| Issue |
Status/Date |
Level |
Summary |
 Economic/Workforce Development |
Signed into law 06/2012 |
Postsec. |
Expands the types of higher education institutions that graduates can come from in order to participate in the Learn Here, Live Here program which assists postsecondary graduates from in the state to buy their first house in the state. http://www.cga.ct.gov/2012/ACT/Pa/pdf/2012PA-00075-R00SB-00078-PA.pdf
Title: S.B. 78
Source: cga.ct.gov |
Economic/Workforce Development |
Signed into law 06/2012 |
P-12 |
Directs the Office of Workforce Competitiveness, in collaboration with the Department of Education and the Board of Regents for Higher Education, to study model programs concerning the preemployment training and employment of young adults with autism spectrum disorder and other developmental disabilities. http://www.cga.ct.gov/2012/ACT/SA/2012SA-00009-R00SB-00041-SA.htm
Title: S.B. 41
Source: cga.ct.gov |
P-3 Early Intervention (0-3) |
Signed into law 06/2012 |
P-12 |
Requires that a permanency plan of a child in the care and custody of the Commissioner of Children and Families include information regarding what steps the department has taken to make any necessary referrals for children under five years of age to early intervention, preschool, or special education services, steps taken to enable a child sixteen years of age or older to learn independent living skills and complete a secondary education or vocation program, and steps taken to develop a personalized transition plan that includes education for children between the ages of sixteen and eighteen. http://www.cga.ct.gov/2012/ACT/Pa/pdf/2012PA-00053-R00SB-00293-PA.pdf
Title: S.B. 293
Source: ga.ct.gov |
P-3 Teaching Quality/Professional Development |
Signed into law 06/2012 |
P-12 |
Clarifies the staff qualification requirements for early childhood education programs serving infants, toddlers or preschool age children and accepting state funds for such programs' child day care or school readiness programs. http://www.cga.ct.gov/2012/ACT/PA/2012PA-00050-R00SB-00039-PA.htm
Title: S.B. 39
Source: cga.ct.gov |
Postsecondary Accountability |
Signed into law 06/2012 |
Postsec. |
Directs each institution of higher education to submit specified information to the Office of Financial and Academic Affairs for Higher Education on or before October 1, 2012, and annually thereafter, on each student enrolled at the institution who received financial assistance for the previous academic year from the Connecticut independent student grant program, the Connecticut aid to public college students grant program, or the capitol scholarship grant program. Prohibits any institution from participating in those programs if it fails to report the specified information. Directs The Office of Financial and Academic Affairs for Higher Education to report on the information collected. http://www.cga.ct.gov/2012/ACT/PA/2012PA-00094-R00SB-00043-PA.htm
Title: S.B. 43
Source: cga.ct.gov |
Postsecondary Success--Developmental/Remediation |
Signed into law 06/2012 |
P-12,
Postsec. |
Requires that no later than the Fall semester of 2014, a public institution of higher education offer a student that is likely to succeed in college level work with remedial support that is embedded with a corresponding entry level course in a college level program; or offer a student that is below the skill level required for success in college level work the opportunity to participate in an intensive college readiness program before the start of the next semester. Prohibits any public institution of higher education from offering any remedial support outside of these two options, with the exception of one semester, when the support is intended to advance the student toward earning a degree and the program of remedial support is approved by the Board of Regents.
Requires the Board of Regents for Higher Education to make recommendations to the Joint Committee concerning the successful transition of adults returning to or first enrolling in a higher education program at a public institution of higher education after spending time in the workforce the application of this act for hearing impaired or deaf students offered by a public institution of higher education.
http://www.cga.ct.gov/2012/ACT/PA/2012PA-00040-R00SB-00040-PA.htm
Title: S.B. 40
Source: cga.ct.gov |
Special Education |
Signed into law 06/2012 |
P-12 |
Requires each local and regional board of education, institution and facility that provides special education for a child to (1) record each instance of the use of physical restraint or seclusion on a child, (2) specify whether the use of seclusion was in accordance with an individualized education program or whether the use of physical restraint or seclusion was an emergency, including the nature of the emergency that necessitated its use, and (3) include such information in an annual compilation on its use of such restraint and seclusion on children. Direcrs the State Board of Education to review the annual compilation and produce an annual summary report and provide such report to the Select Committee on Children each year. http://www.cga.ct.gov/2012/ACT/PA/2012PA-00088-R00HB-05347-PA.htm
Title: H.B. 5347
Source: cga.ct.gov |
Special Education |
Signed into law 06/2012 |
P-12 |
Requires additional opportunities for meetings and the exchange of information between school district officials and parents of students in, or under evaluation for, special education. Requires teacher certification preparation, in-service training, and professional development to include expanded instruction and training regarding implementing individualized education programs (IEPs). Specifies the school district eligible for special education excess cost grant money when a child is placed in a school district other than his or her district of origin. Requires any IEP for a child identified as deaf or hearing impaired to include a language and communication plan developed by the child's planning and placement team (PPT). Specifies that, if a school district provides special education services to a student whose parents have chosen to send him or her to a private school, the services must comply with the federal Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). http://www.cga.ct.gov/2012/ACT/PA/2012PA-00173-R00HB-05353-PA.htm
Title: H.B. 5353
Source: cga.ct.gov |
State Policymaking--Task Forces/Commissions |
To governor 06/2012 |
P-12,
Postsec. |
Directs The State Board of Education, in consultation with the Board of Regents for Higher Education and The University of Connecticut, to study issues concerning teacher preparation in the state and report on such study and deliver a comprehensive set of recommendations by April 1, 2013. Issues that must be addressed include, student teaching requirements, candidate profile requirements, and specified duties of the institution of higher education.http://www.cga.ct.gov/2012/ACT/SA/2012SA-00003-R00SB-00384-SA.htm
Title: S.B. 384
Source: cga.ct.gov |
Teaching Quality--Certification and Licensure |
Signed into law 06/2012 |
P-12 |
Revises the number of grades an endorsement to teach elementary school covers by limiting it to grades one to six, from grades kindergarten to six. Exceptions granted to teachers enrolled in a teacher preparation program for elementary grades prior to the fall semester of 2012. http://www.cga.ct.gov/2012/ACT/PA/2012PA-00063-R00SB-00382-PA.htm
Title: S.B. 382
Source: cga.ct.gov |
Accountability--Measures/Indicators |
Signed into law 05/2012 |
P-12 |
(Sec. 18) Revamps the education accountability law post-NCLB (renamed as the performance management and support plan), regarding identifying school districts in need of improvement and creates new categories of schools based on student performance on statewide mastery tests in order to take action to improve academic achievement. In order to separate the schools into five categories, the bill creates a school performance index (SPI) ranking system. Requires the SDE to 1) continue to identify districts in need of improvement; 2) classify schools in five performance categories with category one representing the highest and category five the lowest based on SPI and other factors; and 3) designate as focus schools those with identifiable low-performing student subgroups using measures of student academic achievement and growth for subgroups in the aggregate or over time. Allows the SDE to impose certain requirements on category three schools and to intensively supervise and direct category four and five schools with specified actions. The bill also modifies the law regarding reconstitution of boards of education in low-performing school districts, including establishing a method of notifying local officials of the start and conclusion of reconstitutions. http://www.cga.ct.gov/2012/ACT/PA/2012PA-00116-R00SB-00458-PA.htm
Title: S.B. 458
Source: cga.ct.gov |
Accountability--Reporting Results |
Signed into law 05/2012 |
P-12 |
(Sec. 88) Requires SDE to annually make the following information available on its website: 1) the statewide performance management and accountability plan required by the amended school accountability law (§ 19); 2) a list of schools ranked from lowest to highest by SPI; 3) the formula and method the department used to calculate each school's SPI, and 4) the alternative versions of the formula used to calculate school subject indexes for non-elementary grades. http://www.cga.ct.gov/2012/ACT/PA/2012PA-00116-R00SB-00458-PA.htm
Title: S.B. 458
Source: cga.ct.gov |
Accountability--Sanctions/Interventions |
Signed into law 05/2012 |
P-12 |
(Sec. 34) Defines an alliance district as a town whose school district is among those with the lowest academic performance as measured by a district performance index (DPI) the bill establishes. For FY 13, the bill requires the education commissioner to designate 30 alliance districts. Districts keep the designation for five years. The commissioner must determine, by June 30, 2016, whether to designate additional alliance districts. Also establishes a subcategory of alliance districts called "educational reform districts," which are the 10 districts with the lowest DPIs. Defines how DPI is calculated.
Requires the state comptroller to hold back any Education Cost Sharing (ECS) grant increase over the prior year's grant that is payable to an alliance district town in FY 13 or any subsequent fiscal year. The comptroller must transfer the money to the education commissioner. An alliance district may apply to receive its ECS grant increase when and how the education commissioner prescribes. The bill allows the commissioner to pay the funds to the district on condition that they are spent according to its approved district improvement plan (see below) and guidelines the bill allows SBE to adopt. Requires any balance of the conditional ECS funds allocated to each alliance district that remains unspent at the end of any fiscal year to be carried over and remain available to the district for the following fiscal year. Alliance districts must use their conditional ECS funding to improve local achievement and offset other local education costs the commissioner approves. To be eligible to receive the funds, a district must submit an application to the commissioner that must contain objectives and performance targets as well as an improvement plan with specified inclusions.allows the commissioner to withhold conditional funding if an alliance district fails to comply with the bill's requirements and renew the funding if a district's school board provides evidence that the district is meeting the objectives and performance targets of its plan. Districts receiving conditional funding must submit annual expenditure reports in a form and manner the commissioner prescribes. The commissioner must determine whether to require a district to repay amounts not spent in accordance with its approved application or reduce the district's grant by that amount in a subsequent year.
http://www.cga.ct.gov/2012/ACT/PA/2012PA-00116-R00SB-00458-PA.htm
Title: S.B. 458
Source: cga.ct.gov |
Accountability--School Improvement |
Signed into law 05/2012 |
P-12 |
(Sec. 19) Establishes the education commissioner's network of schools to improve the student academic achievement in low-performing schools and establishes steps the commissioner, district turnaround committees, and local and regional boards of education must take regarding the network. On or before July 1, 2014, the commissioner must select up to 25 schools that have been classified as a category four or a category five school (lowest-performing) pursuant to section 18 of the bill to participate in the network. Schools must be in the network for between three and five years and the bill details steps that must be taken before a school can leave the network. Requires the commissioner to provide funding, technical assistance, and operational support to schools participating in the commissioner's network of schools and may provide financial support to teachers and administrators working at a participating school. Directs the SBE to pay all costs attributable to developing and implementing a turnaround plan in excess of the school's ordinary operating expenses. Each school selected for the network must begin to implement of a turnaround plan, as described in the bill, not later than the school year commencing July 1, 2014.
Provides details on (1) numerous steps to establish a turnaround committee for each district to develop turnaround plans for network schools, (2) how those plans are approved and implemented, (3) limits on the number of nonprofit private entities authorized to manage network schools, (4) the transition out of the network, and (5) reporting requirements for the commissioner regarding the network.
(Sec. 23) Requires boards of education that have jurisdiction over schools designated as low-achieving to establish a school governance council for each such school and allows boards with schools designated as "in need of improvement" to create them. Makes exceptions to the requirement for (1) schools with only one grade and (2) governance councils that were already in place when the governance council law was enacted, if they involve teachers, parents, and others. After July 1, 2012, requires all school boards that have category four and five schools to establish councils for each of those schools.
By law, the councils must consist of seven parents or guardians of students, two community leaders within the school district, five teachers in the school, and one nonvoting member who is the principal or his or her designee. Councils for high schools must also have two nonvoting student members. Included in council responsibilities is analyzing school achievement data, participating in hiring the principal and other administrators, and developing and approving a written parent involvement policy. A council may also recommend that a school be reconstituted and this recommendation sets off a series of statutorily required steps.
http://www.cga.ct.gov/2012/ACT/PA/2012PA-00116-R00SB-00458-PA.htm
Title: S.B. 458
Source: cga.ct.gov |
Career/Technical Education |
Signed into law 05/2012 |
P-12 |
Changes the name of the regional vocational-technical (V-T) schools to the technical high school system (CTHSS) and creates a new specified 11-member board to govern it, thereby removing governing authority from the SBE and its technical high school subcommittee. Directs the governor to appoint the chairperson, who serves as a nonvoting ex-officio member of the SBE. Requires the CTHSS board and the education commissioner to make a joint recommendation that the SBE appoint a particular candidate as the system's superintendent. It makes the superintendent responsible for the system's operation and administration. Requires each technical high school to prepare a proposed operating budget for the next school year, and submit it to the system superintendent. The superintendent must collect, review, and use each school's proposed operating budget a guide in preparing a proposed operating budget for the CTHSS system. Requires the superintendent to submit a proposed operating budget for the system to the CTHSS board. Requires the superintendent to report the requested and final school operating budgets to the Education and Appropriations committees.
http://www.cga.ct.gov/2012/ACT/PA/2012PA-00116-R00SB-00458-PA.htm
Title: S.B. 458
Source: cga.ct.gov |
Choice of Schools--Charter Schools |
Signed into law 05/2012 |
P-12 |
(Sec. 29-31) Starting in FY 14, allows the SBE (starting in 2014), within available appropriations, to approve (1) operating grants of up to $ 3,000 per student and (2) grants of up to $ 500,000 as startup costs to establish local charter schools on or after July 1, 2012. The grants are payable only if the board of education for the charter school and the union representing the board's certified employees mutually agree on staffing flexibility in the school and the SBE approves the agreement. Increases the state's annual per-student grant to state charter schools over three years from $ 9,400 to $ 11,500. It increases the grant from $ 9,400 to $ 10,500 for FY 13, to $ 11,000 for FY 14, and to $ 11,500 for FY 15 and subsequent fiscal years.
(Sec 32) Allows SBE to grant new state and local charters only to schools located in towns that, at the time of the application, have at least one school participating in the commissioner's network (see Sec. 19) or a school district designated as low-achieving.
Requires two of the first four new state charter schools the SBE approves between July 1, 2012 and July 1, 2017 to be schools specifically focused on providing a dual language or other program models focusing on language acquisition by English language learners. (A dual language program is a two-way bilingual program that integrates language minority and language majority students and provides instruction in both the minority language (such as Spanish) and English.)
Adds to the types of schools to which SBE must give preference when reviewing charter school applications. Preference is to be given to applicants whose primary purpose is to: serve students (a) with a history of low academic performance or behavioral and social difficulties, (b) receiving free or reduced priced lunches, (c) requiring special education, (d) who are ELLs, or (e) who are of a single gender; or improve the academic performance of an existing school that has consistently demonstrated substandard academic performance, as determined by the education commissioner. In addition to providing the preference for serving one or more of the educationally needy populations mentioned above, SBE must give preference to applications that demonstrate highly credible and specific strategies to attract, enroll, and retain such students. Charter applications must include student recruitment and retention plans that clearly describe the school's capacity to recruit and retain such students and how it plans to do so. Permits SBE to deny renewal if that charter schools fails to put sufficient effort into effectively attracting, enrolling, and retaining all of the educationally needy students mentioned above except students of a single gender.
Allows the SBE, upon application, to waive the lottery requirement for schools with a primary purpose of serving at least one of the following: (1) students with a history of behavioral and social difficulties; (2) special education students; (3) ELLs; or (4) students of a single gender. Bars enrollment lotteries for any public school with a school performance index that places it in the lowest-performing 5% of schools that is converted to a local charter school.
(Sec. 33) Requires SDE to study "opt-out lotteries" for determining enrollment in state and local charter schools. Such lotteries automatically include all students who (1) live in the district where the school is located and (2) are enrolled in any grade the school serves, unless a student chooses not to participate. The study must cover (1) the feasibility of charter school governing authorities and boards of education for districts where they are located conducting such lotteries for state charter schools, (2) the methods by which they may be conducted, and (3) the costs of doing so. The SDE must report the study's results and any recommendations to the Education Committee by February 1, 2014.
http://www.cga.ct.gov/2012/ACT/PA/2012PA-00116-R00SB-00458-PA.htm
Title: S.B. 458
Source: cga.ct.gov |
Choice of Schools--Choice/Open Enrollment |
Signed into law 05/2012 |
P-12 |
(Sec. 12) Provides an additional incentive for larger school districts to increase their enrollment of out-of-district students under the Open Choice interdistrict public school attendance program. It does so by giving districts with more than 4,000 students the highest state Open Choice grant ($ 6,000 for each out-of-district student) if the education commissioner determines they have increased their Open Choice enrollment by at least 50% on October 1, 2012. http://www.cga.ct.gov/2012/ACT/PA/2012PA-00116-R00SB-00458-PA.htm
Title: S.B. 458
Source: cga.ct.gov |
Curriculum--Physical Education |
Signed into law 05/2012 |
P-12 |
(Sec. 9) Requires public schools to include a total of 20 minutes of physical exercise in each regular school day for students in kindergarten through grade five. http://www.cga.ct.gov/2012/ACT/PA/2012PA-00116-R00SB-00458-PA.htm
Title: S.B. 458
Source: cga.ct.gov |
Health--School Based Clinics or School Nurses |
Signed into law 05/2012 |
P-12 |
(Sec. 8) Directs the education commissioner to establish at least 10 new family resource centers and at least 20 new or expanded school-based health clinics in alliance districts (the 30 lowest-performing districts). By law, family resource centers are located in elementary schools and provide services including (1) child care and school readiness for children age three and older who are not otherwise enrolled in school and (2) various services to parents of newborns, including parenting skills and educational services to parents who are interested in obtaining a high school diploma or general education diploma (GED).
http://www.cga.ct.gov/2012/ACT/PA/2012PA-00116-R00SB-00458-PA.htm
Title: S.B. 458
Source: cga.ct.gov |
High School--College Readiness |
Signed into law 05/2012 |
P-12 |
Requires that by Fall semester 2016, each public high school and public institution of higher education complete curricular alignment to enable the successful completion of the high school mathematics and language arts curricula, as described in Connecticut's Common Core State Standards, to be the indicator of readiness for college level work. Permits a public institution of higher education to use available evaluation instruments to assess adults, who are returning to or first enrolling in a higher education program at a public institution of higher education after spending time in the workforce, for readiness for college level work.
