HB 5437 — AN ACT CONCERNING EDUCATION MANDATE RELIEF, SCHOOL DISCIPLINE AND DISCONNECTED YOUTH.
Last action — SIGNED BY GOVERNOR
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✓Introduced
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✓In Committee
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✓Passed House
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✓Passed Senate
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✓To Executive
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6Enacted
This bill has been enacted into law. Introduced March 07, 2024. Enacted.
Signed by Governor Ned Lamont (Democratic) on May 21, 2024.
Prognosis
Where this bill stands today.
Odds of enactment
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Enacted
Current position in the legislative process.
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11 sponsors
11 primary, 0 co-sponsors signed on.
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Bipartisan support
Sponsored across 2 parties (7 D · 2 R) — cross-party backing.
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Cleared a recorded vote
Passed 2 recorded votes so far.
Prognosis reads this bill's own signals — stage, sponsorship breadth, committee status, recorded votes and cross-state momentum. Odds come from a model trained on which bills have become law.
Bill Text
What changed in the latest version
1309 added · 2236 removed1309 line(s) added, 2236 removed.
Substitute House ofBill Representatives File No.
6685437 GeneralPublic AssemblyAct February Session, 2024Reprint of File No.
592)24-45 SubstituteAN HouseACT BillCONCERNING No.EDUCATION MANDATE RELIEF, SCHOOL DISCIPLINE AND DISCONNECTED YOUTH.
5437 As Amended by House Amendment Schedule "A" Approved by the Legislative Commissioner May 3, 2024 AN ACT CONCERNING EDUCATION MANDATE RELIEF, SCHOOL DISCIPLINE AND DISCONNECTED YOUTH.
Such annual reports may include, but need not be limited to, (1) a review of education mandates on local and regional boards of education in the general statutes and the regulations of Connecticut state agencies for the purpose of identifying those mandates that may be burdensome or have theeffectoflimitingor restrictingtheprovisionofinstructionorservices to students, including a detailed analysis of each such mandate so identified, the specific statutory or regulation citation for such mandate sHB5437and /how Filesuch No.mandate is imposed on a board of education, and (2) any recommendations regarding the repeal of or amendment to any such sections of the general statutes or regulations of Connecticut state agencies.
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6685437 and(b) howThe suchcouncil mandateshall isconsist imposed on a board of education, and (2) any recommendations regarding the repealfollowing ofmembers: or amendment to any such sections of the general statutes or regulations of Connecticut state agencies.
(b) The council shall consist of the following members:
(8) One appointed by the Senate chairperson of the joint standing committee of the General Assembly having cognizance of matters sHB5437relating /to Fileeducation, No.who shall be a teacher in a public school in this state;
668Public sHB5437Act File No.
66824-45 relating2 toof education,43 whoSubstitute shallHouse beBill aNo. teacher in a public school in this state;
5437 (9)OneappointedbytheHouserankingmemberofthejointstanding committee of the General Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to education, who shall be a paraeducator in a public school in this state;
Such annual report shall include, but need not be limited to, (1) a review of all existing education mandates required by state law, (2)the costs incurred by local and regional boards of education resulting from the implementation of such education mandates, and (3) how such education mandates are sHB5437Public /Act File No.
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6685437 being implemented by local and regional boards of education, including, but not limited to, the manner in which and how often such educationmandate is being implemented.The council shall submit such report, and any recommendations for legislation, to the joint standing committee of the General Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to educationandtheCommissioner ofEducation,inaccordance with the provisions of section 11-4a of the general statutes.
Such program shall provide such teachers, administrators and pupil personnel with information on (1) the nature and the relationship of alcohol and drugs, as defined in section 21a-240, to health and personality development, and procedures for discouraging their abuse, (2) health and mental health risk reduction education that includes, but need not be limited to, the prevention of risk-taking behavior by children and the relationship of such behavior to substance abuse, pregnancy, sexually transmitted diseases, including HIV-infection and AIDS, as defined in section 19a-581, violence, teen dating violence, domestic violence and child abuse, (3) school violence prevention, conflict resolution [,] and the prevention of and response to youth suicide, [and the identification and prevention of and response to bullying, as defined in subsection (a) of section 10-222d, except that (A) those boards of education that implement any evidence-based model approach that is approved by the Department of Education and is consistent with subsection (c) of section 10-145a, sections 10-222d, 10- 222g and 10-222h, subsection (g) of section 10-233c and sections 1 and 3 of public act 08-160, shall not be required to provide in-service training onPublic theAct identification and prevention of and response to bullying, and (B)] provided such school violence prevention training shall be in a manner prescribed in a school security and safety plan, in accordance sHB5437 / File No.
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6685437 on the identification and prevention of and response to bullying, and (B)] provided such school violence prevention training shall be in a manner prescribed in a school security and safety plan, in accordance with the provisions of section 10-222n, (4) cardiopulmonary resuscitation and other emergency life saving procedures, (5) the requirements and obligations of a mandated reporter, (6) the detection andrecognitionof,andevidence-basedstructuredliteracyinterventions for, students with dyslexia, as defined in section 10-3d, [(7) culturally responsive pedagogy and practice, including, but not limited to, the videotrainingmodulerelatingtoimplicitbiasandanti-biasinthehiring process in accordance with the provisions of section 10-156hh, (8) the principles and practices of social-emotional learning and restorative practices, (9)] (7) the laws governing the implementation of planning and placement team meetings and concerning plans pursuant to Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended from time to time, [(10)] (8) an annual update of the new state and federal policies concerning special education, recommendations and best practices, and [(11)] (9) emergency response to students who experience a seizure in a school, including, but not limited to, the recognition of the signs and symptoms of seizures, the appropriate steps for seizure first aid, information about seizure action plans for students and, for those authorized to administer medication under section 10-212a, the administration of seizure rescue medication or prescribed electrical stimulation using a Vagus Nerve Stimulator magnet.
Sec.Public Act No.
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5437 Sec.
(a) Each local or regional board of education shall provide an in- sHB5437service /training Fileprogram No.for its teachers, administrators and pupil personnel who hold the initial educator, provisional educator or professional educator certificate.
668Such sHB5437program Fileshall provide such teachers, administrators and pupil personnel with information on (1) the nature and the relationship of alcohol and drugs, as defined in [subdivision (17) of] section 21a-240, to health and personality development, and procedures for discouraging their abuse, (2) health and mental health risk reduction education that includes, but need not be limited to, the prevention of risk-taking behavior by children and the relationship of such behavior to substance abuse, pregnancy, sexually transmitted diseases, including HIV-infection and AIDS, as defined in section 19a-581, violence, teen dating violence, domestic violence and childabuse, (3)schoolviolence prevention,conflict resolution [,]andthe prevention of and response to youth suicide, [and the identification and prevention of and response to bullying, as defined in section 10-222aa, except that those boards of education that implement any evidence- based modelapproachthat isapprovedbytheDepartment ofEducation and is consistent with subsection (c) of section 10-145a, subsection (g) of section 10-233c and sections 1 and 3 of public act 08-160, shall not be required to provide in-service training on the identification and prevention of and response to bullying] provided such school violence prevention training shall be in a manner prescribed in a school security and safety plan, in accordance with the provisions of section 10-222n,(4) cardiopulmonary resuscitation and other emergency life saving procedures, (5) the requirements and obligations of a mandated reporter, (6) the detection and recognition of, and evidence-based structured literacy interventions for, students with dyslexia, as defined Public Act No.
66824-45 service6 trainingof program43 forSubstitute itsHouse teachers,Bill administratorsNo. and pupil personnel who hold the initial educator, provisional educator or professional educator certificate.
Such5437 program shall provide such teachers, administrators and pupil personnel with information on (1) the nature and the relationship of alcohol and drugs, as defined in [subdivision (17) of] section 21a-240,10-3d, to(7) health[culturally andresponsive personalitypedagogy development, and procedurespractice, forincluding, discouraging their abuse, (2) health and mental health risk reduction education that includes, but need not be limited to, the preventionvideo oftraining risk-takingmodule behaviorrelating by children and the relationship of such behavior to substanceimplicit abuse,bias pregnancy, sexually transmitted diseases, including HIV-infection and AIDS,anti-bias as defined in sectionthe 19a-581,hiring violence,process teenin datingaccordance violence,with domesticthe violenceprovisions andof childabuse,section (3)schoolviolence10-156hh, prevention,conflict resolution [,]andthe prevention of and response(8) to youth suicide, [and the identificationprinciples and preventionpractices of andsocial-emotional responselearning toand bullying,restorative aspractices] definedthe inlaws sectiongoverning 10-222aa,the exceptimplementation that those boards of educationplanning thatand implementplacement anyteam evidence-meetings based modelapproachthat isapprovedbytheDepartment ofEducation and isconcerning consistentplans withpursuant subsectionto (c)Section of504 section 10-145a, subsection (g) of sectionthe 10-233cRehabilitation andAct sections 1 and 3 of public1973, actas 08-160,amended shallfrom nottime be required to providetime, in-service(8) trainingan onannual theupdate identification and prevention of and response to bullying] provided such school violence prevention training shall be in a manner prescribed in a school security and safety plan, in accordance with the provisionsnew ofstate section 10-222n,(4) cardiopulmonary resuscitation and otherfederal emergencypolicies lifeconcerning savingspecial procedures,education, (5)recommendations the requirements and obligationsbest ofpractices, a mandated reporter, (6) the detection and recognition(9) of,emergency andresponse evidence-basedto structured literacy interventions for, students withwho dyslexia,experience asa definedseizure in sectiona 10-3d,school, (7) [culturally responsive pedagogy and practice, including, but not limited to, the videorecognition training module relating to implicit bias and anti-bias in the hiring process in accordance with the provisions of section 10-156hh, and (8) the principlessigns and practicessymptoms of social-emotionalseizures, learning and restorative practices] the lawsappropriate governingsteps thefor implementationseizure offirst planningaid, andinformation placementabout teamseizure meetingsaction and concerning plans pursuantfor tostudents Sectionand, 504for ofthose theauthorized Rehabilitationto Actadminister ofmedication 1973,under assection amended10-212a, fromthe timeadministration toof time,seizure (8)rescue anmedication annualor updateprescribed ofelectrical thestimulation newusing sHB5437a /Vagus FileNerve No.Stimulator magnet.
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668 state and federal policies concerning special education, recommendations and best practices, and (9) emergency response to students who experience a seizure in a school, including, but not limited to, the recognition of the signs and symptoms of seizures, the appropriate steps for seizure first aid, information about seizure action plans for students and, for those authorized to administer medication under section 10-212a, the administration of seizure rescue medication or prescribed electrical stimulation using a Vagus Nerve Stimulator magnet.
