LCO No. 6296 1 of 66
General Assembly Committee Bill No. 1
January Session, 2025
LCO No. 6296
Referred to Committee on EDUCATION
Introduced by:
(ED)
AN ACT INCREASING RESOURCES FOR STUDENTS, SCHOOLS AND
SPECIAL EDUCATION.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General
Assembly convened:
Section 1. (NEW) (Effective July 1, 2025) As used in this section, 1
sections 2 to 9, inclusive, of this act and section 10-505b of the general 2
statutes, as amended by this act: 3
(1) "Designated beneficiary" means an early care and education 4
program offered by an eligible board of education or a licensed provider 5
of child care services; 6
(2) "Eligible board of education" means a local or regional board of 7
education that (A) is eligible to receive a grant under the Connecticut 8
Smart Start competitive grant program pursuant to section 10-506 of the 9
general statutes, (B) offers a full-day preschool program, and (C) does 10
not charge tuition to the parents or guardians of children enrolled in 11
such full-day preschool program, unless such tuition is required as part 12
of a state or federally funded subsidy or grant program; 13
(3) "Child care services" has the same meaning as provided in section 14
19a-77 of the general statutes; 15
Committee Bill No. 1
LCO No. 6296 2 of 66
(4) "Covered child" means any child who is enrolled in an early care 16
and education program offered by a designated beneficiary; 17
(5) "Eligible expense" means expenses incurred by a designated 18
beneficiary and authorized under section 4 of this act for reimbursement 19
by the trust; 20
(6) "Unpaid portion" means the difference between (A) the total 21
amount of tuition charged for a covered child's enrollment in an early 22
care and education program offered by a designated beneficiary, and (B) 23
the sum of (i) any state or federal child care subsidies received for such 24
covered child, and (ii) an amount not to exceed seven per cent of the 25
annual household income of the family for such covered child that is 26
paid by such family to such designated beneficiary; and 27
(7) "Trust" means the Universal Preschool Trust. 28
Sec. 2. (NEW) (Effective July 1, 2025) (a) Commencing on July 1, 2025, 29
there is established the Universal Preschool Trust. The trust shall 30
constitute an instrumentality of the state and shall perform essential 31
governmental functions as provided in sections 2 to 9, inclusive, of this 32
act. The trust shall receive and hold all payments and deposits or 33
contributions intended for the trust, as well as gifts, bequests, 34
endowments or federal, state or local grants and any other funds from 35
any public or private source and all earnings until disbursed in 36
accordance with section 5 of this act. 37
(b) The amounts on deposit in the trust shall not constitute property 38
of the state and the trust shall not be construed to be a department, 39
institution or agency of the state. Amounts on deposit in the trust shall 40
not be commingled with state funds and the state shall have no claim to 41
or against, or interest in, such funds. Any contract entered into by or any 42
obligation of the trust shall not constitute a debt or obligation of the state 43
and the state shall have no obligation to any designated beneficiary or 44
any other person on account of the trust and all amounts obligated to be 45
paid from the trust shall be limited to amounts available for such 46
Committee Bill No. 1
LCO No. 6296 3 of 66
obligation on deposit in the trust. The amounts on deposit in the trust 47
may only be disbursed in accordance with the provisions of section 5 of 48
this act. The trust shall continue in existence as long as it holds any 49
deposits or has any obligations and until its existence is terminated by 50
law and upon termination any unclaimed assets shall return to the state. 51
Property of the trust shall not be governed by section 3-61a of the 52
general statutes. 53
(c) The Treasurer shall be responsible for the receipt, maintenance, 54
administration, investing and disbursements of amounts from the trust. 55
The trust shall not receive deposits in any form other than cash. 56
Sec. 3. (NEW) (Effective from passage) (a) For the fiscal year ending June 57
30, 2025, after the accounts for the General Fund have been closed and 58
the Comptroller has determined the amount of unappropriated surplus, 59
if any, in said fund, the amount of such surplus to a maximum of three 60
hundred million dollars shall be transferred by the Treasurer to the 61
Universal Preschool Trust established under section 2 of this act. 62
(b) For the fiscal year ending June 30, 2026, and each fiscal year 63
thereafter, after the accounts for the General Fund have been closed and 64
the Comptroller has determined the amount of unappropriated surplus, 65
if any, in said fund, the entire amount of such surplus shall be 66
transferred by the Treasurer to the Universal Preschool Trust, except 67
that if the amount in the Budget Reserve Fund is less than eighteen per 68
cent of the net General Fund appropriations for the current fiscal year, 69
the amount of such transfer shall be reduced and an amount equal to 70
such reduction shall be transferred to the Budget Reserve Fund. 71
(c) Any amount transferred pursuant to this section shall be deducted 72
in determining the amount of unappropriated surplus to be transferred 73
to the Budget Reserve Fund pursuant to subsection (b) of section 4-30a 74
of the general statutes. 75
Sec. 4. (NEW) (Effective July 1, 2025) (a) For the fiscal year ending June 76
30, 2026, and each fiscal year thereafter, the Treasurer shall authorize 77
Committee Bill No. 1
LCO No. 6296 4 of 66
phases for the administration and expenditure of funds from the trust 78
as follows: 79
(1) Phase I shall commence for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2027, 80
and operate when the rate of return on the trust's amounts on deposit 81
meets or exceeds the amount needed to fund all covered children as of 82
July 1, 2025, according to the eligible expenses for such covered children. 83
(2) Phase II shall commence whenever the two-year annual rate of 84
return on the trust's amounts on deposit meets or exceeds the amount 85
needed to fund all covered children served by designated beneficiaries 86
in phase I plus the amount of eligible expenses described in subdivision 87
(2) of subsection (b) of this section. 88
(3) Phase III shall commence not earlier than one year following the 89
first year of implementation of phase II and whenever the two-year 90
annual rate of return on the trust's amounts on deposit meets or exceeds 91
the amount needed to fund the number of all covered children served 92
by designated beneficiaries in phase I and the first year of phase II. 93
(4) Phase IV shall commence not earlier than one year following the 94
first year of implementation of phase III and whenever the two-year 95
annual rate of return on the trust's amounts on deposit meets or exceeds 96
the amount needed to fund the number of all covered children served 97
by designated beneficiaries in phase I, phase II and phase III. 98
(b) The eligible expenses for each phase shall be as follows: 99
(1) Phase I eligible expenses shall include (A) the unpaid portion of a 100
covered child's tuition for enrollment in a preschool program as part of 101
an early care and education program offered by a designated beneficiary 102
pursuant to section 10-505b of the general statutes, as amended by this 103
act, and (B) the cost charged to a family associated with a covered child 104
in a preschool program offered by an eligible board of education. 105
(2) Phase II eligible expenses shall include (A) phase I eligible 106
expenses, and (B) costs associated with the expansion of slots offered by 107
Committee Bill No. 1
LCO No. 6296 5 of 66
existing designated beneficiaries, including, but not limited to, 108
transportation costs, capital expenses and costs associated with 109
obtaining accreditation for the early care and education program from 110
the National Association for the Education of Young Children, National 111
Association for Family Child Care, a Head Start on-site program review 112
instrument or a successor instrument pursuant to federal regulations. 113
(3) Phase III eligible expenses shall include (A) phase I eligible 114
expenses, (B) phase II eligible expenses, and (C) the unpaid portion of a 115
covered child's tuition for enrollment in a preschool program as part of 116
an early care and education program offered by a designated beneficiary 117
who is a private provider of child care services. 118
(4) Phase IV eligible expenses shall include (A) phase I eligible 119
expenses, (B) phase II eligible expenses, (C) phase III eligible expenses, 120
and (D) the unpaid portion of a covered child's tuition for enrollment in 121
an infant and toddler program as part of an early care and education 122
program offered by a designated beneficiary. 123
Sec. 5. (NEW) (Effective July 1, 2025) Not later than the fifteenth of each 124
month, each designated beneficiary seeking a reimbursement payment 125
from the trust for eligible expenses incurred during the previous month 126
shall submit a claim to the child care resource and referral agency 127
designated by the Commissioner of Early Childhood. The child care 128
resource and referral agency shall provide the Treasurer with such 129
claims for eligible expenses. Upon review and approval of such claims, 130
the Treasurer shall disburse funds in an amount equal to the total sum 131
of such claims to the child care resource and referral agency. The child 132
care resource and referral agency shall distribute such funds to each 133
designated beneficiary in an amount equal to the amount approved by 134
the Treasurer for such designated beneficiary's claim. 135
Sec. 6. (NEW) (Effective July 1, 2025) (a) There is established the 136
Universal Preschool Trust Board. The board shall be responsible for the 137
administration of the Universal Preschool Trust. 138
Committee Bill No. 1
LCO No. 6296 6 of 66
(b) The board shall consist of the following members: 139
(1) One appointed by the speaker of the House of Representatives, 140
who is currently employed in the early childhood workforce; 141
(2) One appointed by the president pro tempore of the Senate, who is 142
a representative from the Service Employees' International Union, Local 143
2001; 144
(3) One appointed by the majority leader of the House of 145
Representatives, who is the parent or guardian of a child enrolled in a 146
preschool program provided by an eligible board of education; 147
(4) One appointed by the majority leader of the Senate, who is a 148
member of the Connecticut Early Childhood Alliance; 149
(5) One appointed by the minority leader of the House of 150
Representatives, who is a member of an eligible board of education; 151
(6) One appointed by the minority leader of the Senate, who is a 152
member of the parent cabinet established by the Office of Early 153
Childhood pursuant to section 10-500 of the general statutes; 154
(7) One appointed by the Governor, who is a representative of a 155
corporation with a significant physical presence in the state and that 156
employs individuals who may benefit from early childhood education 157
and state child care initiatives; 158
(8) The Commissioner of Early Childhood, or the commissioner's 159
designee; 160
(9) The Secretary of the Office of Policy and Management, or the 161
secretary's designee; and 162
(10) The Treasurer, or the Treasurer's designee. 163
(c) All initial appointments to the board shall be made not later than 164
September 1, 2025. Each appointed member shall serve in accordance 165
Committee Bill No. 1
LCO No. 6296 7 of 66
with the provisions of section 4-1a of the general statutes, and the 166
appointing authorities shall appoint members to ensure representation 167
on the board of all geographic areas in the state, to the extent practicable. 168
Any vacancy shall be filled by the appointing authority. Any vacancy 169
occurring other than by expiration of term shall be filled for the balance 170
of the unexpired term. 171
(d) The Treasurer, or the Treasurer's designee, shall serve as the 172
chairperson of the board. The chairperson shall schedule the first 173
meeting of the board to be held not later than October 1, 2025. The board 174
shall meet at least quarterly, and upon request of the board or the 175
Treasurer. 176
(e) The Treasurer shall, at the first meeting of the board and 177
biannually thereafter, submit to the board an actuarial chart that 178
includes a review of the total amount of funds within the trust, the 179
health of the investments of the trust, the anticipated growth of the trust 180
and any recommended models for the timing and rate of drawing down 181
from the trust. 182
(f) Not later than January 1, 2026, and annually thereafter, the board 183
shall submit a report on the actuarial future of the trust, the current 184
phase of the trust, the anticipated date to advance phases of the trust, if 185
any, and an assessment of the success and efficacy of the Universal 186
Preschool Trust to the joint standing committees of the General 187
Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to education, children 188
and appropriations, in accordance with the provisions of section 11-4a 189
of the general statutes. 190
(g) The board shall be within the office of the Treasurer for 191
administrative purposes only. 192
Sec. 7. (NEW) (Effective July 1, 2025) (a) The Treasurer, on behalf of the 193
trust and for purposes of the trust, may: 194
(1) Receive and invest moneys in the trust in any instruments, 195
Committee Bill No. 1
LCO No. 6296 8 of 66
obligations, securities or property in accordance with section 8 of this 196
act; 197
(2) Enter into one or more contractual agreements, including 198
contracts for legal, actuarial, accounting, custodial, advisory, 199
management, administrative, advertising, marketing and consulting 200
services for the trust, and pay for such services from the assets of the 201
trust; 202
(3) Procure insurance in connection with the trust's property, assets, 203
activities or deposits to the trust; 204
(4) Apply for, accept and expend gifts, grants or donations from 205
public or private sources to enable the trust to carry out its objectives; 206
(5) Adopt regulations in accordance with chapter 54 of the general 207
statutes for purposes of sections 2 to 9, inclusive, of this act; 208
(6) Sue and be sued; 209
(7) Establish one or more funds within the trust; and 210
(8) Take any other action necessary to carry out the purposes of 211
sections 2 to 9, inclusive, of this act and incidental to the duties imposed 212
on the Treasurer pursuant to said sections. 213
(b) The Treasurer, on behalf of the trust and for purposes of the trust, 214
shall: 215
(1) Enter into a memorandum of understanding with the 216
Commissioner of Early Childhood to establish information sharing 217
practices for purposes of sections 2 to 9, inclusive, of this act. Such 218
memorandum of understanding shall be in accordance with applicable 219
state and federal laws. 220
(2) Enter into a memorandum of understanding with the child care 221
resource and referral agency described in section 5 of this act to establish 222
information sharing practices for purposes of sections 2 to 9, inclusive, 223
Committee Bill No. 1
LCO No. 6296 9 of 66
of this act. Such memorandum of understanding shall be in accordance 224
with applicable state and federal laws. 225
Sec. 8. (NEW) (Effective July 1, 2025) Notwithstanding the provisions 226
of sections 3-13 to 3-13h, inclusive, of the general statutes, the Treasurer 227
shall invest the amounts on deposit in the trust in a manner reasonable 228
and appropriate to achieve the objectives of the trust, exercising the 229
discretion and care of a prudent person in similar circumstances with 230
similar objectives. The Treasurer shall give due consideration to rate of 231
return, risk, term or maturity, diversification of the total portfolio within 232
the trust, liquidity, the projected disbursements and expenditures and 233
the expected payments, deposits, contributions and gifts to be received. 234
The Treasurer shall not require the trust to invest directly in obligations 235
of the state or any political subdivision of the state or in any investment 236
or other fund administered by the Treasurer. The assets of the trust shall 237
be continuously invested and reinvested in a manner consistent with the 238
objectives of the trust until disbursed for eligible expenditures or 239
expended on expenses incurred by the operations of the trust. 240
Sec. 9. (NEW) (Effective July 1, 2025) Disbursements from the trust 241
shall be exempt from all taxation by the state and all political 242
subdivisions of the state. 243
Sec. 10. Section 3-13c of the general statutes is repealed and the 244
following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1, 2025): 245
As used in sections 3-13 to 3-13e, inclusive, and 3-31b, "trust funds" 246
includes the Connecticut Municipal Employees' Retirement Fund A, the 247
Connecticut Municipal Employees' Retirement Fund B, the Soldiers, 248
Sailors and Marines Fund, the Family and Medical Leave Insurance 249
Trust Fund, the State's Attorneys' Retirement Fund, the Teachers' 250
Annuity Fund, the Teachers' Pension Fund, the Teachers' Survivorship 251
and Dependency Fund, the School Fund, the State Employees 252
Retirement Fund, the Hospital Insurance Fund, the Policemen and 253
Firemen Survivor's Benefit Fund, any trust fund described in 254
subdivision (1) of subsection (b) of section 7-450 that is administered, 255
Committee Bill No. 1
LCO No. 6296 10 of 66
held or invested by the State Treasurer, the Connecticut Baby Bond 256
Trust, any Climate Change and Coastal Resiliency Reserve Fund created 257
pursuant to section 7-159d, the Universal Preschool Trust and all other 258
trust funds administered, held or invested by the State Treasurer. 259
Sec. 11. Section 10-505b of the general statutes is repealed and the 260
following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1, 2025): 261
(a) The Office of Early Childhood shall, within available 262
appropriations, establish a state-wide Tri-Share Child Care Matching 263