Requires the Board of Regents for Higher Education to ensure that each public institution of higher education works with the Department of Education and the local and regional school districts to use available evaluation methods for early assessment of the potential for college readiness of each student enrolled in the eighth and tenth grades in a public school and to share the results of the assessment with the student, the student's parents or legal guardian and the public school in which the student is enrolled.
http://www.cga.ct.gov/2012/ACT/PA/2012PA-00040-R00SB-00040-PA.htm
Title: S.B. 40
Source: cga.ct.gov |
Leadership--District Superintendent |
Signed into law 05/2012 |
P-12 |
(Sec. 58) Extends the maximum duration of an acting superintendent's appointment from a specified period of up to 90 days, with commissioner-approved good cause extensions, to up to one school year. Makes the acting superintendent's term a probationary period; requires the acting superintendent, during the probationary period, to successfully complete an SBE-approved educational leadership program offered by a Connecticut higher education institution; and eliminates any option to extend an acting superintendent's employment beyond the probationary period. Allows an employing school board, at the end of a probationary period, to ask the commissioner to waive certification for specified reasons, thus allowing the board to appoint the acting superintendent as the district's permanent superintendent. http://www.cga.ct.gov/2012/ACT/PA/2012PA-00116-R00SB-00458-PA.htm
Title: S.B. 458
Source: cga.ct.gov |
Leadership--Principal/School Leadership--Evaluation and Effectiveness |
Signed into law 05/2012 |
P-12 |
(Sec. 51) Expands the requirements for the guidelines for the state model evaluation program for teachers and school administrators to include 1)using four ratings to evaluate teacher performance: (a) exemplary, (b) proficient, (c) developing, and (d) below standard; 2) scoring systems to determine the ratings; 3) periodic training on the evaluation program both for teachers being evaluated and for administrators performing evaluations, offered by the school district or its RESC; 4) professional development based on individual or group needs identified through evaluations; 5) opportunities for career development and professional growth; and 6) a validation procedure for SDE or an SDE-approved third party entity to audit ratings of below standard or exemplary. Also requires guidelines to call for improvement and remediation plans that 1) are developed in consultation with the affected employee and his or her union representative; 2) identify resources, support, and other methods to address documented deficiencies; 3) show a timeline for implementing such measures in the same school year as the plan is issued; and 4) provide success indicators, including a minimum overall rating of proficient at the end of the improvement and remediation plan.
Requires district evaluations to (1) be carried out annually, (2) include support as well as evaluation, and (3) be consistent with model guidelines adopted by SBE. It allows district programs to include periodic ("formative") evaluations during the year leading up to the final, overall ("summative") annual evaluation. Under the bill, any teacher or administrator who does not receive a summative evaluation during the school year must receive a rating of "not rated" for that year. Requires superintendents to report annually, by June 30, to the education commissioner on the implementation of evaluations, including their frequency, aggregate evaluation ratings, the numbers of teacher and administrators not evaluated, and other requirements as determined by SDE.
(Sec. 52) Requires the education commissioner to administer a teacher evaluation pilot program for the 2012-13 school year. He must select at least eight but no more than 10 districts to participate in the pilot. For purposes of the pilot evaluation programs, the bill defines "teacher" to include administrators. The commissioner must select a diverse group of rural, suburban, and urban districts with varying student academic performance levels to participate in the pilot. The pilot program must: 1) assess implementation of evaluation programs developed by school boards and that comply with SBE model guidelines, 2) identify needed technical assistance and support for districts implementing such programs, 3) train administrators to conduct evaluations, 4) train teachers being evaluated, 5) include a process for SDE or its designee to validate evaluations, and 6) provide funds to districts for program administration.
(Sec. 54) Requires school boards to provide training for all evaluators and orientation to all teachers they employ, prior to implementing the teacher evaluation and support program, regarding the evaluation and support program. Evaluators must be trained before they conduct any evaluations under the new program and each teacher must complete the orientation before being evaluated.
(Sec. 55) Requires the education commissioner, within available appropriations, to randomly select at least 10 district evaluation programs for a comprehensive SDE audit. SDE must submit audit results to the Education Committee.
http://www.cga.ct.gov/2012/ACT/PA/2012PA-00116-R00SB-00458-PA.htm
Title: S.B. 458
Source: cga.ct.gov |
P-3 Content Standards and Assessment |
Signed into law 05/2012 |
P-12 |
(Sec. 5) Requires the Department of Education, by January 1, 2012, to develop and approve reading assessments that districts must use to identify kindergarten through third grade who are below proficiency in reading. Assessments must: 1) Include frequent student screening and progress monitoring; 2) measure phonics, phonemic awareness, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension; 3) allow for periodic formative assessment during the school year; 4) produce data that is useful for developing individual and classroom instruction; and 5) be compatible with best practices in reading instruction and research.
By February 1, 2013, the commissioner must submit the reading assessment to the Education Committee.
(Sec. 6) Requires all certified employees (i. e. teachers and administrators), beginning July 1, 2014, and each following school year, working in kindergarten through third grade to take a practice version of an SBE-approved reading instruction exam. Each local and regional board of education must annually report the results to the SDE.
(Sec. 7) Requires the education commissioner, by July 1, 2013, to establish a professional development program in reading instruction for teachers. The program must: 1) count towards professional development requirements established under the bill (§ 38), 2) be based on student reading assessment data, 3) provide differentiated and intensified training in teacher reading instruction, 4) be used to identify mentor teachers who will train teachers in reading instruction, 5) outline how model classrooms will be established in schools for reading instruction, and 6) inform principals on how to evaluate classrooms and teacher performance in scientifically-based reading research and instruction, and 7) be job-embedded and local whenever possible. Also, requires the education commissioner to annually review the professional development for teachers holding professional certificates with early childhood nursery through third grade or elementary school endorsements and holding jobs requiring such endorsements. The commissioner must assess whether the professional development meets state goals for student academic achievement through implementation of (1) the State Board of Education (SBE)-adopted common core standards, (2) research based interventions, and (3) the federal special education law.
(Sec. 4) Extends a pilot study under PA-1185 to promote best practices in early literacy and closing academic achievement gaps through July 1, 2013. (Not Codified)
(Sec. 89) Directs the commissioner to create a specified intensive reading instruction program to improve student literacy in grades kindergarten to three, inclusive, and close the achievement gap. Directs the commissioner to select five elementary schools that are either (1) located in an educational reform district, (2) participating in the commissioner's network of schools, or (3) among the lowest 5% of elementary schools SPI for reading and mathematics, to participate in an intensive reading instruction program for the school year beginning July 1, 2012 and permits the commissioner to select up to five such schools to participate in the intensive reading instruction program each year thereafter. A specified intensive reading intervention strategy will be used by each school. Provides that any student of a priority school that is selected for the intensive reading program who is reading below proficiency at the end of the school year must be enrolled in an intensive summer school reading program that includes specified components named in the bill. The components include, among other items, a comprehensive reading intervention and scientifically-based reading research and instruction strategies.
(Sec. 91) Requires the SDE by July 1, 2013, to develop a specified coordinated state-wide reading plan for students in grades K-3 that contains research-driven strategies and frameworks to produce effective reading instruction and improvement in student performance.
(Sec. 92 & 93) Requires certified teachers with the comprehensive special education or remedial reading and language arts endorsements to pass the reading instruction test approved by SBE on April 1, 2009.
(Sec. 94) Requires the education commissioner to establish an incentive program, within available appropriations, for schools that: increase by 10% the number of students who meet reading goals on Connecticut mastery tests and demonstrate the methods and instruction the school used to achieve those results. The incentives can include, at the commissioner's discretion, public recognition, financial rewards, and enhanced autonomy or operational flexibility.
(Sec. 94) Requires the SDE, by July 1, 2013 and in consultation with the Board of Regents for Higher Education, to design and approve a preliteracy course for inclusion in the bachelor's degree program with early childhood education concentration offered by a higher education institution accredited by the Board of Governors of Higher Education. The course must be practice-based and specific to preliteracy and language skills instruction for early childhood education teachers.
(Sec. 96) Requires the SDE to collaborate with the Governor's Early Care and Education Cabinet to develop an information-sharing system between preschool and school readiness programs and kindergarten about children's proficiency in oral language and preliteracy.
http://www.cga.ct.gov/2012/ACT/PA/2012PA-00116-R00SB-00458-PA.htm
Title: S.B. 458
Source: cga.ct.gov |
P-3 Preschool |
Signed into law 05/2012 |
P-12 |
(Sec. 1) Requires the SBE to provide funds to appropriate school districts to create 1,000 new school readiness spaces. (Not Codified)
(Sec. 2) Allocates any unspent funds (up to $ 80,000) appropriated for the new school readiness spaces, to the Connecticut Health and Educational Facilities Authority (CHEFA) to update its 2008 study of the space and facilities needed to provide universal early childhood education for all three- and four-year-olds in the state. If CHEFA receives funding for the updated study, it must submit the updated study and any recommendations to the Education Committee by April 1, 2013. (Not Codified)
http://www.cga.ct.gov/2012/ACT/PA/2012PA-00116-R00SB-00458-PA.htm
Title: S.B. 458
Source: cga.ct.gov |
Postsecondary Success--Transfer/Articulation |
Signed into law 05/2012 |
Postsec.,
Community College |
Requires the development of a general education core of courses that will allow for the seamless transfer from the regional community-technical college system to the Connecticut State University System and The University of Connecticut.
http://www.cga.ct.gov/2012/ACT/Pa/pdf/2012PA-00031-R00HB-05030-PA.pdf
Title: H.B. 5030
Source: cga.ct.gov |
Teaching Quality--Certification and Licensure |
Signed into law 05/2012 |
P-12 |
(Sec. 35) Requires teacher preparation programs (Starting July 1, 2015) to require, as part of their curricula, that students have classroom clinical, field, or student teaching experience during four semesters of the program.
(Sec. 36) Connecticut has a three-level certification system for public school teachers and administrators: initial, provisional, and professional. Starting July 1, 2016, the bill raises the qualifications for a professional certificate by requiring applicants to hold a master's degree rather than, as current law requires, to successfully complete (1) before July 1, 2016, 30 hours of graduate or undergraduate credit beyond a bachelor's degree or (2) on or after July 1, 2016, 30 hours of graduate credit. The master's degree must be in a subject appropriate to the person's certification endorsement, as determined by SBE. The bill extends the same master's degree requirement to a certified teacher who has taught in another state, U. S. possession or territory, the District of Columbia, or Puerto Rico and applies for a Connecticut professional certificate.
Eliminates the requirement that a professional certificate holder complete 90 continuing education units (CEUs) in order to renew his or her professional certificate. Instead, it makes the certificate valid for five years and requires that it be continued every five years. Requires all certificate holders. including initial and provisional certificate holders, to participate in professional development activities, which replace the CEU requirements starting July 1, 2013. (Sec. 39) Revises professional development to emphasize improved practice and include 18 hours of individual and small-group coaching sessions. Specifies new design for professional development. Eliminates the following professional development requirements: for those with childhood nursery through grade three or elementary endorsements, at least 15 hours of training in teaching reading, reading readiness, and reading assessment; for those with elementary, middle, or secondary academic endorsements, at least 15 hours in how to use computers in the classroom unless they can demonstrate competency; and for those with bilingual endorsements, training in language arts, reading, or math for elementary school teachers and in the subject they teach, for middle and secondary school teachers. Requires SDE to audit district professional development programs and allows SBE to assess financial penalties against districts it finds out of compliance based on such an audit.
Exempts candidates for provisional educator certificates successfully complete the Teacher Education and Mentoring (TEAM) program in his or her endorsement area who have taught under an appropriate certificate from another U. S. state, territory, or possession, the District of Columbia, or Puerto Rico for at least three of the last 10 years or in an SBE-approved nonpublic school in Connecticut for at least three years in the last 10.
(Sec. 37) Establishes a new distinguished educator designation for a person who: 1) holds a professional educator certificate, 2)has taught successfully for at least five years in a public school or SBE-approved private special education facility, 3) has advanced education in addition to a master's degree from a degree or non-degree-granting institution that can include training in mentorship or coaching teachers, and 4) meets performance requirements established by SDE.
http://www.cga.ct.gov/2012/ACT/PA/2012PA-00116-R00SB-00458-PA.htm
Title: S.B. 458
Source: cga.ct.gov |
Teaching Quality--Recruitment and Retention--At-Risk Schools |
Signed into law 05/2012 |
P-12 |
(Sec. 10) Requires SDE, to establish a Municipal Aid for New Teachers (MANE) program, within available appropriations, to provide grants of up to $ 200,000 to each of the educational reform districts (low-achieving districts) annually for the purpose of hiring five seniors enrolled in teacher preparation programs who are graduating in the top 10% of their classes at Connecticut colleges and universities. http://www.cga.ct.gov/2012/ACT/PA/2012PA-00116-R00SB-00458-PA.htm
Title: S.B. 458
Source: cga.ct.gov |
Teaching Quality--Tenure or Continuing Contract |
Signed into law 05/2012 |
P-12 |
(Sec. 57) Requires school superintendents to incorporate evaluations into decisions about granting tenure to all certified professional school board employees below the rank of school superintendent who are defined collectively as "teachers" and gives local and regional boards of education additional grounds to terminate a teacher for cause. Streamlines and shortens teacher termination notice and hearing requirements and specifies that most deadlines in the process must be counted in calendar days.(To see a table that compares the current and proposed teacher termination processes, see bill analysis: http://www.cga.ct.gov/2012/BA/2012SB-00458-R00-BA.htm)
http://www.cga.ct.gov/2012/ACT/PA/2012PA-00116-R00SB-00458-PA.htm
Title: S.B. 458
Source: cga.ct.gov |
Teaching Quality--Unions/Collective Bargaining |
Signed into law 05/2012 |
P-12 |
(Sec. 20) Requires the local school board and the teachers' or administrators' union to negotiate on any matters in an approved turnaround plan or a plan developed by the commissioner that conflicts with provisions of an existing union contract. It sets out two detailed tracks for these negotiations, one for turnaround plans agreed to at the local level and approved by SBE and another when (1) there is no consensus on the local plan, (2) the commissioner deems the local plan deficient, or (3) no local plan is developed. For the track regarding non-consensus or no sufficient plan, a bargaining referee must determine whether the matters that conflict with the existing agreement are to be negotiated under existing bargaining parameters or through impact bargaining. Under either track, if negotiations reach an impasse, an expedited arbitration process is used and any arbitration decision is final and binding. (Not Codified)
http://www.cga.ct.gov/2012/ACT/PA/2012PA-00116-R00SB-00458-PA.htm
Title: S.B. 458
Source: cga.ct.gov |
Accountability--Sanctions/Interventions |
Signed into law 07/2011 |
P-12 |
Secondary School Reform Act - Delays by two years the implementation of the secondary school reform requirements enacted in 2010 that: (1) Increase the minimum number of credits required to graduate from high school; (2) Require school districts to offer students support and alternative ways to meet the new graduation requirements; and (3) Require the State Department of Education (SDE) to develop end-of-course exams in various subjects. Eliminates a requirement that the state provide grants to help districts implement the new graduation requirements and instead requires SDE to offer technical assistance to districts wishing to start implementing them. Revises and delays by one year the start of biennial status reports on the implementation of the new graduation requirements. Establishes a task force to address implementation issues arising from enhanced high school graduation requirements.
Teacher Evaluations/Tenure - Moves up the deadline for the State Board of Education (SBE), in consultation with the Performance Evaluation Advisory Council (PEAC), to adopt guidelines for teacher evaluations to July 1, 2012 from July 1, 2013. Requires, for tenure purposes, that teachers whose employing boards enter cooperative arrangements to provide educational services retain their credited service with those boards if their employment is transferred to a committee administering the cooperative arrangement.
Student Success Plan - Requires districts to establish a student success plan for each student starting in grade 6.
School Governance Councils - Exempts boards of education with low-achieving schools that have only a single grade or that already have substantially similar school governance councils from the existing requirement to establish school councils according to the existing law. Reorganizes and clarifies the sequence and contents of required SDE reports on the implementation and effectiveness of school governance councils. http://www.cga.ct.gov/2011/ACT/Pa/pdf/2011PA-00135-R00HB-06498-PA.pdf
Title: H.B. 6498
Source: http://www.cga.ct.gov |
Adult Basic Education |
Signed into law 07/2011 |
P-12 |
Specifies that a student who has been expelled for the first time and is at least 16 years old is not required to withdraw from regular public school to attend adult education as part of an alternative educational opportunity during the expulsion. Allows such an expelled student to enroll in an adult education program without the approval of his or her school principal (that approval is still required for students who have not been expelled). http://www.cga.ct.gov/2011/ACT/PA/2011PA-00126-R00HB-06433-PA.htm
Title: H.B. 6433
Source: http://www.cga.ct.gov |
At-Risk (incl. Dropout Prevention) |
Signed into law 07/2011 |
P-12 |
Sec. 1 - Establishes a task force to address the academic achievement gaps in Connecticut by considering effective approaches to closing the achievement gaps in elementary, middle and high schools. Requires the task force to submit a master plan to the General Assembly by July 1, 2012. Provides that the task force must terminate on January 1, 2020.