(1) Enable studentsPublic toAct anonymously report acts of bullying to school employees and require students and the parents or guardians of students to be notified at the beginning of each school year of the process by which students may make such reports, (2) enable the parents or guardians of students to file written reports of suspected bullying, (3) require school employees who witness acts of bullying or receive reports of bullying to orally notify the safe school climate specialist, described in section 10- 222k, or another schooladministrator ifthe safe school climate specialist is unavailable, not later than one school day after such school employee witnesses or receives a report of bullying, and to file a written report not later than two school days after making such oral report, (4) require the sHB5437 / File No.
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6685437 students to anonymously report acts of bullying to school employees and require students and the parents or guardians of students to be notified at the beginning of each school year of the process by which students may make such reports, (2) enable the parents or guardians of students to file written reports of suspected bullying, (3) require school employees who witness acts of bullying or receive reports of bullying to orally notify the safe school climate specialist, described in section 10- 222k, or another schooladministrator ifthe safe school climate specialist is unavailable, not later than one school day after such school employee witnesses or receives a report of bullying, and to file a written report not later than two school days after making such oral report, (4) require the safe school climate specialist to investigate or supervise the investigation of all reports of bullying and ensure that such investigation is completed promptly after receipt of any written reports made under this section and that the parents or guardians of the student alleged to have committed an act or acts of bullying and the parents or guardians of the student against whom such alleged act or acts were directed receive prompt notice that such investigation has commenced, (5) require the safe school climate specialist to review any anonymous reports, except that no disciplinary action shall be taken solely on the basis of an anonymous report, (6) include a prevention and intervention strategy, as defined by section 10-222g, for school employees to deal with bullying and teen dating violence, (7) provide for the inclusion of language in student codes of conduct concerning bullying, (8) require each school to notify the parents or guardians of students who commit any verified acts of bullying and the parents or guardians of students against whom such acts were directed not later than forty-eight hours after the completion of the investigation described in subdivision (4) of this subsection (A) of the results of such investigation, and (B) verbally and by electronic mail, if such parents' or guardians' electronic mail addresses are known, that such parents or guardians may refer to the plain language explanation of the rights and remedies available under sections 10-4a and 10-4b published on the Internet web site of the local orPublic regionalAct board of education pursuant to section 10-222r, (9) require eachschoolto invitethe parentsorguardiansofastudent against whom such act was directed to a meeting to communicate to such parents or guardians the measures being taken by the school to ensure the safety of the student against whom such act was directed and policies and procedures in place to prevent further acts of bullying, (10) require each school to invite the parents or guardians of a student who commits any verified act of bullying to a meeting, separate and distinct from the meeting required insubdivision(9)ofthis subsection,to discuss specific interventions undertaken by the school to prevent further acts of bullying, (11) establish a procedure for each school to document and maintain records relating to reports and investigations of bullying in such school and to maintain a list of the number of verified acts of sHB5437 / File No.
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6685437 or regional board of education pursuant to section 10-222r, (9) require eachschoolto invitethe parentsorguardiansofastudent against whom such act was directed to a meeting to communicate to such parents or guardians the measures being taken by the school to ensure the safety of the student against whom such act was directed and policies and procedures in place to prevent further acts of bullying, (10) require each school to invite the parents or guardians of a student who commits any verified act of bullying to a meeting, separate and distinct from the meeting required insubdivision(9)ofthis subsection,to discuss specific interventions undertaken by the school to prevent further acts of bullying, (11) establish a procedure for each school to document and maintain records relating to reports and investigations of bullying in such school and to maintain a list of the number of verified acts of bullying in such school and make such list available for public inspection, and annually report such number to the Department of Education, and in such manner as prescribed by the Commissioner of Education, (12) direct the development of case-by-case interventions for addressing repeated incidents of bullying against a single individual or recurrently perpetrated bullying incidents by the same individual that may include both counseling and discipline, (13) prohibit discrimination and retaliation against an individual who reports or assists in the investigation of an act of bullying, (14) direct the development ofstudent safety support plans for studentsagainst whom an act of bullying was directed that address safety measures the school will take to protect such students against further acts of bullying, (15) require theprincipalof a school,or theprincipal'sdesignee,to notify the appropriate local law enforcement agency when such principal, or the principal's designee, believes that any acts of bullying constitute criminal conduct, (16) prohibit bullying (A) on school grounds, at a school-sponsored or school-related activity, function or program whether on or off school grounds, at a school bus stop, on a school bus or other vehicle owned, leased or used by a local or regional board of education, or through the use of an electronic device or an electronic mobilePublic deviceAct owned,No. leased or used by the local or regional board of education, and (B) outside of the school setting if such bullying (i) creates a hostile environment at school for the student against whom such bullying was directed, or (ii) infringes on the rights of the student against whom such bullying was directed at school, or (iii) substantially disrupts the education process or the orderly operation of a school, (17) require, at the beginning of each school year, each school to provide all school employees with a written or electronic copy of the school district's safe school climate plan, and (18) require that all school employees annually complete the training described in [section 10-220a or] section 10-222j.
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5437 mobile device owned, leased or used by the local or regional board of education, and (B) outside of the school setting if such bullying (i) creates a hostile environment at school for the student against whom such bullying was directed, or (ii) infringes on the rights of the student against whom such bullying was directed at school, or (iii) substantially disrupts the education process or the orderly operation of a school, (17) require, at the beginning of each school year, each school to provide all school employees with a written or electronic copy of the school district's safe school climate plan, and (18) require that all school employees annually complete the training described in [section 10-220a or] section 10-222j.
sHB5437Sec. / File No.
668 sHB5437 File No.
668 Sec.
Any such memorandum of understanding entered into, extended, updated or amended (A) on or after July 1, 2021, shall include a provisionthat requiresallschoolresourceofficersto complete, whilePublic inAct theNo. performance of their duties as school resource officers and during periods when such school resource officers are assigned to be at the school, any separate training specifically related to social-emotional learning and restorative practices providedto certified employees of the school pursuant to [sections] section 10-148a, [and 10-220a,] and (B) on or after July 1, 2023, shall include provisions specifying a school resource officer's duties concerning, and procedures for, the restraint of students, use of firearms, school-based arrests and reporting of any investigations and behavioral interventions of challenging behavior or conflict that escalates to violence or constitutes a crime, pursuant to the provisions of section 10-233p, as amended by this act, provided such provisions are in accordance with any laws or policies concerning the duties of police officers.
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5437 while in the performance of their duties as school resource officers and during periods when such school resource officers are assigned to be at the school, any separate training specifically related to social-emotional learning and restorative practices providedto certified employees of the school pursuant to [sections] section 10-148a, [and 10-220a,] and (B) on or after July 1, 2023, shall include provisions specifying a school resource officer's duties concerning, and procedures for, the restraint of students, use of firearms, school-based arrests and reporting of any investigations and behavioral interventions of challenging behavior or conflict that escalates to violence or constitutes a crime, pursuant to the provisions of section 10-233p, as amended by this act, provided such provisions are in accordance with any laws or policies concerning the duties of police officers.
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Subsection (a) of section 22a-226e of the 2024 supplement to sHB5437the /general Filestatutes No.is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1, 2024):
668 sHB5437 File No.
668 the general statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1, 2024):
(2)Public OnAct andNo. after January 1, 2020, each commercial food wholesaler or distributor, industrial food manufacturer or processor, supermarket, resort or conference center that is located not more than twenty miles from an authorized source-separated organic material composting facility and that generates an average projected volume of not less than fifty-two tons per year of source-separated organic materials shall:
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5437 (2) On and after January 1, 2020, each commercial food wholesaler or distributor, industrial food manufacturer or processor, supermarket, resort or conference center that is located not more than twenty miles from an authorized source-separated organic material composting facility and that generates an average projected volume of not less than fifty-two tons per year of source-separated organic materials shall:
and (B) sHB5437ensure /that Filesuch No.source-separated organic materials are recycled at any authorized source-separated organic material composting facility that has available capacity and that will accept such source-separated organic material.
668 sHB5437 File No.
668 ensure that such source-separated organic materials are recycled at any authorized source-separated organic material composting facility that has available capacity and that will accept such source-separated organic material.
and (B) ensure that such source-separated organic materials are recycled at any authorized source-separatedPublic organicAct materialNo. composting facility that has available capacity and that will accept such source-separated organic material.
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5437 source-separated organic material composting facility that has available capacity and that will accept such source-separated organic material.
For the fiscal year ending June 30, [2020] 2024, and each fiscal year sHB5437thereafter, /notwithstanding Fileany provision of the general statutes or any special act, municipal charter, home rule ordinance or other ordinance, [the board of finance in each town having a board of finance, the board of selectmen in each town having no board of finance or the authority making appropriations for the school district for each town] a local board of education may deposit into a nonlapsing account any unexpended funds from the prior fiscal year from the budgeted appropriation for education, [for the town,] provided (1) such deposited amount does not exceed two per cent of the total budgeted appropriation for education for such prior fiscal year, (2) each Public Act No.
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6685437 thereafter, notwithstanding any provision of the general statutes or any special act, municipal charter, home rule ordinance or other ordinance, [the board of finance in each town having a board of finance, the board of selectmen in each town having no board of finance or the authority making appropriations for the school district for each town] a local board of education may deposit into a nonlapsing account any unexpended funds from the prior fiscal year from the budgeted appropriation for education, [for the town,] provided (1) such deposited amount does not exceed two per cent of the total budgeted appropriation for education for such prior fiscal year, (2) each expenditure from such account shall be made only for educational purposes, and (3) each such expenditure shall be authorized by the local board of education for such town.
[, but such use shall be sHB5437restricted /to Filethe No.funding of all or part of the planning, construction, reconstruction or acquisition of any specific capital improvement or the acquisitionofany specificitemofequipment.]Upontheapprovalofany such expenditure an appropriation shall be set up, plainly designated for the [project or acquisition] educational expenditure for which it has been authorized.
668[, sHB5437and Filesuch unexpended appropriation may be continued until such project or acquisition is completed.] Any Public Act No.
66824-45 restricted14 to the funding of all43 orSubstitute partHouse ofBill theNo. planning, construction, reconstruction or acquisition of any specific capital improvement or the acquisitionofany specificitemofequipment.]Upontheapprovalofany such expenditure an appropriation shall be set up, plainly designated for the [project or acquisition] educational expenditure for which it has been authorized.
[,5437 and such unexpended appropriation may be continued until such project or acquisition is completed.] Any unexpended portion of such appropriation remaining [after such completion] shall revert to said fund.