Program. [serving New London County.] Under such program, costs for 264
child care provided by duly licensed child care facilities in the state shall 265
be shared [equally] among participating employers, employees and the 266
[state] Universal Preschool Trust as follows: 267
(1) A participating employer shall be responsible for at least one-third 268
of an employee's full-day child care costs for a covered child enrolled in 269
an early care and education program offered by a designated 270
beneficiary; 271
(2) An employee shall be responsible for child care costs in an amount 272
not to exceed seven per cent of such employee's annual household 273
income; and 274
(3) The remaining balance of such employee's child care costs shall be 275
paid for with funds from the Universal Preschool Trust in accordance 276
with the provisions of section 5 of this act. 277
(b) (1) The [program shall be established for a minimum of two years 278
and the] office shall select a regional or state-wide organization as the 279
administrator of the program. Such administrator shall (A) determine 280
employers' and employees' eligibility for participation in the program, 281
(B) ensure that child care facilities to which payments will be made 282
under the program are licensed by the state, (C) collect and ensure 283
timely payment from participating employers, participating employees 284
and the state, (D) disburse funds to the appropriate child care provider, 285
Committee Bill No. 1
LCO No. 6296 11 of 66
(E) recruit employers to participate in the program, (F) coordinate 286
adequate communication between all parties, and (G) collect and submit 287
to the Office of Early Childhood data concerning participating 288
employees, including, but not limited to, the annual household income 289
of such employees, provided any such submitted data shall be 290
deidentified. 291
(2) To be eligible to participate in the program: 292
(A) An employer shall have a physical facility located in [New 293
London County] the state that is the principal workplace of its 294
employees; and 295
(B) An employee shall (i) be employed by a participating employer, 296
(ii) reside in the state, and (iii) have as such employee's principal 297
workplace a location in [New London County, and (iv) not be receiving 298
other public assistance for child care costs] the state. 299
(c) The Commissioner of Early Childhood shall enter into an 300
agreement with such administrator to perform the duties described 301
under subdivision (1) of subsection (b) of this section. Such agreement 302
shall include, but need not be limited to, (1) a provision that the 303
administrator shall receive, for administrative costs of the program, up 304
to ten per cent of the funds allocated by the state for the program, (2) a 305
requirement that the administrator not commingle funds received for 306
purposes of the program, other than funds for administrative costs 307
allowed pursuant to subdivision (1) of this subsection, with other funds 308
held or controlled by the administrator, (3) any restrictions or 309
prohibitions on the disclosure of data received or collected by the 310
administrator in the performance of its duties under subdivision (1) of 311
subsection (b) of this section, and (4) penalties for violation of a 312
provision of the agreement or of this section. 313
(d) Commencing with the fiscal year immediately following the first 314
year of the program and annually thereafter, the commissioner shall 315
submit to the joint standing committees of the General Assembly having 316
Committee Bill No. 1
LCO No. 6296 12 of 66
cognizance of matters relating to appropriations and the budgets of state 317
agencies, finance, revenue and bonding, education and children, a 318
report on the program. Such report shall include, but need not be limited 319
to, (1) for the fiscal year immediately preceding, (A) the number of 320
participating employers and participating employees, (B) the 321
percentage of participating employees whose household incomes are 322
below the asset limited, income constrained, employed population 323
threshold, as calculated in the most recent ALICE report by the United 324
Way of Connecticut, and (C) the amounts disbursed by the 325
administrator for child care costs and the amounts retained by the 326
administrator for administrative costs, and (2) any programmatic or 327
legislative changes the commissioner recommends to improve the 328
program or further its purposes. 329
Sec. 12. (NEW) (Effective July 1, 2025) (a) The Office of Early 330
Childhood shall develop a centralized online enrollment portal for (1) 331
designated beneficiaries to apply for payments from the Universal 332
Preschool Trust, established pursuant to section 2 of this act, and (2) 333
families to apply for a subsidy or other state or federal financial 334
assistance for child care under (A) a Head Start or Early Head Start 335
program, (B) the child care subsidy program, established pursuant to 336
section 17b-749 of the general statutes, (C) an early care and education 337
program receiving financial assistance under Early Start CT pursuant to 338
section 10-550b of the general statutes, (D) a preschool program under 339
the Connecticut Smart Start competitive grant program, pursuant to 340
section 10-506 of the general statutes, (E) the temporary family 341
assistance program pursuant to section 17b-112 of the general statutes, 342
(F) foster care placements or certified relative foster care placements 343
through the Department of Children and Families, or (G) any other state 344
or federal program for child care assistance. 345
(b) The enrollment portal shall (1) enable families to identify early 346
care and education programs in their area, (2) determine a family's 347
eligibility for a subsidy and allow such family to apply for a subsidy for 348
which they are eligible, and (3) provide an estimate of the amount of 349
Committee Bill No. 1
LCO No. 6296 13 of 66
tuition a family would pay after deducting any subsidies for which such 350
family is eligible and any amount covered by the Universal Preschool 351
Trust. 352
Sec. 13. Subsection (c) of section 10-4 of the general statutes is 353
repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1, 354
2025): 355
(c) Said board shall prepare every five years a five -year 356
comprehensive plan for elementary, secondary, vocational, career and 357
adult education. Such comprehensive plan shall include, but need not 358
be limited to, (1) a policy statement of the State Board of Education's 359
long-term goals and short-term objectives, including, for any 360
comprehensive plan prepared on or after July 1, 2018, a policy statement 361
that the demographics of educators in the public schools should reflect 362
the racial and ethnic diversity of the total population of the state, (2) an 363
analysis of cost implications and measurement criteria and how said 364
board's programs and operations relate to such goals and objectives, and 365
(3) specific action plans, target dates and strategies and methods of 366
implementation for achieving such goals and objectives. The State Board 367
of Education shall establish, every five years, an advisory committee to 368
assist the board in the preparation of the comprehensive plan. Members 369
of the advisory committee shall be appointed by the State Board of 370
Education with representation on the committee to include, but not be 371
limited to, representatives of the Connecticut Advisory Council on 372
Vocational and Career Education, education organizations, parent 373
organizations, student organizations, business and industry, organized 374
labor and appropriate state agencies. Notwithstanding any requirement 375
for submission of a plan for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1984, 376
pursuant to section 10-96a of the general statutes, revision of 1958, 377
revised to January 1, 1983, the State Board of Education shall not be 378
required to submit the master plan for vocational and career education 379
but shall submit, pursuant to subsection (b) of this section, the 380
comprehensive plan for elementary and secondary, vocational, career 381
and adult education to the Governor and the joint standing committee 382
Committee Bill No. 1
LCO No. 6296 14 of 66
of the General Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to 383
education on or before September 1, 1996, and every five years 384
thereafter provided, the master plan currently in effect shall remain in 385
effect until the comprehensive plan is submitted. The Commissioner of 386
Education shall make semiannual presentations to the State Board of 387
Education, at regularly scheduled meetings of said board, to provide 388
updates on the strategic priorities, actions and outcomes outlined in the 389
comprehensive plan. The State Board of Education shall be responsible 390
for annually updating the progress in implementing the goals and 391
objectives of the comprehensive plan based on the presentations of the 392
commissioner and shall report on such progress to the Governor and to 393
said standing committee annually and make such information available 394
on the Internet web site of the Department of Education. The State Board 395
of Education shall provide opportunity for public comment prior to its 396
adoption of a plan. 397
Sec. 14. (NEW) (Effective July 1, 2025) On or after June first, but prior 398
to September thirtieth, the superintendent of schools for each school 399
district shall annually provide, at a regularly scheduled meeting of the 400
local or regional board of education for the school district, the following: 401
(1) The number and names of all community-based organizations with 402
whom the board of education has executed a formal memorandum of 403
understanding, memorandum of agreement or contract to provide 404
support services to students in the school district, disaggregated by 405
school and type of support service provided, (2) the number of students 406
engaged in both credit-bearing and noncredit-bearing internships or 407
workforce training programs, disaggregated by type and duration of the 408
internship or workforce training program, (3) the actual classroom size 409
and student-teacher ratio during the previous school year, 410
disaggregated by school and subject area, (4) attrition data for certified 411
and noncertified staff, disaggregated by school and subject, not 412
including in-district transfers, and (5) any savings achieved through the 413
vacancies of positions approved as part of the school district's budget 414
for the academic year. 415
Committee Bill No. 1
LCO No. 6296 15 of 66
Sec. 15. (Effective from passage) Any state agency that contributes data 416
for the purposes of the development of the report of disconnected youth 417
pursuant to section 22 of public act 24-45 shall post such report on the 418
agency's Internet web site. 419
Sec. 16. (NEW) (Effective July 1, 2025) (a) There is established within 420
the Department of Education, for administrative purposes only, a 421
regional education accountability review board for each planning 422
region, as defined in section 4-124i of the general statutes. Each such 423
board shall (1) provide intensive technical, financial and other assistance 424
and related accountability to the priority school districts, as described in 425
section 10-266p of the general statutes, located in the planning region 426
for such board, (2) develop guidelines and criteria for the budgeting and 427
expenditure of funds for each such priority school district, and (3) 428
review and analyze all educational spending of each such priority 429
school district. 430
(b) Each regional education accountability review board shall consist 431
of (1) the Commissioner of Education, or the commissioner's designee; 432
(2) the State Treasurer, or the State Treasurer's designee; (3) three 433
appointed by the Governor, one of whom has significant professional 434
experience that focuses on the health and well-being of children and 435
youth, and one of whom shall be the chief elected official of a 436
community in the planning region for the board; (4) one appointed by 437
the president pro tempore of the Senate who has significant experience 438
as a member of an organization with a collective bargaining agreement 439
in at least one school district in the planning region for the board, if 440
applicable, and who shall be selected from a list of names recommended 441
by the Connecticut Education Association, the American Federation of 442
Teachers-Connecticut, the Service Employees International Union and 443
the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees; (5) 444
one appointed by the speaker of the House of Representatives who shall 445
be actively serving as a superintendent of schools for a school district; 446
(6) one appointed by the minority leader of the Senate who has 447
significant professional experience that focuses on the health and well-448
Committee Bill No. 1
LCO No. 6296 16 of 66
being of children and youth; and (7) one appointed by the minority 449
leader of the House of Representatives who shall be a current or former 450
attorney who practices or practiced education law. The members 451
described in subdivisions (1) and (2) of this subsection shall serve as the 452
chairpersons of each board. 453
(c) Each regional education accountability review board shall submit 454
an annual expenditure report for each priority school district located in 455
the planning region for such board to the State Board of Education. Each 456
such report shall be made available on the Internet web site of the 457
Department of Education. 458
Sec. 17. Section 10-227 of the general statutes is repealed and the 459
following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1, 2025): 460
(a) Each board of education shall cause the superintendent to make 461
returns not later than September first of each year to the Commissioner 462
of Education of the receipts, expenditures and statistics, as prescribed 463
by the commissioner, provided each such board may submit revisions 464
to the returns in such form and with such documentation as required by 465
the commissioner not later than January thirty-first of each year 466
following the September submission. Such reports or returns required 467
shall be filed in accordance with the instructions furnished by the 468
commissioner, shall be certified not later than January thirty-first of each 469
year by the independent public accountant selected pursuant to section 470
7-392 for the purpose of auditing municipal accounts, and shall be 471
subject to Department of Education verification. If the returns and 472
statistics and revisions called for by said commissioner are not filed on 473
or before the days specified in this section or if the returns are not 474
certified as required by the commissioner on or before January thirty-475
first, each local and regional board of education required by law to make 476
separate returns, whose returns and statistics or revisions are delayed 477
until after those days, shall forfeit of the total sum which is paid for such 478
board of education from the State Treasurer an amount to be determined 479
by the State Board of Education, which amount shall be not less than 480
Committee Bill No. 1
LCO No. 6296 17 of 66
one thousand dollars nor more than ten thousand dollars. The amount 481
so forfeited shall be withheld from a subsequent grant payment as 482
determined by the commissioner. Notwithstanding the penalty 483
provision of this section, the Commissioner of Education may waive 484
said forfeiture for good cause. 485
(b) Not later than March 15, 2025, and annually thereafter, the 486
Department of Education shall publish on its Internet web site the data 487
contained in the reports and returns filed pursuant to subsection (a) of 488
this section by education program type, expense function, expense 489
object and funding source, including, but not limited to, federal, 490
combined state and local and combined private and other sources for 491
the school and district level. The department shall develop and publish 492
a guide that contains definitions for each category of expenditure and 493
funding source and the corrective actions or penalties that the 494
department may take or impose on a board of education if the data 495
contained in the reports and returns filed by such board does not align 496
with such definitions. 497
(c) Not later than March 15, 2025, and annually thereafter, the 498
Department of Education shall develop and publish the data contained 499
in the reports and returns filed pursuant to subsection (a) of this section 500
in a format that allows financial comparisons between school districts 501
and schools, including student enrollment and demographic statistics 502
as of October first of the school year in which such reports and returns 503
were filed. The department shall provide to each board of education an 504
application program interface through its education data portal, or 505
through other means, to assist such board in posting the data contained 506
in the reports and returns filed by such board on its Internet web site. 507
Sec. 18. Section 10-198d of the general statutes is repealed and the 508
following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1, 2025): 509
(a) Not later than January 1, 2016, the Department of Education, in 510
consultation with the Interagency Council for Ending the Achievement 511
Gap established pursuant to section 10-16nn, shall develop a chronic 512
Committee Bill No. 1
LCO No. 6296 18 of 66
absenteeism prevention and intervention plan for use by local and 513
regional boards of education to reduce chronic absenteeism in the school 514
district. 515
(b) (1) The department shall biannually review, and revise as needed, 516
the chronic absenteeism prevention and intervention plan. In making 517
such revisions, the department shall incorporate the findings of the most 518
recent report of disconnected youth, developed pursuant to section 22 519
of public act 24-45. In addition to the policies and procedures concerning 520
truants described in section 10-198a, the plan shall include, but need not 521
be limited to, the following: (A) Information that describes (i) chronic 522
