July 1, 2025, at least one 341
member of the local or regional board of education which employs such 342
unit shall be present for such negotiations. 343
Sec. 11. Section 10-206 of the general statutes is repealed and the 344
following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1, 2025): 345
(a) Each local or regional board of education shall require each pupil 346
enrolled in the public schools to have health assessments pursuant to 347
the provisions of this section. Such assessments shall be conducted by 348
(1) a legally qualified practitioner of medicine, (2) an advanced practice 349
registered nurse or registered nurse, licensed pursuant to chapter 378, 350
(3) a physician assistant, licensed pursuant to chapter 370, (4) a school 351
medical advisor, or (5) a legally qualified practitioner of medicine, an 352
advanced practice registered nurse or a physician assistant stationed at 353
any military base, to ascertain whether such pupil is suffering from any 354
physical disability tending to prevent such pupil from receiving the full 355
benefit of school work and to ascertain whether such school work 356
should be modified in order to prevent injury to the pupil or to secure 357
for the pupil a suitable program of education. No health assessment 358
shall be made of any [child] pupil enrolled in the public schools unless 359 Substitute Bill No. 7217
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such examination is made in the presence of the parent or guardian or 360
in the presence of another school employee. The parent or guardian of 361
such [child] pupil shall receive prior written notice and shall have a 362
reasonable opportunity to be present at such assessment or to provide 363
for such assessment himself or herself. A local or regional board of 364
education may deny continued attendance in public school to any 365
[child] pupil who fails to obtain the health assessments required under 366
this section. 367
(b) Each local or regional board of education shall require each [child] 368
pupil to have a health assessment prior to public school enrollment. The 369
assessment shall include: (1) A physical examination which shall 370
include hematocrit or hemoglobin tests, height, weight, blood pressure, 371
a medical risk assessment for lead poisoning and, when indicated by 372
such assessment, a test of the [child's] pupil's blood lead level, and, 373
beginning with the 2003-2004 school year, a chronic disease assessment 374
which shall include, but not be limited to, asthma. The assessment form 375
shall include (A) a check box for the provider conducting the 376
assessment, as provided in subsection (a) of this section, to indicate an 377
asthma diagnosis, (B) screening questions relating to appropriate public 378
health concerns to be answered by the parent or guardian, and (C) 379
screening questions to be answered by such provider; (2) an updating 380
of immunizations as required under section 10-204a, provided a 381
registered nurse may only update said immunizations pursuant to a 382
written order by a physician or physician assistant, licensed pursuant to 383
chapter 370, or an advanced practice registered nurse, licensed pursuant 384
to chapter 378; (3) vision, hearing, speech and gross dental screenings; 385
and (4) such other information, including health and developmental 386
history, as the physician feels is necessary and appropriate. The 387
assessment shall also include tests for tuberculosis, sickle cell anemia 388
and Cooley's anemia where the local or regional board of education 389
determines after consultation with the school medical advisor and the 390
local health department, or in the case of a regional board of education, 391
each local health department, that such tests are necessary, provided a 392
registered nurse may only perform said tests pursuant to the written 393 Substitute Bill No. 7217
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order of a physician or physician assistant, licensed pursuant to chapter 394
370, or an advanced practice registered nurse, licensed pursuant to 395
chapter 378. 396
(c) Each local or regional board of education shall require each pupil 397
enrolled in the public schools to have health assessments in either grade 398
six or grade seven and in either grade nine or grade ten. The assessment 399
shall include: (1) A physical examination which shall include hematocrit 400
or hemoglobin tests, height, weight, blood pressure, and, beginning 401
with the 2003-2004 school year, a chronic disease assessment which shall 402
include, but not be limited to, asthma as defined by the Commissioner 403
of Public Health pursuant to subsection (c) of section 19a-62a. The 404
assessment form shall include (A) a check box for the provider 405
conducting the assessment, as provided in subsection (a) of this section, 406
to indicate an asthma diagnosis, (B) screening questions relating to 407
appropriate public health concerns to be answered by the parent or 408
guardian, and (C) screening questions to be answered by such provider; 409
(2) an updating of immunizations as required under section 10-204a, 410
provided a registered nurse may only update said immunizations 411
pursuant to a written order of a physician or physician assistant, 412
licensed pursuant to chapter 370, or an advanced practice registered 413
nurse, licensed pursuant to chapter 378; (3) vision, hearing, postural and 414
gross dental screenings; and (4) such other information including a 415
health history as the physician feels is necessary and appropriate. The 416
assessment shall also include tests for tuberculosis and sickle cell 417
anemia or Cooley's anemia where the local or regional board of 418