(b) For classes graduating from 2004 to 2022, inclusive, no local or regional board of education shall permit any student to graduate from high school or grant a diploma to any student who has not satisfactorily completed a minimum of twenty credits, not fewer than four of which sHB5437shall /be Filein No.English, not fewer than three in mathematics, not fewer than three in social studies, including at least a one-half credit course on civics and American government, not fewer than two in science, not fewer than one in the arts or vocational education and not fewer than one in physical education.
668Public sHB5437Act File No.
66824-45 shall15 beof in43 English,Substitute notHouse fewerBill thanNo. three in mathematics, not fewer than three in social studies, including at least a one-half credit course on civics and American government, not fewer than two in science, not fewer than one in the arts or vocational education and not fewer than one in physical education.
5437 (c) [Commencing with] For classes graduating [in] from 2023 [, and for each graduating class thereafter] to 2026, inclusive, no local or regional board of education shall permit any student to graduate from high school or grant a diploma to any student who has not satisfactorily completed a minimum of twenty-five credits, including not fewer than:
A local or regional board of educationmay require a student to complete a one credit mastery-based diploma assessment in order to graduate from high school or be granted a diploma.] [(e)] (d) Commencing with classes graduating in 2027, and for each sHB5437graduating /class Filethereafter, no local or regional board of education shall permit any student to graduate from high school or grant a diploma to any student who has not satisfied the requirements of section 10-221z, Public Act No.
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6685437 graduating class thereafter, no local or regional board of education shall permit any student to graduate from high school or grant a diploma to any student who has not satisfied the requirements of section 10-221z, as amended by this act, and not satisfactorily completed a minimum of twenty-five credits, including not fewer than:
and (4) allowing those students whose individualized education programs state that such students are eligible for an alternate assessment to demonstrate sHB5437competency /on Fileany of the five core courses through success on such Public Act No.
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6685437 competency on any of the five core courses through success on such alternate assessment.
[(i)] (h) Only courses taken in grades nine to twelve, inclusive, and that are in accordance with the state-wide subject matter content standards, adopted by the State Board of Education pursuant to section 10-4,Public shallAct satisfy the graduation requirements set forth in this section, sHB5437 / File No.
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6685437 10-4, shall satisfy the graduation requirements set forth in this section, except that a local or regional board of education may grant a student credit (1) toward meeting the high school graduation requirements upon the successful demonstration of mastery of the subject matter content described in this section achieved through educational experiences and opportunities that provide flexible and multiple pathways to learning, including cross-curricular graduation requirements, career and technical education, virtual learning, work- based learning, service learning, dual enrollment and early college, courses taken in middle school, internships and student-designed independent studies, provided such demonstration of mastery is in accordance with such state-wide subject matter content standards;
(6) toward meeting the high schoolPublic graduationAct requirement upon the successful completion of on- line coursework, provided the local or regional board of education has adopted a policy in accordance with this subdivision for the granting of sHB5437 / File No.
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6685437 school graduation requirement upon the successful completion of on- line coursework, provided the local or regional board of education has adopted a policy in accordance with this subdivision for the granting of credit for on-line coursework.
[The State Board of Education shall award a community service recognition award to any student who satisfactorily completes fifty hours or more ofPublic communityAct service in accordance with the provisions of this subsection.] [(k)] (j) (1) A local or regional board of education may award a diploma to a veteran, as defined in subsection (a) of section 27-103, which veteran or person served during World War II or the Korean sHB5437 / File No.
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6685437 of community service in accordance with the provisions of this subsection.] [(k)] (j) (1) A local or regional board of education may award a diploma to a veteran, as defined in subsection (a) of section 27-103, which veteran or person served during World War II or the Korean hostilities, as described in section 51-49h, or during the Vietnam Era, as defined in section 27-103, withdrew from high school prior to graduation in order to serve in the armed forces of the United Statesand did not receive a diploma as a consequence of such service.
(2) A local or regional board of education may award a diploma to any person who (A) withdrew from high school prior to graduation to work ina jobthat assistedthewareffortassisted thewareffort during WorldWar II, December 7, 1941, to December 31, 1946, inclusive, (B) did not receive a diploma as a consequence of such work, and (C) has been a resident of the state for at least fifty consecutive years.
(B) If no such local or regional board of education can be identified, the Department of Children and Families shall determine whether a student educated under the oversight of the education unit of the department who is seventeen years of age or older has satisfactorily completed the minimum credits required pursuant to this section for students graduating in the year in which a diploma is sought by such student and the department shall award a diploma to any such student whoPublic hasAct metNo. such requirement.
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5437 who has met such requirement.
Beginning ingradesix,suchstudent successplanshallprovideevidence sHB5437of /career Fileexploration No.in each grade including, but not limited to, careers in manufacturing.
668 sHB5437 File No.
668 of career exploration in each grade including, but not limited to, careers in manufacturing.
[(m)] (l) Commencing with classes graduating in 2018, and for each graduating class thereafter, a local or regional board of education may affix the Connecticut State Seal of Biliteracy, as described in subsection (f) of section 10-5, to a diploma awarded to a student who has achieved a highlevelofproficiency inEnglishandoneor more foreignlanguages, asdefined insaid subsection(f).The localor regionalboardofeducation shall include on such student's transcript a designation that the student receivedPublic theAct ConnecticutNo. State Seal of Biliteracy.
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5437 received the Connecticut State Seal of Biliteracy.
(a) No local or regional board of education shall permit any student to graduate from high school or grant a diploma to any student pursuant to section 10-221a, as amended by this act, unless such student has (1) completed a Free Application for Federal Student Aid, (2) completed and submitted to a public institution of higher education an sHB5437application /for Fileinstitutional No.financial aid for students without legal immigration status established pursuant to section 10a-161d, or (3) completed a waiver, in accordance with the provisions of subsection (b) of this section and on a form prescribed by the Commissioner of Education, signed by such minor student's parent or legal guardian or by such student if such student is a legally emancipated minor or eighteen years of age or older.
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668 application for institutional financial aid for students without legal immigration status established pursuant to section 10a-161d, or (3) completed a waiver, in accordance with the provisions of subsection (b) of this section and on a form prescribed by the Commissioner of Education, signed by such minor student's parent or legal guardian or by such student if such student is a legally emancipated minor or eighteen years of age or older.
On and after March fifteenth of the school year, a principal, school counselor, teacher or other certified educator may complete suchwaiver onbehalfofany student who hasnot satisfiedany of the requirements described in subsection (a) of this section, if such principal, school counselor, teacher or other certified educator affirms that they have made a good faith effort to contact the parent, legal guardian or student about completion of the Free Application for Federal Student Aid or an application for institutional financial aid for studentsPublic withoutAct legalNo. immigration status.
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5437 students without legal immigration status.
(b) On or before July 1, 2015, the State Board of Education shall draft a writtenbill of rights for parents ofchildren receiving special education services to guarantee that the rights of such parents and children are sHB5437adequately /safeguarded Fileand No.protected during the provision of special education and related services until such children have graduated from high school or at the end of the school year during which such children reachesagetwenty-two,whicheveroccursfirst,underthischapter.Such bill of rights shall inform parents of:
668 sHB5437 File No.
668 adequately safeguarded and protected during the provision of special education and related services until such children have graduated from high school or at the end of the school year during which such children reachesagetwenty-two,whicheveroccursfirst,underthischapter.Such bill of rights shall inform parents of:
(b)Public EachAct localNo. and regional board of education shall create an academic plan for each student identified under the criteria described in subdivision (1) of subsection (a) of this section.
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5437 (b) Each local and regional board of education shall create an academic plan for each student identified under the criteria described in subdivision (1) of subsection (a) of this section.
A student, or the parent or guardian of a student, may decline to implement the provisions of an academic plan sHB5437created /for Filesuch No.student.
668 sHB5437 File No.
668 created for such student.
(g)Public OnAct and after July 1, 2015, all suspensions pursuant to this section shall be in-school suspensions, except a local or regional board of education may authorize the administration of schools under its direction to impose an out-of-school suspension on any pupil in (1) grades three to twelve, inclusive, if, during the hearing held pursuant to subsection (a) of this section, (A) the administration determines that the pupil being suspended poses such a danger to persons or property or such a disruption of the educational process that the pupil shall be excluded from school during the period of suspension, or (B) the administration determines that an out-of-school suspension is appropriateforsuchpupilbasedonevidence of(i)previousdisciplinary problems that have led to suspensions or expulsion of such pupil, and (ii) efforts by the administration to address such disciplinary problems through means other than out-of-school suspension or expulsion, including positive behavioral support strategies, or (2) grades preschool to two, inclusive, if during the hearing held pursuant to subsection (a) sHB5437 / File No.
66824-45 sHB543725 Fileof 43 Substitute House Bill No.
6685437 (g) On and after July 1, 2015, all suspensions pursuant to this section shall be in-school suspensions, except a local or regional board of education may authorize the administration of schools under its direction to impose an out-of-school suspension on any pupil in (1) grades three to twelve, inclusive, if, during the hearing held pursuant to subsection (a) of this section, (A) the administration determines that the pupil being suspended poses such a danger to persons or property or such a disruption of the educational process that the pupil shall be excluded from school during the period of suspension, or (B) the administration determines that an out-of-school suspension is appropriateforsuchpupilbasedonevidence of(i)previousdisciplinary problems that have led to suspensions or expulsion of such pupil, and (ii) efforts by the administration to address such disciplinary problems through means other than out-of-school suspension or expulsion, including positive behavioral support strategies, or (2) grades preschool to two, inclusive, if during the hearing held pursuant to subsection (a) of this section, the administration (A) determines that an out-of-school suspension is appropriate for such pupil based on evidence that such pupil's conduct on school grounds is [of a violent or sexual nature that endangers persons] behavior that causes physical harm, (B) requires that such pupil receives services that are trauma-informed and developmentally appropriate and align with any behavioral intervention plan, individualized education program or plan pursuant to Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended from time to time, for such pupil upon such pupil's return to school immediately following the out-of-school suspension, and (C) considers whether to convene a planning and placement team meeting for the purposes of conducting an evaluation to determine whether such pupil may require special education or related services.
An in-school suspension may be served in the school that the pupil attends, orPublic inAct anyNo. school building under the jurisdiction of the local or regional board of education, as determined by such board.
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5437 or in any school building under the jurisdiction of the local or regional board of education, as determined by such board.
The chief of police shall submit such report to the superintendent of schools for the school district in which such investigation or behavioral intervention occurred in accordance with the provisions of the memorandum of sHB5437understanding /entered Fileinto No.pursuant to section 10-233m, as amended by this act, but shall be not less frequently than monthly.