absenteeism, including, but not limited to, the definition of a chronically 523
absent child under section 10-198c, and the causes of chronic 524
absenteeism, such as poverty, violence, poor health and lack of access to 525
transportation, (ii) the effect of chronic absenteeism on a student's 526
academic performance, and (iii) how family and school partnerships 527
with community resources, including, but not limited to, family 528
resource centers and youth service bureaus, can reduce chronic 529
absenteeism and improve student attendance, [and] (B) the use of an 530
early indication tool provided by the department or other third party, 531
provided such tool is designed to quickly identify students who are at 532
risk for becoming chronically absent or disconnected from school, such 533
as those students who (i) are at risk of not graduating or satisfying the 534
high school graduation requirements pursuant to section 10-221a, (ii) 535
have a history of behavioral concerns or disciplinary issues, including 536
suspensions or expulsions, and (iii) are homeless children or youth, as 537
defined in 42 USC 11343a, as amended from time to time, and (C) a 538
means of collecting and analyzing data relating to student attendance, 539
truancy and chronic absenteeism for the purpose of (i) disaggregating 540
such data by school district, school, grade and subgroups, such as race, 541
ethnicity, gender, eligibility for free or reduced priced lunches, housing 542
status, students whose primary language is not English and students 543
with disabilities, and (ii) assisting local and regional boards of education 544
in (I) tracking chronic absenteeism over multiple years and for the 545
current school year, (II) developing indicators to identify students who 546
Committee Bill No. 1
LCO No. 6296 19 of 66
are at risk of being chronically absent children, (III) monitoring students' 547
attendance over time, and (IV) making adjustments to interventions as 548
they are being implemented. 549
(2) The chronic absenteeism prevention and intervention plan may 550
include, but need not be limited to, the following: (A) A research-based 551
and data-driven home visiting or mentorship model that addresses and 552
attempts to prevent or reduce chronic absenteeism through the use of 553
mentors, such as students, teachers, administrators, intramural and 554
interscholastic athletic coaches, school resource officers, family 555
navigators, student success coaches and community partners, and (B) 556
incentives and rewards that recognize schools and students that 557
improve attendance and reduce the school chronic absenteeism rate. 558
Sec. 19. Section 10-222 of the general statutes is repealed and the 559
following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1, 2025): 560
Each local board of education shall prepare an itemized estimate of 561
the cost of maintenance of public schools for the ensuing year and shall 562
submit such estimate to the board of finance in each town or city having 563
a board of finance, to the board of selectmen in each town having no 564
board of finance or otherwise to the authority making appropriations 565
for the school district, not later than two months preceding the annual 566
meeting at which appropriations are to be made. The board or authority 567
that receives such estimate shall, not later than ten days after the date 568
the board of education submits such estimate, make spending 569
recommendations and suggestions to such board of education as to how 570
such board of education may consolidate noneducational services and 571
realize financial efficiencies. Such board of education may accept or 572
reject the suggestions of the board of finance, board of selectmen or 573
appropriating authority and shall provide the board of finance, board of 574
selectmen or appropriating authority with a written explanation of the 575
reason for any rejection. The money appropriated by any municipality 576
for the maintenance of public schools shall be expended by and in the 577
discretion of the board of education. Except as provided in this 578
Committee Bill No. 1
LCO No. 6296 20 of 66
subsection, any such board may transfer any unexpended or 579
uncontracted-for portion of any appropriation for school purposes to 580
any other item of such itemized estimate. Boards may, by adopting 581
policies and procedures, authorize designated personnel to make 582
limited transfers under emergency circumstances if the urgent need for 583
the transfer prevents the board from meeting in a timely fashion to 584
consider such transfer. All transfers made in such instances shall be 585
announced at the next regularly scheduled meeting of the board and a 586
written explanation of such transfer shall be provided to the legislative 587
body of the municipality or, in a municipality where the legislative body 588
is a town meeting, to the board of selectmen. Expenditures by the board 589
of education shall not exceed the appropriation made by the 590
municipality, with such money as may be received from other sources 591
for school purposes. If any occasion arises whereby additional funds are 592
needed by such board, the chairman of such board shall notify the board 593
of finance, board of selectmen or appropriating authority, as the case 594
may be, and shall submit a request for additional funds in the same 595
manner as is provided for departments, boards or agencies of the 596
municipality and no additional funds shall be expended unless such 597
supplemental appropriation shall be granted and no supplemental 598
expenditures shall be made in excess of those granted through the 599
appropriating authority. The annual report of the board of education 600
shall, in accordance with section 10-224, include a summary showing (1) 601
the total cost of the maintenance of schools, (2) the amount received 602
from the state and other sources for the maintenance of schools, [and] 603
(3) the net cost to the municipality of the maintenance of schools, and 604
(4) the balance of any nonlapsing, unexpended funds account described 605
in section 10-248a, as amended by this act. For purposes of this 606
subsection, "meeting" means a meeting, as defined in section 1-200, and 607
"itemized estimate" means an estimate in which broad budgetary 608
categories including, but not limited to, salaries, fringe benefits, utilities, 609
supplies and grounds maintenance are divided into one or more line 610
items. 611
Sec. 20. Section 10-248a of the general statutes is repealed and the 612
Committee Bill No. 1
LCO No. 6296 21 of 66
following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1, 2025): 613
(a) For the fiscal year ending June 30, 2024, and each fiscal year 614
thereafter, notwithstanding any provision of the general statutes or any 615
special act, municipal charter, home rule ordinance or other ordinance, 616
a local board of education may deposit into a nonlapsing account any 617
unexpended funds from the prior fiscal year from the budgeted 618
appropriation for education, provided (1) such deposited amount does 619
not exceed two per cent of the total budgeted appropriation for 620
education for such prior fiscal year, (2) each expenditure from such 621
account shall be made only for educational purposes, and (3) each such 622
expenditure shall be authorized by the local board of education for such 623
town. 624
(b) For the fiscal year ending June 30, 2026, and each fiscal year 625
thereafter, each local board of education shall compile a report 626
regarding the nonlapsing, unexpended funds account described in this 627
section, including, but not limited to, the total balance of the account, 628
the amount deposited into such account in a fiscal year and an 629
accounting of the expenditures made from such account. Each such 630
board shall submit such report to the Department of Education and the 631
exclusive bargaining representative for certified employees chosen 632
pursuant to section 10-153b. 633
(c) For the fiscal year ending June 30, 2026, and each fiscal year 634
thereafter, each local board of education shall, not later than thirty days 635
from the adoption of such board's budget, notify the exclusive 636
bargaining representative for certified employees, chosen pursuant to 637
section 10-153b, of (1) the establishment of a nonlapsing, unexpended 638
funds account described in this section, or (2) the board's intended uses 639
for any funds in such nonlapsing, unexpended funds account during the 640
next fiscal year. 641
Sec. 21. Subdivision (2) of subsection (d) of section 10-51 of the 642
general statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu 643
thereof (Effective July 1, 2025): 644
Committee Bill No. 1
LCO No. 6296 22 of 66
(2) For the fiscal year ending June 30, 2024, and each fiscal year 645
thereafter, a regional board of education, by a majority vote of its 646
members, may create a reserve fund for educational expenditures. Such 647
fund shall thereafter be termed "reserve fund for educational 648
expenditures". The aggregate amount of annual and supplemental 649
appropriations by a district to such fund shall not exceed two per cent 650
of the annual district budget for such fiscal year. Annual appropriations 651
to such fund shall be included in the share of net expenses to be paid by 652
each member town. Supplemental appropriations to such fund may be 653
made from estimated fiscal year end surplus in operating funds. Interest 654
and investment earnings received with respect to amounts held in the 655
fund shall be credited to such fund. The board shall annually submit a 656
complete and detailed report of the condition of such fund to the 657
member towns. Upon the recommendation and approval by the 658
regional board of education, any part or the whole of such fund may be 659
used for educational expenditures. Upon the approval of any such 660
expenditure an appropriation shall be set up, plainly designated for the 661
educational expenditure for which it has been authorized. Any 662
unexpended portion of such appropriation remaining shall revert to 663
said fund. If any authorized appropriation is set up pursuant to the 664
provisions of this subsection and through unforeseen circumstances the 665
board is unable to expend the total amount of such appropriation, the 666
board, by a majority vote of its members, may terminate such 667
appropriation which then shall no longer be in effect. Such fund may be 668
discontinued, after the recommendation and approval by the regional 669
board of education, and any amounts held in the fund shall be 670
transferred to the general fund of the district. For the fiscal year ending 671
June 30, 2026, and each fiscal year thereafter, each board shall (A) make 672
available and annually update information regarding such fund, 673
including, but not limited to, the total balance of the fund, the amount 674
deposited into such fund in a fiscal year and an accounting of the 675
expenditures made from such fund, and (B) not later than thirty days 676
from the adoption of such board's budget, notify the exclusive 677
bargaining representative for certified employees, chosen pursuant to 678
Committee Bill No. 1
LCO No. 6296 23 of 66
section 10-153b, of (i) the establishment of the reserve fund for 679
educational expenditures, or (ii) the board's intended uses for any funds 680
in such fund during the next fiscal year. 681
Sec. 22. Section 10-222o of the general statutes is repealed and the 682
following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1, 2025): 683
(a) (1) For the fiscal year ending June 30, 2014, and each fiscal year 684
thereafter, each local and regional board of education shall annually 685
make available on the Internet web site of such local or regional board 686
of education the aggregate spending on salaries, employee benefits, 687
instructional supplies, educational media supplies, instructional 688
equipment, regular education tuition, special education tuition, 689
purchased services and all other expenditure items, excluding debt 690
service, for each school under the jurisdiction of such local or regional 691
board of education. 692
(2) For the fiscal year ending June 30, 2026, and each fiscal year 693
thereafter, each local and regional board of education shall, on a 694
quarterly basis, post on the Internet web site of such local or regional 695
board of education (A) the actual classroom size and student-teacher 696
ratios during the current school year, disaggregated by school, (B) the 697
number of full-time equivalent staffing positions, disaggregated by 698
categories assigned by the Department of Education, (C) the number of 699
staffing vacancies in the school district and any accrued savings from 700
such vacancies during the current fiscal year, and (D) the names and 701
scope of services provided by all nonprofit organizations or the regional 702
educational service center with whom the board has executed a formal 703
memorandum of understanding, memorandum of agreement or 704
contract to provide any support services to students, including, but not 705
limited to, students who may be considered at risk of becoming 706
disconnected from school. Each board shall submit a copy of the 707
information described in this subsection to the legislative body of the 708
municipality or, in a municipality where the legislative body is a town 709
meeting, to the board of selectmen and the district's exclusive 710
Committee Bill No. 1
LCO No. 6296 24 of 66
bargaining representative for certified employees chosen pursuant to 711
section 10-153b. 712
(b) (1) For the fiscal year ending June 30, 2014, and each fiscal year 713
thereafter, each regional educational service center shall annually make 714
available on the Internet web site of such regional educational service 715
center the aggregate spending on salaries, employee benefits, 716
instructional supplies, educational media supplies, instructional 717
equipment, regular education tuition, special education tuition, 718
purchased services and all other expenditure items, excluding debt 719
service, for each school under the jurisdiction of such regional 720
educational service center. 721
(2) For the fiscal year ending June 30, 2026, and each fiscal year 722
thereafter, each regional educational service center shall, on a quarterly 723
basis, post on the Internet web site of such regional educational service 724
center (A) the actual classroom size and student-teacher ratios during 725
the current school year, disaggregated by school, (B) the number of full-726
time equivalent staffing positions, disaggregated by categories assigned 727
by the Department of Education, (C) the number of staffing vacancies of 728
such regional educational service center and any accrued savings from 729
such vacancies during the current fiscal year, and (D) the names and 730
scope of services provided by all nonprofit organizations with whom 731
the regional educational service center has executed a formal 732
memorandum of understanding, memorandum of agreement or 733
contract to provide any support services to students, including, but not 734
limited to, students who may be considered at risk of becoming 735
disconnected from school. Each regional educational service center shall 736
submit a copy of the information described in this subsection to the 737
legislative body of the members of such regional educational service 738
center or, in those municipalities where the legislative body is a town 739
meeting, to the board of selectmen and the exclusive bargaining 740
representative for certified employees chosen pursuant to section 10-741
153b. 742
Committee Bill No. 1
LCO No. 6296 25 of 66
(c) (1) For the fiscal year ending June 30, 2014, and each fiscal year 743
thereafter, the governing authority for each state charter school shall 744
annually make available on the Internet web site of such governing 745
authority the aggregate spending on salaries, employee benefits, 746
instructional supplies, educational media supplies, instructional 747
equipment, regular education tuition, special education tuition, 748
purchased services and all other expenditure items, excluding debt 749
service, for each state charter school under the jurisdiction of such 750
governing authority. 751
(2) For the fiscal year ending June 30, 2026, and each fiscal year 752
thereafter, the governing authority for each state charter school shall, on 753
a quarterly basis, post on the Internet web site of such governing 754
authority (A) the actual classroom size and student-teacher ratios 755
during the current school year, disaggregated by school, (B) the number 756
of full-time equivalent staffing positions, disaggregated by categories 757
assigned by the Department of Education, (C) the number of staffing 758
vacancies in the state charter school and any accrued savings from such 759
vacancies during the current fiscal year, and (D) the names and scope of 760
services provided by all nonprofit organizations or the regional 761
educational service center with whom the governing authority has 762
executed a formal memorandum of understanding, memorandum of 763
agreement or contract to provide any support services to students, 764
including, but not limited to, students who may be considered at risk of 765
becoming disconnected from school. Each governing authority shall 766
submit a copy of the information described in this subsection to the 767
exclusive bargaining representative for certified employees chosen 768
pursuant to section 10-153b. 769
(d) Not later than January 1, 2027, and annually thereafter, the 770
Department of Education shall make all information described in this 771
section available on the department's Internet web site. 772
Sec. 23. Subsection (a) of section 10-233d of the general statutes is 773
repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1, 774
Committee Bill No. 1
LCO No. 6296 26 of 66
2025): 775
(a) (1) Any local or regional board of education, at a meeting at which 776
three or more members of such board are present, or the impartial 777
hearing board established pursuant to subsection (b) of this section, may 778
expel, subject to the provisions of this subsection, any pupil in grades 779
