HB 5329 — AN ACT ESTABLISHING THE CONNECTICUT EDUCATION INNOVATION GRANT PROGRAM.

General Assembly SubstituteRaised Bill No.

5329 February Session, 2026 ANLCO ACTNo. ESTABLISHING THE CONNECTICUT EDUCATION INNOVATION GRANT PROGRAM.

2096 Referred to Committee on EDUCATION Introduced by:

(ED) AN ACT ESTABLISHING THE CONNECTICUT EDUCATION INNOVATION GRANT PROGRAM.

(1) Early literacy and numeracy outcomes for students from birth to grade eight, inclusive, (2) access to and the impact of high- dosage tutoring in reading and mathematics, (3) college, career and service navigation for students and families, (4) career and early college pathways for students in middle school and high school, (5) effective family and community engagement, including, but not limited to, language access, (6) staffing and talent(6) managementany models,priority including,areas butestablished notby limitedthe to,Commissioner differentiatedof compensation,Education masterthat educatoralign andwith team-teachingthe models,goals (7)of districtimproving andeducational administrativeaccess structures, and (8)outcomes. play-based learning, as defined in section 10-24f of the general statutes.

(b) Any local or regional board of education, regional educational service center, governing council of a charter school or other public or LCO 1 of 4 Substitute Bill No.

53292096 1 of 4 Raised Bill No.5329 (b) Any local or regional board of education, regional educational service center, governing council of a charter school or other public or nonprofit education provider approved by the Commissioner of Education may apply, in the form and manner specified by the commissioner, for a grant under the Connecticut Education Innovation Grant Program to plan, implement or scale an education innovation project.

The commissioner shall not waive theany provisionsrequirement ofrelated part I of chapter 166 of the general statutes, chapters 169 and 172 of the general statutes and sections 10-14n to 10-14w,student inclusive,health 10-15, 10-16, 10-16b, 10-76d, 10-186, 10-221a, 10-223e, 10-226a to 10-226h, inclusive, and 10-233csafety, ofcivil therights, generalspecial statutes,education, anystudent requirementdata relatedprivacy to a state-approved literacy or numeracyeducator instructionalcertification modelstandards. or any requirement of federal law.

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53292096 2 of 4 Raised Bill No.5329 (3) The commissioner may terminate a waiver prior to the expiration ofthewaiverperiodorgrantperiodifthecommissionerdeterminesthat (A) an applicant has failed to make satisfactory progress toward the goals ofthe project, or (B) continuation of theproject is inconsistent with state education goals.

(NEW)(l)For thefiscal year ending June30,2027, andeach fiscalyear LCO 3 of 4 Substitute Bill No.

53292096 thereafter,3 any district that has received a grant under the Connecticut Education Innovation Grant Program, established pursuant to section 1 of this4 act,Raised duringBill suchNo. fiscal year shall not be required to include the amount of such grant in the calculation of such district's budgeted appropriation for education for the subsequent fiscal year.

5329 (NEW)(l)For thefiscal year ending June30,2027, andeach fiscalyear thereafter, any district that has received a grant under the Connecticut Education Innovation Grant Program, established pursuant to section 1 of this act, during such fiscal year shall not be required to include the amount of such grant in the calculation of such district's budgeted appropriation for education for the subsequent fiscal year.

2 July 1, 2026 10-262j(l) EDStatement Jointof FavorablePurpose: Subst.

C/RTo APPrequire LCOthe 4establishment of 4the Connecticut Education Innovation Grant Program to fund educational innovations in schools in the state.

[Proposed deletions are enclosed in brackets.

Proposed additions are indicated by underline, except that when the entire text of a bill or resolution or a section of a bill or resolution is new, it is not underlined.] LCO No.

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