668 sHB5437 File No.
668 understanding entered into pursuant to section 10-233m, as amended by this act, but shall be not less frequently than monthly.
Such report shall include, but need not be limited to, (1) the date, time and location of such investigation or behavioral intervention, (2) the name and badge number of such school resource officer, (3) the race, ethnicity, gender, age and disability status for each student involved in such investigation orPublic behavioralAct intervention,No. (4) the reason for and nature of such investigation or behavioral intervention, (5) the disposition of such investigation or behavioral intervention, and (6) whether any student involved in such investigation or behavioral intervention was (A) searched, (B) apprised of such student's constitutional rights, (C) issued a citation or a summons, (D) arrested, or (E) detained, including the amount of time such student was detained.
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5437 or behavioral intervention, (4) the reason for and nature of such investigation or behavioral intervention, (5) the disposition of such investigation or behavioral intervention, and (6) whether any student involved in such investigation or behavioral intervention was (A) searched, (B) apprised of such student's constitutional rights, (C) issued a citation or a summons, (D) arrested, or (E) detained, including the amount of time such student was detained.
The collaborative shall (1) collect information concerning the school climate improvement efforts of local and regional boards of education, (2) document any needs articulated by local and regional boards of education for technical assistance and sHB5437training /relating Fileto fostering positive school climates, (3) identify best practices for promoting positive school climates, (4) direct resources to support state-wide and local initiatives on issues relating to fostering and improving positive school climates and improving access to social and emotional learning in schools, (5) develop an assessment for screening students in grades three to twelve, inclusive, to determine whethersuchstudentsareatriskforsuicide,(6)developabiennialstate- wide school climate survey, as described in subsection (c) of section 2 of public act 19-166, (7) develop a model positive school climate policy, as described in subsection (a) of section 2 of public act 19-166, (8) develop a plain language explanation of the rights and remedies available under Public Act No.
66824-45 sHB543728 Fileof 43 Substitute House Bill No.
6685437 training relating to fostering positive school climates, (3) identify best practices for promoting positive school climates, (4) direct resources to support state-wide and local initiatives on issues relating to fostering and improving positive school climates and improving access to social and emotional learning in schools, (5) develop an assessment for screening students in grades three to twelve, inclusive, to determine whethersuchstudentsareatriskforsuicide,(6)developabiennialstate- wide school climate survey, as described in subsection (c) of section 2 of public act 19-166, (7) develop a model positive school climate policy, as described in subsection (a) of section 2 of public act 19-166, (8) develop a plain language explanation of the rights and remedies available under sections 10-4a and 10-4b for distribution to parents and guardians pursuant to subdivision (2) of subsection (c) of section 10-222d, and provide such explanation to each local and regional board of education not later than January 1, 2021, (9) develop school climate survey standards, including, but not limited to, standards for the collection of data on diversity, equity and inclusion and for the reduction in disparities in data collection between school districts, (10) develop a model school climate improvement plan, and [(9)] (11) perform other functions concerning social and emotional learning and fostering positive school climates.
The collaborative shall (1) collect information concerning the school climate improvement efforts of local and regional boards of education, (2) document any needs articulated by local and regional boards of education for technical assistance and training relating to fostering positive school climates, (3) identify best practices for promoting positive school climates, (4) direct resources to support state-wide and local initiatives on issues relating to fostering and improving positive school climates and improving access to social sHB5437and /emotional Filelearning in schools, (5) develop an assessment for screening students in grades three to twelve, inclusive, to determine whethersuchstudentsareatriskforsuicide,(6)developabiennialstate- wide school climate survey, as described in subsection (c) of section 2 of public act 19-166, (7) adopt a Connecticut school climate policy, as defined in section 10-222aa, as amended by this act, (8) develop a plain language explanation of the rights and remedies available under sections 10-4a and 10-4b for distribution to parents and guardians, and Public Act No.
66824-45 sHB543729 Fileof 43 Substitute House Bill No.
6685437 and emotional learning in schools, (5) develop an assessment for screening students in grades three to twelve, inclusive, to determine whethersuchstudentsareatriskforsuicide,(6)developabiennialstate- wide school climate survey, as described in subsection (c) of section 2 of public act 19-166, (7) adopt a Connecticut school climate policy, as defined in section 10-222aa, as amended by this act, (8) develop a plain language explanation of the rights and remedies available under sections 10-4a and 10-4b for distribution to parents and guardians, and provide such explanation to each local and regional board of education not later than January 1, 2021, (9) develop standards for a school climate survey, including, but not limited to, standards for the collection of data on diversity, equity and inclusion and for the reduction in disparities in data collection between school districts, (10) develop a model school climate improvement plan, and [(9)] (11) perform other functions concerning social and emotional learning and fostering positive school climates.
Subdivision (12) of section 10-222aa of the 2024 supplement to thegeneralstatutesisthegeneral repealedandthefollowingstatutesisrepealedandthefollowing is substituted inlieu thereof (Effective July 1, 2024):
sHB5437(a) /For Filethe No.school year commencing July 1, 2025, and each school year thereafter, the school climate specialist, as described in section 10-222ee, for each school, in collaboration with the school climate coordinator, as described in section 10-222dd, shall develop, and update as necessary, a school climate improvement plan.
668Such sHB5437plan Fileshall be based on the results of the school climate survey, administered pursuant to section Public Act No.
66824-45 (a)30 Forof the43 schoolSubstitute yearHouse commencingBill JulyNo. 1, 2025, and each school year thereafter, the school climate specialist, as described in section 10-222ee, for each school, in collaboration with the school climate coordinator, as described in section 10-222dd, shall develop, and update as necessary, a school climate improvement plan.
Such5437 plan shall be based on the results of the school climate survey, administered pursuant to section 10-222gg, any recommendations from the school climate committee, as described in section 10-222ff, the protocols and supports, described in subsection (b) of this section and any other data the school climate specialist and school climate coordinator deemed relevant.
Upon approval of such plan, a written or electronic copy of such plan shall be madeavailabletomembersoftheschoolcommunityandsuchplanshallmadeavailabletomembersoftheschoolcommunityand suchplanshall be used in the prevention of, identification of and response to challenging behavior.
The director of school climate improvement shall (1) assist local and regional boards of education with the implementation of (A) sections 10-222t to 10-222v, inclusive, and sections 10-222aa to 10-222jj, inclusive, of the general statutes, as amended by this act, and (B) the Connecticut school climate policy, as defined in section 10-222aa of the general statutes, as amended by this act, (2) assist the social and emotional learning and school climate advisory collaborative, established pursuant to section 10-222q of the general statutes, as amended by this act, in the development and implementation of tools and best practices related to school climate and culture,including,but notlimitedto,thedevelopmentofamodelschool sHB5437climate /survey Fileand a model school climate improvement plan, (3) provide information and assistance to local and regional boards of education, students and parents and guardians of students on the uniform bullying complaint form created pursuant to section 10-222bb Public Act No.
66824-45 sHB543731 Fileof 43 Substitute House Bill No.
6685437 climate survey and a model school climate improvement plan, (3) provide information and assistance to local and regional boards of education, students and parents and guardians of students on the uniform bullying complaint form created pursuant to section 10-222bb of the general statutes, (4) not later than January 1, 2026, and annually thereafter, submit a report, in accordance with the provisions of section 11-4a of the general statutes, to the joint standing committee of the General Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to education on recommendations for best practices and improvement of school climate improvement strategies in this state, (5) assist school climate coordinators, appointed pursuant to section 10-222dd of the general statutes, in the development of a continuum of strategies to prevent, identify and respond to challenging behavior, (6) develop and provide technical assistance and recommendations, in collaboration with the socialandemotionallearning andschoolclimate advisory collaborative, to local and regional boards of education on trainings for school employees for the purposes of school climate improvement, and (7) in collaboration with the social and emotional learning and school climate advisory collaborative, develop strategies to improve the delivery of services concerning social and emotional learning, skills building and mental health supports.
and (3) "Disconnected youth" means an individual who is fourteen to twenty-six years of age, inclusive, and who is (A) an at-risk student, or sHB5437(B) /not Fileenrolled in high school, and (i) has not obtained a high school diploma or its equivalent, (ii) has obtained a high school diploma or its Public Act No.
66824-45 sHB543732 Fileof 43 Substitute House Bill No.
6685437 (B) not enrolled in high school, and (i) has not obtained a high school diploma or its equivalent, (ii) has obtained a high school diploma or its equivalent but is unemployed and not enrolled in an adult education program, institution of higher education or otherwise pursuing postsecondary education, or a workforce training or certification program, including an apprenticeship program, or (iii) is incarcerated.
sHB5437Public /Act File No.
66824-45 sHB543733 Fileof 43 Substitute House Bill No.
6685437 (1) "Education records" has the same meaning as provided in 34 CFR 99.3, as amended from time to time;
Any one or more municipalities or any one or more private youth-serving organizations, designated to act as agents of one or more municipalities or local or regional boards of education, may establish a multipurpose youth service bureau for the purposes of evaluation, planning, coordination and implementation of services, including prevention and intervention programs for delinquent, predelinquent,Public pregnant,Act parenting and troubled youths referred to such bureau by [schools] local or regional boards of education, police, juvenile courts, adult courts, local youth-serving agencies, parents and sHB5437 / File No.
66824-45 sHB543734 Fileof 43 Substitute House Bill No.
6685437 predelinquent, pregnant, parenting and troubled youths referred to such bureau by [schools] local or regional boards of education, police, juvenile courts, adult courts, local youth-serving agencies, parents and self-referrals.
(d)For theschoolyear commencing July 1,2024,andeachschoolyear thereafter, any local or regional board of education that includes a credit recovery program as part of its alternative education provided under thisPublic sectionAct shallNo. permit any student enrolled in a traditional school program offered by such board and who is at risk of not graduating to enroll in such credit recovery program while still enrolled in the traditional school program.
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5437 this section shall permit any student enrolled in a traditional school program offered by such board and who is at risk of not graduating to enroll in such credit recovery program while still enrolled in the traditional school program.
Section 4-124ll of the general statutes is repealed and the sHB5437following /is Filesubstituted No.in lieu thereof (Effective July 1, 2024):
668 sHB5437 File No.
668 following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1, 2024):
(Effective July 1, 2024) (a) The executive director of the Connecticut Association of Boards of Education, or the executive director's designee, may convene a working group to conduct a review of and make recommendations regarding the high school graduation requirements,Public describedAct inNo. section 10-221a of the general statutes, as amended by this act, for the purpose of identifying those requirements that have the effect of limiting or restricting the provision of instruction or services to students.