three to twelve, inclusive, whose conduct on school grounds or at a 780
school-sponsored activity is violative of a publicized policy of such 781
board and is seriously disruptive of the educational process or 782
endangers persons or property or whose conduct off school grounds is 783
violative of such policy and is seriously disruptive of the educational 784
process, provided a majority of the board members sitting in the 785
expulsion hearing vote to expel and that at least three affirmative votes 786
for expulsion are cast. In making a determination as to whether conduct 787
is seriously disruptive of the educational process, the board of education 788
or impartial hearing board may consider, but such consideration shall 789
not be limited to: (A) Whether the incident occurred within close 790
proximity of a school; (B) whether other students from the school were 791
involved or whether there was any gang involvement; (C) whether the 792
conduct involved violence, threats of violence or the unlawful use of a 793
weapon, as defined in section 29-38, and whether any injuries occurred; 794
and (D) whether the conduct involved the use of alcohol. 795
(2) Expulsion proceedings pursuant to this section, except as 796
provided in subsection (i) of this section, shall be required for any pupil 797
in grades kindergarten to twelve, inclusive, whenever there is reason to 798
believe that any pupil (A) on school grounds or at a school-sponsored 799
activity, was in possession of a firearm, as defined in 18 USC 921, as 800
amended from time to time, or deadly weapon, dangerous instrument 801
or martial arts weapon, as defined in section 53a-3, (B) off school 802
grounds, did possess such a firearm in violation of section 29-35 or did 803
possess and use such a firearm, instrument or weapon in the 804
commission of a crime under chapter 952, or (C) on or off school 805
grounds, offered for sale or distribution a controlled substance, as 806
defined in section 21a-240, whose manufacture, distribution, sale, 807
Committee Bill No. 1
LCO No. 6296 27 of 66
prescription, dispensing, transporting or possessing with intent to sell 808
or dispense, offering, or administering is subject to criminal penalties 809
under sections 21a-277 and 21a-278. Such a pupil shall be expelled for 810
one calendar year if the local or regional board of education or impartial 811
hearing board finds that the pupil did so possess or so possess and use, 812
as appropriate, such a firearm, instrument or weapon or did so offer for 813
sale or distribution such a controlled substance, provided the board of 814
education or the hearing board may modify the period of expulsion for 815
a pupil on a case-by-case basis, and as provided for in subdivision (2) of 816
subsection (c) of this section. 817
(3) Unless an emergency exists, no pupil shall be expelled without a 818
formal hearing held pursuant to sections 4-176e to 4-180a, inclusive, and 819
section 4-181a, provided whenever such pupil is a minor, the notice 820
required by section 4-177 and section 4-180 shall also be given to the 821
parents or guardian of the pupil at least five business days before such 822
hearing, not including the day of such hearing. If an emergency exists, 823
such hearing shall be held as soon after the expulsion as possible. The 824
notice shall include information concerning the parent's or guardian's 825
and the pupil's legal rights and concerning legal services provided free 826
of charge or at a reduced rate that are available locally and how to access 827
such services. An attorney or other advocate may represent any pupil 828
subject to expulsion proceedings. The parent or guardian of the pupil 829
shall have the right to have the expulsion hearing postponed for up to 830
one week to allow time to obtain representation, except that if an 831
emergency exists, such hearing shall be held as soon after the expulsion 832
as possible. 833
(4) (A) Prior to conducting an expulsion hearing as required by this 834
subsection, an administrator, school counselor or school social worker 835
at the school in which the pupil is enrolled shall contact the local 836
homeless education liaison designated by the local or regional board of 837
education for the school district, pursuant to Subtitle B of Title VII of the 838
McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act, 42 USC 11431 et seq., as 839
amended from time to time, to make a determination whether such 840
Committee Bill No. 1
LCO No. 6296 28 of 66
pupil is a homeless child or youth, as defined in 42 USC 11343a, as 841
amended from time to time. If it is determined that such pupil is a 842
homeless child or youth, the local or regional board of education, or the 843
impartial hearing board established pursuant to subsection (b) of this 844
section, shall consider the impact of homelessness on the behavior of the 845
pupil during the hearing. No such pupil may be expelled without a plan 846
of interventions and supports to mitigate the impact of homelessness on 847
the behavior of the student. 848
(B) Any pupil who is determined to be a homeless child or youth and 849
has been expelled for a second time shall be provided a meeting with 850
the local homeless education liaison by the local or regional board of 851
education. 852
Sec. 24. (Effective July 1, 2025) (a) For the fiscal years ending June 30, 853
2026, to June 30, 2028, inclusive, the Department of Education shall 854
administer a student success coach pilot program to be implemented in 855
the school districts for the towns of Bridgeport, New Haven, Waterbury, 856
New Britain, Hartford, Windham, New London and Norwich. The 857
student success coach pilot program shall utilize evidence-based 858
strategies that have demonstrated effectiveness in supporting students 859
identified as having attendance, behavioral or credit attainment 860
challenges and any other risk factors that contribute to students 861
becoming more likely to become disconnected from school and 862
increasing their risk of misusing drugs, including the use of opioids. 863
(b) The local board of education for a school district participating in 864
the student success pilot program may apply for a grant in an amount 865
not to exceed two million dollars. The department shall award such 866
grants to participating boards, in accordance with the provisions of 867
section 17a-674d of the general statutes, provided such participating 868
boards (1) utilize an early indicator tool prescribed by the department 869
to identify those students who have the greatest need for a student 870
success coach, and (2) are evaluated by the Center for Connecticut 871
Education Research Collaboration within the department, or another 872
Committee Bill No. 1
LCO No. 6296 29 of 66
third party selected by the department. 873
(c) Not later than February 15, 2029, the department shall evaluate the 874
implementation and effectiveness of the student success pilot program 875
and submit a report on its findings and recommendations to the State 876
Board of Education, the Opioid Settlement Advisory Committee, 877
established pursuant to section 17a-674c of the general statutes, and the 878
joint standing committees of the General Assembly having cognizance 879
of matters relating to education and children, in accordance with the 880
provisions of section 11-4a of the general statutes. 881
Sec. 25. Subsection (b) of section 10-283 of the general statutes is 882
repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1, 883
2025): 884
(b) (1) Notwithstanding the application date requirements of this 885
section, at any time within the limit of available grant authorization and 886
within the limit of appropriated funds, the Commissioner of 887
Administrative Services, in consultation with the Commissioner of 888
Education, may approve applications for grants and make payments for 889
such grants, for any of the following reasons: (A) To assist school 890
building projects to remedy damage from fire and catastrophe, (B) to 891
correct safety, health and other code violations, (C) to replace roofs, 892
including the replacement or installation of skylights as part of the roof 893
replacement project, (D) to remedy a certified school indoor air quality 894
emergency, (E) to install insulation for exterior walls and attics, [or] (F) 895
to purchase and install a limited use and limited access elevator, 896
windows, photovoltaic panels, wind generation systems, building 897
management systems or portable classroom buildings, provided 898
portable classroom building projects shall not create a new facility or 899
cause an existing facility to be modified so that the portable buildings 900
comprise a substantial percentage of the total facility area, as 901
determined by the commissioner, or (G) to upgrade heating, ventilation 902
and air conditioning systems or make other improvements to indoor air 903
quality in school buildings subject to subdivision (2) of this subsection. 904
Committee Bill No. 1
LCO No. 6296 30 of 66
(2) The commissioner shall not award a grant under subparagraph 905
(G) of subdivision (1) of this subsection to any applicant that, on or after 906
July 1, 2026, has not certified compliance with the uniform inspection 907
and evaluation of an existing heating, ventilation and air conditioning 908
system pursuant to subsection (d) of section 10-220. The following 909
expenses shall not be eligible for reimbursement under this subsection: 910
Routine maintenance and cleaning of the heating, ventilation and air 911
conditioning system, and work performed at or on a public school 912
administrative or service facility that is not located or housed within a 913
public school building. Recipients of a grant under subparagraph (G) of 914
subdivision (1) of this subsection shall be responsible for the routine 915
maintenance and cleaning of the heating, ventilation and air 916
conditioning system and provide training to school personnel and 917
building maintenance staff concerning the proper use and maintenance 918
of the heating, ventilation and air conditioning system. 919
Sec. 26. Subsection (c) of section 10-66bb of the general statutes is 920
repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1, 921
2025): 922
(c) On and after July 1, 2015, the State Board of Education shall 923
review, annually, all applications and grant initial certificates of 924
approval for charters, in accordance with subsections (e) and (f) of this 925
section, for a local or state charter school located in [a town that has one 926
or more schools that have been designated as a commissioner's network 927
school, pursuant to section 10-223h, at the time of such application, or] 928
a town that has been designated as a low achieving school district, 929
pursuant to section 10-223e, at the time of such application. (1) Except 930
as provided for in subdivision (2) of this subsection, no state charter 931
school shall enroll (A) (i) more than two hundred fifty students, or (ii) 932
in the case of a kindergarten to grade eight, inclusive, school, more than 933
three hundred students, or (B) twenty-five per cent of the enrollment of 934
the school district in which the state charter school is to be located, 935
whichever is less. (2) In the case of a state charter school found by the 936
State Board of Education to have a demonstrated record of achievement, 937
Committee Bill No. 1
LCO No. 6296 31 of 66
said board shall, upon application by such school to said board, waive 938
the provisions of subdivision (1) of this subsection for such school. (3) 939
The State Board of Education shall give preference to applicants for 940
charter schools (A) whose primary purpose is the establishment of 941
education programs designed to serve one or more of the following 942
student populations: (i) Students with a history of low academic 943
performance, (ii) students who receive free or reduced priced lunches 944
pursuant to federal law and regulations, (iii) students with a history of 945
behavioral and social difficulties, (iv) students identified as requiring 946
special education, (v) students who are multilingual learners, or (vi) 947
students of a single gender; (B) whose primary purpose is to improve 948
the academic performance of an existing school that has consistently 949
demonstrated substandard academic performance, as determined by 950
the Commissioner of Education; (C) that will serve students who reside 951
in a priority school district pursuant to section 10-266p; (D) that will 952
serve students who reside in a district in which seventy-five per cent or 953
more of the enrolled students are members of racial or ethnic minorities; 954
(E) that demonstrate highly credible and specific strategies to attract, 955
enroll and retain students from among the populations described in 956
subparagraph (A)(i) to (A)(vi), inclusive, of this subdivision; or (F) that, 957
in the case of an applicant for a state charter school, such state charter 958
school will be located at a work-site or such applicant is an institution 959
of higher education. In determining whether to grant an initial 960
certificate of approval for a charter, the State Board of Education shall 961
consider (i) the effect of the proposed charter school on (I) the reduction 962
of racial, ethnic and economic isolation in the region in which it is to be 963
located, (II) the regional distribution of charter schools in the state, (III) 964
the potential of over-concentration of charter schools within a school 965
district or in contiguous school districts, and (IV) the state's efforts to 966
close achievement gaps, as defined in section 10-16oo, and (ii) the 967
comments made at a public hearing conducted pursuant to subdivision 968
(2) of subsection (e) of this section or subparagraph (B)(ii) of subdivision 969
(1) of subsection (f) of this section. 970
Sec. 27. Subsection (c) of section 10-74i of the general statutes is 971
Committee Bill No. 1
LCO No. 6296 32 of 66
repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1, 972
2025): 973
(c) Following the designation or establishment of a community 974
school, but prior to the opening of such community school, the board of 975
education shall conduct (1) an operations and instructional audit [, in 976
accordance with the provisions of subsection (c) of section 10-223h,] for 977
an existing school that has been designated as a community school, (2) 978
a community needs audit to identify the academic, physical, social, 979
emotional, health, mental health and civic needs of students and their 980
families that may impact student learning and academic achievement, 981
and (3) a community resource assessment of potential resources, 982
services and opportunities available within or near the community that 983
students, families and community members may access and integrate 984
into the community school. 985
Sec. 28. Subdivision (14) of subsection (a) of section 4a-60g of the 986
general statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu 987
thereof (Effective July 1, 2025): 988
(14) "Municipal public works contract" means that portion of an 989
agreement entered into on or after October 1, 2015, between any 990
individual, firm or corporation and a municipality for the construction, 991
rehabilitation, conversion, extension, demolition or repair of a public 992
building, highway or other changes or improvements in real property, 993
which is financed in whole or in part by the state, including, but not 994
limited to, matching expenditures, grants, loans, insurance or 995
guarantees. [but excluding any project of an alliance district, as defined 996
in section 10-262u, financed by state funding in an amount equal to fifty 997
thousand dollars or less.] 998
Sec. 29. Subsections (a) to (c), inclusive, of section 8-240a of the 999
general statutes are repealed and the following is substituted in lieu 1000
thereof (Effective July 1, 2025): 1001
(a) As used in this section: 1002
Committee Bill No. 1
LCO No. 6296 33 of 66
(1) ["Alliance district" has the same meaning as provided in section 1003
10-262u] "Eligible community" means the fifty towns with the lowest 1004
equalized net grand list; 1005
(2) "Environmental justice community" has the same meaning as 1006
provided in section 22a-20a; and 1007
(3) "Low-income resident" means, after adjustments for family size, 1008
individuals or families whose income is not greater than (A) sixty per 1009
cent of the state median income, (B) eighty per cent of the area median 1010
income for the area in which the resident resides, as determined by the 1011
United States Department of Housing and Urban Development, or (C) 1012
any other definition of "low-income resident" included in any program 1013
in the state that utilizes federal funding, as determined by the 1014
Commissioner of Energy and Environmental Protection. 1015
(b) There is established a revolving loan and grant fund to be known 1016
as the "Housing Environmental Improvement Revolving Loan and 1017
Grant Fund". The fund may be funded from the proceeds of bonds 1018
issued pursuant to section 8-240b or from any moneys available to the 1019
Commissioner of Energy and Environmental Protection or from other 1020
sources. Investment earnings credited to the fund shall become part of 1021
the assets of the fund. Any balance remaining in the fund at the end of 1022
any fiscal year shall be carried forward in the fund for the next fiscal 1023
year. Payments of principal or interest on a low interest loan made 1024
pursuant to this section shall be paid to the State Treasurer for deposit 1025
in the Housing Environmental Improvement Revolving Loan and Grant 1026
Fund. The fund shall be used to make grants or low interest loans 1027
pursuant to this section to pay reasonable and necessary fees incurred 1028
in administering loans under this section. The Commissioner of Energy 1029
and Environmental Protection may enter into contracts with quasi-1030
public agencies or nonprofit corporations to provide for the 1031
administration of the Housing Environmental Improvement Revolving 1032
Loan and Grant Fund by such entity or entities, provided no grant or 1033
low interest loan shall be made from the fund without the authorization 1034
Committee Bill No. 1
LCO No. 6296 34 of 66
