SB 932 — AN ACT CONCERNING THE STAFF QUALIFICATIONS REQUIREMENT FOR EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATORS.

General Assembly SubstituteRaised Bill No.

932 January Session, 2019 ANLCO ACTNo. CONCERNING THE STAFF QUALIFICATIONS REQUIREMENT FOR EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATORS.

4177 Referred to Committee on EDUCATION Introduced by:

(ED) AN ACT CONCERNING THE STAFF QUALIFICATIONS REQUIREMENT FOR EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATORS.

For purposes of this section and section 10-16u, school readiness program providers eligible for funding from the office shall include local and regional boards of education, regional educational service centers, family resource centers and providers of child care centers, as [defined]defined described in section 19a-77, Head Start programs, preschool programs and other programs that meet [such] any standards established by the commissioner.

The standards may include, but need not be limited to, guidelines for staff-child interactions, curriculum content, including preliteracy development, lesson plans, [parent] parental involvement, staff qualifications and training, transition to school and administration.LCO No.

4177 1 of 6 Raised Bill No.932 administration.

The commissioner, in consultation with the president of the Connecticut State Colleges and Universities, the Commissioners of Education and Social Services and other appropriate entities, shall LCOdevelop \\PRDFS1\SCOUSERS\FORZANOF\WS\2019SB-00932-R01a ofprofessional 6development SB.docxprogram Substitutefor Billthe No.staff of school readiness programs.

932 develop a professional development program for the staff of school readiness programs.

or (vi) a bachelor's degree with a concentration in early childhood education from an institution of higher education thatLCO isNo. regionally accredited;

(B)4177 From2 Julyof 1,6 [2020]Raised 2022,Bill untilNo.932 June 30, [2023] 2025, "staff qualifications" means that foris eachregionally earlyaccredited; childhood education program accepting state funds for infant, toddler and preschool spaces LCO {\\PRDFS1\SCOUSERS\FORZANOF\WS\2019SB-00932 of 6 R01-SB.docx } Substitute Bill No.

932(B) From July 1, [2020] 2022, until June 30, [2023] 2025, "staff qualifications" means that for each early childhood education program accepting state funds for infant, toddler and preschool spaces associated with such program's child care program or school readiness program, (i) at least fifty per cent of those individuals with the primary responsibility for a classroom of children (I) hold certification pursuant to section 10-145b with an endorsement in early childhood education or early childhood special education, (II) have been issued an early childhood teacher credential, pursuant to section 10-520b, (III) hold at least [a bachelor's] an associate degree with a concentration in early childhood education from an institution of higher education that is regionally accredited, or (IV) satisfy the requirements of subdivision (3), (4) or (5) of this subsection, and (ii) such remaining individuals with the primary responsibility for a classroom of children hold [anan associate degree with a concentration in early childhood education from an institution of higher education that is regionally accredited;

and][and] a(C) From July 1, 2025, until June 30, 2029, "staff qualifications" means that for each early childhood developmenteducation associateprogram credentialaccepting state funds for infant, toddler and preschool spaces associated with such program's child care program or anschool equivalentreadiness credentialprogram, issued(i) byat anleast organizationfifty approvedper bycent of those individuals with the commissionerprimary andresponsibility twelvefor creditsa orclassroom moreof children (I) hold certification pursuant to section 10-145b with an endorsement in early childhood education or childearly development,childhood asspecial determinededucation, by(II) thehave commissionerbeen orissued thean presidentearly ofchildhood theteacher Connecticutcredential, Statepursuant Collegesto andsection Universities,10-520b, after(III) consultationhold at least a bachelor's degree with thea commissioner,concentration in early childhood education from an institution of higher education (I)that accreditedis byregionally accredited, or (IV) satisfy the Boardrequirements of Regentssubdivision for(3), Higher(4) Education or Office(5) of Higherthis Education,subsection, and (II)(ii) such remaining individuals with the primary responsibility for a classroom of children hold an associate degree with a concentration in early childhood education from an institution of higher education that is regionally accredited;

(C) From July 1, 2025, until June 30, 2029, "staff qualifications" means that for each early childhood education program accepting state funds for infant, toddler and preschool spaces associated with such program's child care program or school readiness program, (i) at least fifty per cent of those individuals with the primary responsibility for a classroom of children (I) hold certification pursuant to section 10-145b with an endorsement in early childhood education or early childhood special education, (II) have been issued an early childhood teacher credential, pursuant to subdivision (2) of section 10-520b, (III) hold at least a bachelor's degree with a concentration in early childhood education from an institution of higher education that is regionally accredited, or (IV) satisfy the requirements of subdivision (3), (4) or (5) of this subsection, and (ii) such remaining individuals with the LCO {\\PRDFS1\SCOUSERS\FORZANOF\WS\2019SB-009323 of 6 R01-SB.docx } Substitute Bill No.