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5437 requirements, described in section 10-221a of the general statutes, as amended by this act, for the purpose of identifying those requirements that have the effect of limiting or restricting the provision of instruction or services to students.
sHB5437(A) /The FileConnecticut No.Association of Boards of Education;
668 sHB5437 File No.
668 (A) The Connecticut Association of Boards of Education;
(3)Public TheAct CommissionerNo. of Education, or the commissioner's designee;
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5437 (3) The Commissioner of Education, or the commissioner's designee;
(d) The executive director of the Connecticut Association of Boards of Education, or the executive director's designee, shall serve as the sHB5437chairperson /of Filethe No.working group.
668 sHB5437 File No.
668 chairperson of the working group.
(Effective July 1, 2024) (a) The president of the Connecticut Education Association, or the president's designee, and the president of the American Federation of Teachers-Connecticut, or the president's designee, may jointly convene a working group to conduct a review of (1) high school grading policies in use by local and regional boards of education, (2) the accountability index, as defined in section 10-223e of thePublic generalAct statutes,No. and (3) the information and data selected by the Department of Education in the calculation of accountability index scores for school districts.
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5437 the general statutes, and (3) the information and data selected by the Department of Education in the calculation of accountability index scores for school districts.
sHB5437(D) /The FileAmerican No.Federation of Teachers-Connecticut;
668 sHB5437 File No.
668 (D) The American Federation of Teachers-Connecticut;
andPublic (4)Act AnyNo. additional member deemed appropriate by the cochairpersons of the working group.
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5437 and (4) Any additional member deemed appropriate by the cochairpersons of the working group.
(e) The working group may provide an opportunity for public sHB5437comment /or Fileseek No.input from students, parents, educators, boards of education and other education stakeholders while conducting the review and developing its recommendations under this section.
668 sHB5437 File No.
668 comment or seek input from students, parents, educators, boards of education and other education stakeholders while conducting the review and developing its recommendations under this section.
The task force shall make recommendations for (1) the appropriate agency or agencies to administer such program, (2) the scope of services offered by such program,Public including,Act butNo. not limited to, the provision of culturally informed services and services to marginalized communities, (3) the role that existing bereavement and grief counseling services programs and school-based health centers should have in the delivery of services under such program, (4) the delivery of services by such program in areas of the state where such services do not currently exist or are not sufficient, and the resources that will be needed to deliver services to such areas, (5) long-term funding sources for such program, and (6) any additional considerations identified by the task force.
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5437 program, including, but not limited to, the provision of culturally informed services and services to marginalized communities, (3) the role that existing bereavement and grief counseling services programs and school-based health centers should have in the delivery of services under such program, (4) the delivery of services by such program in areas of the state where such services do not currently exist or are not sufficient, and the resources that will be needed to deliver services to such areas, (5) long-term funding sources for such program, and (6) any additional considerations identified by the task force.
sHB5437(3) /One Fileappointed No.by the majority leader of the House of Representatives, who shall be a representative of a state-wide association of school counselors;
668 sHB5437 File No.
668 (3) One appointed by the majority leader of the House of Representatives, who shall be a representative of a state-wide association of school counselors;
(7)Public OneAct appointedNo. jointly by the House chairperson and the House ranking member of the joint standing committee of the General Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to education, who has experience with grief and bereavement;
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5437 (7) One appointed jointly by the House chairperson and the House ranking member of the joint standing committee of the General Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to education, who has experience with grief and bereavement;
and sHB5437(13) /The Fileexecutive No.director of the Commission on Women, Children, Seniors, Equity and Opportunity, or the executive director's designee.
668 sHB5437 File No.
668 (13) The executive director of the Commission on Women, Children, Seniors, Equity and Opportunity, or the executive director's designee.
Such chairpersons shall schedule thefirstPublic meetingAct oftheNo. task force, whichshall beheld not later thansixty days after the effective date of this section.
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5437 thefirst meeting ofthe task force, whichshall beheld not later thansixty days after the effective date of this section.
Section1ofpublicSection1ofpublicact act 23-160isrepealed.(Effective July1, 2024) ThisApproved actMay shall21, take2024 effectPublic asAct followsNo. and shall amend the following sections:
Section24-45 143 Julyof 1,43 2024 New section Sec.
2 July 1, 2024 10-220a(a) Sec.
3 July 1, 2025 10-220a(a) Sec.
4 July 1, 2024 10-222d(b) Sec.
5 July 1, 2024 10-233m sHB5437 / File No.
668 sHB5437 File No.
668 Sec.
6 July 1, 2024 22a-226e(a) Sec.
7 from passage 10-248a Sec.
8 from passage 10-51(d)(2) Sec.
9 July 1, 2024 10-221a Sec.
10 July 1, 2024 10-221z Sec.
11 July 1, 2024 10-76ll(b) Sec.
12 July 1, 2024 10-221x(b) Sec.
13 July 1, 2024 10-233a(c) and (d) Sec.
14 July 1, 2024 10-233c(g) Sec.
15 July 1, 2024 10-233p Sec.
16 July 1, 2024 10-222q(a) Sec.
17 July 1, 2025 10-222q(a) Sec.
18 July 1, 2024 10-222aa(12) July 1, 2024 Sec.
19 10-222hh(a) Sec.
20 July 1, 2024 New section Sec.
21 from passage New section Sec.
22 from passage New section Sec.
23 July 1, 2024 New section Sec.
24 July 1, 2024 10-19m(a) Sec.
25 July 1, 2024 10-74j July 1, 2024 Sec.
26 4-124ll Sec.
27 July 1, 2024 New section Sec.
28 July 1, 2024 New section Sec.
29 from passage New section Sec.
30 July 1, 2024 Repealer section sHB5437 / File No.
668 sHB5437 File No.
668 The following Fiscal Impact Statement and Bill Analysis are prepared for the benefit of the members of the General Assembly, solely for purposes of information, summarization and explanation and do not represent the intent of the General Assembly or either chamber thereof for any purpose.
In general, fiscal impacts are based upon a variety of informational sources, including the analyst’s professional knowledge.
Whenever applicable, agency data is consulted as part of the analysis, however final products do not necessarily reflect an assessment from any specific department.
OFA Fiscal Note State Impact:
Agency Affected Fund-Effect FY 25 $ FY 26 $ Education, Dept.
GF - Cost 51,500 103,000 State Comptroller - Fringe GF - Cost 21,243 42,487 Benefits Note:
GF=General Fund Municipal Impact:
Municipalities Effect FY 25 $ FY 26 $ Local and Regional School Cost Potential Potential Districts Local and Regional School See Below See Below See Below Districts Explanation The bill makes a variety of changes to education statutes that impact the State Department of Education and local and regional school districts.
The impact of these changes is described by section below.
Section 1 establishes the Education Mandate Review Advisory Council.
This has no fiscal impact.
Sections 2 allows professional development and evaluation committees within local and regional school districts to determine the manner and schedule of professional development requirements in their districts.
The amendment requires that each requirement is 1The fringe benefit costs for most state employees are budgeted centrally in accounts administered by the Comptroller.
The estimated active employee fringe benefit cost associated with most personnel changes is 41.25% of payroll in FY 25.
sHB5437 / File No.
668 sHB5437 File No.
668 provided at least once every five years.
This potentially shifts the cost of meeting the requirements across fiscal years, to the extent that these committees alter their districts' professional development schedules.
Section 3 makes conforming changes regarding existing trainings for educators and paraeducators.
This has no fiscal impact.
Sections 4 - 5 adjust certain training requirements for school resource officers.
This has no fiscal impact as it does not affect the cost to local and regional school districts of providing such training.
Section 6 eliminates, for some elementary and secondary school facilities, and delays, for others, a requirement that has not yet taken effect for school facilities serving any grades K-12 that generate a high volume of waste to separate and compost organic waste (i.e., food scraps).
The section limits the number of these facilities that will be required to separate and compost food scraps to such facilities located within 20 miles of a composting facility.
For those facilities that must separate and compost food scraps, the requirement is delayed from January 1, 2025 to July 1, 2026.
The section results in:
(1) a delay, from FY 25 to FY 27, of any fiscal impacts for local and regional school boards associated with these provisions, and (2) an elimination of fiscal impacts to those facilities that generate a high volume of food scraps and are more than 20 miles away from a composting facility.
Sections 7 - 8 have no fiscal impact.
They make procedural changes regarding the administration of local and regional district finances.
Section9hasnofiscalimpact.Itmakesseveralchangestohighschool graduation requirements that are not expected to increase the cost of curriculum administration or development.
Section 10 has no fiscal impact.
It exempts international students enrolled in endowed academies from the requirement to fill out a Free sHB5437 / File No.
668 43 sHB5437 File No.
668 Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).
Sections 11 - 12 make technical changes and have no fiscal impact.
Sections 13 - 19 have no fiscal impact.
They make changes regarding school climate and student discipline.
These changes are not expected to increase costs to SDE or to local and regional school districts associated with:
(1) the provision of services to students who are arrested or receive out-of-school suspensions;
or (2) the administration of school climate surveys.
Section 20 results in an annual cost beginning in FY 25 for the State Department of Education to appoint a director of school climate improvement.
It is anticipated that SDE will have to hire an employee to fulfill this requirement.
These costs to SDE are expected to be $51,500 in FY 25 and $103,000 in FY 26 and annually thereafter.
There are corresponding fringe benefit costs of $21,243 in FY 25 and $42,487 in FY 26 and annually thereafter.
FY 25 costs are in anticipation of a January 1, 2025 hire date.
Sections 21 – 22 have no fiscal impact.
The sections require the Connecticut Preschool Through Twenty and Workforce Information Network (P20 WIN) to create a plan to establish a data intermediary to facilitate data sharing across nonprofits, and to annually report regarding disconnected youth.
It is anticipated that the network can fulfill these responsibilities with existing resources.
Section 23 has no fiscal impact.
It requires local and regional school districts to enter agreements to share certain student data with local youth service bureaus.
It is anticipated that school districts can meet these provisions with existing resources.
Section 24 makes technical changes regarding youth service bureaus, which have no fiscal impact.
Section 25 results in potential costs annually beginning in FY 25 to local and regional school districts.
It requires local and regional school sHB5437 / File No.
668 44 sHB5437 File No.
668 districts to expand credit recovery programs available within alternative educationto any student who isat risk ofnot graduatingand is enrolled in a traditional education program.
To the extent that this requirement increases enrollment in credit recovery programs, districts couldincur coststo purchase additionalsuppliesandmaterialsfor those classes.
Section 26 makes a technical change regarding a model student work release policy developed by the Chief Workforce Officer.
This has no fiscal impact, as it is not anticipated to affect the cost of updating the policy.