Sec. 2 - Establishes an Interagency Council for Ending the Achievement Gap (the council) to assist the achievement gap task force, in the development of the master plan to eliminate the academic achievement gaps in Connecticut, implement the provisions of the master plan, and, if necessary, make recommendations for legislation relating to the master plan to the joint standing committee of the General Assembly. Directs the council to submit annual progress reports on the implementation of the master plan to the General Assembly.
Sec. 3 - Permits local or regional boards of education for schools designated as low-achieving under state law to increase the number of school sessions each year and the number of school hours each day in order to improve student performance and remove the school from the list of low-achieving schools.
Sec. 4 - Provides that the summer reading program required in priority school districts must be offered to children enrolled in kindergarten who are determined by their school to be substantially deficient in reading based on measures established by the State Board of Education. Directs each priority school district to require the schools under its jurisdiction to assess the reading level of students enrolled in kindergarten at the end of the school year and in grades 1-3 at the beginning, middles and end of the school year (assessment was previously only required in grades 1-3 at the middle and end of the school year). Required individual reading plans must be monitored by school literacy teams that will consist of, but not be limited to, teachers, school reading specialists, internal or external reading consultants, the school principal and the provider of the additional instruction. Adds kindergarten to the grade range for which priority school districts may require students found substantially deficient in reading to attend summer school.
Sec. 5 - Permits the Commissioner of Education to identify schools to participate in a pilot study for the purposes of promoting best practices in early literacy and closing the academic achievement gaps.
Sec. 6 - Provides that the required statement of educational goals (which identify specific expectations for students in terms of skills, knowledge and competence) prepared by the board of education be annually established.
Sec. 7 - Requires, on and after July 1, 2011, any person applying for a certification in the endorsement area of elementary education to achieve a satisfactory evaluation on the appropriate State Board of Education approved mathematics assessment in order to be eligible for such elementary education endorsement.
Sec. 8 - Requires, not later than July 1, 2012, the Department of Education to approve and make available model curricula and frameworks in reading and mathematics for grades prekindergarten to grade four, inclusive, for use by boards of education for school districts or individual schools identified by the department as having academic achievement gaps.
Sec. 9 - Requires the Connecticut School Reform Resource Center (the Center) to provide a program of professional development activities for teachers to educate such students that includes research-based child development and reading instruction tools and practices. Requires the Center to develop strategies for assisting such students who are in danger of failing and develop culturally-relevant methods for educating students whose primary language is not English. http://www.cga.ct.gov/2011/ACT/PA/2011PA-00085-R00SB-00929-PA.htm
Title: S.B. 929
Source: http://www.cga.ct.gov |
Attendance |
Signed into law 07/2011 |
P-12 |
Sec. 16 - Requires boards of education to provide written notice to parents that unexcused absences could result in a complaint filed with the Superior Court.
Sec. 18 - Requires the State Board of Education to define ''excused absence" and ''unexcused absence." http://www.cga.ct.gov/2011/ACT/Pa/pdf/2011PA-00136-R00HB-06499-PA.pdf
Title: H.B. 6499 - Sec. 16, 18
Source: http://www.cga.ct.gov |
Attendance |
Signed into law 07/2011 |
P-12 |
Allows the Probate Court Administrator to, within available appropriations, establish a pilot truancy clinic within the regional children's probate court for the district of Waterbury. Provides that the principal of any elementary or middle school in the Waterbury school district, or the principal's designee, may refer to the truancy clinic a parent/guardian with a child enrolled in such school who is a truant, or at risk of becoming a truant. Provides that the truancy clinic will operate for the purpose of identifying and resolving the cause of a child's truancy using nonpunitive procedures and after the initial appearance made pursuant to a summons, the participation of a parent/guardian in the truancy clinic shall be voluntary. Directs the truancy clinic to establish protocols for clinic participation and to establish programs and relationships with schools, individuals, public and private agencies, and other organizations to provide services and support for parents, guardians and children participating in the clinic. http://www.cga.ct.gov/2011/ACT/PA/2011PA-00177-R00SB-00982-PA.htm
Title: S.B. 982
Source: http://www.cga.ct.gov |
Choice of Schools--Charter Schools |
Signed into law 07/2011 |
P-12 |
State Education Resource Center - Clarifies the status of the State Education Resource Center as a nonstock corporation and nonprofit tax exempt organization within the Department of Education.
Health Assessment - Allows certain medical professionals from military bases who are not licensed by the state to conduct health assessments in schools.
Data Collection Requirements - Eliminates the requirement that regional educational service centers collect and analyze data on school efforts to reduce racial, ethnic and economic isolation. Eliminates the requirement that superintendents submit data on the reduction of racial, ethnic and economic isolation in the district to the regional educational service center and instead submit such data directly to the Commissioner of Education.
International Teachers - Requires that a teacher maintain a valid J-1 Visa issued by the United States Department of State as a condition of renewal of an international teacher permit.
Magnet Schools - Requires all interdistrict magnet schools to file annual financial audits with the education commissioner.
Charter Schools - Extends, from 75 to 90 days after it receives the application, the deadline for the State Board of Education to review and vote to approve or disapprove an application to establish a state charter school. Adds, as the most important factor in determining which newly approved charter schools are funded, the quality of the school's proposed program as measured against criteria required by the statutory charter school application process. http://www.cga.ct.gov/2011/ACT/Pa/pdf/2011PA-00179-R00SB-01039-PA.pdf
Title: S.B. 1039
Source: http://www.cga.ct.gov |
Choice of Schools--Charter Schools |
Signed into law 07/2011 |
P-12 |
Establishes a charter school educator permit and allows the education commissioner, starting in the 2011-12 school year, to waive state certification requirements and issue such a permit to a teacher or administrator who lacks certification and who is employed by a charter school, if the person meets the bill's qualifications. Limits the number of teachers and administrators who may hold permits in any year to no more than 30% of a charter school's teachers and administrators combined. Provides that a charter school educator permit allows a person to work in a charter school as a teacher or administrator and, if working as an administrator, to supervise and evaluate anyone providing instructional or pupil services in the school that employs the administrator. Makes anyone holding a charter school educator permit a member of the appropriate teachers' or administrators' unit for collective bargaining purposes. Requires any permit holder who becomes certified to participate in the Teachers' Retirement System (by law, only certified teachers and administrators may participate in the TRS). http://www.cga.ct.gov/2011/ACT/Pa/pdf/2011PA-00234-R00SB-01160-PA.pdf
Title: S.B. 1160
Source: http://www.cga.ct.gov |
Curriculum |
Signed into law 07/2011 |
P-12 |
Includes genocide education in the materials provided by the Department of Education to school districts for student curriculum and educator in-service training. Classifies American sign language as a foreign language for purposes of the prescribed education curriculum. http://www.cga.ct.gov/2011/ACT/Pa/pdf/2011PA-00136-R00HB-06499-PA.pdf
Title: H.B. 6499 - Sec. 1 and 2
Source: http://www.cga.ct.gov |
Economic/Workforce Development |
Signed into law 07/2011 |
Postsec. |
Requires the Office of Workforce Competitiveness, every two years, to identify and report on the sectors or subsectors in which workforce shortages exist, the workforce skills needed in those sectors or subsectors, and which career pathways should be established. Requires the Department of Education to electronically distribute information on teacher shortage areas for at least the previous five-year period. Provides that this information must be distributed annually, by March 1, to the president of every higher education institution in Connecticut that offers teacher preparation programs. http://www.cga.ct.gov/2011/ACT/Pa/pdf/2011PA-00133-R00HB-06485-PA.pdf
Title: H.B. 6485
Source: http://www.cga.ct.gov |
Finance--State Budgets/Expenditures |
Signed into law 07/2011 |
P-12 |
Requires the Commissioner of Education to conduct a review of the cost of state-mandated special education requirements including, but not limited to, examining who is best suited to bear the burden of proof in determining whether a student is eligible for special education services. Requires the Commissioner to submit a report on or before February 1, 2012, to the General Assembly. http://www.cga.ct.gov/2011/ACT/sa/pdf/2011SA-00009-R00HB-06103-SA.pdf
Title: H.B. 6103
Source: http://www.cga.ct.gov |
Health |
Signed into law 07/2011 |
P-12 |
Requires all of the state's public and nonpublic school buildings to be equipped with carbon monoxide detectors. Exempts boards of education, and supervisory agents of nonpublic schools and their agents, employees, or officers, acting without malice, in good faith, and in the scope of their employment or official duties, from any damage resulting from the failure to detect CO within a public school building. http://www.cga.ct.gov/2011/ACT/Pa/pdf/2011PA-00248-R00HB-05326-PA.pdf
Title: H.B. 5326
Source: http://www.cga.ct.gov |
Health--Child Abuse |
Signed into law 07/2011 |
P-12 |
Expands the state's "mandated reporter" law, which generally requires specified professionals to report to the Department of Children and Families (DCF) or local law enforcement when they suspect that children have been abused or neglected. Requires DCF, in consultation with the State Department of Education, to craft a model mandated reporter policy for school boards to use to train school personnel. Requires the DCF commissioner to offer a refresher reporter training program and within available funding, provide training to all new school employees. Requires the DCF commissioner to develop a policy for investigating the school's mandated reporters who either fail to report or report late. Requires school boards to take certain steps to ensure that school districts offer reporter training. http://www.cga.ct.gov/2011/ACT/Pa/pdf/2011PA-00093-R00HB-05431-PA.pdf
Title: H.B. 5431
Source: http://www.cga.ct.gov |
High School--Advanced Placement |
Signed into law 07/2011 |
P-12 |
Clarifies that an "advanced placement course program" is a program approved by the State Board of Education that provides college or university-level instruction as part of a course for which
credit is earned at the high school level. http://www.cga.ct.gov/2011/ACT/Pa/pdf/2011PA-00136-R00HB-06499-PA.pdf
Title: H.B. 6499 - Sec. 21
Source: http://www.cga.ct.gov |
P-3 |
Signed into law 07/2011 |
P-12 |
Establishes the Early Childhood Education Cabinet. Creates, by July 1, 2013, a coordinated system of early care and education and child development (system) and requires the governor to appoint a planning director, by July 15, 2011, to develop a plan to implement the new system. Eliminates the State Department of Education's Office of Early Childhood Planning, Outreach, and Coordination and requires the Department of Education to begin a state-wide longitudinal evaluation of the school readiness program; and to amend the membership of the Early Childhood Education Cabinet and add certain duties to the cabinet. http://www.cga.ct.gov/2011/ACT/Pa/pdf/2011PA-00181-R00SB-01103-PA.pdf
Title: S.B. 1103
Source: http://www.cga.ct.gov |
Postsecondary Accountability |
Signed into law 07/2011 |
Postsec. |
Existing law creates the Blue Ribbon Commission to develop and implement a strategic master plan for higher education in the state. Renames the commission the Planning Commission for Higher Education. Repeals the existing parameters for the master plan to be developed by the commission, and instead calls for the master plan to (1) establish numerical goals for 2015 and 2020 to increase the number of people earning a bachelor degree, associate degree or certificate, (2) increase the number of people successfully completing coursework at the community college level and the number of people entering the state's workforce and (3) eliminate the postsecondary completion gap. Requires that the master plan identify specific strategies to achieve such goals. Also requires that the master plan recommend changes to funding policies, practices and accountability to (1) align policies and practices with specified goals for the state's higher education system, including an evaluation of the use of performance-based funding and (2) consider how institutions might publicly report on expenditures, staffing and state support in a transparent and thorough manner. Repeals the requirement that the commission report biennially to the governor and general assembly on progress toward benchmarks identified in the strategic plan. Instead requires that the commission submit a preliminary report by January 2012 on the development of the strategic master plan, and submit a master plan by October 2012. Replaces biennial reporting requirements to governor and relevant legislative committees with annual reporting requirements. Specifies that the commission may periodically suggest changes to the goals as necessary. Rescinds language terminating the commission in January 2021.
http://www.cga.ct.gov/2011/ACT/Pa/pdf/2011PA-00070-R00SB-00858-PA.pdf
Title: S.B. 858 - Postsecondary Provisions
Source: http://www.cga.ct.gov |
Private Schools |
Signed into law 07/2011 |
P-12 |
From Education Committee Summary - Allows teachers to continue to use, or in the case of student teaching to start using, teaching experience at a State Board of Education-approved private school to obtain Connecticut certificates. Requires teachers holding professional certificates who work in private schools to meet the same continuing education requirements as public school teachers. Allows certified teachers working in private schools approved by the education commissioner to be cooperating teachers. http://www.cga.ct.gov/2011/ACT/Pa/pdf/2011PA-00127-R00HB-06434-PA.pdf
Title: H.B. 6434
Source: http://www.cga.ct.gov |
School Safety--Bullying Prevention/Conflict Resolution |
Signed into law 07/2011 |
P-12 |
Expands the types of conduct that constitute school bullying and the situations where it can occur. Makes the school principal responsible for investigating or designating someone to investigate and address bullying whether it occurs in or out-of-school. Requires all school employees to report bullying incidents they see or that are reported to them to the principal or his or her designee. Requires schools and school districts to adopt safe school climate plans, rather than policies, to address bullying. Directs the state Department of Education to disseminate to all public schools grade-level appropriate school climate assessment instruments, including surveys, to be used by local and regional boards of education so that the department can monitor bullying prevention efforts over time and
compare each district's progress to state trends. Requires certified and noncertified employees working in public schools to receive annual training in how to identify, intervene, and prevent bullying and youth suicide among students. Grants immunity to school boards, school employees, students, parents, and others against damage claims arising from good faith reports of bullying and responses to bullying in accordance with a district's safe school climate plan. http://www.cga.ct.gov/2011/ACT/Pa/pdf/2011PA-00232-R00SB-01138-PA.pdf
Title: S.B. 1138
Source: http://www.cga.ct.gov |
Special Education |
Signed into law 07/2011 |
P-12 |
Prevents delays in the evaluation process of children suspected of requiring special education and related services. http://www.cga.ct.gov/2011/ACT/Pa/pdf/2011PA-00235-R00HB-06501-PA.pdf
Title: H.B. 6501
Source: http://www.cga.ct.gov |
State Longitudinal Data Systems |
Signed into law 07/2011 |
P-12 |
Allows school superintendents or their designees to access the state's public school information system to obtain mastery test information about individual students enrolled in or transferring to their districts. http://www.cga.ct.gov/2011/ACT/Pa/pdf/2011PA-00136-R00HB-06499-PA.pdf
Title: H.B. 6499 - Sec. 15
Source: http://www.cga.ct.gov |
State Longitudinal Data Systems |
Signed into law 07/2011 |
P-12,
Postsec. |
Directs the Department of Education to require school districts to include unique identifiers or state-assigned student identifiers on student transcripts (under existing law, such identifiers are assigned to all students tracked by the Early Childhood Information System). Directs the Department of Higher Education to require public and independent higher education institutions receiving state funding to track such identifiers for all in-state students enrolled at the institution until the student graduates or is no longer enrolled. http://www.cga.ct.gov/2011/ACT/Pa/pdf/2011PA-00070-R00SB-00858-PA.pdf
Title: S.B. 858 - K-12 Provisions
Source: http://www.cga.ct.gov |
Students--Athletics/Extracurricular Activities |
Signed into law 07/2011 |
Postsec. |
Provides that, beginning January 1, 2012, any institution with an intercollegiate athletic program that recruits student athletes by soliciting them to apply to, enroll in, or attend the institution for the purpose of participating in intercollegiate athletics must (1) provide a hyperlink entitled "Student Athletes' Right to Know" on the front page of its official athletics website and (2) include a direct link to its web page in any written materials regarding the athletic program provided to student athletes. Defines student athletes as individuals who attend an elementary, middle, or secondary school program of education or an institution of higher education and participate in any interscholastic athletic program in the state, regardless of whether or not they receive a scholarship for doing so. http://www.cga.ct.gov/2011/ACT/Pa/pdf/2011PA-00092-R00HB-05415-PA.pdf
Title: H.B. 5415
Source: http://www.cga.ct.gov |
Teaching Quality--Certification and Licensure |
Signed into law 07/2011 |
P-12 |
Sec. 3 - Allows the Commissioner of Education, upon request from a board of education for a district that has a school with grades K-8, to permit a certified teacher employed by such board in such school who holds an endorsement in elementary education and who is otherwise qualified to teach a specialized course (i.e., course in a subject area that requires specialized knowledge and skills, such as computer and information technology) to teach such specialized course in grades K-8.