education, in consultation with the school medical advisor and the local 419
health department, or in the case of a regional board of education, each 420
local health department, determines that said screening or test is 421
necessary, provided a registered nurse may only perform said tests 422
pursuant to the written order of a physician or physician assistant, 423
licensed pursuant to chapter 370, or an advanced practice registered 424
nurse, licensed pursuant to chapter 378. 425
(d) The results of each assessment done pursuant to this section and 426
the results of screenings done pursuant to section 10-214, as amended 427 Substitute Bill No. 7217
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by this act, shall be recorded on forms supplied by the State Board of 428
Education. Each school nurse may reject such results submitted on 429
forms other than the forms supplied by the State Board of Education and 430
require the resubmission of such results on such forms supplied by the 431
State Board of Education. An asthma action plan shall be included with 432
the assessment form of each pupil that indicates an asthma diagnosis 433
pursuant to subsections (b) and (c) of this section. Such information shall 434
be included in the cumulative health record of each pupil and shall be 435
kept on file in the school such pupil attends. If a pupil permanently 436
leaves the jurisdiction of the board of education, the pupil's original 437
cumulative health record shall be sent to the chief administrative officer 438
of the school district to which such student moves. The board of 439
education transmitting such health record shall retain a true copy. Each 440
physician, advanced practice registered nurse, registered nurse, or 441
physician assistant performing health assessments and screenings 442
pursuant to this section and section 10-214, as amended by this act, shall 443
completely fill out and sign each form and any recommendations 444
concerning the pupil shall be in writing. 445
(e) Appropriate school health personnel shall review the results of 446
each assessment and screening as recorded pursuant to subsection (d) 447
of this section. When, in the judgment of such health personnel, a pupil, 448
as defined in section 10-206a, is in need of further testing or treatment, 449
the superintendent of schools shall give written notice to the parent or 450
guardian of such pupil and shall make reasonable efforts to assure that 451
such further testing or treatment is provided. Such reasonable efforts 452
shall include a determination of whether or not the parent or guardian 453
has obtained the necessary testing or treatment for the pupil, and, if not, 454
advising the parent or guardian on how such testing or treatment may 455
be obtained. The results of such further testing or treatment shall be 456
recorded pursuant to subsection (d) of this section, and shall be 457
reviewed by school health personnel pursuant to this subsection. 458
(f) On and after October 1, 2017, each local or regional board of 459
education shall report to the local health department and the 460
Department of Public Health, on an triennial basis, the total number of 461 Substitute Bill No. 7217
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pupils per school and per school district having a diagnosis of asthma 462
(1) at the time of public school enrollment, (2) in grade six or seven, and 463
(3) in grade nine or ten. The report shall contain the asthma information 464
collected as required under subsections (b) and (c) of this section and 465
shall include pupil age, gender, race, ethnicity and school. Beginning on 466
October 1, 2021, and every three years thereafter, the Department of 467
Public Health shall review the asthma screening information reported 468
pursuant to this section and shall submit a report to the joint standing 469
committees of the General Assembly having cognizance of matters 470
relating to public health and education concerning asthma trends and 471
distributions among pupils enrolled in the public schools. The report 472
shall be submitted in accordance with the provisions of section 11-4a 473
and shall include, but not be limited to, (A) trends and findings based 474
on pupil age, gender, race, ethnicity, school and the education reference 475
group, as determined by the Department of Education for the town or 476
regional school district in which such school is located, and (B) activities 477
of the asthma screening monitoring system maintained under section 478
19a-62a. 479
Sec. 12. Subsection (g) of section 10-233c of the general statutes is 480
repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1, 481
2025): 482
(g) On and after July 1, 2015, all suspensions pursuant to this section 483
shall be in-school suspensions, except a local or regional board of 484
education may authorize the administration of schools under its 485
direction to impose an out-of-school suspension on any pupil in (1) 486
grades three to twelve, inclusive, if, during the hearing held pursuant to 487
subsection (a) of this section, (A) the administration determines that the 488
pupil being suspended poses such a danger to persons or property or 489
such a disruption of the educational process that the pupil shall be 490
excluded from school during the period of suspension, or (B) the 491
administration determines that an out-of-school suspension is 492
appropriate for such pupil based on evidence of (i) previous disciplinary 493
problems that have led to suspensions or expulsion of such pupil, and 494
(ii) efforts by the administration to address such disciplinary problems 495 Substitute Bill No. 7217
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through means other than out-of-school suspension or expulsion, 496