of the commissioner as provided in this section. 1035
(c) The Commissioner of Energy and Environmental Protection, in 1036
collaboration with the Commissioner of Housing, shall establish a pilot 1037
program or programs to provide financing or grants from the fund 1038
established in subsection (b) of this section for retrofitting projects for 1039
multifamily residences located in environmental justice communities or 1040
[alliance districts] eligible communities that (1) improve the energy 1041
efficiency of such residences, which may include, but need not be 1042
limited to, the installation of heat pumps, solar power generating 1043
systems, improved roofing, exterior doors and windows, improved 1044
insulation, air sealing, improved ventilation, appliance upgrades and 1045
any electric system or wiring upgrades necessary for such retrofit, (2) 1046
remediate health and safety concerns that are barriers to any such 1047
retrofit, including, but not limited to, mold, vermiculite, asbestos, lead 1048
and radon, or (3) provide services to assist residents and building 1049
owners to access and implement the programs established pursuant to 1050
this section or other available state or federal programs that enable the 1051
implementation of energy efficiency retrofitting. 1052
Sec. 30. Section 8-265pp of the general statutes is repealed and the 1053
following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1, 2025): 1054
The Connecticut Housing Finance Authority shall develop and 1055
administer a program of mortgage assistance to certified teachers (1) 1056
employed by priority school districts pursuant to section 10-266p, (2) 1057
employed by transitional school districts pursuant to section 10-263c, (3) 1058
employed by the Technical Education and Career System at a technical 1059
education and career school located in such priority or transitional 1060
school districts, (4) who teach in a subject matter shortage area pursuant 1061
to section 10-8b, (5) who graduated from a public high school in [an 1062
educational reform district, as defined in section 10-262u] a priority 1063
school district, or (6) who graduated from an historically black college 1064
or university or a Hispanic-serving institution, as those terms are 1065
defined in the Higher Education Act of 1965, P.L. 89-329, as amended 1066
Committee Bill No. 1
LCO No. 6296 35 of 66
from time to time, and reauthorized by the Higher Education 1067
Opportunity Act of 2008, P.L. 110-315, as amended from time to time. 1068
Such assistance shall be available to eligible teachers for the purchase of 1069
a house as their principal residence, provided, in the case of a teacher 1070
employed by a priority or a transitional school district, or by the 1071
Technical Education and Career System at a technical education and 1072
career school located in a priority or transitional school district, the 1073
house is located in such district. In making mortgage assistance 1074
available under the program, the authority shall utilize down payment 1075
assistance or any other appropriate housing subsidies. The terms of any 1076
mortgage assistance shall allow the mortgagee to realize a reasonable 1077
portion of the equity gain upon sale of the mortgaged property. 1078
Sec. 31. Section 10-4q of the general statutes is repealed and the 1079
following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1, 2025): 1080
The Commissioner of Education, with the assistance of the State 1081
Education Resource Center, established pursuant to section 10-357a, 1082
may provide grants to those local and regional boards of education [for 1083
school districts designated as alliance districts, pursuant to section 10-1084
262u] who have been identified by the commissioner as in need of 1085
literacy assistance based on student performance on the mastery 1086
examination in reading. Such grants shall be for the creation and 1087
acquisition of new curricula, training in the use of such curricula and 1088
related supporting textbooks and other materials. Such local and 1089
regional boards of education may use such grants only for curricula, 1090
training and related textbooks and materials that have been authorized 1091
by the commissioner. Such local and regional boards of education shall 1092
apply for grants pursuant to this section at such time and in such 1093
manner as the commissioner prescribes, and the commissioner shall 1094
determine the amount of the grant awards. 1095
Sec. 32. Section 10-14u of the general statutes is repealed and the 1096
following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1, 2025): 1097
(a) As used in this section: 1098
Committee Bill No. 1
LCO No. 6296 36 of 66
(1) "Achievement gaps" means the existence of a significant disparity 1099
in the academic performance of students among and between (A) racial 1100
groups, (B) ethnic groups, (C) socioeconomic groups, (D) genders, and 1101
(E) multilingual learners and students whose primary language is 1102
English. 1103
(2) "Opportunity gaps" means the ways in which race, ethnicity, 1104
socioeconomic status, English proficiency, community wealth, familial 1105
situations or other factors intersect with the unequal or inequitable 1106
distribution of resources and opportunities to contribute to or 1107
perpetuate lower educational expectations, achievement or attainment. 1108
(3) "Scientifically-based reading research and instruction" means (A) 1109
a comprehensive program or a collection of instructional practices that 1110
is based on reliable, valid evidence showing that when such programs 1111
or practices are used, students can be expected to achieve satisfactory 1112
reading progress, and (B) the integration of instructional strategies for 1113
continuously assessing, evaluating and communicating the student's 1114
reading progress and needs in order to design and implement ongoing 1115
interventions so that students of all ages and proficiency levels can read 1116
and comprehend text and apply higher level thinking skills. Such 1117
comprehensive program or collection of practices includes, but is not 1118
limited to, instruction in the following areas of reading: Oral language, 1119
phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, rapid automatic 1120
name or letter name fluency and reading comprehension. 1121
(4) "Literacy district" means a school district for a local or regional 1122
board of education who has been identified by the Commissioner of 1123
Education as in need of literacy assistance based on student 1124
performance on the mastery examination in reading for such district. 1125
(b) For the school year commencing July 1, 2022, and each school year 1126
thereafter, the Center for Literacy Research and Reading Success, 1127
established pursuant to section 10-14gg, shall oversee an intensive 1128
reading instruction program to improve student literacy in grades 1129
kindergarten to grade three, inclusive, and close the achievement gaps 1130
Committee Bill No. 1
LCO No. 6296 37 of 66
that result from opportunity gaps. Such intensive reading instruction 1131
program shall include routine reading assessments for students in 1132
kindergarten to grade three, inclusive, scientifically-based reading 1133
research and instruction, an intensive reading intervention strategy, as 1134
described in subsection (c) of this section, supplemental reading 1135
instruction and reading remediation plans, as described in subsection 1136
(d) of this section, and an intensive summer school reading program, as 1137
described in subsection (e) of this section. For the school year 1138
commencing July 1, 2022, and each school year thereafter, the Center for 1139
Literacy Research and Reading Success shall provide, upon request of a 1140
local or regional board of education for a [town designated as an alliance 1141
district, as defined in section 10-262u,] literacy district the intensive 1142
reading instruction program to such board, or may include the intensive 1143
reading instruction program in the tiered supports in early literacy 1144
provided under the reading readiness program pursuant to section 10-1145
14y, as amended by this act. 1146
(c) For the school year commencing July 1, 2022, and each school year 1147
thereafter, the Center for Literacy Research and Reading Success, shall 1148
develop an intensive reading intervention strategy which shall be 1149
available to local and regional boards of education for a town 1150
designated as [an alliance district] a literacy district that have any 1151
elementary schools that enroll students who are not reading at or above 1152
grade level to ensure that such students are reading proficiently by 1153
grade three in such schools. Such intensive reading intervention 1154
strategy shall (1) include, but not be limited to, (A) rigorous assessments 1155
in reading skills, (B) scientifically-based reading research and 1156
instruction, (C) external literacy coaches who have experience and 1157
expertise in the science of teaching reading, who will work with the 1158
reading data collected, support the principal of the school as needed, 1159
observe, and coach classes and supervise the reading interventions, (D) 1160
reading interventionists who will develop a reading remediation plan 1161
for any student who is reading below proficiency, be responsible for all 1162
supplemental reading instruction, and conduct reading assessments as 1163
needed, and (E) training for teachers and administrators in 1164
Committee Bill No. 1
LCO No. 6296 38 of 66
scientifically-based reading research and instruction, including, training 1165
for school administrators on how to assess a classroom to ensure that all 1166
children are proficient in reading by grade three, and (2) outline, at a 1167
minimum, how (A) reading data will be collected, analyzed and used 1168
for purposes of instructional development, (B) professional and 1169
leadership development will be related to reading data analysis and 1170
used to support individual teacher and classroom needs, (C) schools 1171
will communicate with parents and guardians of students on reading 1172
instruction strategies and student reading performance goals, and on 1173
opportunities for parents and guardians to partner with teachers and 1174
school administrators to improve reading at home and at school, (D) 1175
teachers and school leaders will be trained in the science of teaching 1176
reading, (E) periodic student progress reports will be issued, and (F) 1177
such intensive reading intervention strategy will be monitored at the 1178
classroom level. The commissioner shall review and evaluate the 1179
intensive reading intervention strategy for model components that may 1180
be used and replicated in other [alliance districts] literacy districts to 1181
ensure that all children are proficient in reading by grade three. 1182
(d) (1) For the school year commencing July 1, 2022, and each school 1183
year thereafter, each local and regional board of education for a [town 1184
designated as an alliance district] literacy district shall, in consultation 1185
with the Center for Literacy Research and Reading Success, provide 1186
supplemental reading instruction to students in kindergarten to grade 1187
three, inclusive, who are reading below proficiency, as identified by the 1188
reading assessment described in section 10-14t. Such supplemental 1189
reading instruction shall be provided by a reading interventionist 1190
during regular school hours. 1191
(2) A reading remediation plan shall be developed by a reading 1192
interventionist for each student enrolled in an elementary school in [an 1193
alliance district] a literacy district in kindergarten to grade three, 1194
inclusive, who has been identified as reading below proficiency to 1195
address and correct the reading deficiency of such student. Such 1196
remediation plan shall include instructional strategies that utilize 1197
Committee Bill No. 1
LCO No. 6296 39 of 66
research-based reading instruction materials and teachers trained in 1198
reading instruction, parental involvement in the implementation of the 1199
remediation plan and regular progress reports on such student. 1200
(3) The principal of each elementary school in [an alliance district] a 1201
literacy district shall notify the parent or guardian of any student in 1202
kindergarten to grade three, inclusive, who has been identified as being 1203
below proficiency in reading. Such notice shall be in writing and (A) 1204
include an explanation of why such student is below proficiency in 1205
reading, and (B) inform such parent or guardian that a remediation plan, 1206
as described in subdivision (2) of this subsection, will be developed for 1207
such student to provide supplemental reading instruction, including 1208
strategies for the parent or guardian to use at home with such student. 1209
(e) (1) Each local and regional board of education for a [town 1210
designated as an alliance district] literacy district shall, in consultation 1211
with the Center for Literacy Research and Reading Success, provide any 1212
student in kindergarten to grade three, inclusive, who is reading below 1213
proficiency at the end of the school year with an intensive summer 1214
school reading instruction program. Such intensive summer school 1215
reading instruction program shall include, (A) a comprehensive reading 1216
intervention program, (B) scientifically-based reading research and 1217
instruction strategies and interventions, (C) diagnostic assessments 1218
administered to a student prior to or during an intensive summer school 1219
reading instruction program to determine such student's particularized 1220
need for instruction, (D) teachers who are trained in the teaching of 1221
reading and reading assessment and intervention, and (E) weekly 1222
progress monitoring to assess the reading progress of such student and 1223
tailor instruction for such student. 1224
(2) Each local and regional board of education for a [town designated 1225
as an alliance district] literacy district providing supplemental reading 1226
instruction as part of the intensive reading instruction program under 1227
this section shall submit reports to the Center for Literacy Research and 1228
Reading Success, at such time and in such manner as prescribed by the 1229
Committee Bill No. 1
LCO No. 6296 40 of 66
Department of Education, on (A) student reading progress for each 1230
student reading below proficiency based on the data collected from the 1231
screening and progress monitoring of such student using the reading 1232
assessments described in section 10-14t, and (B) the specific reading 1233
interventions and supports implemented. 1234
(f) Not later than October 1, 2022, and annually thereafter, the 1235
Commissioner of Education shall report to the joint standing committee 1236
of the General Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to 1237
education, in accordance with the provisions of section 11-4a, on student 1238
reading levels in the intensive reading instruction program. Such report 1239
shall include recommendations on model components of the school 1240
intensive reading intervention strategy that may be used and replicated 1241
in other [alliance districts] literacy districts. 1242
Sec. 33. Section 10-14y of the general statutes is repealed and the 1243
following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1, 2025): 1244
(a) The Center for Literacy Research and Reading Success, established 1245
pursuant to section 10-14gg, shall, within available appropriations, 1246
establish a reading readiness program that provides tiered supports in 1247
early literacy to each [school district designated as an alliance district, 1248
pursuant to section 10-262u] literacy district, as defined in section 10-1249
14u, as amended by this act. The center shall conduct an assessment of 1250
the reading readiness of students enrolled in kindergarten to grade 1251
three, inclusive, for each [alliance district] literacy district. Such reading 1252
readiness assessment shall consider any combination of the following: 1253
(1) Whether such [alliance district] literacy district has developed and is 1254
implementing a multiyear plan and allocated resources specifically for 1255
early literacy in kindergarten to grade three, inclusive, (2) whether 1256
teachers and administrators have received training regarding the 1257
science of teaching reading, and the extent to which teachers and 1258
administrators have completed the program of professional 1259
development in scientifically based reading research and instruction, 1260
pursuant to section 10-148b, (3) the level of access to external literacy 1261
Committee Bill No. 1
LCO No. 6296 41 of 66
coaches who have experience and expertise in the science of teaching 1262
reading, and (4) whether there is reading intervention staff embedded 1263
in the [alliance district] literacy district. 1264
(b) The center shall identify the early literacy needs of each [alliance 1265
district] literacy district based on the results of the reading readiness 1266
assessment conducted pursuant to subsection (a) of this section, and 1267
provide tiered supports in early literacy as follows: 1268
(1) Tier one universal supports shall be provided to each [alliance 1269
district, as defined in section 10-262u,] literacy district and include 1270
online professional development modules aligned with the reading 1271
instruction survey, as described in section 10-145r, and other literacy 1272
modules and programs available in the state; 1273
(2) Tier two targeted supports shall include (A) a two-year program 1274
of literacy leadership training for certain teachers and administrators, 1275
(B) targeted professional development, in accordance with the 1276
provisions of section 10-148b, using the results of the reading instruction 1277
survey, as described in section 10-145r, and (C) external coaching 1278
support; [, which may utilize funding received pursuant to section 10-1279
223h or 10-262u;] and 1280
(3) Tier three intensive supports shall include multiyear support from 1281
the center and a commitment from the [alliance district] literacy district, 1282
that includes, but need not be limited to, [(A) the use of funding received 1283