Sec. 14 - Changes the month that a teacher must be notified that such teacher's contract will not be renewed for the following year from April to May. http://www.cga.ct.gov/2011/ACT/Pa/pdf/2011PA-00136-R00HB-06499-PA.pdf
Title: H.B. 6499 - Sec. 3, 14
Source: http://www.cga.ct.gov |
Choice of Schools--Charter Schools |
Signed into law 06/2011 |
P-12 |
Allows the state Commissioner of Education to waive the requirement that teachers in charter schools hold certification when the charter school can demonstrate the effectiveness for any uncertified teacher. http://www.cga.ct.gov/2011/ACT/Pa/pdf/2011PA-00060-R00SB-01104-PA.pdf
Title: S.B. 1104
Source: http://www.cga.ct.gov |
Economic/Workforce Development |
Signed into law 06/2011 |
Postsec. |
Requires the state Department of Education to annually, by March first, electronically distribute to the president of every institution of higher education in this state offering a teacher preparatory program
information concerning teacher shortage areas, for at least the prior five years. Requires the Office of Workforce Competitiveness, in consultation with the Connecticut Employment and Training Commission, the Departments of Education, Higher Education and Economic and Community Development and the Labor Department, to biennially submit to the Board of Governors of Higher Education a report identifying the sectors or subsectors in which workforce shortages exist, the types of workforce skills needed in such sectors or subsectors to address workforce shortages and which career pathways should be established. http://www.cga.ct.gov/2011/ACT/Pa/pdf/2011PA-00133-R00HB-06485-PA.pdf
Title: H.B. 6485
Source: http://www.cga.ct.gov |
P-3 Preschool |
Signed into law 06/2011 |
P-12 |
To revise the requirements for early childhood educators and direct the Commissioner of Education to use unexpended funds for providing professional development to school readiness staff. http://www.cga.ct.gov/2011/ACT/Pa/pdf/2011PA-00054-R00SB-00927-PA.pdf
Title: S.B. 927
Source: http://www.cga.ct.gov |
Postsecondary Affordability--Tuition/Fees |
Signed into law 06/2011 |
Postsec.,
Community College |
Extends in-state tuition benefits. Provides that a person, except a nonimmigrant alien (someone with a visa permitting temporary entrance to the country for a specific purpose), qualifies for in-state tuition if he or she: (1) Resides in Connecticut; (2) attended any educational institution in the state and completed at least four years of high school here; (3) Graduated from a high school or the equivalent in Connecticut; and (4) Is registered as an entering student, or is currently a student at, the University of Connecticut, a Connecticut State University, a community-technical college, or Charter Oak State College. http://www.cga.ct.gov/2011/ACT/Pa/pdf/2011PA-00043-R00HB-06390-PA.pdf
Title: H.B. 6390
Source: http://www.cga.ct.gov |
Teaching Quality--Certification and Licensure--Substitute Teachers |
Signed into law 06/2011 |
P-12 |
Allows the Commissioner of Education to waive the requirement that a substitute teacher hold a bachelor's degree upon the request of a superintendent. http://www.cga.ct.gov/2011/ACT/PA/2011PA-00027-R00SB-00933-PA.htm
Title: S.B. 933
Source: http://www.cga.ct.gov |
High School |
Signed into law 05/2011 |
P-12 |
Allows a local or regional board of education to award a diploma to a veteran of World War II or the Korean hostilities, who left high school prior to graduation in order to serve in the armed forces of the United States and did not receive a diploma as a consequence of such service. http://www.cga.ct.gov/2011/ACT/PA/2011PA-00017-R00HB-06319-PA.htm
Title: H.B. 6319
Source: http://www.cga.ct.gov |
Special Education |
Signed into law 06/2010 |
P-12 |
Establishes a task force to study individualized educational programs (IEPs); Requires the task force to: (1) Examine the existing processes and procedures for the development and administration of IEPs; (2) Examine relevant federal laws and propose legislation that codifies such federal laws into state law; (3) Reevaluate existing IEPs under federal law standards; (4) Examine the training required for personnel administering IEPs and develop ways in which such training can be included in professional development for certified employees; (5) Develop a program for the auditing of IEPs at the district level; and (6) Examine ways in which to address issues of noncompliance by personnel and districts in the administration of IEPs. http://www.cga.ct.gov/2010/ACT/SA/2010SA-00009-R00HB-05426-SA.htm
Title: HB 5426
Source: http://www.cga.ct.gov |
Special Populations--Foster Care |
Signed into law 06/2010 |
P-12 |
Creates a presumption that it is in the best interest of a child that the department of children and families (DCF) places in out-of-home care under an emergency, temporary custody, or commitment order, to continue to attend the school he or she attended before the placement. The act applies to: (1) School-age children, (2) Three- to five-year olds determined eligible for special education, and (3) Children between 27 months and six years old referred for special education determination. Provides mechanisms for parents to challenge DCF decisions. Makes DCF responsible for some costs of transporting a child from a placement to school and makes a school ineligible to receive state special education excess cost grants for a child placed in another community who continues to attend his or her original school. http://www.cga.ct.gov/2010/ACT/PA/2010PA-00160-R00SB-00031-PA.htm
Title: SB 31
Source: http://www.cga.ct.gov |
Accountability--Sanctions/Interventions |
Signed into law 05/2010 |
P-12 |
Permits the local/regional board of education for a school that has been identified as in need of improvement pursuant or designated as a low achieving school (due to such school failing to make adequate yearly progress in mathematics and reading at the whole school level) to establish a school governance council for each school so identified. The school governance council has the following responsibilities: (1) analyzing school achievement data and school needs relative to the improvement plan for the school; (2) reviewing the fiscal objectives of the draft budget for the school and providing advice to the principal of the school before such school's budget is submitted to the superintendent of schools for the district; (3) participating in the hiring process of the school principal or other administrators of the school by conducting interviews of candidates and reporting on such interviews to the superintendent of schools for the school district and the local/regional board; (4) assisting the principal of the school in making programmatic and operational changes for improving the school's achievement, including program changes, adjusting school hours and days of operation, and enrollment goals for the school; (5) working with the school administration to develop and approve a school compact for parents, legal guardians and students that includes an outline of the criteria and responsibilities for enrollment and school membership consistent with the school's goals and academic focus, and the ways that parents and school personnel can build a partnership to improve student learning; (6) developing and approving a written parent involvement policy that outlines the role of parents and legal guardians in the school; (7) utilizing records relating to information about parents and guardians of students maintained by the local/regional board and as permitted by state statute. Permits the council to recommend reconstitution of the school through a certain model.
http://www.cga.ct.gov/2010/ACT/PA/2010PA-00111-R00SB-00438-PA.htm
Title: S.B. 438 - Sec. 21
Source: http://www.cga.ct.gov |
Accountability--Sanctions/Interventions |
Signed into law 05/2010 |
P-12 |
Requires the department of education to monitor, within available appropriations, those schools that have reconstituted (See section 21 of this bill) to determine whether such schools have demonstrated progress with regard to the following indicators: (1) the reconstitution model adopted by the school; (2) the length of the school day and school year; (3) the number and type of disciplinary incidents; (4) the number of truants; (5) the dropout rate; (6) the student attendance rate; (7) the average scale scores on the state-wide mastery examination; (8) for high schools, the number and percentage of students completing advanced placement coursework; (9) the teacher attendance rate; and (10) the existence and size of the parent-teacher organization for the school. Such monitoring must be conducted over the 2 year period following such reconstitution. http://www.cga.ct.gov/2010/ACT/PA/2010PA-00111-R00SB-00438-PA.htm
Title: S.B. 438 - Sec. 22
Source: http://www.cga.ct.gov |
Career/Technical Education |
Signed into law 05/2010 |
P-12 |
Requires the state board of education to conduct a formal vote before closing or suspending operations of a vocational-technical school; Requires that at least 2 members of the state board have industrial, trade or technical school experience; Requires that on and after April 1, 2011, the state board have at least one member with experience in agriculture or be an alumni of or have served as an educator at a regional agricultural science and technology education center. http://www.cga.ct.gov/2010/ACT/PA/2010PA-00076-R00SB-00379-PA.htm
Title: S.B. 379 - Sec. 1 and 2
Source: http://www.cga.ct.gov |
Career/Technical Education |
Signed into law 05/2010 |
P-12 |
Requires the state board of education to inspect the busses in operation at vocational-technical schools and to replace any school bus in service at a vocational-technical school that is 10 years or older; Requires the superintendent of the vocational-technical school system to report annually on such school bus replacement. http://www.cga.ct.gov/2010/ACT/PA/2010PA-00076-R00SB-00379-PA.htm
Title: S.B. 379 - Sec. 5 and 6
Source: http://www.cga.ct.gov |
Choice of Schools--Charter Schools |
Signed into law 05/2010 |
P-12 |
Requires the state board of education by July 1, 2011to adopt regulations to: (1) prohibit a charter school and any affiliated charter management organization operating such charter school from sharing board members with other charter schools and such charter management organizations; (2) require the disclosure of sharing management personnel; (3) prohibit unsecured, noninterest bearing transfers of state and federal funds between charter schools and from charter schools to charter management organizations; (4) define allowable direct or indirect costs and the methodology to be used by charter management organizations to calculate per pupil service fees; and (5) permit charter management organizations to collect private donations for purposes of distributing to charter schools.
http://www.cga.ct.gov/2010/ACT/PA/2010PA-00111-R00SB-00438-PA.htm
Title: S.B. 438 - Sec. 15
Source: http://www.cga.ct.gov |
Choice of Schools--Charter Schools |
Signed into law 05/2010 |
P-12 |
Permits a board of education for a priority school district to, through agreement with the organizations designated or elected as the exclusive representatives of the teachers' and administrators' units, convert an existing public school into an innovation school or establish a new school as an innovation school, for purposes of improving school performance and student achievement; defines "innovation school" and requires innovation schools to operate under an innovation plan; and directs the district superintendent to annually evaluate innovation schools. http://www.cga.ct.gov/2010/ACT/PA/2010PA-00111-R00SB-00438-PA.htm
Title: S.B. 438 - Sec. 6
Source: http://www.cga.ct.gov |
Choice of Schools--Charter Schools |
Signed into law 05/2010 |
P-12 |
Elminates enrollment caps for high-performing charter schools. Statutory enrollment caps prohibit charter schools from enrolling (1) more than 250 students, or in the case of a K-8 charter school, more than 300 students, or (2) 25% of the enrollment of the school district in which the charter school is to be located, whichever is less. http://www.cga.ct.gov/2010/ACT/PA/2010PA-00111-R00SB-00438-PA.htm
Title: S.B. 438 - Sec. 12
Source: http://www.cga.ct.gov |
Finance |
Signed into law 05/2010 |
P-12 |
Requires the state department of education to, within available appropriations, provide grants to local/regional school districts to begin implementation of the new high school graduation requirements (see section 16 of this bill). http://www.cga.ct.gov/2010/ACT/PA/2010PA-00111-R00SB-00438-PA.htm
Title: S.B. 438 - Sec. 18
Source: http://www.cga.ct.gov |
Governance--School Boards |
Signed into law 05/2010 |
P-12 |
Allows two or more boards of education to jointly purchase health insurance for their employees. http://www.cga.ct.gov/2010/ACT/Pa/pdf/2010PA-00174-R00HB-05424-PA.pdf
Title: H.B. 5424
Source: http://www.cga.ct.gov |
Health |
Signed into law 05/2010 |
P-12 |
Requires coaches of intramural and interscholastic athletics to complete annual training regarding the recognition of and dangers associated with concussions; Directs the state board of education, in consultation with the governing authority for intramural and interscholastic athletics, an organization representing licensed athletic trainers, and an organization representing county medical associations, to develop or approve such training course; Requires student athletes to get medical clearance before returning to athletic activity after sustaining a concussion or head injury. http://www.cga.ct.gov/2010/ACT/Pa/pdf/2010PA-00062-R00SB-00456-PA.pdf
Title: S.B. 456
Source: http://www.cga.ct.gov |
Health--Child Abuse |
Signed into law 05/2010 |
P-12 |
Establishes a Children's Trust Fund to fund programs aimed at preventing child abuse and neglect and family resource programs. Also establishes, within existing resources, a Children's Trust Fund Council with the department of social services to solicit and accept funds on behalf of the Trust. http://www.cga.ct.gov/2010/ACT/PA/2010PA-00111-R00SB-00438-PA.htm
Title: S.B. 438 - Sec. 24
Source: http://www.cga.ct.gov |
High School--Advanced Placement |
Signed into law 05/2010 |
P-12 |
Effective with the 2011-12 school year, requires every district to offer advanced placement courses. Requires the state board of education to develop guidelines to aid local/regional boards in training teachers for teaching advanced placement courses to a diverse student body.
http://www.cga.ct.gov/2010/ACT/PA/2010PA-00111-R00SB-00438-PA.htm
Title: S.B. 438 - Sec. 31
Source: http://www.cga.ct.gov |
High School--Dropout Rates/Graduation Rates |
Signed into law 05/2010 |
P-12 |
Requires schools with a dropout rate of 8% or higher to establish an on-line credit recovery program to help students earn needed credits. Such program must allow those students who are identified by certified personnel as in danger of failing to graduate to complete on-line coursework approved by the local/regional board of education for credit toward meeting the high school graduation requirement. Each school in the school district must designate, from among existing staff, an online learning coordinator to administer and coordinate the program. http://www.cga.ct.gov/2010/ACT/PA/2010PA-00111-R00SB-00438-PA.htm
Title: S.B. 438 - Sec. 28
Source: http://www.cga.ct.gov |
High School--Exit Exams |
Signed into law 05/2010 |
P-12 |
Increases the minimum credits required for high school graduation from 20 to 25 and gives greater emphasis to math, science and world languages, beginning with the class of 2018. Students in the Class of 2018 will also be expected to complete "end of the school year examinations" (end-of-course exams) in Algebra I, Geometry, Biology, American History and Grade 10 English. Also requires every student to complete a "capstone project" (independent demonstration project). Beginning with classes graduating in 2018, requires local/regional boards of education to provide adequate student support and remedial services for students beginning in grade 7. Such services must provide an alternate means for a student to complete any high school graduation requirements or end of the year exams. Requires the local/regional board of education to adopt a policy for the granting of credit for on-line coursework. Further requires each local/regional board, beginning with the school year commencing July 1, 2012, to collect information for each student enrolled in public school, beginning in grade 6, that records students' career and academic choices in grades 6 to 12. http://www.cga.ct.gov/2010/ACT/PA/2010PA-00111-R00SB-00438-PA.htm
Title: S.B. 438 - Sec. 16
Source: http://www.cga.ct.gov |
High School--Graduation Requirements |
Signed into law 05/2010 |
P-12 |
Allows the state department of education (SBE) to establish a board examination series pilot program to allow local/regional boards of education to permit students in grades 9-12, inclusive, to substitute achievement of a passing score on a series of examinations approved by the SBE for the new high school graduation requirements (see section 16 of this bill). Requires the SBE to issue a board examination certificate to any student who has successfully completed such program. Such board examination certificate must be considered in the same manner as a high school diploma for purposes of determining eligibility of a student for enrollment at a public institution of higher education in this state. http://www.cga.ct.gov/2010/ACT/PA/2010PA-00111-R00SB-00438-PA.htm
Title: S.B. 438 - Sec. 17
Source: http://www.cga.ct.gov |
Leadership--District Superintendent |
Signed into law 05/2010 |
P-12 |
Permits the commissioner of education to, upon request of a local or regional board of education, grant a waiver of certification to a person who has successfully completed at least 3 years of experience as a certified administrator with a superintendent certificate issued by another state in a public school in another state during the 10 year period prior to the date of application.