Section27 allowstheConnecticut AssociationofBoardsofEducation to convene a working group to conduct a review of high school graduation requirements.
This has no fiscal impact as it does not establish any new requirements of the State Department of Education or local or regional school districts.
Section 28 allows the Connecticut Education Association to convene a working group to conduct a review of high school grading policies and the accountability index.
This has no fiscal impact as it does not establish any new requirements of the State Department of Education or local or regional school districts.
Section 29 establishes a task force to develop recommendations for thecreationandadministrationofastatewideprogramfor bereavement and grief counseling to children and families.
This has no fiscal impact.
Section 30 repeals a working group to review mandates on the State Department of Education and local and regional school districts.
House "A" strikes the underlying bill and its associated fiscal impact and results in the above identified fiscal impact.
The Out Years The annualized ongoing fiscal impact identified above would continue into the future subject to inflation.
sHB5437 / File No.
668 45 sHB5437 File No.
668 The preceding Fiscal Impact statement is prepared for the benefit of the members of the General Assembly, solely for the purposes of information, summarization and explanation and does not represent the intent of the General Assembly or either chamber thereof for any purpose.
In general, fiscal impacts are based upon a variety of informational sources, including the analyst’s professional knowledge.
Whenever applicable, agency data is consulted as part of the analysis, however final products do not necessarily reflect an assessment from any specific department.
sHB5437 / File No.
668 46 sHB5437 File No.
668 OLR Bill Analysis sHB 5437 (as amended by House "A")* AN ACT CONCERNING EDUCATION MANDATE RELIEF.
TABLE OF CONTENTS:
§§ 1 & 30 — EDUCATION MANDATE REVIEW ADVISORY COUNCIL Establishes a 10-member Education Mandate Review Advisory Council;
repeals a mandate working group established in 2023 §§ 2-5 — IN-SERVICE TRAINING Requires that (1) the manner and frequency of in-service training for certified educators be determined by the school board’s professional development and evaluation committee and (2) the required subject matter be provided at least once every five years;
eliminates specified subject matter fromin-service training that, generally, isaddressed by other training requirements;
restores in-service training requirements that inadvertently sunset in 2025 § 6 — LARGE ORGANIC MATERIALS GENERATORS For public and private K-12 schools, (1) delays, from January 1, 2025, to July 1, 2026, the requirement for certain organic materials generators to separate the materials and recycle them and (2) limits the requirement to buildings or facilities located within a 20-mile radius of a permitted source-separated organic material composting facility §§ 7 & 8 — RESERVE FUNDS Allows local boards of education, rather than local boards of finance or other appropriating authorities, to deposit unexpended education funds into a nonlapsing account;
allows regional boards of education to create reserve funds for educational expenditures, rather than reserve funds for capital and nonrecurring expenditures §§ 9 & 10 — HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATION REQUIREMENTS Delays the FAFSA completion requirement to the graduating class of and exempts certain international students at endowed sHB5437 / File No.
668 47 sHB5437 File No.
668 academies from the requirement;
eliminates the option for school boards to require students to complete a one-credit mastery-based diploma assessment;
eliminates the ban on partisan political activities counting as community service;
adds physician assistants to the list of practitioners who may certify that a student should not participate in physical education §§ 9, 11 & 12 — STUDENT SUCCESS PLANS Requires that student success plans consider enrollment opportunities in the Connecticut Technical Education and Career System § 13 — IN-SCHOOL SUSPENSIONS Reduces the maximum number of consecutive days for in-school suspensions from 10 to five § 14 — STANDARD FOR EARLY GRADES OUT-OF-SCHOOL SUSPENSION Changes the standard for out-of-school suspensions in early grades and shortens the maximum out-of-school suspension for these grades from 10 to five days § 15 — SRO REPORTS Clarifies to whom SROs must give investigation and intervention reports §§ 16 & 17 — SCHOOL CLIMATE SURVEYS AND CLIMATE IMPROVEMENT PLANS Requires the development of a (1) school climate survey standard and (2) model school climate improvement plan §§ 18 & 19 — LOCAL SCHOOL CLIMATE STEPS Requiresschoolclimatesurveystomeetorusethestateschoolclimate survey standards;
allows a local school climate specialist to incorporate the model school climate plan into his or her school climate plan § 20 — STATE DIRECTOR OF SCHOOL CLIMATE IMPROVEMENT Requires SDE to appoint a state director of school climate improvement §§ 21 & 22 — DISCONNECTED YOUTH Requires P20 WIN to (1) develop a plan to establish a statewide data intermediary to assist nonprofits serving disconnected youth and (2) sHB5437 / File No.
668 sHB5437 File No.
668 annually report on disconnected youth to the legislature using specified data §§ 23 & 24 — YOUTH SERVICE BUREAUS Requires school boards, when requested by a YSB, to enter into an MOU on when students’ educational records may be shared between the board and YSB;
allows private youth-serving organizations to establish a YSB if they are designated to act as agents of one or more school boards § 25 — CREDIT RECOVERY PROGRAMS Requiresschoolboards withacredit recoveryprogramaspart oftheir alternative education to allow certain students enrolled in a traditional school program to simultaneously enroll in the credit recovery program § 26 — MODEL STUDENT WORK RELEASE POLICY Requires the chief workforce officer to consult with the SDE commissioner when updating the model student work release policy §§ 27 & 28 — WORKING GROUPS ON HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATION REQUIREMENTS, GRADING POLICIES, AND ACCOUNTABILITY INDEX Allows (1) CABE to convene a working group to review high school graduation requirements and (2) CEA and AFT-CT to jointly convene a working group to review high school grading policies and the accountability index § 29 — BEREAVEMENT AND GRIEF COUNSELING SERVICES TASK FORCE Establishes a 13-member task force on bereavement and grief counseling services SUMMARY This bill makes various changes in the state’s education laws as described in the section-by-section analysis below.
*House Amendment “A” (1) broadens the mandate review council’s charge to include all education mandates, rather than only those for professional development as in the original bill;
(2) restores certain in- service training requirements enacted in 2023;
(3) narrows the original bill’s changes on organic materials recycling so that they apply to K-12 sHB5437 / File No.
668 49 sHB5437 File No.
668 schoolsonly;
(4) narrowstheoriginalbill’sFAFSA exemptionfor certain endowed academy students;
and (5) adds the provisions on reserve funds, physician assistants certifying students’ nonparticipation in physicaleducation, schooldiscipline, disconnectedyouth,youthservice bureaus, credit recovery programs, model student work release policy, working groups on high school graduation requirements and grading policies, and the bereavement and grief counseling services task forces.
EFFECTIVE DATE:
Various;
see below.
§§ 1 & 30 — EDUCATION MANDATE REVIEW ADVISORY COUNCIL Establishes a 10-member Education Mandate Review Advisory Council;
repeals a mandate working group established in 2023 Duties The bill establishes a 10-member Education Mandate Review AdvisoryCounciltoadviseandprovideannualreportstotheEducation Committee on the (1) cost and implementation of existing education mandates on local and regional boards of education and (2) impact of proposals to add to or revise these mandates (§ 1).
It repeals an 11- member working group established in 2023 with a similar charge (§ 30).
Under the bill, the council’s annual reports may include a review of education mandates on school boards in the state’s laws and regulations to identify those that may be burdensome or limit or restrict providing student instruction or services.
For these mandates, a report must have a detailed analysis and indicate the specific statutory or regulatory citation and how it is imposed on the board.
It must also make recommendationsonrepealing oramendingany statutesorregulations.
Under thebill,thecouncil’sreportsto theEducationCommittee must be submitted annually beginning by January 1, 2025.
They must include recommendations for legislation (if any) as well as the following:
1.
a review of all existing education mandates in state law;
2.
costs incurred by school boards to implement these mandates;
and sHB5437 / File No.
668 50 sHB5437 File No.
668 3.
how the boards implement the mandates, including how and when they are provided.
Membership Under the bill, the council consists of 10 legislative appointees as shown in the table below.
Table:
Council Membership Appointing Authority Criteria House speaker Represents the Connecticut Association of Boards of Education Senate president pro tempore Represents the Connecticut Association of Public School Superintendents House majority leader Represents the Connecticut Association of Schools Senate majority leader Represents the Connecticut Association of School Business Officials House minority leader Member of a local or regional school board Senate minority leader Represents the Connecticut Federation of School Administrators Education Committee House chairperson Public school paraeducator in Connecticut and ranking member (one each) Education Committee Senate chairperson Public school teacher in Connecticut and ranking member (one each) The bill requires appointing authorities to make their initial appointmentsby August 1,2024,andfillany vacancies.
The initialterms end on January 31, 2029, and subsequent terms last for five years.
The bill allows members to serve multiple terms.
The bill requires the House speaker and Senate president pro tempore to select the council’s chairpersons from among its members.
The chairpersons must schedule and hold the first meeting by October 1, 2024.
The Education Committee’s administrative staff must serve as the council’s administrative staff.
EFFECTIVE DATE:
July 1, 2024 §§ 2-5 — IN-SERVICE TRAINING sHB5437 / File No.
668 51 sHB5437 File No.
668 Requires that (1) the manner and frequency of in-service training for certified educators be determined by the school board’s professional development and evaluation committee and (2) the required subject matter be provided at least once every five years;
eliminates specified subject matter from in-service training that, generally, is addressed by other training requirements;
restores in-service training requirements that inadvertently sunset in 2025 Existing law requires school boards to have an in-service training program for teachers, administrators, and pupil personnel who hold the initial educator, provisional educator, or professional educator certificate.
The bill requires that (1) the manner and frequency of the training be determined by the school board’s professional development and evaluation committee and (2) at a minimum, the required subject matter be provided at least once every five years.
Additionally, the bill eliminates requirements that the training include (1) identification and preventionof and response to bullying, (2) culturally responsive pedagogy and practice, and (3) the principles and practices of social-emotional learning and restorative practices.
Generally, training on these subjects is required by other statutes (e.g., certified employees’ professional development programs must include culturally responsive pedagogy and practice (CGS § 10-148a)).
The bill also makes conforming changes.
Effective July 1, 2025, the bill also restores in-service training requirements enacted in 2023 on special education, planning and placement teams and Section 504 plans (Rehabilitation Act of 1973), and emergency response to students who experience a seizure in school.
These requirements were enacted in two 2023 public acts (PA 23-137, § 49, and PA 23-160, § 2) but sunset June 30, 2025, under current law due to a codification conflict with a different act (PA § 23-167, § 60).
EFFECTIVEDATE:July1,2024,exceptthattherestorationofthe2023 enacted requirements is effective July 1, 2025.