pursuant to section 10-262u to support an early literacy program for 1284
students enrolled in kindergarten to grade three, inclusive, (B) technical 1285
support in the drafting and submission of alliance district reading plans, 1286
as described in section 10-262u, (C)] (A) identifying and engaging 1287
dedicated literacy coaches and reading interventionists, [(D)] (B) 1288
targeted and intensive professional development, and [(E)] (C) funds for 1289
assessment and instructional materials. 1290
[(c) Any tiered supports in early literacy provided under this section 1291
shall be aligned with any turnaround plan, developed pursuant to 1292
Committee Bill No. 1
LCO No. 6296 42 of 66
section 10-223h, or alliance district plan, developed pursuant to section 1293
10-262u, as applicable.] 1294
Sec. 34. Subsections (a) and (b) of section 10-16z of the general statutes 1295
are repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1296
1, 2025): 1297
(a) There is established the Early Childhood Cabinet. The cabinet 1298
shall consist of: (1) The Commissioner of Early Childhood, or the 1299
commissioner's designee, (2) the Commissioner of Education, or the 1300
commissioner's designee, (3) the Commissioner of Social Services, or the 1301
commissioner's designee, (4) the chancellor of the Connecticut State 1302
Colleges and Universities, or the chancellor's designee, (5) the 1303
Commissioner of Public Health, or the commissioner's designee, (6) the 1304
Commissioner of Developmental Services, or the commissioner's 1305
designee, (7) the Commissioner of Children and Families, or the 1306
commissioner's designee, (8) the executive director of the Commission 1307
on Women, Children, Seniors, Equity and Opportunity or the executive 1308
director's designee, (9) the project director of the Connecticut Head Start 1309
State Collaboration Office, (10) a parent or guardian of a child who 1310
attends or attended a school readiness program appointed by the 1311
minority leader of the House of Representatives, (11) a representative of 1312
a local provider of early childhood education appointed by the minority 1313
leader of the Senate, (12) a representative of the Connecticut Family 1314
Resource Center Alliance appointed by the majority leader of the House 1315
of Representatives, (13) a representative of a state-funded child care 1316
center appointed by the majority leader of the Senate, (14) two 1317
appointed by the speaker of the House of Representatives, one of whom 1318
is a member of a board of education for a [town designated as an alliance 1319
district, as defined in section 10-262u] priority school district pursuant 1320
to section 10-266p, and one of whom is a parent who has a child 1321
attending a school in [an educational reform district, as defined in 1322
section 10-262u] a priority school district, (15) two appointed by the 1323
president pro tempore of the Senate, one of whom is a representative of 1324
an association of early education and child care providers and one of 1325
Committee Bill No. 1
LCO No. 6296 43 of 66
whom is a representative of a public elementary school with a 1326
prekindergarten program, (16) ten appointed by the Governor, one of 1327
whom is a representative of the Connecticut Head Start Association, one 1328
of whom is a representative of the business community in this state, one 1329
of whom is a representative of the philanthropic community in this 1330
state, one of whom is a representative of the Connecticut State 1331
Employees Association, one of whom is an administrator of the child 1332
care development block grant pursuant to the Child Care and 1333
Development Block Grant Act of 1990, one of whom is responsible for 1334
administering grants received under section 1419 of Part B of the 1335
Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, 20 USC 1419, as amended 1336
from time to time, one of whom is responsible for administering the 1337
provisions of Title I of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, 20 1338
USC 6301 et seq., one of whom is responsible for coordinating education 1339
services to children and youth who are homeless, one of whom is a 1340
licensed family child care home provider and a member of a staffed 1341
family child care network identified by the Commissioner of Early 1342
Childhood, and one of whom is a parent recommended by a parent 1343
advisory group that has been appointed by the Commissioner of Early 1344
Childhood, (17) the Secretary of the Office of Policy and Management, 1345
or the secretary's designee, (18) the Lieutenant Governor, or the 1346
Lieutenant Governor's designee, (19) the Commissioner of Housing, or 1347
the commissioner's designee, [and] (20) the Commissioner of Mental 1348
Health and Addiction Services, or the commissioner's designee, and (21) 1349
the executive director of the Connecticut Library Consortium, or a 1350
cooperating library service unit as defined in section 11-9e, or the 1351
executive director's designee. 1352
(b) The Commissioner of Early Childhood shall serve as a 1353
cochairperson of the cabinet. The other cochairperson of the cabinet 1354
shall be appointed from among its members by the Governor. The 1355
cabinet shall meet at least quarterly. Members shall not be compensated 1356
for their services, except the following members, who are parents or 1357
guardians, may, within available appropriations, be compensated for 1358
any time and travel related to meetings of the cabinet: (1) The parent or 1359
Committee Bill No. 1
LCO No. 6296 44 of 66
guardian of a child who attends or attended a school readiness program 1360
and was appointed by the minority leader of the House of 1361
Representatives under subdivision (10) of subsection (a) of this section, 1362
(2) the parent who has a child attending a school in [an educational 1363
reform district, as defined in section 10-262u] a priority school district, 1364
and was appointed by the speaker of the House of Representatives 1365
under subdivision (14) of subsection (a) of this section, and (3) the parent 1366
who was recommended by a parent advisory group and appointed by 1367
the Governor under subdivision (16) of subsection (a) of this section. 1368
Sec. 35. Subsection (c) of section 10-95i of the general statutes is 1369
repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1, 1370
2025): 1371
(c) The board shall consider the addition of new trade programs. 1372
Decisions by the board to add such programs shall at a minimum be 1373
based on the (1) projected employment demand for graduates of the 1374
program, (2) cost of establishing the program, (3) availability of 1375
qualified instructors, (4) existence of similar programs at other 1376
educational institutions, (5) interest of students in the trade, (6) need to 1377
diversify the trade with workers from underrepresented populations, 1378
and (7) workforce training needs of (A) students, graduates and 1379
residents of [alliance districts, as defined in section 10-262u, and] 1380
priority school districts, as described in section 10-266p, and (B) students 1381
and graduates of priority schools, as defined in section 10-265e. The 1382
board shall authorize new trade programs for a maximum of five years. 1383
The board shall provide a process for the public, including, but not 1384
limited to, employers, parents, students or teachers, to request 1385
consideration of the establishment of a new trade program. 1386
Sec. 36. Subsections (a) and (b) of section 10-156ii of the general 1387
statutes are repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof 1388
(Effective July 1, 2025): 1389
(a) There is established an aspiring educators diversity scholarship 1390
program administered by the Department of Education. The program 1391
Committee Bill No. 1
LCO No. 6296 45 of 66
shall provide an annual scholarship to diverse students who (1) 1392
graduated from a public high school in [an alliance district, as defined 1393
in section 10-262u] the state, and (2) are enrolled in a teacher preparation 1394
program at any four-year institution of higher education. A diverse 1395
student may receive an annual scholarship in an amount up to ten 1396
thousand dollars for each year such diverse student is enrolled and in 1397
good standing in a teacher preparation program. As used in this section, 1398
"diverse" has the same meaning as provided in section 10-156bb. 1399
(b) Not later than January 1, 2023, the department shall, in 1400
consultation with the chairpersons of the joint standing committee of the 1401
General Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to education, 1402
develop a policy concerning the administration of the scholarship. Such 1403
policy shall include, but need not be limited to, provisions regarding (1) 1404
any additional eligibility criteria, (2) payment and distribution of the 1405
scholarships to diverse students through the teacher preparation 1406
programs in which they are enrolled, and (3) the notification of students 1407
in high school [in alliance districts] of the scholarship program, 1408
including the opportunity to apply for a scholarship under the program 1409
while enrolled in high school and prior to graduation if such student 1410
will be enrolled in a teacher preparation program during the following 1411
fall semester at a four-year institution of higher education. 1412
Sec. 37. Subsection (d) of section 10-215l of the general statutes is 1413
repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1, 1414
2025): 1415
(d) In awarding grants under this section, the department shall (1) 1416
give priority to applicants (A) located in [alliance districts, as defined in 1417
section 10-262u, or who are providers of school readiness programs, as 1418
defined in section 10-16p] priority school districts pursuant to section 1419
10-266p, or who received a grant under this section prior to July 1, 2025, 1420
and (B) who demonstrate broad commitment from school 1421
administrators, school nutrition professionals, educators and 1422
community stakeholders, and (2) not award a grant that is in an amount 1423
Committee Bill No. 1
LCO No. 6296 46 of 66
greater than ten per cent of the total amount available for the fiscal year. 1424
Sec. 38. Subsection (g) of section 10-215m of the general statutes is 1425
repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1, 1426
2025): 1427
(g) In addition to the reimbursement payments otherwise provided 1428
pursuant to this section, the department may, within available 1429
appropriations, provide supplemental grants to eligible boards of 1430
education. Such supplemental grant funds may be expended for the 1431
purpose of purchasing kitchen equipment, engaging with school 1432
nutrition or farm-to-school consultants or training relating to the 1433
processing, preparation and serving of locally sourced food and 1434
regionally sourced food. In awarding supplemental grants under this 1435
subsection, the department shall give priority to an eligible board of 1436
education for a [town designated as an alliance district pursuant to 1437
section 10-262u] priority school district pursuant to section 10-266p, or 1438
who received a grant under this section prior to July 1, 2025. 1439
Sec. 39. Subsection (j) of section 10-236b of the general statutes is 1440
repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1, 1441
2025): 1442
(j) [(1)] On and after July 1, 2016, each local or regional board of 1443
education, and each institution or facility operating under contract with 1444
a local or regional board of education pursuant to subsection (d) of 1445
section 10-76d that provides special education for children, including 1446
any approved private special education program, shall (A) record each 1447
instance of the use of physical restraint or seclusion on a student, (B) 1448
specify whether the use of seclusion was in accordance with an 1449
individualized education program, (C) specify the nature of the 1450
emergency that necessitated the use of such physical restraint or 1451
seclusion, and (D) include such information in an annual compilation 1452
on its use of such restraint and seclusion on students. Each local or 1453
regional board of education and such institutions or facilities operating 1454
under contract with a local or regional board of education pursuant to 1455
Committee Bill No. 1
LCO No. 6296 47 of 66
subsection (d) of section 10-76d that provides special education for 1456
children, including any approved private special education program 1457
shall provide such annual compilation to the Department of Education 1458
for the purposes of the pilot program established pursuant to 1459
subdivision (2) of this subsection to examine incidents of physical 1460
restraint and seclusion in schools and to the State Board of Education 1461
for the purposes of subsection (k) of this section. Local or regional 1462
boards of education and such institutions and facilities that provide 1463
special education for children shall not be required to report instances 1464
of in-school suspensions, as defined in subsection (c) of section 10-233a. 1465
[(2) The Department of Education shall establish a pilot program for 1466
the school year commencing July 1, 2015. Such pilot program shall be 1467
implemented in various districts, including, but not limited to, an 1468
alliance district, a regional school district and a regional education 1469
service center. Under the pilot program, the Department of Education 1470
shall examine incidents of physical restraint and seclusion in schools 1471
and shall compile and analyze data regarding such incidents to enable 1472
the department to better understand and respond to incidents of 1473
physical restraint and seclusion on students in the state.] 1474
Sec. 40. Subdivision (2) of section 10-262f of the general statutes is 1475
repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1, 1476
2025): 1477
(2) "Base aid ratio" means for the fiscal year ending June 30, [2018] 1478
2026, and each fiscal year thereafter, the sum of (A) one minus the town's 1479
wealth adjustment factor, and (B) the town's base aid ratio adjustment 1480
factor, if any, except that a town's base aid ratio shall not be less than (i) 1481
ten per cent for [a town designated as an alliance district, as defined in 1482
section 10-262u, or] a priority school district, as described in section 10-1483
266p, and (ii) one per cent for a town that is not [designated as an 1484
alliance district or] a priority school district. 1485
Sec. 41. Section 10-262h of the general statutes is repealed and the 1486
following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1, 2025): 1487
Committee Bill No. 1
LCO No. 6296 48 of 66
(a) For the fiscal year ending June 30, 2018, each town maintaining 1488
public schools according to law shall be entitled to an equalization aid 1489
grant as follows: (1) Any town [designated as an alliance district, as 1490
defined in section 10-262u,] that is a priority school district pursuant to 1491
section 10-266p shall be entitled to an equalization aid grant in an 1492
amount equal to its base grant amount; and (2) any town that is not 1493
[designated as an alliance district] a priority school district shall be 1494
entitled to an equalization aid grant in an amount equal to ninety-five 1495
per cent of its base grant amount. 1496
(b) For the fiscal year ending June 30, 2019, each town maintaining 1497
public schools according to law shall be entitled to an equalization aid 1498
grant as follows: (1) Any town whose fully funded grant is greater than 1499
its base grant amount shall be entitled to an equalization aid grant in an 1500
amount equal to its base grant amount plus four and one-tenth per cent 1501
of its grant adjustment; and (2) any town whose fully funded grant is 1502
less than its base grant amount shall be entitled to an equalization aid 1503
grant in an amount equal to its base grant amount minus twenty-five 1504
per cent of its grant adjustment, except any such town designated as an 1505
alliance district shall be entitled to an equalization aid grant in an 1506
amount equal to its base grant amount. 1507
(c) For the fiscal years ending June 30, 2020, and June 30, 2021, each 1508
town maintaining public schools according to law shall be entitled to an 1509
equalization aid grant as follows: (1) Any town whose fully funded 1510
grant is greater than its base grant amount shall be entitled to an 1511
equalization aid grant in an amount equal to its equalization aid grant 1512
amount for the previous fiscal year plus ten and sixty-six-one-1513
hundredths per cent of its grant adjustment; and (2) any town whose 1514
fully funded grant is less than its base grant amount shall be entitled to 1515
an equalization aid grant in an amount equal to its equalization aid 1516
grant amount for the previous fiscal year minus eight and thirty-three-1517
one-hundredths per cent of its grant adjustment, except any such town 1518
designated as an alliance district shall be entitled to an equalization aid 1519
grant in an amount equal to its base grant amount. 1520
Committee Bill No. 1
LCO No. 6296 49 of 66
(d) For the fiscal year ending June 30, 2022, each town maintaining 1521
public schools according to law shall be entitled to an equalization aid 1522
grant as follows: (1) Any town whose fully funded grant is greater than 1523
its base grant amount shall be entitled to an equalization aid grant in an 1524
amount equal to its equalization aid grant amount for the previous fiscal 1525
year plus ten and sixty-six-one-hundredths per cent of its grant 1526
adjustment; and (2) any town whose fully funded grant is less than its 1527
base grant amount shall be entitled to an equalization aid grant in an 1528
amount equal to the amount the town was entitled to for the fiscal year 1529
ending June 30, 2021. 1530
(e) For the fiscal year ending June 30, 2023, each town maintaining 1531
public schools according to law shall be entitled to an equalization aid 1532
grant as follows: (1) Any town whose fully funded grant is greater than 1533
its equalization aid grant amount for the previous fiscal year shall be 1534
entitled to an equalization aid grant in an amount equal to its 1535
equalization aid grant amount for the previous fiscal year plus sixteen 1536