http://www.cga.ct.gov/2010/ACT/PA/2010PA-00111-R00SB-00438-PA.htm
Title: S.B. 438 - Sec. 2
Source: http://www.cga.ct.gov |
Leadership--Principal/School Leadership--Certification and Licensure |
Signed into law 05/2010 |
P-12 |
Directs the state department of education to review and approve proposals for alternate route to certification programs for school administrators; details what a proposal must provide in order to be approved; requires the department of education to, upon receipt of a proper application, issue the applicant an initial educator certificate in the certification endorsement area of administration and supervision, which shall be valid for three years; requires any person who successfully completed the alternate route to certification program for administrators and was issued an initial educator certificate in the endorsement area of administration and supervision to obtain a master's degree not later than five years after such person was issued such initial educator certificate. http://www.cga.ct.gov/2010/ACT/PA/2010PA-00111-R00SB-00438-PA.htm
Title: S.B. 438 - Sec. 1
Source: http://www.cga.ct.gov |
Parent/Family |
Signed into law 05/2010 |
P-12 |
Establishes a Parent Trust Fund to fund programs aimed at improving the health, safety and education of children by training parents in civic leadership skills and supporting increased, sustained, quality parental engagement in community affairs. This Fund will receive federal or private money from grants and gifts. http://www.cga.ct.gov/2010/ACT/PA/2010PA-00111-R00SB-00438-PA.htm
Title: S.B. 438 - Sec. 26
Source: http://www.cga.ct.gov |
Parent/Family |
Signed into law 05/2010 |
P-12 |
Requires all schools to hold parent-teacher conferences at least twice a year. http://www.cga.ct.gov/2010/ACT/PA/2010PA-00111-R00SB-00438-PA.htm
Title: S.B. 438 - Sec. 29
Source: http://www.cga.ct.gov |
Postsecondary Affordability--Financial Aid |
Signed into law 05/2010 |
Postsec. |
Clarifies that eligibility for the waiver of tuition at state universities and colleges is limited to veterans who have served time additional to that spent in training and in attendance at military service academies. http://www.cga.ct.gov/2010/ACT/Pa/pdf/2010PA-00066-R00SB-00215-PA.pdf
Title: S.B. 215
Source: http://www.cga.ct.gov |
Postsecondary Institutions |
Signed into law 05/2010 |
Postsec.,
Community College |
Requires higher education institutions in Connecticut to publicize green technology initiatives in higher education and to collaborate in furthering these initiatives; requires the department of higher education (DHE), in consultation with the department of education, to develop annually and publish on its website (1) a list of every green jobs course and academic program in a public higher education institution or a regional vocational-technical school in the state and (2) an inventory of green jobs-related equipment in these schools; requires the community-technical colleges board of trustees (CTC) to have uniformly named green jobs academic programs in the CTC; requires institutions to share equipment and to hold meetings to explore possible ways to collaborate on green initiatives, and it requires public higher education institutions to support efforts to develop career ladders in the green technology industry. http://www.cga.ct.gov/2010/ACT/Pa/pdf/2010PA-00156-R00HB-05164-PA.pdf
Title: H.B. 5164
Source: http://www.cga.ct.gov |
School Safety--Expulsion/Suspension |
Signed into law 05/2010 |
P-12 |
Provides that all student suspensions must be in-school suspensions, unless during the hearing the administration determines that an out-of-school suspension is appropriate for such pupil based on evidence of (1) previous disciplinary problems that have led to suspensions or expulsion of such pupil, and (2) efforts by the administration to address such disciplinary problems through means other than out-of-school suspension or expulsion, including positive behavioral support strategies. http://www.cga.ct.gov/2010/ACT/PA/2010PA-00111-R00SB-00438-PA.htm
Title: S.B. 438 - Sec. 18
Source: http://www.cga.ct.gov |
School/District Structure/Operations--Shared Services |
Signed into law 05/2010 |
P-12 |
Establishes a grant in fiscal year 2012 to any municipality whose board of education makes a cooperative arrangement with at least one other board of education to provide school transportation that results in a savings in fiscal year 2011. The grant is in addition to the reimbursements for student transportation school districts receive under existing law; permits two or more boards of education to establish shared service agreements, in addition to cooperative arrangements that boards may enter under existing law. http://www.cga.ct.gov/2010/ACT/Pa/pdf/2010PA-00167-R00HB-05336-PA.pdf
Title: H.B. 5336
Source: http://www.cga.ct.gov |
Special Education |
Signed into law 05/2010 |
P-12 |
Reconstitutes the State Advisory Council for Special Education by reducing the number of members to make it consistent with federal law; on and after July 1, 2012, requires a local or regional board of education that is responsible for providing special education and related services to a child to provide applied behavior analysis services to any such child with autism spectrum disorder if the individualized education plan or plan pursuant to federal law requires such services; establishes that the burden of proof lies with the party requesting a special education hearing; and requires the school district from which a child transfers to pay for such child's special education costs for the remainder of the school year. http://www.cga.ct.gov/2010/ACT/PA/2010PA-00175-R00HB-05425-PA.htm
Title: H.B. 5425
Source: http://www.cga.ct.gov |
State Longitudinal Data Systems |
Signed into law 05/2010 |
P-12 |
Directs the state department of education to, on or before July 1, 2013, expand the state-wide public school information system as follows:
(1) Track and report data relating to student, teacher and school and district performance growth and make such information available to local and regional boards of education for use in evaluating educational performance and growth of teachers and students enrolled in public schools in the state; (2) Collect data relating to student enrollment in and graduation from institutions of higher education for any student who had been assigned a unique student identifier, provided such data is available; (3) Develop means for access to and data sharing with the data systems of public institutions of higher education in the state. http://www.cga.ct.gov/2010/ACT/PA/2010PA-00111-R00SB-00438-PA.htm
Title: S.B. 438 - Sec. 3
Source: http://www.cga.ct.gov |
State Policymaking--Task Forces/Commissions |
Signed into law 05/2010 |
P-12 |
Establishes the Performance Evaluation Advisory Council within the state department of education; details the council's membership and provides that the council is responsible for (1) assisting board of education in the development and implementation of the teacher evaluation guidelines and (2) data collection and evaluation support system (see Sec. 5 of the bill). http://www.cga.ct.gov/2010/ACT/PA/2010PA-00111-R00SB-00438-PA.htm
Title: S.B. 438 - Sec. 5
Source: http://www.cga.ct.gov |
State Policymaking--Task Forces/Commissions |
Signed into law 05/2010 |
P-12 |
Establishes a task force to study and monitor the academic achievement gap between racial and socioeconomic groups in Connecticut by considering effective approaches to closing the achievement gap in elementary, middle and high schools. The task force is required to consider, but not be limited to, the following: (1) systematic education planning; (2) best practices in public education; (3) professional development for teachers; and (4) parental involvement in public education. http://www.cga.ct.gov/2010/ACT/PA/2010PA-00111-R00SB-00438-PA.htm
Title: S.B. 438 - Sec. 30
Source: http://www.cga.ct.gov |
Teaching Quality--Compensation and Diversified Pay--Retirement/Benefits |
Signed into law 05/2010 |
P-12 |
Allows retired teachers to be rehired for up to one year in a shortage area or priority school district for up to 45% of the current maximum salary. http://www.cga.ct.gov/2010/ACT/PA/2010PA-00111-R00SB-00438-PA.htm
Title: S.B. 438 - Sec. 8
Source: http://www.cga.ct.gov |
Teaching Quality--Evaluation and Effectiveness |
Signed into law 05/2010 |
P-12 |
Directs the state board of education to adopt, on or before July 1, 2013, in consultation with the Performance Evaluation Advisory Council, guidelines for a model teacher evaluation program; requires such guidelines to provide guidance on the use of multiple indicators of student academic growth in teacher evaluations and include, but not be limited to: (1) Methods for assessing student academic growth; (2) a consideration of control factors tracked by the state-wide public school information system; and (3) minimum requirements for teacher evaluation instruments and procedures. http://www.cga.ct.gov/2010/ACT/PA/2010PA-00111-R00SB-00438-PA.htm
Title: S.B. 438 - Sec. 4
Source: http://www.cga.ct.gov |
Teaching Quality--Tenure or Continuing Contract |
Signed into law 05/2010 |
P-12 |
Provides that any certified teacher or administrator employed by a local or regional board of education for a school district identified as a priority school district may attain tenure after 10 months of employment if such certified teacher/administrator previously attained tenure with another local or regional board in Connecticut or another state. http://www.cga.ct.gov/2010/ACT/PA/2010PA-00111-R00SB-00438-PA.htm
Title: S.B. 438 - Sec. 9
Source: http://www.cga.ct.gov |
P-3 Grades 1-3 |
Signed into law 07/2009 |
P-12 |
Concerns longitudinal studies of student achievement; provides for access to student data to a qualified nonprofit educational organization by the Department of Education; provides for reasonable fees; includes student experiences in preschool by program type and by numbers of months in each such program and the readiness of students entering kindergarten and student progress in kindergarten.
http://www.cga.ct.gov/2009/ACT/Pa/pdf/2009PA-00241-R00SB-01014-PA.pdf
Title: S.B. 1014
Source: http://www.cga.ct.gov/ |
Accountability--Reporting Results |
Signed into law 06/2009 |
P-12 |
Adds truancy data to annual school report cards. The bill spells out all data that schools are required to report on an annual basis to the commissioner of education. The bill also addresses the reduction of duplicate reports by the department of information technology.
http://www.cga.ct.gov/2009/ACT/Pa/pdf/2009PA-00143-R00SB-00940-PA.pdf
Title: S.B. 940
Source: http://www.cga.ct.gov/ |
Health |
Signed into law 06/2009 |
P-12 |
Concerns the availability of automatic external defibrillators in Schools; saves lives by requiring that: (1) There be an automatic external defibrillator and school staff trained in the use of such defibrillators and cardiopulmonary resuscitation in all Schools; (2) Schools develop emergency response plans to address serious incidents involving an individual experiencing sudden cardiac arrest or similar life threatening emergency while on school grounds.
http://www.cga.ct.gov/2009/ACT/Pa/pdf/2009PA-00094-R00SB-00981-PA.pdf
Title: S.B. 981
Source: http://www.cga.ct.gov |
School Safety |
Signed into law 06/2009 |
P-12 |
Requires boards of education to readmit students to the district if such student has been in an out-of-district placement in lieu of expulsion for committing an expellable offense and to prohibit such boards from then expelling such students for such offenses.
http://www.cga.ct.gov/2009/ACT/Pa/pdf/2009PA-00082-R00HB-06567-PA.pdf
Title: H.B. 6567
Source: http://www.cga.ct.gov |
Special Education |
Adopted 06/2009 |
P-12 |
Addresses the use of physical restraining and seclusion in public schools for children who are or may be eligible for special education.
http://www.cga.ct.gov/2009/pub/chap164.htm#Sec10-76b.htm
Title: RCSA 10-76b-5 thru -11
Source: http://www.cga.ct.gov |
Teaching Quality--Certification and Licensure |
Signed into law 06/2009 |
P-12 |
Relates to the required training in competency for professional teaching standards for preparation programs, alternative route to certification program, provisional certification, professional education certification coursework, continuing education, certification tests, out-of-state certification, interstate agreements, certification endorsements, shortage area permits, professional development committees, special education, health care services, charter school cooperative agreements, and magnet schools.
http://www.cga.ct.gov/2009/ACT/Pa/pdf/2009PA-00001-R00HB-06901SS2-PA.pdf
Title: H.B. 6901
Source: http://www.cga.ct.gov/ |
Adult Basic Education |
Signed into law 06/2008 |
Postsec.,
Community College |
Establishes an adult literacy board as a standing committee of the state Employment and Training Commission to review and advise the commission on workforce investment and adult literacy services.
http://www.cga.ct.gov/2008/ACT/Pa/pdf/2008PA-00163-R00SB-00465-PA.pdf
Title: S.B. 465
Source: http://www.cga.ct.gov/ |
Career/Technical Education |
Signed into law 06/2008 |
P-12 |
Concerns agriculture science and technology education; increases state support of regional agriculture science programs by increasing the per pupil operating grant and the transportation grant; redesignates vocational agriculture programs as agriculture science and technology education programs; clarifies language concerning enrollment opportunities for students in agriculture science and technology education programs; relates to tuition.
http://www.cga.ct.gov/2008/ACT/Pa/pdf/2008PA-00152-R00HB-05869-PA.pdf
Title: H.B. 5869
Source: http://www.cga.ct.gov/ |
Curriculum |
Signed into law 06/2008 |
P-12 |
Concerns high school credit for private world language courses; provides that students may earn up to two credits toward high school graduation for completion of a world language courses offered by a nonprofit provider and the student passes a test prescribed by the Commissioner of Education.
http://www.cga.ct.gov/2008/ACT/Pa/pdf/2008PA-00138-R00HB-05820-PA.pdf
Title: H.B. 5820
Source: http://www.cga.ct.gov/ |
Health--Mental Health |
Signed into law 06/2008 |
Postsec.,
Community College |
Requires each constituent unit of the state system of higher education and each independent college or university to submit a plan to the Department of Higher Education to identify procedures specifically designed to heighten awareness by all faculty and staff regarding potentially at-risk students and other persons on campus through effective educational strategies; provides for procedures to recognize and respond to students and other persons who may be at risk of harm to themselves or others.
http://www.cga.ct.gov/
Title: S.B. 467
Source: http://www.cga.ct.gov/ |
School Safety |
Signed into law 06/2008 |
P-12 |
Relates to a school learning environment; provides for in-school suspensions; requires a policy to address bullying in schools; provides that no disciplinary action shall be taken solely on the basis of an anonymous report; requires each school to notify patents and guardians of bullying students and to invite them to attend at least one meeting; requires notification to the Department of Education; provides for training; encourages teacher candidates to complete a suicide prevention component.
http://www.cga.ct.gov/2008/ACT/Pa/pdf/2008PA-00160-R00HB-05826-PA.pdf
Title: H.B. 5826
Source: http://www.cga.ct.gov/ |
Special Education |
Signed into law 06/2008 |
P-12 |
Concerns special education and instructional methods concerning autism and other developmental disabilities; requires the development and use of instructional methods for parents and teachers of children with autism and other developmental disabilities; relates to a state-wide plan to incorporate methods of teaching; includes school readiness programs.
http://www.cga.ct.gov/2008/ACT/sa/pdf/2008SA-00005-R00HB-05590-SA.pdf
Title: H.B. 5590
Source: http://www.cga.ct.gov/ |
Teaching Quality--Certification and Licensure |
Signed into law 06/2008 |
P-12 |
Concerns the role of the state board of education in the teacher certification revocation process; provides that the Commissioner of Education has final authority concerning certain types of certification revocations when an educator has been convicted of certain crimes, instead of the State Board of Education.
http://www.cga.ct.gov/2008/ACT/Pa/pdf/2008PA-00148-R00SB-00403-PA.pdf
Title: S.B. 403
Source: http://www.cga.ct.gov/ |
Teaching Quality--Induction Programs and Mentoring |
Signed into law 06/2008 |
P-12 |
Concerns the Beginning Educator Support and Training (BEST) Program; requires school boards and unions to bargain over compensation, hours and duties of teachers who train and evaluate student teachers or serve as mentors and assessors of beginning teachers under the BEST program, suspend the BEST program for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2009; creates a task force to develop a plan to replace the BEST program with a mentor assistance program; amends the video component; provides for full funding.
http://www.cga.ct.gov/2008/ACT/PA/2008PA-00107-R00HB-05871-PA.htm
Title: H.B. 5871
Source: http://www.cga.ct.gov/ |
Choice of Schools--Charter Schools |
Signed into law 05/2008 |
P-12 |
Concerns state charter school governance; reforms charter school governance and membership of the governing council; provides for transfer of student records from the charter school the student previously attended.
http://www.cga.ct.gov/2008/ACT/Pa/pdf/2008PA-00050-R00SB-00648-PA.pdf
Title: S.B. 648
Source: http://www.cga.ct.gov/ |
Economic/Workforce Development |
Signed into law 05/2008 |
P-12,
Postsec.,
Community College |
Continues the function of the Youth Futures Committee by establishing the Youth Policy Council to assist youth between the ages of twelve and twenty-one in entering the state's workforce; relates to improved school attendance, improved percentages of youth graduating from high school, enrollment in employment programs that build skills, full youth employment, opportunities for public service, safe and stable housing, and access to mental and physical health providers.
http://www.cga.ct.gov/2008/ACT/sa/pdf/2008SA-00003-R00HB-05133-SA.pdf
Title: H.B. 5133
Source: http://www.cga.ct.gov/ |
School Safety--Disaster/Emergency Preparedness |
Signed into law 07/2007 |
P-12 |
Establishes a school security competitive grant program to reimburse towns for certain expenses for schools under the school district for the development or improvement of the security infrastructure of the school, including the installation of surveillance cameras, entry door buzzer systems, scan cardsystems, panic alarms, and the training of school employees in the equipments operations; requires each institution of higher education and private occupational school to have an emergency response plan.
http://www.cga.ct.gov/2007/ACT/Pa/pdf/2007PA-00208-R00SB-01110-PA.pdf
Title: S.B. 1110
Source: Connecticut Legislature |
Civic Education |
Signed into law 06/2007 |
P-12 |
Concerns democracy education in elementary schools; requires students in the fourth or fifth grade to take part in a program of participatory democracy.
http://www.cga.ct.gov/2007/ACT/Pa/pdf/2007PA-00138-R00HB-07017-PA.pdf
Title: H.B. 7017
Source: Connecticut Legislature |
Governance--State Boards/Chiefs/Agencies |
Signed into law 06/2007 |
P-12 |
Concerns the Chairperson of the State Board of Education and appointment of the Commissioner of Education; requires the Chairperson of the State Board of Education to hold a degree in education; provides that the appointment of the Commissioner of Education go through the legislative executive nominations process; provides that department head also means the Commissioner of Education.
http://www.cga.ct.gov/2007/ACT/Pa/pdf/2007PA-00114-R00SB-01354-PA.pdf
Title: S.B. 1354
Source: Connecticut Legislature |
Postsecondary |
Signed into law 06/2007 |
Postsec.,
Community College |
Concerns enhanced enforcement authority by the Department of Higher Education; provides the Board of Governors of Higher Education and the Commissioner of Higher Education with enhanced enforcement authority regarding colleges and universities which are operating illegally in the state; provides for investigations.
http://www.cga.ct.gov/2007/ACT/Pa/pdf/2007PA-00090-R00SB-01139-PA.pdf
Title: S.B. 1139
Source: Connnecticut |
Postsecondary Affordability--Tuition/Fees--Undocumented Immigrants |
Vetoed 06/2007 |
Postsec.,
Community College |
Concerning college tuition for undocumented immigrants committed to the care and custody of the department of children and families; requires the Department of Children and Families to provide college tuition and costs to undocumented immigrants who are committed to the care and custody of the Department of Children and Families in an amount equivalent to the in-state tuition and costs associated with attending The University of Connecticut.
http://www.cga.ct.gov/2007/ACT/Pa/pdf/2007PA-00135-R00HB-05656-PA.pdf
Title: H.B. 5656
Source: Connecticut Legislature |
Postsecondary Success--Completion--Completion Rates (Statistics) |
Signed into law 06/2007 |
Postsec.,
Community College |
Concerns graduation rates at institutions of higher education; develops a plan to increase graduation rates at state institutions of higher education.
http://www.cga.ct.gov/2007/ACT/sa/pdf/2007SA-00009-R00SB-01216-SA.pdf
Title: S.B. 1216
Source: Connecticut Legislature |
Postsecondary Success--Transfer/Articulation |
Signed into law 06/2007 |
Postsec.,
Community College |
Concerns the public institution of higher education system transfer and articulation agreements; requires a study of transfer and articulation agreements of the public institutions of higher education; includes credit transfers.
http://www.cga.ct.gov/2007/ACT/sa/pdf/2007SA-00007-R00SB-01318-SA.pdf
Title: S.B. 1318
Source: Connecticut Legislature |
School Safety |
Signed into law 06/2007 |
P-12 |
Concerns suspensions and expulsions by local and regional boards of education; provides that pupils who are facing their first suspension or expulsion and who complete a program and other conditions shall have an opportunity to have the term of the suspension or expulsion shortened or waived and to have the notice of the suspension or expulsion expunged from the pupil's record prior to graduation.
http://www.cga.ct.gov/2007/ACT/Pa/pdf/2007PA-00122-R00HB-07273-PA.pdf
Title: H.B. 7273
Source: Connecticut Legislature |
School/District Structure/Operations--Facilities |
Signed into law 06/2007 |
P-12 |
Banns pesticide use on the grounds of middle and high schools; promotes a healthy environment in middle and high school facilities; provides for enforcement officers who may enter any establishment to observe pesticide use and inspect equipment used to apply pesticides.