§ 6 — LARGE ORGANIC MATERIALS GENERATORS For public and private K-12 schools, (1) delays, from January 1, 2025, to July 1, 2026, the requirement for certain organic materials generators to separate the materials and recycle them and (2) limits the requirement to buildings or facilities located within a 20-mile radius of a permitted source-separated organic material composting facility sHB5437 / File No.
668 52 sHB5437 File No.
668 Beginning January 1, 2025, PA 23-170, § 5, expands the scope of the law requiring certain organic materials generators to separate the materials and recycle them.
Among other things, it requires public and private educational facilities (and other newly included entities) that generate an average projected volume of at least 26 tons of source- separated organic materials (e.g., food scraps) per year to (1) separate the materials from other solid waste and (2) recycle them at a permitted source-separated organic material composting facility that has capacity and is willing to accept them.
For public and nonpublic school buildings or facilities with students in grades K-12 (in any combination), the bill (1) delays the implementation of this requirement to July 1, 2026, and (2) limits it to buildings and facilities located within a 20-mile radius of a permitted source-separated organic material composting facility.
It retains the January 1, 2025, implementation for public or independent higher education institution buildings or facilities.
EFFECTIVE DATE:
July 1, 2024 §§ 7 & 8 — RESERVE FUNDS Allows local boards of education, rather than local boards of finance or other appropriating authorities, to deposit unexpended education funds into a nonlapsing account;
allows regional boards of education to create reserve funds for educational expenditures, rather than reserve funds for capital and nonrecurring expenditures Current law allows a town board of finance, board of selectmen in a town with no board of finance, or other appropriating authority for a school district, to deposit unexpended education funds into a nonlapsing account.
Beginning with FY 24, the bill instead allows the local board of education to make this deposit.As under existing law, the deposit may be up to 2% of the previous fiscal year’s budgeted appropriation for education, and account expenditures must be only for educational purposes (§ 7).
Beginning with FY 24, the bill allows regional boards of education to create reserve funds for educational expenditures, rather than reserve funds for capital and nonrecurring expenditures as current law allows, sHB5437 / File No.
668 53 sHB5437 File No.
668 and makes conforming changes (e.g., repealing language that limited fund expenditures to certain capital projects and equipment purchases).
As under existing law, boards may create the fund by a majority vote of their members, and the aggregate amount of annual and supplemental appropriationsbythedistricttothefundcannotexceed2%oftheannual district budget for the fiscal year (§ 8).
EFFECTIVE DATE:
Upon passage §§ 9 & 10 — HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATION REQUIREMENTS Delays the FAFSA completion requirement to the graduating class of 2027 and exempts certain international students at endowed academies from the requirement;
eliminates the option for school boards to require students to complete a one-credit mastery-based diploma assessment;
eliminates the ban on partisan political activities counting as community service;
adds physician assistants to the list of practitioners who may certify that a student should not participate in physical education FAFSA Completion Beginning with the graduating class of 2025, current law requires students to complete a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), institutional financial aid application (if the student does not have legal immigration status), or signed waiver in order to graduate from high school.
The bill delays the requirement by two years, to the graduating class of 2027.
The bill also exempts endowed academy students who hold F-1 visas from this requirement (i.e., nonimmigrant student visas).
The state has three endowed academies that function as public high schools under state law (i.e., Gilbert School, Norwich Free Academy, and Woodstock Academy).
Credit Requirements Beginning with the graduating class of 2027, the bill eliminates the option for school boards to require students to complete a one-credit mastery-based diploma assessment (i.e., a “capstone”) in order to graduate from high school.
Additionally, existing law requires students, beginning with the graduating class of 2027, to complete a half-credit of personal financial sHB5437 / File No.
668 54 sHB5437 File No.
668 management and financial literacy, which may count as either a humanities credit or an elective credit.
The bill provides a third option by allowing this requirement to count as a science, technology, engineering, and mathematics credit.
Community Service Existing law allows school boards to offer, and count towards high school graduation requirements, one half-credit in community service.
Among other things, students must complete at least 50 hours of actual service outside of school hours.
The bill eliminates current law’s(1)banonpartisanpoliticalactivities counting as community service and (2) requirement that the State Board of Education give community service recognition awards to students who complete at least 50 hours of community service.
Physical Education Existing law requires students to complete one credit in physical education and wellness unless they present a certificate from a physician or advanced practice registered nurse stating that, in the practitioner’s opinion, participation is medically contraindicated by the student’s physical condition.
The bill additionally allows students to present this certificate from a physician assistant.
EFFECTIVE DATE:
July 1, 2024 §§ 9, 11 & 12 — STUDENT SUCCESS PLANS Requires that student success plans consider enrollment opportunities in the Connecticut Technical Education and Career System The bill requires that student success plans consider enrollment opportunities in the Connecticut Technical Education and Career System.
By law, school boards must create a student success plan for each public school student beginning in sixth grade.
The plan must include the student’s career and academic choices in grades 6-12.
EFFECTIVE DATE:
July 1, 2024 sHB5437 / File No.
668 55 sHB5437 File No.
668 § 13 — IN-SCHOOL SUSPENSIONS Reduces the maximum number of consecutive days for in-school suspensions from 10 to five Thebillreduces,from10tofive,themaximumnumberofconsecutive days a school may give a student for an in-school suspension.
By law, an in-school suspension is an exclusion from regular classroom activity but not exclusion from school, and the exclusion must not extend beyondtheendoftheschoolyearinwhichthe suspensionwasimposed.
EFFECTIVE DATE:
July 1, 2024 § 14 — STANDARD FOR EARLY GRADES OUT-OF-SCHOOL SUSPENSION Changes the standard for out-of-school suspensions in early grades and shortens the maximum out-of-school suspension for these grades from 10 to five days The bill changes the standard for out-of-school suspensions for grades preschool to two to situations with evidence that the student’s conductonschoolgroundsisbehaviorthatcausesphysicalharm.
Under current law, the standard is conduct of a violent or sexual nature that endangers persons.
Additionally, under the bill, in order to suspend a student in these grades, the school administration must (1) require that the student receives trauma-informed and developmentally appropriate services that align with any behavioral intervention plan, individualized education program, or Section 504 plan (Rehabilitation Act of 1973), when the student returns to school immediately after the suspension and (2) consider whether to convene a planning and placement team meeting to evaluate whether the student may need special education or related services.
It also limitsout-of-school suspensionsfor thisgroupto no more than fiveschooldays.Bylaw,out-of-schoolsuspensionsforothergradesmay not be longer than 10 consecutive school days.
EFFECTIVE DATE:
July 1, 2024 § 15 — SRO REPORTS sHB5437 / File No.
668 56 sHB5437 File No.
668 Clarifies to whom SROs must give investigation and intervention reports Current law requires each school resource officer (SRO) to give his or her agency’s police chief a report for each investigation or behavioral intervention the SRO conducts within five days after doing so.
The law details what must be in the report and requires police chiefs to submit SROs’ reports to their school districts’ superintendents at least monthly.
The bill clarifies that if the SRO’s chief of police is not Police Officer Standards and Training (POST)-certified, then the SRO must instead submit the reports to the superintendent.
(In some towns, by charter or municipal ordinance, the chief law enforcement officer is the first selectman.) The Police Officer Standards and Training Council (POST) provides the required training for all uniformed municipal police in the state.
EFFECTIVE DATE:
July 1, 2024 §§ 16 & 17 — SCHOOL CLIMATE SURVEYS AND CLIMATE IMPROVEMENT PLANS Requires the development of a (1) school climate survey standard and (2) model school climate improvement plan The bill requires the Social and Emotional Learning and School Climate Advisory Collaborative (i.e., “the collaborative”) to develop a (1) school climate survey standard and (2) model school climate improvement plan.
For the survey, the standards must address collecting diversity, equity, and inclusion data and how to reduce disparities in data collection between school districts.
By law, the collaborative has numerous responsibilities related to fostering a positive school climate, including developing a statewide school climate survey and a model positive school climate policy.
The bill includes duplicate sections of the same law with different effective dates to conform with changes from past legislation.
EFFECTIVE DATE:
July 1, 2024 (§ 16) and July 1, 2025 (§ 17) §§ 18 & 19 — LOCAL SCHOOL CLIMATE STEPS sHB5437 / File No.
668 57 sHB5437 File No.
668 Requires school climate surveys to meet or use the state school climate survey standards;
allows a local school climate specialist to incorporate the model school climate plan into his or her school climate plan Under current law, a “school climate survey” must be a research- based, validated, and developmentally appropriate survey for students, school employees, and families of students, in the predominant languages of the school community, that measures and identifies school climate needs and tracks progress through a school climate improvement plan.
The bill additionally requires that the surveys meet the collaborative survey standards or use the statewide school climate survey that the collaborative develops.
By law, the school climate specialist has numerous duties at the individual school level.
The bill allows a school climate specialist to incorporate the model school climate improvement plan into his or her school climate improvement plan.
Unchanged from current law, the school climate specialist must submit the plan to the school district’s school climate coordinator for review and approval.
EFFECTIVE DATE:
July 1, 2024 § 20 — STATE DIRECTOR OF SCHOOL CLIMATE IMPROVEMENT Requires SDE to appoint a state director of school climate improvement The bill requires the State Department of Education (SDE), within available appropriations, to appoint a director of school climate improvement to serve as the statewide social and emotional learning and school climate expert.
Under the bill, the director’s duties include annually, beginning by January 1, 2026, submitting a report to the Education Committee on recommendations for best practices and school climate improvement strategies in the state.
At the state level, the bill requires the director to also do the following:
1.
help the collaborative develop and implement tools and best sHB5437 / File No.
668 58 sHB5437 File No.
668 practices for school climate and culture, including developing a model school climate survey and a model school climate improvement plan, and 2.
in collaboration with the collaborative, develop strategies to improve service delivery for social and emotional learning, skills building, and mental health supports.
At the local level, the bill requires the director to do the following:
1.
help school boards implement the (a) state anti-bullying, school climate, and social and emotional learning policy and requirements and (b) Connecticut school climate policy;
2.
provide information and assistance to school boards, students, and parents and guardians of students on the uniform bullying complaint form;
3.
help school climate coordinators (the districtwide school climate official) develop a continuum of strategies to prevent, identify, and respond to challenging behavior;
and 4.
develop and provide technical assistance and recommendations, incollaborationwiththecollaborative,to schoolboardsonschool employee trainings for school climate improvement.