9324177 3 of 6 Raised Bill No.932 [(C)] (D) On and after July 1, [2023] 2029, "staff qualifications" means that for each early childhood education program accepting state funds for infant, toddler and preschool spaces associated with such program's child care program or school readiness program, one hundred per cent of those individuals with the primary responsibility for a classroom of children (I)(i) hold certification pursuant to section 10- 145b with an associateendorsement in early childhood education or early childhood special education, (ii) have been issued an early childhood teacher credential, pursuant to subdivision (2) of section 10-520b, (iii) hold at least a bachelor's degree with a concentration in early childhood education from an institution of higher education that is regionally accredited, or (II)(iv) havesatisfy beenthe issuedrequirements anof earlysubdivision childhood(3), teacher(4) credential,or pursuant(5) to subdivision (1) of sectionthis 10-520b;subsection.

and(3) [(C)]Any (D)individual Onwith anda afterbachelor's Julydegree 1,in [2023] 2029, "staff qualifications" means that for each early childhood education programor acceptingchild statedevelopment fundsor fora infant,bachelor's toddlerdegree and preschooltwelve spacescredits associatedor withmore suchin program'searly childchildhood careeducation program or schoolchild readinessdevelopment, program,who, oneon hundredor perbefore centJune of30, those2015, individualsis withemployed theby primary responsibility for a classroom of children (i) hold certification pursuant to section 10- 145b with an endorsement in early childhood education orprogram earlythat childhoodaccepts specialstate education,funds (ii)for haveinfant, beentoddler issuedand anpreschool earlyspaces childhoodassociated teacherwith credential,such pursuantprogram's tochild subdivisioncare (2)program ofor sectionschool 10-520b,readiness (iii)program holdshall atbe leastconsidered ato bachelor'smeet degreethe withstaff aqualifications concentrationrequired inunder earlysubparagraphs childhood(B), education[and] from(C) anand institution(D) of higher education that is regionally accredited, or (iv) satisfy the requirements of subdivision (3),(2) (4) or (5) of this subsection.

(3) Any individual with a bachelor's degree in early childhood education or child development or a bachelor's degree and twelve credits or more in early childhood education or child development, who, on or before June 30, 2015, is employed by an early childhood education program that accepts state funds for infant, toddler and preschool spaces associated with such program's child care program or school readiness program shall be considered to meet the staff qualifications required under subparagraphs (B) [and (C)] to (D), inclusive, of subdivision (2) of this subsection.

(4) Any individual with an associate degree or a bachelor's degree in early childhood education or child development or an associate degree LCOor {\\PRDFS1\SCOUSERS\FORZANOF\WS\2019SB-00934a bachelor's degree and twelve credits or more in early childhood education or child development from an institution of 6higher R01-SB.docxeducation }that Substituteis Billregionally accredited, other than an associate degree or a bachelor's degree with a concentration in early childhood education, may submit documentation concerning such degree for review and assessment by the office as to whether such degree has a sufficient concentration in early childhood education so as to satisfy LCO No.

9324177 or4 a bachelor's degree and twelve credits or more in early childhood education or child development from an institution of higher6 educationRaised thatBill isNo.932 regionally accredited, other than an associate degree or a bachelor's degree with a concentration in early childhood education, may submit documentation concerning such degree for review and assessment by the office as to whether such degree has a sufficient concentration in early childhood education so as to satisfy the requirements set forth in subparagraphs (B)(B), [and[and] (C)](C) toand (D),(D) inclusive, of subdivision (2) of this subsection.

(5) Any individual with an associate degree with twelve credits or more in early childhood education or child development, as determined by the commissioner or the president of the Connecticut State Colleges and Universities, after consultation with the commissioner, from an institution of higher education (A) accredited by the Board of Regents for Higher Education or Office of Higher Education, and (B) regionally accredited, who has been employed in the same early childhood education program that accepts state funds for infant, toddler and preschool spaces associated with such program's child care program or school readiness program since 1995 shall be considered to meet the staff qualifications required under subparagraphs (B)(B), [and[and] (C)](C) toand (D),(D) inclusive, of subdivision (2) of this subsection until June 30, 2025.

Any such individual who terminates his or her employment with such early childhood education program on or before June 30, 2025, and accepts a position at another early childhood education program accepting state funds for spaces associated with such program's child care program or school readiness program shall submit documentation of such individual's progress toward meeting the staff qualification requirements set forth in subparagraph (B)(B), [or[or] (C)](C) toor (D),(D) inclusive, of subdivision (2) of this LCOsubsection {\\PRDFS1\SCOUSERS\FORZANOF\WS\2019SB-00935in ofa 6manner R01-SB.docxdetermined }by Substitutethe Billoffice. No.

932 subsection in a manner determined by the office.

Sec.

2.

Subsection (c) of section 10-520 of the general statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1, 2019):

(c) During a review and assessment pursuant to subdivision (4) of subsection (b) of section 10-16p, the office shall (1) review the results of the trend analysis conducted pursuant to subsection (b) of this section for the purpose of determining whether the degree of an individual with a bachelor's degree in early childhood education or child development or a bachelor's degree and twelve credits or more in early childhood education or child development, other than those bachelor's degrees specified in subparagraphs (B) [and (C)] to (D), inclusive, of subdivision (2) of subsection (b) of section 10-16p, as amended by this act, has a sufficient concentration in early childhood education so as to satisfy the requirements set forth in said subparagraphs (B) [and (C)] to (D), inclusive, and (2) consider an individual to have met the requirements set forth in said subparagraphs (B) [and (C)] to (D), inclusive, if the degree of such individual is from a bachelor's degree program in early childhood education or child development that is aligned with the teacher preparation standards of the National Association for the Education of Young Children as determined by such trend analysis.

Section 1 July 1, 2019 10-16p(b) Sec.LCO No.

24177 July5 1,of 20196 10-520(c)Raised StatementBill ofNo. Legislative Commissioners:

In932 SectionStatement 1(b)(1),of "defined"Purpose: was changed to "[defined] described" for accuracy and Section 2 was added for consistency.

EDTo Jointmake Favorablerevisions Subst.to and extend the dates of the staff qualifications requirement for early childhood educators.

LCO[Proposed {\\PRDFS1\SCOUSERS\FORZANOF\WS\2019SB-00932-6deletions ofare 6enclosed R01-SB.docxin }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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