Title: H.B. 5234
Source: Connecticut Legislature |
Special Education |
Signed into law 06/2007 |
P-12 |
Relates to restraints and seclusion in public shools; concerns restriction on unreasonable restraints and seclusions of students; avoids the harmful effects of unreasonable restraints and seclusions on students; relates to special education students and students being evaluated; requires parental notification for each instance.
http://www.cga.ct.gov/2007/ACT/Pa/pdf/2007PA-00147-R00SB-00977-PA.pdf
Title: S.B. 977
Source: Connecticut Legislature |
Career/Technical Education |
Signed into law 05/2007 |
P-12 |
Relates to the advisory committee on technical high schools; reconstitutes the state-wide technical high school advisory committee with members appointed by the State Board of Education; makes recommendations to the State Board of Education concerning the consolidation of reporting to the General Assembly about the technical high school system; relates to identification of emerging state and national workforce needs and trade technology programs.
Title: S.B. 1283
Source: CT Legislature |
Teaching Quality--Recruitment and Retention |
Signed into law 05/2007 |
P-12 |
Relates to visiting international teacher permits; establishes a durational permit to qualify certain visiting international teachers to teach in subject shortage areas; relates to a J-1 visa issued by the Department of State.
http://www.cga.ct.gov/2007/ACT/Pa/pdf/2007PA-00030-R00SB-01287-PA.pdf
Title: S.B. 1287
Source: |
Choice of Schools--Vouchers |
Signed into law 06/2006 |
P-12 |
Relates to tax credits for donations of computer equipment to nonpublic schools; provides that any business firm may apply for such tax credit. Public Act No. 145
Title: S.B. 378
Source: Connecticut Legislature |
P-3 |
Signed into law 06/2006 |
P-12 |
Concerns the early childhood education workforce; expands the number of early childhood education teachers through development of an accelerated, alternate route program to initial teacher certification with an endorsement in early childhood education; provides for appropriations. Public Act No. 154
http://www.cga.ct.gov/2006/ACT/Pa/pdf/2006PA-00154-R00SB-00455-PA.pdf
Title: S.B. 455
Source: Connecticut Legislature |
Parent/Family |
Signed into law 06/2006 |
P-12 |
Concerns parental involvement reporting in school profiles; raises the importance of parental involvement among administrators and enable parents to see a wider spectrum of involvement choices; relates to methods to engage parents. Public Act No. 167
http://www.cga.ct.gov/2006/ACT/Pa/pdf/2006PA-00167-R00HB-05513-PA.pdf
Title: H.B. 5513
Source: Connecticut Legislature |
School Safety |
Signed into law 06/2006 |
P-12 |
Concerns bullying policies in schools requires school notices be provided to parents and guardians with minimal cost to local and regional school districts. Public Act No. 115
http://www.cga.ct.gov/2006/ACT/Pa/pdf/2006PA-00115-R00HB-05563-PA.pdf
Title: H.B. 5563
Source: Connecticut Legislature |
Textbooks and Open Source |
Signed into law 06/2006 |
Postsec.,
Community College |
Relates to textbook affordability; requires disclosure of textbook pricing before a sales transaction is entered into and to provide for a system for students to purchase textbooks using financial aid that has not yet been received by the student. Public Act No. 103
http://www.cga.ct.gov/2006/ACT/Pa/pdf/2006PA-00103-R00HB-05527-PA.pdf
Title: H.B. 5527
Source: Connecticut Legislature |
Choice of Schools--Charter Schools |
Signed into law 05/2006 |
P-12 |
Concerns charter schools; allows for an increase in charter school enrollments for existing charter school and to provide for a new per student funding formula for charter schools; relates to demonstrated levels of achievement. Public Act No. 55
http://www.cga.ct.gov/2006/ACT/Pa/pdf/2006PA-00055-R00SB-00637-PA.pdf
Title: S.B. 637
Source: Connecticut Legislature |
Health |
Signed into law 05/2006 |
P-12 |
Promotes the physical health needs of students; allows local and regional boards of education to adopt guidelines to coordinate services and programs in order to address the physical health needs of students; provides that school boards may implement them by the 2007-08 school year and have a plan in place for each successive school year. Public Act No. 44
http://www.cga.ct.gov/2006/ACT/Pa/pdf/2006PA-00044-R00SB-00204-PA.pdf
Title: S.B. 204
Source: Connecticut Legislature |
Health--Nutrition |
Signed into law 05/2006 |
P-12 |
Concerns healthy food and beverages in schools; authorizes a percentage of funds per lunch served in a prior school year by a school district, the regional vocational-technical school system or the governing authority of a state charter school, magnet school or endowed academy; relates to the National School Lunch Program participation. Public Act No. 63
http://www.cga.ct.gov/2006/ACT/Pa/pdf/2006PA-00063-R00SB-00373-PA.pdf
Title: S.B. 373
Source: Connecticut Legislature |
Postsecondary Institutions--Community/Technical Colleges |
Signed into law 05/2006 |
Community College,
Postsec. |
Relates to the board of trustees for community- technical colleges; requires that at least two members of the board have financial expertise.
http://www.cga.ct.gov/2006/ACT/Pa/pdf/2006PA-00034-R00SB-00014-PA.pdf
Title: S.B. 14
Source: Connecticut Legislature |
Special Education |
Signed into law 05/2006 |
P-12 |
Concerns special education; makes the state statutes concerning the provision of special education, special education due process hearings and evaluations, the State Special Education Advisory Council, and surrogates in schools comply with the federal Individuals with Disabilities Education Act; provides that no child will be required to obtain a prescription for a controlled substance as a condition of attending school, receiving an evaluation or receiving services. Public Act No. 18
http://www.cga.ct.gov/2006/ACT/Pa/pdf/2006PA-00018-R00SB-00380-PA.pdf
Title: S.B. 380
Source: Connecticut Legislature |
P-3 |
Issued 02/2006 |
P-12 |
Establishes the Governor's Early Childhood Research and Policy Council and defines membership and duties. The Council will: (1) Advise the Early Childhood Education Cabinet on research findings, policy solutions and strategic financing opportunities related to investments in early childhood initiatives; (2) Recommend ways to build and support a network of early childhood researchers across Connecticut's education systems, including academic scholars at business and other professional schools; (3) Engage Connecticut's academic researchers in design of a longitudinal study of children's development and review existing research that evaluates early childhood programs; (4) Examine, from a business perspective, possible strategies to increase the efficiency and effectiveness of Connecticut's early care and education "industry"; (5) Propose additional "return on investment" (ROI) studies necessary to evaluate and support early childhood care and education, quality improvement and expansion proposals; (6) Consult with the Cabinet in its preparation of the Cabinet's Early Childhood Investment Plan, to be submitted to the Governor, regarding the expansion of high quality early childhood education services leading to the readiness for kindergarten of all Connecticut children upon entry into kindergarten; and (7) Consult with the Cabinet in monitoring the ongoing implementation of the Connecticut Early Childhood Investment Plan.
http://www.ct.gov/governorrell/cwp/view.asp?A=1719&Q=309862
Title: EXECUTIVE ORDER NO. 13
Source: http://www.ct.gov/ |
Economic/Workforce Development |
Signed into law 07/2005 |
Postsec. |
Allows the Commissioner of Higher Education to create degree programs and pathways in the field of nanoscale science and engineering.
Requires the Board for State Academic Awards and the Commissioner of Higher Education, in consultation with the Office of Workforce Competitiveness, to review how the state can accelerate the inclusion of discussion and segments of learning about nanotechnology, molecular manufacturing and advanced and developing technologies at institutions of higher education. Not later than January 1, 2006, the board and the commissioner are to report their findings to the joint standing committee of the General Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to higher education and employment advancement. ftp://159.247.160.79/textofbill/s/2005SB-01167-R03-SB.htm
Title: S.B. 1167
Source: Connecticut Legislative Web Site |
Health |
Signed into law 07/2005 |
P-12 |
Defines "pesticide" and adds an emergency exception to the pesticide application prohibition at day care centers. The exception includes emergency applications to address mosquitoes and stinging insects. ftp://159.247.160.79/textofbill/s/2005SB-00916-R04-SB.htm
Title: S.B. 916
Source: Connecticut Legislative Web Site |
Teaching Quality--Certification and Licensure--Highly Qualified Teachers |
Signed into law 07/2005 |
P-12 |
For the period from July 1, 2005, to July 1, 2008, the State Board of Education is to require an applicant for certification as a bilingual education teacher to demonstrate competency in English and the other language of instruction as a condition of certification. Competency in English must be demonstrated by successful passage of the oral proficiency test in English and an essential skills test approved by the State Board of Education. Oral and written competency in the other language is to be demonstrated on an examination, if available, of comparable difficulty as specified by the Department of Education. If such an examination is not available, competency must be demonstrated by an appropriate alternative method as specified by the department. For the period from July 1, 2005, to July 1, 2008, the State Board of Education must require persons seeking to become (1) elementary level bilingual education teachers to be certified in (A) bilingual education and achieve a satisfactory evaluation on the appropriate State Board of Education approved assessment for elementary education, or (B) elementary education and have completed six semester hours of credit in English as a second language course work as approved by the State Board of Education, and (2) secondary level bilingual education teachers to be certified in A) bilingual education and achieve a satisfactory evaluation on the appropriate State Board of Education approved subject area assessment, or (B) the subject area they will teach and have completed six semester hours of credit in English as a second language course work as approved by the State Board of Education. Such certificates shall be valid for subject-specific bilingual education. Certification in elementary bilingual education shall be valid for grades kindergarten to eight, inclusive, and certification in secondary subject-specific bilingual education shall be valid for grades seven to twelve, inclusive.
For the period from July 1, 2005, to July 1, 2008, the State Board of Education shall require bilingual education teachers who hold provisional educator certificates for subject-specific bilingual education and who do not hold the endorsement in the subject area they are teaching to meet the requirements of this subsection in order to qualify for a professional educator certificate to teach bilingual education. (1) Elementary bilingual education teachers shall complete the course work requirements necessary for an endorsement in elementary education. (2) Secondary bilingual teachers shall complete the course work requirements necessary for an endorsement in the subject area they teach within the bilingual program. ftp://159.247.160.79/textofbill/h/2005HB-06678-R01-HB.htm
Title: H.B. 6678
Source: ftp://159.247.160.79/textofbill/h/2005HB-06678-R01-HB.htm |
Governance--State Boards/Chiefs/Agencies |
Signed into law 06/2005 |
P-12 |
New section: Requires the state board to review the programs and services administered or provided by the Department of Education in order to: (1) Evaluate the effectiveness and benefits of such programs and services, and (2) assign priority for the continued funding of such programs and services. The board shall submit findings and recommendations to the joint standing committee of the General Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to appropriations and the budgets of state agencies not later than January 1, 2006, and annually thereafter.ftp://159.247.160.79/textofbill/h/2005HB-06989-R01-HB.htm
Title: H.B. 6989
Source: ftp://159.247.160.79/textofbill/h/2005HB-06989-R01-HB.htm |
Health |
Signed into law 06/2005 |
P-12 |
Requires the department to develop and make available guidelines for the management of students with life-threatening food allergies. Requires the guidelines to include: (1) Education and training for school personnel on the management of students with life-threatening food allergies, including training related to the administration of medication with a cartridge injector pursuant to subsection (d) of section 10-212a of the general statutes, (2) procedures for responding to life-threatening allergic reactions to food, (3) a process for the development of individualized health care and food allergy action plans for every student with a life-threatening food allergy, and (4) protocols to prevent exposure to food allergens.
Requires each local and regional board of education, by July 2006, to implement a plan, based on the department guidelines, for the management of students with life-threatening food allergies enrolled in the schools under its jurisdiction. http://www.cga.ct.gov/2005/act/Pa/2005PA-00104-R00SB-01312-PA.htm
Title: S.B. 1312
Source: www.cga.ct.gov |
Health |
Vetoed 06/2005 |
P-12 |
Clarifies that K-5 daily physical exercise requirement must include at least 20 minutes of exercise per full school day in addition to any physical education requirements.
Authorizes every local and regional board of education to establish a School Wellness Committee to monitor and implement nutrition and physical activity policies required pursuant to the provisions of the Child Nutrition and WIC Reauthorization Act of 2004, P.L. 108-265. States that each such committee is to make recommendations to its board of education regarding school wellness issues, including ordering Connecticut grown foods for inclusion in school meals, conducting school fundraisers with either healthy food or nonfood items, establishing a nutrition education curriculum and promoting physical education and exercise. States that committee members may include a school administrator, a physical education teacher, a teacher who does not teach physical education, a school nurse, a local pediatrician, the food service director for the school district, two parents of children enrolled in a school in the school district, a middle school student, a member of the local or regional board of education and a high school student.
Requires school stores, vending machines, school cafeterias, and any school sponsored or nonschool sponsored fundraising activities to sell only the following beverages: (1) Water, (2) milk, including, but not limited to, chocolate milk, soy milk, rice milk and other similar dairy or nondairy milk, (3) one hundred per cent fruit juice or vegetable juice or a combination of such juices, (4) beverages that contain only water and fruit juice and have no added natural or artificial sweeteners, and (5) one-half hour after the last lunch period in high schools only, sugar free soft drinks or electrolyte replacement beverages containing no more than forty-two grams of added sweetener per twenty ounce serving, provided such sugar free soft drinks or electrolyte replacement beverages constitute no more than twenty per cent each of the beverage options permitted pursuant to this subsection.
Authorizes a local or regional board of education to permit the sale of other beverages to students at middle schools or high schools provided (1) such sale is in connection with a school sponsored event occurring after the end of the regular school day or on the weekend, (2) such sale is at the location of such event, and (3) such beverages are not sold from a vending machine or school store.
Requires the Department of Education to annually publish a list of recommended prepackaged foods and set nutritional standards for other foods, other than beverages and foods served as part of the National School Lunch Program and School Breakfast Program, that may be offered as the only foods on school premises for sale to students. Requires local and regional boards of education to implement such recommendations and permit students on school premises to buy only those foods (1) included in the list of recommended prepackaged foods, (2) meeting the nutritional standards set by the department, or (3) served as part of the National School Lunch Program and School Breakfast Program, not later than August 15, 2006, and annually thereafter.
Allows a local or regional board of education to permit the sale to students of foods that are not listed as recommended prepackaged foods or do not meet the nutritional standards set by the Department of Education pursuant to subsection (a) of this section, provided (1) such sale is in connection with a school sponsored event occurring after the end of the regular school day or on the weekend, (2) such sale is at the location of such event, and (3) such foods are not sold from a vending machine or school store.
http://www.cga.ct.gov/2005/act/Pa/2005PA-00117-R00SB-01309-PA.htm
Title: S.B. 1309
Source: www.cga.ct.gov |
Postsecondary Faculty |
Signed into law 06/2005 |
Postsec. |
Increases membership of board of trustees for the University of Connecticut from 19 to 21 to reflect additional two ex officio members, the Commissioner of Economic and Community Development and the chairperson of the University of Connecticut Health Center Board of Directors.
Specifies certain entities from which the University of Connecticut may borrow money and the purposes for which the money may be borrowed.
Requires the Board of Trustees of the Community-Technical Colleges, the Board of Trustees of The University of Connecticut and the Board of Trustees of the Connecticut State University System to each develop a plan biennially to increase the number of full-time faculty teaching at the colleges and universities under the boards' jurisdiction. Requires each board of trustees to report the plans in accordance with the provisions of section 11-4a of the general statutes to the committee of the General Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to higher education and employment advancement.