and sixty-seven-one-hundredths per cent of its grant adjustment; and 1537
(2) any town whose fully funded grant is less than its equalization aid 1538
grant amount for the previous fiscal year shall be entitled to an 1539
equalization aid grant in an amount equal to the amount the town was 1540
entitled to for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2022. 1541
(f) For the fiscal year ending June 30, 2024, each town maintaining 1542
public schools according to law shall be entitled to an equalization aid 1543
grant as follows: (1) Any town whose fully funded grant is greater than 1544
its equalization aid grant amount for the previous fiscal year shall be 1545
entitled to an equalization aid grant in an amount equal to its 1546
equalization aid grant amount for the previous fiscal year plus twenty 1547
per cent of its grant adjustment; (2) any town whose fully funded grant 1548
is less than its equalization aid grant amount for the previous fiscal year 1549
shall be entitled to an equalization aid grant in an amount equal to the 1550
amount the town was entitled to for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2023; 1551
and (3) any town designated as an alliance district shall be entitled to an 1552
equalization aid grant in an amount that is the greater of (A) the amount 1553
Committee Bill No. 1
LCO No. 6296 50 of 66
described in either subdivision (1) of this subsection or subdivision (2) 1554
of this subsection, as applicable, (B) its base grant amount, or (C) its 1555
equalization aid grant entitlement for the previous fiscal year. 1556
(g) For the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025, each town maintaining 1557
public schools according to law shall be entitled to an equalization aid 1558
grant as follows: (1) Any town whose fully funded grant is greater than 1559
its equalization aid grant amount for the previous fiscal year shall be 1560
entitled to an equalization aid grant in an amount equal to its 1561
equalization aid grant amount for the previous fiscal year plus fifty-six 1562
and five tenths per cent of its grant adjustment; (2) any town whose fully 1563
funded grant is less than its equalization aid grant amount for the 1564
previous fiscal year shall be entitled to an equalization aid grant in an 1565
amount equal to the amount the town was entitled to for the fiscal year 1566
ending June 30, 2024; and (3) any town designated as an alliance district, 1567
shall be entitled to an equalization aid grant in an amount that is the 1568
greater of (A) the amount described in either subdivision (1) of this 1569
subsection or subdivision (2) of this subsection, as applicable, (B) its base 1570
grant amount, or (C) its equalization aid grant entitlement for the 1571
previous fiscal year. 1572
(h) For the fiscal year ending June 30, 2026, each town maintaining 1573
public schools according to law shall be entitled to an equalization aid 1574
grant as follows: (1) Any town whose fully funded grant is greater than 1575
its equalization aid grant amount for the previous fiscal year shall be 1576
entitled to an equalization aid grant in an amount equal to its fully 1577
funded grant; (2) any town whose fully funded grant is less than its 1578
equalization aid grant amount for the previous fiscal year shall be 1579
entitled to an equalization aid grant in an amount equal to its 1580
equalization aid grant amount for the previous fiscal year minus 1581
fourteen and twenty-nine-one-hundredths per cent of its grant 1582
adjustment; and (3) any town [designated as an alliance district] that is 1583
a priority school district shall be entitled to an equalization aid grant in 1584
an amount that is the greater of (A) the amount described in either 1585
subdivision (1) of this subsection or subdivision (2) of this subsection, as 1586
Committee Bill No. 1
LCO No. 6296 51 of 66
applicable, (B) its base grant amount, or (C) its equalization aid grant 1587
entitlement for the previous fiscal year. 1588
(i) For the fiscal year ending June 30, 2027, each town maintaining 1589
public schools according to law shall be entitled to an equalization aid 1590
grant as follows: (1) Any town whose fully funded grant is greater than 1591
its equalization aid grant amount for the previous fiscal year shall be 1592
entitled to an equalization aid grant in an amount equal to its fully 1593
funded grant; (2) any town whose fully funded grant is less than its 1594
equalization aid grant amount for the previous fiscal year shall be 1595
entitled to an equalization aid grant in an amount equal to its 1596
equalization aid grant amount for the previous fiscal year minus sixteen 1597
and sixty-seven-one-hundredths per cent of its grant adjustment; and 1598
(3) any town [designated as an alliance district] that is a priority school 1599
district shall be entitled to an equalization aid grant in an amount that 1600
is the greater of (A) the amount described in either subdivision (1) of 1601
this subsection or subdivision (2) of this subsection, as applicable, (B) its 1602
base grant amount, or (C) its equalization aid grant entitlement for the 1603
previous fiscal year. 1604
(j) For the fiscal year ending June 30, 2028, each town maintaining 1605
public schools according to law shall be entitled to an equalization aid 1606
grant as follows: (1) Any town whose fully funded grant is greater than 1607
its equalization aid grant amount for the previous fiscal year shall be 1608
entitled to an equalization aid grant in an amount equal to its fully 1609
funded grant; (2) any town whose fully funded grant is less than its 1610
equalization aid grant amount for the previous fiscal year shall be 1611
entitled to an equalization aid grant in an amount equal to its 1612
equalization aid grant amount for the previous fiscal year minus twenty 1613
per cent of its grant adjustment; and (3) any town [designated as an 1614
alliance district] that is a priority school district shall be entitled to an 1615
equalization aid grant in an amount that is the greater of (A) the amount 1616
described in either subdivision (1) of this subsection or subdivision (2) 1617
of this subsection, as applicable, (B) its base grant amount, or (C) its 1618
equalization aid grant entitlement for the previous fiscal year. 1619
Committee Bill No. 1
LCO No. 6296 52 of 66
(k) For the fiscal year ending June 30, 2029, each town maintaining 1620
public schools according to law shall be entitled to an equalization aid 1621
grant as follows: (1) Any town whose fully funded grant is greater than 1622
its equalization aid grant amount for the previous fiscal year shall be 1623
entitled to an equalization aid grant in an amount equal to its fully 1624
funded grant; (2) any town whose fully funded grant is less than its 1625
equalization aid grant amount for the previous fiscal year shall be 1626
entitled to an equalization aid grant in an amount equal to its 1627
equalization aid grant amount for the previous fiscal year minus 1628
twenty-five per cent of its grant adjustment; and (3) any town 1629
[designated as an alliance district] that is a priority school district shall 1630
be entitled to an equalization aid grant in an amount that is the greater 1631
of (A) the amount described in either subdivision (1) of this subsection 1632
or subdivision (2) of this subsection, as applicable, (B) its base grant 1633
amount, or (C) its equalization aid grant entitlement for the previous 1634
fiscal year. 1635
(l) For the fiscal year ending June 30, 2030, each town maintaining 1636
public schools according to law shall be entitled to an equalization aid 1637
grant as follows: (1) Any town whose fully funded grant is greater than 1638
its equalization aid grant amount for the previous fiscal year shall be 1639
entitled to an equalization aid grant in an amount equal to its fully 1640
funded grant; (2) any town whose fully funded grant is less than its 1641
equalization aid grant amount for the previous fiscal year shall be 1642
entitled to an equalization aid grant in an amount equal to its 1643
equalization aid grant amount for the previous fiscal year minus thirty-1644
three and thirty-three-one-hundredths per cent of its grant adjustment; 1645
and (3) any town [designated as an alliance district] that is a priority 1646
school district shall be entitled to an equalization aid grant in an amount 1647
that is the greater of (A) the amount described in either subdivision (1) 1648
of this subsection or subdivision (2) of this subsection, as applicable, (B) 1649
its base grant amount, or (C) its equalization aid grant entitlement for 1650
the previous fiscal year. 1651
(m) For the fiscal year ending June 30, 2031, each town maintaining 1652
Committee Bill No. 1
LCO No. 6296 53 of 66
public schools according to law shall be entitled to an equalization aid 1653
grant as follows: (1) Any town whose fully funded grant is greater than 1654
its equalization aid grant amount for the previous fiscal year shall be 1655
entitled to an equalization aid grant in an amount equal to its fully 1656
funded grant; (2) any town whose fully funded grant is less than its 1657
equalization aid grant amount for the previous fiscal year shall be 1658
entitled to an equalization aid grant in an amount equal to its 1659
equalization aid grant amount for the previous fiscal year minus fifty 1660
per cent of its grant adjustment; and (3) any town [designated as an 1661
alliance district] that is a priority school district shall be entitled to an 1662
equalization aid grant in an amount that is the greater of (A) the amount 1663
described in either subdivision (1) of this subsection or subdivision (2) 1664
of this subsection, as applicable, (B) its base grant amount, or (C) its 1665
equalization aid grant entitlement for the previous fiscal year. 1666
(n) For the fiscal year ending June 30, 2032, and each fiscal year 1667
thereafter, each town maintaining public schools according to law shall 1668
be entitled to an equalization aid grant in an amount equal to its fully 1669
funded grant, except any town [designated as an alliance district] that is 1670
a priority school district shall be entitled to an equalization aid grant in 1671
an amount that is the greater of (1) its fully funded grant, (2) its base 1672
grant amount, or (3) its equalization aid grant entitlement for the 1673
previous fiscal year. 1674
Sec. 42. Subsection (c) of section 10-262i of the general statutes is 1675
repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1, 1676
2025): 1677
(c) All aid distributed to a town pursuant to the provisions of this 1678
section [and section 10-262u] shall be expended for educational 1679
purposes only and shall be expended upon the authorization of the local 1680
or regional board of education. [and in accordance with the provisions 1681
of section 10-262u.] For the fiscal year ending June 30, 1999, and each 1682
fiscal year thereafter, if a town receives an increase in funds pursuant to 1683
this section over the amount it received for the prior fiscal year, such 1684
Committee Bill No. 1
LCO No. 6296 54 of 66
increase shall not be used to supplant local funding for educational 1685
purposes. The budgeted appropriation for education in any town 1686
receiving an increase in funds pursuant to this section shall be not less 1687
than the amount appropriated for education for the prior year plus such 1688
increase in funds. 1689
Sec. 43. Subsection (c) of section 10-262j of the general statutes is 1690
repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1, 1691
2025): 1692
(c) Except as otherwise provided under the provisions of subsections 1693
(g) and (h) of this section, a town designated as [an alliance district, as 1694
defined in section 10-262u,] a priority school district pursuant to section 1695
10-266p shall not reduce its budgeted appropriation for education 1696
pursuant to this section. 1697
Sec. 44. Section 10-265h of the general statutes is repealed and the 1698
following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1, 2025): 1699
(a) The Commissioner of Administrative Services, in consultation 1700
with the Commissioner of Education, shall establish, within available 1701
bond authorizations, a grant program to assist [alliance districts, as 1702
defined in section 10-262u,] priority school districts pursuant to section 1703
10-266p in paying for general improvements to school buildings. For 1704
purposes of this section "general improvements to school buildings" 1705
means work that (1) is generally not eligible for reimbursement 1706
pursuant to chapter 173, and (2) is to (A) replace windows, doors, boilers 1707
and other heating and ventilation system components, internal 1708
communications and technology systems, lockers, floors, cafeteria 1709
equipment and ceilings, including the installation of new drop ceilings, 1710
(B) upgrade restrooms including the replacement of fixtures and related 1711
water supplies and drainage, (C) upgrade and replace lighting, 1712
including energy efficient upgrades to lighting systems and controls to 1713
increase efficiency, and reduce consumption levels and cost, (D) 1714
upgrade entryways, driveways, parking areas, play areas and athletic 1715
fields, (E) upgrade equipment, including, but not limited to, the 1716
Committee Bill No. 1
LCO No. 6296 55 of 66
following equipment purchased on or after November 1, 2017: Cabinets, 1717
computers, laptops and related equipment and accessories, (F) repair 1718
roofs, including the installation of energy efficient fixtures and systems 1719
and environmental enhancements, or (G) install or upgrade security 1720
equipment that is consistent with the school safety infrastructure criteria 1721
described in section 10-292r, including, but not limited to, video 1722
surveillance devices and fencing, provided "general improvements to 1723
school buildings" may include work not specified in this subdivision if 1724
the [alliance district] priority school district provides justification for 1725
such work acceptable to the Commissioner of Administrative Services, 1726
but shall not include routine maintenance such as painting, cleaning, 1727
equipment repair or other minor repairs or work done at the 1728
administrative facilities of a board of education. 1729
(b) Eligibility for grants pursuant to this section shall be determined 1730
for a five-year period. [based on a school district's designation as an 1731
alliance district in the initial year of designation as an alliance district.] 1732
Grant awards shall be made annually contingent upon the filing of an 1733
application and a satisfactory annual evaluation. Priority shall be given 1734
to [an alliance district] a priority school district that includes a life-cycle 1735
stewardship plan with such [alliance district's] priority school district's 1736
application. The life-cycle stewardship plan shall describe the 1737
investments and other efforts that have been and will be made by the 1738
[alliance district] priority school district to extend the life cycle of its 1739
facilities and equipment. [Alliance districts] Priority school districts 1740
shall apply for grants pursuant to this section at such time and in such 1741
manner as the commissioner prescribes. Grant awards made to [an 1742
alliance district] a priority school district that is one of the [alliance 1743
districts] priority school districts with the five largest populations, 1744
based on the 2010 federal census, shall be in an amount equal to or 1745
greater than two million dollars. 1746
(c) No funds received by [an alliance district] a priority school district 1747
pursuant to this section shall be used to supplant local matching 1748
requirements for federal or state funding otherwise received by such 1749
Committee Bill No. 1
LCO No. 6296 56 of 66
[alliance district] priority school district for improvements to school 1750
buildings. 1751
(d) Each [alliance district] priority school district that receives funds 1752
pursuant to this section shall file expenditure reports with the 1753
Department of Administrative Services as requested by the 1754
Commissioner of Administrative Services. Each [alliance district] 1755
priority school district shall refund (1) any unexpended amounts at the 1756
close of the project for which the grants are awarded, and (2) any 1757
amounts not expended in accordance with the approved grant 1758
application. 1759
(e) General improvements for which grants are awarded in any year 1760
shall be completed by the end of the succeeding fiscal year. 1761
Sec. 45. Section 10-265o of the general statutes is repealed and the 1762
following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1, 2025): 1763
For the fiscal year ending June 30, [2014] 2026, and each fiscal year 1764
thereafter, the Department of Education shall establish the municipal 1765
aid for new educators grant program. On or before March first of each 1766
year, the program shall, within available appropriations, provide grants 1767
of up to two hundred thousand dollars to the local or regional board of 1768
education for [an alliance district, as defined in section 10-262u,] a 1769
priority school district pursuant to section 10-266p for the purpose of 1770
extending offers of employment to students who are enrolled in a 1771
teacher preparation program offered by a public or private institution 1772
of higher education, are graduating seniors and are academically in the 1773
top ten per cent of their graduating class. 1774
Sec. 46. Section 10-265p of the general statutes is repealed and the 1775
following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1, 2025): 1776
The Commissioner of Education shall, within available 1777
appropriations, establish a wraparound services grant program that 1778
awards grants to [educational reform districts, as defined in section 10-1779
Committee Bill No. 1
LCO No. 6296 57 of 66
262u,] priority school districts pursuant to section 10-266p for social-1780
emotional behavioral supports, family involvement and support, 1781
student engagement, physical health and wellness, and social work and 1782
case management. The local or regional board of education for an 1783
educational reform district may apply to the commissioner for a grant 1784
under this section at such time and in such manner as the commissioner 1785