including positive behavioral support strategies, or (2) grades preschool 497
to two, inclusive, if during the hearing held pursuant to subsection (a) 498
of this section, the administration (A) determines that an out-of-school 499
suspension is appropriate for such pupil based on evidence that such 500
pupil's conduct on school grounds is behavior that causes serious 501
physical harm, (B) requires that such pupil receives services that are 502
trauma-informed and developmentally appropriate and align with any 503
behavioral intervention plan, individualized education program or plan 504
pursuant to Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended 505
from time to time, for such pupil upon such pupil's return to school 506
immediately following the out-of-school suspension, and (C) [considers 507
whether to convene a planning and placement team meeting for the 508
purposes of conducting] conducts an evaluation pursuant to the 509
procedures set forth in section 10-76ff to determine whether such pupil 510
may require special education or related services. An out-of-school 511
suspension imposed under subdivision (1) of this subsection shall not 512
exceed ten school days, and an out-of-school suspension imposed under 513
subdivision (2) of this subsection shall not exceed [five] two school days. 514
An in-school suspension may be served in the school that the pupil 515
attends, or in any school building under the jurisdiction of the local or 516
regional board of education, as determined by such board. Nothing in 517
this section shall limit a person's duty as a mandated reporter pursuant 518
to section 17-101a to report suspected child abuse or neglect. 519
Sec. 13. Subsection (d) of section 10-233d of the general statutes is 520
repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1, 521
2025): 522
(d) No local or regional board of education is required to offer an 523
alternative educational opportunity, except in accordance with this 524
section. Any pupil under sixteen years of age who is expelled shall be 525
offered an alternative educational opportunity, which shall be (1) 526
alternative education, as defined by section 10-74j, with an 527
individualized learning plan, if such board provides such alternative 528
education, or (2) in accordance with the standards adopted by the State 529 Substitute Bill No. 7217
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Board of Education, pursuant to section 10-233o, during the period of 530
expulsion, provided any parent or guardian of such pupil who does not 531
choose to have such parent's or guardian's child enrolled in an 532
alternative educational opportunity shall not be subject to the 533
provisions of section 10-184. Any pupil expelled for the first time and 534
the second time, who is between the ages of sixteen and eighteen, and 535
who wishes to continue such pupil's education shall be offered such an 536
alternative educational opportunity if such pupil complies with 537
conditions established by such pupil's local or regional board of 538
education. Such alternative educational opportunity may include, but 539
shall not be limited to, the placement of a pupil who is at least seventeen 540
years of age in an adult education program pursuant to section 10-69. 541
Any pupil participating in any such adult education program during a 542
period of expulsion shall not be required to withdraw from school under 543
section 10-184. A local or regional board of education shall count the 544
expulsion of a pupil when the pupil was under sixteen years of age for 545
purposes of determining whether an alternative educational 546
opportunity is required for such pupil when such pupil is between the 547
ages of sixteen and eighteen. A local or regional board of education may 548
offer an alternative educational opportunity to a pupil for whom such 549
alternative educational opportunity is not required pursuant to this 550
section. 551
Sec. 14. Subsection (h) of section 10-236b of the general statutes is 552
repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1, 553
2025): 554
(h) Each local or regional board of education shall notify a parent or 555
guardian of a student who is placed in physical restraint or seclusion 556
[not later than twenty-four hours after] on the day the student was 557
placed in physical restraint or seclusion and shall make a reasonable 558
effort to provide such notification immediately after such physical 559
restraint or seclusion is initiated. 560 Substitute Bill No. 7217
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This act shall take effect as follows and shall amend the following
sections:
Section 1 July 1, 2025 New section
Sec. 2 July 1, 2025 10-222
Sec. 3 July 1, 2025 10-51(a)
Sec. 4 July 1, 2025 10-233m
Sec. 5 July 1, 2025 1-231(a)
Sec. 6 July 1, 2025 10-51(d)(2)
Sec. 7 July 1, 2025 10-214(a)
Sec. 8 July 1, 2025 10-287(b)(1)
Sec. 9 July 1, 2025 10-266aa(c)
Sec. 10 July 1, 2025 10-153b(g)
Sec. 11 July 1, 2025 10-206
Sec. 12 July 1, 2025 10-233c(g)
Sec. 13 July 1, 2025 10-233d(d)
Sec. 14 July 1, 2025 10-236b(h)
Statement of Legislative Commissioners:
In Section 3, the definitions for "original amount" and "actual amount"
were changed to "have the same meanings as provided in section 10-
222, as amended by this act" for consistency with standard drafting
conventions; Sections 4 and 12 were merged and redesignated as Section
11 as both Sections 4 and 12 amended the same statutory section, the
original Section 4 was consequently deleted to avoid redundancy and
the remaining sections and internal references were renumbered
accordingly; and in Section 10, "a unit defined in this section" was
changed to "an administrators' unit or a teachers' unit" for clarity.
ED Joint Favorable Subst.