Adds the University of Connecticut Health Center to the definition of "Health care institution" in section 10a-178 section (g). Allows bonds to finance the University of Connecticut Health Center clinical services projects.
http://www.cga.ct.gov/2005/act/Pa/2005PA-00255-R00SB-01050-PA.htm
Title: S.B. 1050
Source: www.cga.ct.gov |
Postsecondary Institutions--For-Profit/Proprietary |
Signed into law 06/2005 |
Postsec. |
To potentially lessen the amount taken from the student protection account when a new school closes. Increases from $10,000 to $20,000 the amount of the letter of credit a new private occupational school must provide the state commissioner guaranteeing the payments required of the school to the private occupational school student protection account. States the letter of credit required by this subsection must be excused once a school has paid in excess of twenty thousand dollars (rather than ten thousand) into the private occupational school student protection account or 8 years (increased from 5 years) from the date of initial approval, whichever occurs first.
http://www.cga.ct.gov/2005/act/Pa/2005PA-00060-R00HB-06795-PA.htm
Title: H.B. 6795
Source: www.cga.ct.gov |
Teaching Quality--Compensation and Diversified Pay--Retirement/Benefits |
Signed into law 06/2005 |
P-12 |
To require the timely transmission to the Teachers' Retirement Board of the reports and information necessary for the proper administration of the teachers' retirement system. When such reports are not submitted or are incomplete, the board is unable to calculate such things as salary, contributions, service credit and equivalency data, or is unable to make such calculations accurately.
http://www.cga.ct.gov/2005/act/Pa/2005PA-00153-R00SB-01318-PA.htm
Title: S.B. 1318
Source: StateNet |
School/District Structure/Operations--Facilities |
Signed into law 05/2005 |
P-12 |
Authorizes the State Fire Marshal and the State Building Inspector to jointly grant variations or exemptions from, or approve equivalent or alternate compliance with the requirement that any building to be built as an educational occupancy and eligible for a school building project grant must have an automatic fire extinguishing system approved by the State Fire Marshal on each floor. http://www.cga.ct.gov/2005/act/Pa/2005PA-00031-R00SB-01032-PA.htm
Title: S.B. 1032
Source: www.cga.ct.gov |
Postsecondary Governance and Structures |
Signed into law 04/2005 |
Postsec. |
Makes the pilot program under section 4 of public act 01-141 that allows the Connecticut State Universities to award education doctoral degrees a permanent program. http://www.cga.ct.gov/asp/cgabillstatus/cgabillstatus.asp?selBillType=Bill&bill_num=605&which_year=2005
Title: S.B. 605
Source: StateNet |
Special Education |
Signed into law 04/2005 |
P-12 |
Concerns the Board of Education and Services for the Blind monitoring council. Provides additional time for the Board of Education and Services for the Blind monitoring council to complete its mandated report.
http://www.cga.ct.gov/asp/cgabillstatus/cgabillstatus.asp?selBillType=Bill&bill_num=23&which_year=2005
Title: S.B. 23
Source: StateNet |
Finance--Funding Formulas |
Signed into law 03/2005 |
P-12 |
Corrects a technical error in educational cost sharing distribution and enables the provision of existing funds to interdistrict magnet schools. http://www.cga.ct.gov/2005/act/Pa/2005PA-00002-R00HB-06489-PA.htm
Title: H.B. 6489
Source: www.cga.ct.gov |
Bilingual/ESL |
Signed into law 06/2004 |
P-12 |
Concerning English as a second language instruction and in-service training for teachers and teacher preparation courses; requires persons seeking professional educator certification to complete coursework in English as a second language instruction. http://www.cga.state.ct.us/2004/act/Pa/2004PA-00227-R00HB-05438-PA.htm
Title: H.B. 5438
Source: Connecticut Legislative Web site |
Economic/Workforce Development |
Signed into law 06/2004 |
Postsec.,
Community College |
Concerning workforce development; establishes a competitive grant program for the development of educational programs in emerging and interdisciplinary technology fields and related issues, to give the Office of Workforce Competitiveness responsibility for coordinating state-wide development and implementation of all technology-based talent and workforce innovation strategies and to make technical corrections to workforce development statutes. http://www.cga.state.ct.us/2004/act/Pa/2004PA-00212-R00SB-00517-PA.htm
Title: S.B. 517
Source: Connecticut Legislative Web site |
Economic/Workforce Development |
Signed into law 06/2004 |
Postsec.,
Community College |
Concerning allied health workforce needs; creates a State Allied Health Workforce Policy Board to monitor data and trends in the allied health workforce including the state's current and future supply and demand for health professionals, identify recruitment and retention strategies and the capacity of the state system of higher education to educate and train students in health care professions. http://www.cga.state.ct.us/2004/act/Pa/2004PA-00220-R00SB-00519-PA.htm
Title: S.B. 519
Source: Connecticut Legislative Web site |
Economic/Workforce Development |
Signed into law 06/2004 |
Community College |
Establishes a State Nursing Incentive Program within the Department of Higher Education to provide program assistance to the state's 4 regional community-technical colleges; requires the Office of Workforce Competitiveness to establish a challenge grant program for regional workforce development boards for FY-2004-05. http://www.cga.state.ct.us/2004/act/Pa/2004PA-00253-R00HB-05571-PA.htm
Title: H.B. 5571
Source: Connecticut Legislative Web site |
Health |
Signed into law 06/2004 |
P-12 |
Requires each local regional board of education that allows a school or other licensed nurse to administer medicine or that allows a student to self-administer medicine shall adopt written policies and procedures that shall be approved by the school medical advisory or other qualified licensed physician; requires school nurses and nurse practitioners appointed by a local or regional board of education a nurse in a nonpublic school to submit to a criminal records check. http://www.cga.state.ct.us/2004/act/Pa/2004PA-00181-R00HB-05429-PA.htm
Title: H.B. 5429
Source: Connecticut Legislative Web site |
Health--Nutrition |
Signed into law 06/2004 |
P-12 |
Concerns childhood nutrition in schools, recess and lunch breaks; requires minimum time limits for school recess and lunch breaks; requires schools to make healthy food available to students; includes low-fat food and drinks, natural fruit juices and water, and fresh and dried fruit. http://www.cga.state.ct.us/2004/act/Pa/2004PA-00224-R00HB-05344-PA.htm
Title: H.B. 5344
Source: Connecticut Legislative Web site |
No Child Left Behind--Finance |
Signed into law 06/2004 |
P-12 |
Requires an estimates of costs of state, local and regional boards of education associated with compliance with the No Child Left Behind Act. http://www.cga.state.ct.us/2004/act/Pa/2004PA-00254-R00HB-05584-PA.htm
Title: H.B. 5584
Source: Connecticut Legislative Web site |
P-3 Grades 1-3 |
Signed into law 06/2004 |
P-12 |
Concerns school readiness; relates to the state encouraging the development of a network of school readiness programs; relates to the funding of such programs by eligible providers by the Department of Education. http://www.cga.state.ct.us/2004/act/Pa/2004PA-00215-R00HB-05690-PA.htm
Title: H.B. 5690
Source: Connecticut Legislative Web site |
Postsecondary Affordability--Financial Aid |
Signed into law 06/2004 |
Postsec.,
Community College |
Concerns the Connecticut Student Loan Foundation; creates a nonprofit corporation know as the Student Loan Foundation to improve educational opportunity and promote repayment of loans; guarantees loans for expenses of education instate and out of state. http://www.cga.state.ct.us/2004/act/Pa/2004PA-00225-R00HB-05410-PA.htm
Title: H.B. 5410
Source: Connecticut Legislative Web site |
Teaching Quality |
Signed into law 06/2004 |
P-12 |
Requires local and regional boards of education that employ athletic coaches to require the coaches' immediate supervisor to evaluate them on an annual basis; concerns due process in termination of coaches; provides a procedure for the nonrenewal of a coach's contract. http://www.cga.state.ct.us/2004/act/Pa/2004PA-00243-R00SB-00535-PA.htm
Title: S.B. 535
Source: Connecticut Legislative Web site |
Curriculum--International Education |
Signed into law 05/2004 |
P-12 |
Encourages international studies programs; encourages the development of international education opportunities and programs; requires the Commissioner of Education to establish an international education advisory committee to explore international opportunities for learning, exchange programs and the availability of curriculum materials for students, teacher, administrators and educational policy makers. http://www.cga.state.ct.us/2004/act/Pa/2004PA-00153-R00HB-05577-PA.htm
Title: H.B. 5577
Source: Connecticut Legislative Web site |
Finance--Facilities |
Signed into law 05/2004 |
P-12 |
Provides that if a town, whose school district is the priority district with the largest student enrollment, uses federal funds to finance school construction projects, such funds shall be deemed to be part of the town's local share for such projects; provides any local or regional board of education that scheduled a graduation date for students and has been force to close the building for emergency repairs, may hold the graduation on that date, if certain conditions are met. http://www.cga.state.ct.us/2004/act/Pa/2004PA-00251-R00SB-00343-PA.htm
Title: S.B. 343
Source: Connecticut Legislative Web site |
Postsecondary Affordability--Financial Aid |
Signed into law 05/2004 |
Postsec.,
Community College |
Concerning the deadline for depositing political contributions and authorizes town committees to contribute to scholarships. http://www.cga.state.ct.us/2004/act/Pa/2004PA-00112-R00HB-05499-PA.htm
Title: H.B. 5499
Source: Connecticut Legislative Web site |
Reading/Literacy |
Signed into law 05/2004 |
Postsec. |
Concerning teacher education programs at institutions of higher education; requires teacher training programs to include literacy training. http://www.cga.state.ct.us/2004/act/Pa/2004PA-00075-R00HB-05507-PA.htm
Title: H.B. 5507
Source: Connecticut Legislative web site |
Teaching Quality--Certification and Licensure |
Signed into law 05/2004 |
P-12 |
Concerning national board certification; allows nationally board certified teachers with certain teaching experience in another state and the completion of certain educational requirements to qualify for certification in this state. http://www.cga.state.ct.us/2004/act/Pa/2004PA-00138-R00SB-00536-PA.htm
Title: S.B. 536
Source: Connecticut Legislative Web site |
Teaching Quality--Evaluation and Effectiveness |
Signed into law 05/2004 |
P-12 |
Concerning teachers' evaluations; makes the failure to follow the procedures of evaluation programs subject to the grievance procedure in collective bargaining agreements. http://www.cga.state.ct.us/2004/act/Pa/2004PA-00137-R00SB-00533-PA.htm
Title: S.B. 533
Source: Connecticut Legislative Web site |
Technology--Devices/Software/Hardware |
Signed into law 05/2004 |
P-12 |
Concerning education technology programs; requires schools to consider wireless technology in planning school construction projects and to transfer curriculum-related programs concerning technology for instructional purposes to the Department of Education. http://www.cga.state.ct.us/2004/act/Pa/2004PA-00057-R00SB-00531-PA.htm
Title: S.B. 531
Source: Connecticut Legislative Web site |
Textbooks and Open Source |
Signed into law 05/2004 |
Postsec.,
Community College |
Requires the Commissioner of Higher Education to examine ways to maximize the combined purchasing power of the constituent units of the state system of higher education and independent institutions of higher education in order to ensure that textbooks are priced and sold at a reasonable cost to students enrolled at those institutions. http://www.cga.state.ct.us/2004/act/sa/2004SA-00003-R00SB-00461-SA.htm
Title: S.B. 461
Source: Connecticut Legislative Web site |
P-3 |
Signed into law 04/2004 |
P-12 |
Concerning school readiness staff qualifications; eases staff shortages without diminishing the quality of individuals employed for school readiness programs by amending staff qualifications; includes Head Start and special education. http://www.cga.state.ct.us/2004/act/Pa/2004PA-00015-R00HB-05428-PA.htm
Title: H.B. 5428
Source: Connecticut Legislative Web site |
Finance--Facilities |
Signed into law 03/2004 |
Postsec. |
Concerns an authorization of bonds of the state for higher education capital improvements and other purposes; implements the Governors budget recommendations. http://www.cga.state.ct.us/2004/act/Pa/2004PA-00003-R00SB-00030-PA.htm
Title: S.B. 30
Source: Connecticut Legislative Web site |
Finance |
Signed into law 08/2003 |
P-12 |
Concerns the general budget and revenue implementation; makes provisions regarding funding for children requiring special education; amends provisions regarding re-evaluation or withdrawal of consent in special education cases; makes grants to regional educational service centers. http://www.cga.state.ct.us/2003/act/Pa/2003PA-00006-R00HB-06806SS2-PA.htm
Title: H.B. 6806
Source: Connecticut Legislative Web site |
Health |
Signed into law 07/2003 |
P-12 |
Allows certain school staff members to use an automatic prefilled cartridge injector or similar automatic injectable equipment used to deliver epinephrine in a standard dose for emergency first aid response to allergic reactions on students, and provides protection for nonprofit organizations that sponsor programs that may be attended by children who may require cartridge injectors. http://www.cga.state.ct.us/asp/cgabillstatus/cgabillstatus.asp?selBillType=Bill&bill_num=5931&which_year=2003
Title: H.B. 5931
Source: Connecticut Legislative Web site |
Scheduling/School Calendar--Extended Day Programs |
Signed into law 07/2003 |
P-12 |
Establishes a state "after-school committee" to make recommendations on a state-wide after school system through enhanced agency coordination, maximization of public and private funding and community partnerships. http://www.cga.state.ct.us/asp/cgabillstatus/cgabillstatus.asp?selBillType=Bill&bill_num=5723&which_year=2003&SUBMIT.x=10&SUBMIT.y=10
Title: H.B. 5723
Source: Connecticut Legislative Web site |
Teaching Quality--Compensation and Diversified Pay--Retirement/Benefits |
Signed into law 07/2003 |
P-12 |
Concerns the reemployment of retired teachers; purchases additional credited service in the Teachers' Retirement System, the excess earning account, credit for service with certain bargaining organizations, and payments for additional credited service purchased by boards of education and makes changes in the teachers' retirement system. http://www.cga.state.ct.us/asp/cgabillstatus/cgabillstatus.asp?selBillType=Bill&bill_num=6696&which_year=2003&SUBMIT.x=19&SUBMIT.y=9
Title: H.B. 6696
Source: Connecticut Legislative Web site |
Adult Basic Education |
Signed into law 06/2003 |
P-12 |
Defines an adult as a person who is not enrolled in a public school program, eliminates the requirement that local or regional board of education eligible expenditures for adult education for computer equipment not exceed five per cent of the total expenditure for adult education during a fiscal year, requires a student to take at least one-half credit course in civics and American government before receiving a diploma. http://www.cga.state.ct.us/asp/cgabillstatus/cgabillstatus.asp?selBillType=Bill&bill_num=966&which_year=2003&SUBMIT.x=17&SUBMIT.y=14
Title: S.B. 966
Source: Connecticut Legislative Web site |
Adult Basic Education |
Signed into law 06/2003 |
P-12,
Postsec. |
Establishes a pilot program to expand adult education opportunities for incumbent workers (individuals who are employed in this state, but who are in need of additional skills, training or education in order to upgrade employment). http://www.cga.state.ct.us/asp/cgabillstatus/cgabillstatus.asp?selBillType=Bill&bill_num=6634&which_year=2003&SUBMIT.x=6&SUBMIT.y=7
Title: H.B. 6634
Source: Connecticut |
Assessment |
Signed into law 06/2003 |
P-12 |
Requires testing in compliance with the No Child Left Behind Act; states an elementary teaching endorsement is valid for kindergarten to grade 6 and a comprehensive special education teaching endorsement is valid for kindergarten to grade 12; requires the state board of education to establish requirements for subject area endorsements; requires teacher certification to include teaching experience in birth-to three programs approved by the Department of Mental Retardation. http://www.cga.state.ct.us/2003/act/Pa/2003PA-00168-R00SB-01155-PA.htm
Title: S.B. 1155
Source: Connecticut Legislative Web site |
Assessment--High Stakes/Competency |
Signed into law 06/2003 |
P-12 |
Revises statutes to allow student scores on grade 10 mastery exams to be added to the student's permanent record and transcipt for a student who meets or exceeds the state-wide mastery goal level for any component of the exam; students passing componets of the mastery exam should be issued a certificate of mastery for each component.
http://prdbasis.cga.state.ct.us/2003/act/Pa/2003PA-00174-R00SB-01093-PA.htm
Title: S.B. 1093 § 1
Source: Connecticut Legislative Web site |
At-Risk (incl. Dropout Prevention) |
Signed into law 06/2003 |
P-12 |
Acknowledges and address special education needs of children in the juvenile justice system. http://www.cga.state.ct.us/asp/cgabillstatus/cgabillstatus.asp?selBillType=Bill&bill_num=6391&which_year=2003&SUBMIT.x=14&SUBMIT.y=13
Title: H.B. 6391
Source: Connecticut Legislative Web site |
At-Risk (incl. Dropout Prevention) |
Signed into law 06/2003 |
P-12 |
Requires the State Prevention Council to determine long-term goals, strategies and outcome measures to promote the health and well being of children and families including; early intervention strategies, an increase in healthy pregnant women and newborns, a decrease in child neglect and abuse, an increase in school-ready children, an increase in children who succeed in school, a decrease in children who are unsupervised after school and a decrease in juvenile suicide and crime. http://www.cga.state.ct.us/2003/act/Pa/2003PA-00145-R00SB-00886-PA.htm
Title: S.B. 886
Source: Connecticut Legislative Web site |
Business Involvement |
Signed into law 06/2003 |
P-12 |
Permits the donation of teaching services by private sector specialists in workforce shortage areas identified by the Labor Commissioner and the Office of Workforce Competitiveness. http://www.cga.state.ct.us/asp/cgabillstatus/cgabillstatus.asp?selBillType=Bill&bill_num=5841&which_year=2003&SUBMIT.x=11&SUBMIT.y=6
Title: H.B. 5841
Source: Connecticut Legislative web site |
Civic Education |
Signed into law 06/2003 |
P-12 |
Establishes an official state-wide student voter registration drive; encourages students to learn about civics and participate in the democratic process. http://www.cga.state.ct.us/asp/cgabillstatus/cgabillstatus.asp?selBillType=Bill&bill_num=646&which_year=2003&SUBMIT.x=14&SUBMIT.y=13
Title: S.B. 646
Source: Connecticut Legislative Web site |
Civic Education |
Signed into law 06/2003 |
P-12 |
Encourages student to participate in the election process by serving as poll workers. http://www.cga.state.ct.us/2003/act/Pa/2003PA-00108-R00SB-00647-PA.htm
Title: S.B. 647
Source: Connecticut Legislative Web site |
Teaching Quality--Certification and Licensure--Highly Qualified Teachers |
Signed into law 06/2003 |
P-12 |
Requires teachers to achieve a satisfactory evaluation on a professional knowledge clinical assessment no later than the end of the second year of teaching in a public school if hired prior to January 1; or if hired on or after January 1,no later than the end of the second full school year of teaching following the year in which the person was hired. The clinical assessment requirement does not apply to teachers who have successfully completed three years of teaching in a public or nonpublic schools approved by the appropriate state board of education during the 10 years preceding the application or who successfully taught with a provisional certificate during the year preceding the application for a provisional certificate. Provides exceptions.
http://prdbasis.cga.state.ct.us/2003/act/Pa/2003PA-00174-R00SB-01093-PA.htm
Title: S.B. 1093 § 2
Source: Connecticut Legislative Web site |
Teaching Quality--Induction Programs and Mentoring |
Signed into law 06/2003 |
P-12 |
Allows the department of education to fund (within available appropriations) in cooperation with one or more regional educational service centers: (1) a cooperating teacher training program; (2) institutes to provide continuing education; and (3) a beginning teacher support and assessment program. http://prdbasis.cga.state.ct.us/2003/act/Pa/2003PA-00174-R00SB-01093-PA.htm
Title: S.B. 1093 § 3
Source: Connecticut Legislative Web site |
Postsecondary |
Signed into law 05/2003 |
Postsec. |
Concerns student members of the armed forces called to active duty during a semester and college course fees; ensures that members of the armed services that are called to active duty during the school year get to take the classes they paid for, without additional charge. http://www.cga.state.ct.us/asp/cgabillstatus/cgabillstatus.asp?selBillType=Bill&bill_num=6199&which_year=2003&SUBMIT.x=15&SUBMIT.y=11
Title: H.B. 6199
Source: Connecticut Legislative Web site |
Health |
Signed into law 04/2003 |
P-12,
Postsec. |
Allows institutions of higher education to save resources currently used to collect information that has already been collected by Connecticut high schools; relates to proof of immunization against measles and rubella.