prescribes. 1786
Sec. 47. Section 10-265q of the general statutes is repealed and the 1787
following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1, 2025): 1788
The Commissioner of Education shall, within available 1789
appropriations, establish [an educational reform district] a priority 1790
school district science grant program that awards grants to [educational 1791
reform districts, as defined in section 10-262u,] priority school districts 1792
pursuant to section 10-266p for the purpose of improving student 1793
academic performance in science, reading and numeracy in 1794
kindergarten to grade eight, inclusive. The local or regional board of 1795
education for [an educational reform district] a priority school district 1796
may apply to the commissioner for a grant under this section at such 1797
time and in such manner as the commissioner prescribes. In awarding 1798
such grants, the commissioner shall give priority to (1) applicant 1799
programs that partner with schools that have a record of low academic 1800
performance in science, and (2) applicant after-school elementary 1801
science programs that have a record of improving student academic 1802
performance in science. 1803
Sec. 48. Subdivision (3) of subsection (a) of section 10-505 of the 1804
general statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu 1805
thereof (Effective July 1, 2025): 1806
(3) "Eligible children" means children (A) from birth to four years of 1807
age, inclusive, and children five years of age who are not eligible to 1808
enroll in school pursuant to section 10-15c, or who are eligible to enroll 1809
in school and will attend a school readiness program pursuant to section 1810
10-16t, and (B) who reside (i) in an area served by a priority school or a 1811
Committee Bill No. 1
LCO No. 6296 58 of 66
former priority school, as described in subdivision (2) of subsection (d) 1812
of section 10-16p, (ii) in a town ranked one to fifty when all towns are 1813
ranked in ascending order according to town wealth, as defined in 1814
subdivision (26) of section 10-262f, whose school district is not a priority 1815
school district pursuant to section 10-266p, (iii) in a town formerly a 1816
town described in clause (ii) of this subparagraph, as provided for in 1817
subdivision (2) of subsection (d) of section 10-16p, or (iv) in a town 1818
[designated as an alliance district, as defined in section 10-262u,] whose 1819
school district is [not] a priority school district pursuant to section 10-1820
266p; 1821
Sec. 49. Subsection (b) of section 10a-11k of the general statutes is 1822
repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1, 1823
2025): 1824
(b) The Office of Higher Education shall award grants under the 1825
PATH program on a competitive basis to any nonprofit community-1826
based organization that (1) provided the types of assistance specified in 1827
subsection (a) of this section during the academic year prior to the year 1828
in which the grant will be awarded, and (2) will provide, cooperatively 1829
with the school administrators of a public high school in the state, such 1830
assistance during the academic year for which the grant will be 1831
awarded. The office shall establish procedures for the submission of 1832
grant applications for said program and shall review such grant 1833
applications on the basis of an evaluation format developed by the 1834
office, that shall include, but need not be limited to, preference for such 1835
nonprofit community-based organizations that provide such assistance 1836
in a [school district designated as an alliance school district, pursuant to 1837
section 10-262u,] priority school district pursuant to section 10-266p for 1838
the academic year in which the grant will be awarded. Grants shall be 1839
awarded in amounts not exceeding twenty thousand dollars and not 1840
less than fifteen thousand dollars and shall be available for the duration 1841
of the academic year for which such grant is awarded. If the office finds 1842
that any such grant is being used for any purpose that is not in 1843
conformity with the purposes of the PATH program, the office may 1844
Committee Bill No. 1
LCO No. 6296 59 of 66
require repayment of the grant to the state. 1845
Sec. 50. Section 10a-247 of the general statutes is repealed and the 1846
following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1, 2025): 1847
(a) The Connecticut Higher Education Supplemental Loan Authority 1848
shall establish, subject to available funding pursuant to section 10a-247a, 1849
an [Alliance District] Educator and Counselor Loan Subsidy Program 1850
for the purpose of subsidizing interest rates on authority loans, as 1851
defined in section 10a-223, to teachers, paraeducators and school 1852
counselors who are employed [in a district designated as an alliance 1853
district pursuant to section 10-262u] by a local or regional board of 1854
education and who meet the eligibility criteria as established by the 1855
authority and the Commissioner of Education. 1856
(b) The authority shall enter into a memorandum of agreement with 1857
the Commissioner of Education to establish the eligibility criteria and 1858
administrative guidelines for the [Alliance District] Educator and 1859
Counselor Loan Subsidy Program. Such eligibility criteria and 1860
guidelines shall include, but need not be limited to, (1) applicant 1861
eligibility, (2) interest rate subsidies and principal limits on authority 1862
loans subject to the [Alliance District] Educator and Counselor Loan 1863
Subsidy Program, (3) the process for verifying the employment of 1864
applicants, and (4) the requirement that an interest rate subsidy through 1865
the [Alliance District] Educator and Counselor Loan Subsidy Program 1866
shall terminate for any subsidy recipient who ceases to meet the 1867
employment requirements of such program during the term of such 1868
recipient's loan from the authority. 1869
Sec. 51.Section 10a-247a of the general statutes is repealed and the 1870
following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1, 2025): 1871
The Connecticut Higher Education Supplemental Loan Authority 1872
shall maintain a separate, nonlapsing account to hold funds for the 1873
[Alliance District] Educator and Counselor Loan Subsidy Program 1874
established pursuant to section 10a-247, as amended by this act. The 1875
Committee Bill No. 1
LCO No. 6296 60 of 66
account shall contain any moneys required by law to be deposited in the 1876
account, including, but not limited to, any state appropriation or the 1877
proceeds from the sale of bonds issued for the purpose of section 10a-1878
247, as amended by this act. Moneys in the account shall be used (1) for 1879
the purposes of the [Alliance District] Educator and Counselor Loan 1880
Subsidy Program and for reasonable and necessary expenses for the 1881
administration of such program, (2) for the issuance of authority loans 1882
to refinance one or more eligible loans, and (3) to maintain a reserve held 1883
by the authority to cover any losses incurred by the authority from the 1884
issuance of such authority loans. For the purposes of this section, 1885
"authority loans" and "eligible loans" have the same [meaning] 1886
meanings as provided in section 10a-223. 1887
Sec. 52. Subdivision (3) of subsection (d) of section 12-18b of the 1888
general statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu 1889
thereof (Effective July 1, 2025): 1890
(3) Each municipality [designated as an alliance district pursuant to 1891
section 10-262u] whose school district is a priority school district 1892
pursuant to section 10-266p or in which more than fifty per cent of the 1893
property is state-owned real property shall be classified as a tier one 1894
municipality. 1895
Sec. 53. Section 12-635 of the general statutes is repealed and the 1896
following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1, 2025): 1897
The Commissioner of Revenue Services shall grant a credit against 1898
any tax due under the provisions of chapter 207, 208, 209, 210, 211 or 1899
212: (1) In an amount not to exceed one hundred per cent of the total 1900
cash amount invested during the taxable year by the business firm in 1901
programs operated or created pursuant to proposals approved pursuant 1902
to section 12-632 for energy conservation projects directed toward 1903
properties occupied by persons, at least seventy-five per cent of whom 1904
are at an income level not exceeding one hundred fifty per cent of the 1905
poverty level for the year next preceding the year during which such tax 1906
credit is to be granted; (2) in an amount equal to one hundred per cent 1907
Committee Bill No. 1
LCO No. 6296 61 of 66
of the total cash amount invested during the taxable year by the business 1908
firm in programs operated or created pursuant to proposals approved 1909
pursuant to section 12-632 for energy conservation projects at properties 1910
owned or occupied by charitable corporations, foundations, trusts or 1911
other entities as determined under regulations adopted pursuant to this 1912
chapter; (3) in an amount equal to one hundred per cent of the total cash 1913
amount invested during the taxable year by the business firm in a 1914
comprehensive college access loan forgiveness program located in [an 1915
"educational reform district" as defined in section 10-262u] a priority 1916
school district pursuant to section 10-266p, that has established 1917
minimum eligibility criteria including, but not limited to, years of 1918
enrollment in the educational reform district, grade point average, 1919
attendance record and loan forgiveness prerequisite; or (4) in an amount 1920
not to exceed sixty per cent of the total cash amount invested during the 1921
taxable year by the business firm (A) in employment and training 1922
programs directed at youths, at least seventy-five per cent of whom are 1923
at an income level not exceeding one hundred fifty per cent of the 1924
poverty level for the year next preceding the year during which such tax 1925
credit is to be granted; (B) in employment and training programs 1926
directed at persons with physical disabilities; (C) in employment and 1927
training programs for unemployed workers who are fifty years of age 1928
or older; (D) in education and employment training programs for 1929
recipients in the temporary family assistance program; or (E) in child 1930
care services. Any other program which serves persons at least seventy-1931
five per cent of whom are at an income level not exceeding one hundred 1932
fifty per cent of the poverty level for the year next preceding the year 1933
during which such tax credit is to be granted and which meets the 1934
standards for eligibility under this chapter shall be eligible for a tax 1935
credit under this section in an amount equal to sixty per cent of the total 1936
cash invested by the business firm in such program. 1937
Sec. 54. Subdivision (4) of subsection (a) of section 32-285a of the 1938
general statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu 1939
thereof (Effective July 1, 2025): 1940
Committee Bill No. 1
LCO No. 6296 62 of 66
(4) "Municipality" means a municipality designated as a public 1941
investment community pursuant to section 7-545 or [as an alliance 1942
district pursuant to section 10-262u] whose school district is a priority 1943
school district pursuant to section 10-266p. 1944
Sec. 55. Section 45a-8c of the general statutes is repealed and the 1945
following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1, 2025): 1946
(a) The Probate Court Administrator may, within available 1947
appropriations, establish a truancy clinic within (1) any Regional 1948
Children's Probate Court, [that serves a town designated as an alliance 1949
district pursuant to section 10-262u,] or (2) any Probate Court that serves 1950
a town [designated as an alliance district] that is not served by a 1951
Regional Children's Probate Court. The administrative judge of the 1952
Regional Children's Probate Court or the probate judge, as the case may 1953
be, or the designee of such administrative judge or such probate judge, 1954
shall administer the truancy clinic for such administrative judge's or 1955
such probate judge's respective court. 1956
(b) If the Probate Court Administrator establishes truancy clinics 1957
pursuant to subsection (a) of this section, the principal of any 1958
elementary or middle school, [located in a town designated as an 1959
alliance district,] or the principal's designee, may refer to a truancy clinic 1960
a parent or guardian with a child enrolled in such school who is a truant, 1961
as defined in section 10-198a, or at risk of becoming a truant. Upon 1962
receiving such referral, the truancy clinic shall prepare a citation and 1963
summons for the parent or guardian of the child to appear at the clinic. 1964
An attendance officer authorized pursuant to section 10-199, or a police 1965
officer authorized pursuant to section 10-200, shall deliver the citation 1966
and summons and a copy of the referral to the parent or guardian. 1967
(c) The administrative judge of the Regional Children's Probate Court 1968
[that serves a town designated as an alliance district] or the probate 1969
judge [that serves a town designated as an alliance district, as the case 1970
may be,] may refer any matter referred to a truancy clinic to a probate 1971
magistrate or attorney probate referee assigned by the Probate Court 1972
Committee Bill No. 1
LCO No. 6296 63 of 66
Administrator pursuant to section 45a-123a to hear the matter. 1973
(d) The truancy clinics shall operate for the purpose of identifying 1974
and resolving the cause of a child's truancy using nonpunitive 1975
procedures. After the initial appearance made pursuant to the summons 1976
described in subsection (b) of this section, the participation of a parent 1977
or guardian in the truancy clinic shall be voluntary. The truancy clinics 1978
shall establish protocols for clinic participation and shall establish 1979
programs and relationships with schools, individuals, public and 1980
private agencies, and other organizations to provide services and 1981
support for parents, guardians and children participating in the clinics. 1982
(e) The Probate Court Administrator shall establish policies and 1983
procedures to implement the truancy clinics and measure the 1984
effectiveness of the truancy clinics. 1985
(f) Not later than September 1, 2015, and annually thereafter, each 1986
administrative judge of a Regional Children's Probate Court [that serves 1987
a town designated as an alliance district in which a truancy clinic has 1988
been established] and each probate judge [that serves a town designated 1989
as an alliance district in which a truancy clinic has been established] 1990
shall file a report with the Probate Court Administrator assessing the 1991
effectiveness of each truancy clinic in such administrative judge's or 1992
such probate judge's respective court. 1993
(g) Not later than January 1, 2016, the Probate Court Administrator 1994
shall submit, in accordance with section 11-4a, a report assessing the 1995
effectiveness of the truancy clinics to the joint standing committees of 1996
the General Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to the 1997
judiciary and education. 1998
Sec. 56. Sections 10-21r, 10-153s, 10-153t, 10-156gg, 10-183v, 10-223f, 1999
10-223h, 10-223i, 10-262u, 10-262v, 10-262w and 10-265r of the general 2000
statutes are repealed. (Effective July 1, 2025) 2001
Committee Bill No. 1
LCO No. 6296 64 of 66
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 New section
Sec. 3 from passage New section
Sec. 4 July 1, 2025 New section
Sec. 5 July 1, 2025 New section
Sec. 6 July 1, 2025 New section
Sec. 7 July 1, 2025 New section
Sec. 8 July 1, 2025 New section
Sec. 9 July 1, 2025 New section
Sec. 10 July 1, 2025 3-13c
Sec. 11 July 1, 2025 10-505b
Sec. 12 July 1, 2025 New section
Sec. 13 July 1, 2025 10-4(c)
Sec. 14 July 1, 2025 New section
Sec. 15 from passage New section
Sec. 16 July 1, 2025 New section
Sec. 17 July 1, 2025 10-227
Sec. 18 July 1, 2025 10-198d
Sec. 19 July 1, 2025 10-222
Sec. 20 July 1, 2025 10-248a
Sec. 21 July 1, 2025 10-51(d)(2)
Sec. 22 July 1, 2025 10-222o
Sec. 23 July 1, 2025 10-233d(a)
Sec. 24 July 1, 2025 New section
Sec. 25 July 1, 2025 10-283(b)
Sec. 26 July 1, 2025 10-66bb(c)
Sec. 27 July 1, 2025 10-74i(c)
Sec. 28 July 1, 2025 4a-60g(a)(14)
Sec. 29 July 1, 2025 8-240a(a) to (c)
Sec. 30 July 1, 2025 8-265pp
Sec. 31 July 1, 2025 10-4q
Sec. 32 July 1, 2025 10-14u
Sec. 33 July 1, 2025 10-14y
Sec. 34 July 1, 2025 10-16z(a) and (b)
Sec. 35 July 1, 2025 10-95i(c)
Sec. 36 July 1, 2025 10-156ii(a) and (b)
Sec. 37 July 1, 2025 10-215l(d)
Committee Bill No. 1
LCO No. 6296 65 of 66
Sec. 38 July 1, 2025 10-215m(g)
Sec. 39 July 1, 2025 10-236b(j)
Sec. 40 July 1, 2025 10-262f(2)
Sec. 41 July 1, 2025 10-262h
Sec. 42 July 1, 2025 10-262i(c)
Sec. 43 July 1, 2025 10-262j(c)
Sec. 44 July 1, 2025 10-265h
Sec. 45 July 1, 2025 10-265o
Sec. 46 July 1, 2025 10-265p
Sec. 47 July 1, 2025 10-265q
Sec. 48 July 1, 2025 10-505(a)(3)
Sec. 49 July 1, 2025 10a-11k(b)
Sec. 50 July 1, 2025 10a-247
Sec. 51 July 1, 2025 New section
Sec. 52 July 1, 2025 12-18b(d)(3)
Sec. 53 July 1, 2025 12-635
Sec. 54 July 1, 2025 32-285a(a)(4)
Sec. 55 July 1, 2025 45a-8c
Sec. 56 July 1, 2025 Repealer section
Statement of Purpose:
To improve the quality of education for the state's children.
[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.]
Co-Sponsors: SEN. LOONEY, 11th Dist.; SEN. DUFF, 25th Dist.
SEN. MCCRORY, 2nd Dist.; SEN. ANWAR, 3rd Dist.
SEN. CABRERA, 17th Dist.; SEN. COHEN, 12th Dist.
SEN. FLEXER, 29th Dist.; SEN. GADKAR-WILCOX, 22nd Dist.
SEN. GASTON, 23rd Dist.; SEN. HOCHADEL, 13th Dist.
SEN. HONIG, 8th Dist.; SEN. KUSHNER, 24th Dist.
SEN. LESSER, 9th Dist.; SEN. LOPES, 6th Dist.
SEN. MAHER, 26th Dist.; SEN. MARONEY, 14th Dist.
SEN. MARX, 20th Dist.; SEN. MILLER P., 27th Dist.
SEN. NEEDLEMAN, 33rd Dist.; SEN. OSTEN, 19th Dist.
SEN. RAHMAN, 4th Dist.; SEN. SLAP, 5th Dist.
SEN. WINFIELD, 10th Dist.; REP. REYES, 75th Dist.
REP. GAUTHIER, 38th Dist.; REP. MARTINEZ, 22nd Dist.
Committee Bill No. 1
LCO No. 6296 66 of 66
REP. DELNICKI, 14th Dist.; REP. NOLAN, 39th Dist.
S.B. 1