Title: H.B. 6373
Source: StateNet |
Teaching Quality |
Signed into law 04/2003 |
P-12 |
Allows school districts to pay paraprofessional on a year round basis; defines paraprofessional as an employee of a local or regional board of education who holds a position that does not require a certificate issued by the State Board of Education and who serves as an instructional or administrative assistant for such local or regional board of education. http://www.cga.state.ct.us/2003/fc/2003HB-05289-R000058-FC.htm
Title: H.B. 5289
Source: Connecticut Legislative Web site |
Accountability--Sanctions/Interventions |
Repealed 09/2002 |
P-12 |
In 1999, the State Board of Education prepared a list of elementary and middle schools, by school district, that are in need of improvement based on student performance and performance trends on the state-wide mastery examinations. A new list will be prepared on or before February 1, 2003, and every three years thereafter. On or before January 1, 2000, April 1, 2003, and every three years thereafter, the superintendent of schools in districts that have a school on the list must meet with the Commissioner of Education, or the commissioner's designee, to discuss the process for improving school performance. The schools on the list are required to develop a school improvement plan, and take the necessary steps to become accredited by the New England Association of Schools and Colleges. The improvement plan is to be developed in consultation with the school's principal, teachers and the parents of students attending the school and must include criteria for use in measuring progress. The department of education will provide assistance on the development of these plans. Once completed, the improvement plans must be submitted to the department for review and comments, and then to the local board of education for approval. The plan is to be implemented at the beginning of the school year following approval. Enabling Legislation:
C.G.S. 10-223 b-c
Title: C.G.S. 10-223 b-c
Source: http://www.state.ct.us/sde/dsi/accountability/AcctFactsheet2001.PDF |
Bilingual/ESL |
Signed into law 09/2002 |
P-12 |
Amends the provisions concerning the exemptions of limited English proficient special education students from participation in the state mastery testing program (Sec. 5)
Title: H.B. 6004 (Special Session Act No. 02-7)
Source: http://www.state.ct.us/sde/commish/ |
Choice of Schools--Magnet or Specialized Schools |
Signed into law 09/2002 |
P-12 |
Requires interdistrict magnet schools that begin operations after July 1, 2005 to limit the percentage of students from one district that enroll to 75% and requires students of racial minority to comprise at least 25% and not more than 75% of school's enrollment. Requires the Commissioner to consider the proposed operating budget and the funding sources when determining whether an application for an interdistrict magnet school operating grant will be approved. Allows the Commissioner, within available appropriations, to provide supplemental grants to enhance educational programs in interdistrict magnet schools for the fiscal years ending June 30, 2003, and June 30, 2004 (Sec. 110).
Title: H.B. 6004 (Special Session Act No. 02-7
Source: www.state.ct.us/sde/commish |
No Child Left Behind |
Signed into law 09/2002 |
P-12 |
Requires the Commissioner of Education to prepare a state-wide education accountability plan in conformance with the federal No Child Left Behind Act and provides for a transition from the state's program identifying schools in need of improvement to a program consistent with federal laws and regulations.Directs the Department of Education to create a state-wide public school information system.(Secs.6, and 7)
Title: H.B. 6004 (Special Session Act No. 02-7)
Source: www.state.ct.us/sde/commish |
No Child Left Behind |
Active 07/2002 |
P-12 |
2002 Consolidated Plan (revised 7/19/02): http://www.state.ct.us/sde/whatsnew/eseafa02v2.doc
Source: Connecticut Department of Education Web site |
Parent/Family |
Signed into law 07/2002 |
P-12,
Postsec. |
This bill permits judges and family support magistrates to order divorcing parents and fathers subject to paternity orders to support their offspring who enroll in accredited college or vocational programs after high school until they reach age 23. It specifies criteria the court must consider and conditions the parents and students must satisfy. It applies to cases where the first child support order is entered on or after October 1, 2002. Parents must ask the court to enter such orders, and can do so at any time before the child's 23rd birthday.
The bill states that it does not create a right of action by a child for parental support for higher education and that its coverage does not include support for graduate or post-graduate education.
Title: HB 5088
Source: State website |
Postsecondary |
Signed into law 07/2002 |
Postsec. |
This bill prohibits smoking in any dormitory room in a public college or university. Current law specifically exempts such dorm rooms from the general prohibition on smoking in public buildings. That general prohibition permits designating smoking areas in public buildings and would apparently allow college officials to designate places in dormitories where people could smoke.
By law, no one can be arrested for smoking in a room where it is prohibited unless a sign indicating the prohibition is posted there.
Title: HB 5290
Source: State website |
Assessment |
Passed 06/2002 |
P-12 |
The Board, pursuant to Section 10-17f of the Connecticut General Statutes and the requirements of the No Child Left Behind
legislation, approved the LAS as the instrument to annually assess the acquisition of English of all limited-English-proficient
students and the following proficiency standards: . Kindergarten, a score of 5 on a scale of 1-5 on the Pre-LAS, Oral;
. Grades 1-12, a score of 5 on a scale of 1-5 on the LAS, Oral; and Grades 2-12, a score of 3 on a scale of 1-3 on the LAS, Reading and Writing. While these scores represent the maximum score on the tests, they only represent an English proficiency level sufficient to exit
LEP services. The No Child Left Behind Act requires, in part, an annual linguistic assessment for all LEP students in Grades
K-12. The law also requires the Department to collect and monitor the results of the linguistic assessments for each school and
to report the results to the U.S. Department of Education biennially.
Source: http://www.state.ct.us/sde/board/June02.pdf |
Civic Education |
Signed into law 06/2002 |
P-12 |
Requires local and regional boards to establish policies addressing bullying in the schools. Policies must include components set out in legislation, including a system enabling students to anonymously report acts of bullying to teachers and school administrators. Also requires each regional and local board of education to develop a policy allowing for time each school day for students to recite the Pledge of Allegiance. This, however, does not require any person to recite the Pledge of Allegiance.
Title: H.B. 5425
Source: Lexis-Nexis |
Finance |
Signed into law 06/2002 |
P-12,
Postsec. |
Requires the issuance of United We Stand commemorative number plates, most funds from which are to go to the commemorative account. Establishes "United We Stand commemorative account, 50% of which is to pay tuition and fees waivers at the University of Connecticut, Connecticut State University or the regional regional community-technical colleges to the dependent child or surving spouse of any state resident who was a terrorist victim of the September 11, 2001 attacks or died in the anthrax attacks September-December 31, 2001. Establishes September 11 of each year as Remembrance Day. Suitable exercises are to be held in the state capitol and elsewhere as the governor designates for the observance of the day.
Title: S.B. 102
Source: Lexis-Nexis/StateNet |
Middle School |
Signed into law 06/2002 |
P-12 |
Allows the Board of Governors of Higher Education to establish and administer within the general fund a GEAR Up for Connecticut futures account. State treasurer may invest any moneys in the account not needed for current disbursement for scholarships, with interest from investments credited to the account.
Title: H.B. 5498
Source: Lexis-Nexis/StateNet |
School Safety |
Signed into law 06/2002 |
P-12 |
Establishes as sexual assault in the second degree any incidence of sexual intercourse between a coach or a person who provides intensive, ongoing instruction and a recipient of such coaching or instruction who is a secondary school student or under 18. Establishes as fourth degree sexual assault any incidence of sexual contact between a coach or a person who provides intensive, ongoing instruction and a recipient of such coaching or instruction who is a secondary school student or under 18. Establishes coaches as mandated reporters. Increases fine for failure of mandated reporters to report to $500-$2,500.
Title: H.B. 5722
Source: Lexis-Nexis/StateNet |
Teaching Quality--Compensation and Diversified Pay--Retirement/Benefits |
Signed into law 06/2002 |
P-12 |
Lowers threshold from 20 to 18 days substitute or half days or less of service that are to equal one month of credited service for purposes of additional credited service purchased from the teacher retirement system.
Title: S.B. 635
Source: Lexis-Nexis/StateNet |
Health |
Signed into law 05/2002 |
P-12 |
Mandates that the Commissioner of Education and Public Health create plan for the colocation where possible of family resource centers and school-based health clinics in order to improve access to services and to make the delivery of services more cost-efficient. http://www.cga.state.ct.us/2002/act/Pa/2002PA-00036-R00HB-05179-PA.htm
Title: H.B. 5179
Source: www.cga.state.ct.us |
Health--Child Abuse |
Signed into law 05/2002 |
P-12 |
Lengthens statutes of limitations in cases of sexual abuse, sexual exploitation or sexual assault of a minor to 30 years from date of victim's attainment of age of majority. Adds section stating that in certain cases of recovering damages for personal injury caused by sexual assault to a minor, there is no statute of limitations. Defines as Class B felony actions placing child in endangerment. Makes sexual assault in the first degree a class A felony if the victim is under 16. Expands list of those professionals mandated to report suspected child abuse or neglect. Establishes educational training program for accurate and prompt identification and reporting of child abuse and neglect, available to all mandated reporters. Requires that any mandated reporter who does not report must participate in an educational and training program; reduces maximum time in whic reporting must take place to within 12 hours. Allows state telephone hotline for child abuse to accept information from anyone. States that teacher records held by local or regional boards which are records of the personal misconduct of a teacher are public records and subject to disclosure. Disclosure of such records of a teacher's personal misconduct does not require the consent of the teacher.
Title: H.B. 5680
Source: Lexis-Nexis/StateNet |
Students |
Signed into law 05/2002 |
P-12 |
Extends to 2007 the expiration date of the law allowing fifteen-year-old minors to work in mercantile establishments such as supermarkets and department stores as store baggers, cashiers and stock clerks; establishes limits on hours of work. http://www.cga.state.ct.us/2002/act/Pa/2002PA-00044-R00HB-05062-PA.htm
Title: H.B. 5062
Source: www.cga.state.ct.us |
P-3 |
Signed into law 07/2001 |
P-12 |
Concerns education and equitable wages for early childhood education professionals; increases the number of highly qualified early childhood education professionals.
Title: H.B. 6931
Source: Lexis-Nexis/StateNet |
Assessment |
Signed into law 06/2001 |
P-12 |
Changes the academic year that students take the Connecticut Academic Performance Test from the sophomore to the junior year.
Title: S.B. 1175
Source: Lexis-Nexis/StateNet |
Assessment--Accommodations |
Signed into law 06/2001 |
P-12 |
Limits the exemptions from the Connecticut Master Test and the Connecticut Academic Performance Test for limited-English-proficient students to students enrolled for one year or less, rather than three years or less, in a program of bilingual education or English as a second language.
Title: H.B. 6751
Source: Lexis-Nexis/StateNet |
Postsecondary |
Signed into law 06/2001 |
Postsec. |
Requires meningitis vaccinations of college students living in on-campus housing.
Title: H.B. 5675
Source: Lexis-Nexis/StateNet |
Postsecondary Institutions--Community/Technical Colleges |
Signed into law 06/2001 |
P-12,
Postsec. |
Encourages the development of an articulation agreement between the constituent units of the state system of higher education and independent colleges and universities located in this state.
Title: S.B. 1366
Source: Lexis-Nexis/StateNet |
Accountability--Rewards |
Signed into law 06/2000 |
P-12 |
Concerns underperforming schools; provides grants for boards of education with schools in need of improvement; provides for partnerships with public libraries; provides for actions necessary to become accredited; improves literacy and parental involvement; provides merit bonuses for teachers improving schools in need; states no funds from grants shall be used to supplement funding to boards of education of such schools; requires expenditure reports filed with Department of Education.
Title: H.B. 5737
Source: Lexis-Nexis/StateNet |
High School |
Signed into law 06/2000 |
P-12 |
Provides that the Department of Education shall establish a competitive grant program for high school projects that involve one or more of the following topics: computers, engineering, physics, mathematics, science or technical construction; allows local and regional boards of education to apply on behalf of a high school under their jurisdiction.
Title: H.B. 5231
Source: Lexis-Nexis/StateNet |
Leadership |
Signed into law 06/2000 |
P-12 |
Bars State Board of Education from issuing a teacher or administrator license to anyone convicted of certain felonies for 5 years after serving sentence; makes changes in education law relative to employees suspected of child abuse,
Title: H.B. 5317
Source: Lexis-Nexis/StateNet |
Postsecondary Affordability--Financial Aid |
Signed into law 06/2000 |
Postsec. |
Allows towns to establish local scholarship funds for financial assistance for postsecondary education for residents; provides for a check-off on local motor vehicle property tax bills for donations to such scholarship.
Title: H.B. 5664
Source: Lexis-Nexis/StateNet |
Adult Basic Education |
Signed into law 05/2000 |
P-12 |
00-124., Allows local and regional boards of education to award high school diplomas to wartime veterans who did not earn their diplomas because they withdrew from school to join the armed forces.
Title: S.B. 154
Source: Lexis-Nexis/StateNet |
Attendance |
Signed into law 05/2000 |
P-12 |
Starting July 1, 2001, this act requires students to stay in school until age 18, instead of age 16, unless their parents consent to their leaving school before they turn 18 or graduate. The parent must appear at the school district office to sign a form withdrawing the student from school, at which time the school district must provide the parent with information about educational options available in the school system and in the community.
The act extends local school districts' existing responsibility for ensuring that all school age children who live in the district attend school to cover 16- and 17-year-olds who do not have permission to drop out. It does not change the requirement that local districts to offer alternative educational opportunities to expelled students only if they are under age 16.
Title: H.B. 5276
Source: http://www.cga.state.ct.us/olr/2000MPA/education.htm |
High School |
Signed into law 05/2000 |
P-12 |
Requires one half credit in civics as part of the 3 credit social studies requirement for high school graduation.
Title: H.B. 5274
Source: Lexis-Nexis/StateNet |
Parent/Family |
Signed into law 05/2000 |
P-12 |
Expands responsibilities of surrogate parents appointed by Education Commissioner to represent children who may require special education in the absence of their real parents; monitors success; requires local school boards to notify said parents of discipline policies, suspensions and expulsions like regular parents; relates to disclosure of information in special education hearings; grants funds to local districts and magnet schools evenly; approves sheltered workshop training.
Title: H.B. 5316
Source: Lexis-Nexis/StateNet |
Special Education |
Signed into law 05/2000 |
P-12 |
Establishes a Braille Literacy Advisory Council to review braille literacy and assess availability of services to school children, collect data on frequency with which an individualized education plan contains a recommendation or determination that an impaired child should not be taught braille and the reasons therefor, evaluate learning media assessments, develop a plan to attract qualified teachers, and assess methods to improve coordination of State and local education agencies.
Title: H.B. 5531
Source: Lexis-Nexis/StateNet |
Teaching Quality--Recruitment and Retention |
Signed into law 05/2000 |
P-12 |
The act provides incentives to encourage students to enter high-tech fields, including pilot scholarship and loan reimbursement programs for students interested in high-tech fields. It also requires the State Board of Education to adopt computer technology competency standards for K-12 students.
Title: sHB 5737
Source: http://www.cga.state.ct.us/olr/2000MPA/education.htm |
Teaching Quality--Unions/Collective Bargaining |
Signed into law 05/2000 |
P-12 |
Allows local and regional boards of education and unions to agree to wage payment schedules that differ from the statutory requirement that all wages be fully paid within 8 days of the end of the preceding pay period.
Title: H.B. 5157
Source: Lexis-Nexis/StateNet |
Teaching Quality--Evaluation and Effectiveness |
Signed into law 04/2000 |
P-12 |
Strengthens the relationship between teacher evaluations and the provisions for teacher dismissal for incompetence.
Title: H.B. 5275
Source: Lexis-Nexis/StateNet |