EFFECTIVE DATE:
July 1, 2024 §§ 21 & 22 — DISCONNECTED YOUTH Requires P20 WIN to (1) develop a plan to establish a statewide data intermediary to assist nonprofits serving disconnected youth and (2) annually report on disconnected youth to the legislature using specified data The bill requires the Connecticut Preschool through Twenty and Workforce Information Network (P20 WIN) to develop a plan to establish a statewide data intermediary to provide technical support, create data-sharing agreements, and build and maintain the infrastructure needed to share data between nonprofit organizations serving disconnected youth.
The P20 WIN executive board must submit sHB5437 / File No.
668 59 sHB5437 File No.
668 the plan to the Education Committee by January 1, 2025.
The bill additionally requires the P20 WIN executive board to submit a report on disconnected youth annually beginning by January 1, 2025, to the Appropriations, Children, Education, Human Services, Judiciary, Labor and Public Employees, and Public Health committees.
In developing the report, the board must use the data model established through the data-sharing agreement 0043 regarding Research on Disengaged and Disconnected Youth in Connecticut (i.e., a 2023 agreement between various state agencies, a nonprofit, and a private consulting firm to share certain data from P20 WIN).
For the plan and annual reports, a “disconnected youth” is an individual age 14-26 who is (1) an at-risk student (see below) or (2) not enrolled in high school and (a) has not obtained a high school diploma or its equivalent;
(b) has obtained a diploma or equivalent but is unemployed and not enrolled in an adult education program, institution of higher education or otherwise pursuing postsecondary education, or a workforce training or certification program, including an apprenticeship program;
or (c) is incarcerated.
“At-risk” students are those enrolled in high school who are in danger of not graduating due to, among other things, (1) not earning sufficient credits;
(2) being chronically absent (i.e., absences totaling at least 10% of the number of days enrolled);
or (3) behavioral and other disciplinary issues (e.g., suspensions and expulsions).
EFFECTIVE DATE:
Upon passage §§ 23 & 24 — YOUTH SERVICE BUREAUS Requires school boards, when requested by a YSB, to enter into an MOU on when students’ educational records may be shared between the board and YSB;
allows private youth-serving organizations to establish a YSB if they are designated to act as agents of one or more school boards Data-Sharing (§ 23) The bill requires school boards, when requested by a youth service bureau (YSB) that provides services to the board, to enter into a sHB5437 / File No.
668 60 sHB5437 File No.
668 memorandum of understanding (MOU) on when students’ educational records may be shared between the board and a YSB in the bureau’s service provision.
Any MOU must require the board to provide, and bureau to receive and maintain, any educational records in accordance withthefederalFamilyEducationalRightsandPrivacy Act (FERPA,see Background — FERPA).
Establishing YSBs (§ 24) Existing law allows one or more municipalities or private youth- serving organizations they designate to act as their agents, to establish a YSB.
The bill additionally allows the organizations to establish a YSB if they are designated to act as agents of one or more local or regional boards of education.
As under existing law, the YSB may evaluate, plan, coordinate, and implement services, including prevention and intervention programs for delinquent, predelinquent, pregnant, parenting, and troubled youths referred to the bureau.
The bill specifies that these youths may be referred by, among other entities, school boards, rather than schools as current law provides.
EFFECTIVE DATE:
July 1, 2024 Background — FERPA With certain exceptions, FERPA requires schools, school districts, and federally funded institutions to keep personally identifying information (PII) in a student’s records confidential unless (1) the parents (of students under age 18) or students age 18 or older (“eligible students”) consent to disclose it or (2) one of the legal exceptions to the confidentiality requirement applies (20 U.S.C.
§ 1232g).
Under FERPA’s regulations, “education records” are, with certain exceptions, records that refer to a student and are maintained by an educational agency or institution.
Examples of PII include a student’s name, date of birth, and personal identifier (34 C.F.R.
§ 99.3).
§ 25 — CREDIT RECOVERY PROGRAMS sHB5437 / File No.
668 61 sHB5437 File No.
668 Requires school boards with a credit recovery program as part of their alternative education to allow certain students enrolled in a traditional school program to simultaneously enroll in the credit recovery program Existing law allows school boards to have a school or program in a nontraditional setting that addresses students’ social, emotional, behavioral, and academic needs (i.e., “alternative education”).
Under the bill, school boards with a credit recovery program as part of their alternative education must allow students enrolled in a traditional school program and at risk of not graduating to also enroll in the credit recovery program while remaining enrolled in the traditional program.
The boards must do so beginning with the 2024-2025 school year.
EFFECTIVE DATE:
July 1, 2024 § 26 — MODEL STUDENT WORK RELEASE POLICY Requires the chief workforce officer to consult with the SDE commissioner when updating the model student work release policy Existing law allows the state’s chief workforce officer to update the model student work release policy as necessary.
The bill requires her to consult with the SDE commissioner when doing so.
By law, local and regional boards of education must adopt the model policy or the most recently updated version of it beginning with the 2024-2025 school year.
EFFECTIVE DATE:
July 1, 2024 §§ 27 & 28 — WORKING GROUPS ON HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATION REQUIREMENTS, GRADING POLICIES, AND ACCOUNTABILITY INDEX Allows (1) CABE to convene a working group to review high school graduation requirements and (2) CEA and AFT-CT to jointly convene a working group to review high school grading policies and the accountability index The bill allows the Connecticut Association of Boards of Education (CABE) to convene a working group of at least 15 members to review high school graduation requirements to identify requirements that limit or restrict instruction or service provision to students and recommend revisions (§ 27).
CABE’s executive director or a designee must chair the sHB5437 / File No.
668 62 sHB5437 File No.
668 working group.
ThebillalsoallowstheConnecticutEducationAssociation(CEA)and the American Federation of Teachers-Connecticut (AFT-CT) to jointly convene a working group of at least 15 members to review (1) high school grading policies used by local and regional boards of education and (2) the accountability index and information and data SDE uses to calculate index scores (§ 28).
CEA’s and AFT-CT’s executive directors, or their designees, must serve as the working group’s chairpersons.
Under the bill, the groups must each submit a report to the Education Committee by January 1, 2026.
Each group terminates when it submits its report or July 1, 2026, whichever is later.
EFFECTIVE DATE:
July 1, 2024 Membership The bill establishes identical membership requirements for the two groups.Bothmustincludeonerepresentativefromeachofthefollowing organizations:
1.
CABE;
2.
the Connecticut Association of Public School Superintendents;
3.
the Connecticut PTA;
4.
AFT-CT;
5.
CEA;
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View plain text versions (6)
- Chaptered Public Act No. 24-45 Current pdf
- File No. 668 View text pdf
- File No. 592 View text pdf
- ED Joint Favorable Change of Reference View text pdf
- Raised Bill View text pdf
- Substitute APP Joint Favorable Substitute pdf
Action History
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SIGNED BY GOVERNOR
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TRANSMITTED BY SECRETARY OF THE STATE TO GOVERNOR
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TRANSMITTED TO SECRETARY OF THE STATE
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PUBLIC ACT 24-45
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IN CONCURRENCE
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SEN. PASSED, HO. AMEND. SCH. A
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SEN. ADOPTED HO. AMEND. SCH. A
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FILE NO. 668
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SENATE CALENDAR NUMBER 422
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FAV. RPT., TAB. FOR CAL., SEN.
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IMMEDIATE TRANSMITTAL TO THE SENATE
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HOUSE PASSED, HOUSE AMEND. SCH. A
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HOUSE ADOPTED HOUSE AMEND. SCH. A
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FILE NO. 592
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HOUSE CALENDAR NUMBER 413
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FAV. RPT., TABLED FOR HOUSE CALENDAR
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RPTD. OUT OF LCO
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REFERRED TO Office of Legislative Research AND Office of Fiscal Analysis 04/22/24
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FILED WITH LCO
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Joint Favorable Substitute
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FAV. CHG. OF REF., SEN. TO COMM. ON Appropriations
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FAV. CHG. OF REF. HOUSE TO COMM. ON Appropriations
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RPTD. OUT OF LCO
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FILED WITH LCO
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Joint Favorable Change of Reference APP
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PUBLIC HEARING 0313
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REF. TO JOINT COMM. ON Education
Sponsors
- Lisa Seminara · Primary
- Christopher Poulos · Primary
- Raghib Allie-Brennan · Primary
- Farley Santos · Primary
- Christine Conley · Primary
- Kara Rochelle · Primary
- Henry J. Genga · Primary
- Irene M. Haines · Primary
- Patricia Billie Miller · Primary
- Matt Blumenthal · Primary
- Jeff Gordon · Primary
Sponsorship breakdown
Export CSV (upgrade) →11 sponsors · 0 co-sponsors · 176 not signed on · 18 voted No
Sponsors (11)
- Lisa Seminara
- Christopher Poulos Democratic
- Raghib Allie-Brennan Democratic
- Farley Santos Democratic
- Christine Conley
- Kara Rochelle Democratic
- Henry J. Genga Democratic
- Irene M. Haines Republican
- Patricia Billie Miller Democratic
- Matt Blumenthal Democratic
- Jeff Gordon Republican
Co-sponsors (0)
None.
Not signed on (176)
176 members have not signed on to this bill.
Show all 176 →"Not signed on" means a member has not sponsored or co-sponsored this bill — it does not imply opposition. Members flagged Voted No have a recorded No vote on this bill.
Votes
| Party | Yea | Nay | Present | Not Voting |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | 23 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Unaffiliated | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Republican | 10 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Total | 36 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| % of votes cast | 100% | 0% | 0% | 0% |
How each member voted (36)
| Member | Party | Vote |
|---|---|---|
| Kevin C. Kelly | — | Yea |
| Lisa Seminara | — | Yea |
| Marilyn Moore | — | Yea |
| Bob Duff | Democratic | Yea |
| Catherine A. Osten | Democratic | Yea |
| Ceci Maher | Democratic | Yea |
| Christine Cohen | Democratic | Yea |
| Derek Slap | Democratic | Yea |
| Douglas McCrory | Democratic | Yea |
| Gary A. Winfield | Democratic | Yea |
| Herron Gaston | Democratic | Yea |
| James J. Maroney | Democratic | Yea |
| Jan Hochadel | Democratic | Yea |
| Joan V. Hartley | Democratic | Yea |
| John W. Fonfara | Democratic | Yea |
| Jorge Cabrera | Democratic | Yea |
| Julie Kushner | Democratic | Yea |
| MD Rahman | Democratic | Yea |
| Mae Flexer | Democratic | Yea |
| Martha Marx | Democratic | Yea |
| Martin M. Looney | Democratic | Yea |
| Matthew L. Lesser | Democratic | Yea |
| Norman Needleman | Democratic | Yea |
| Patricia Billie Miller | Democratic | Yea |
| Rick Lopes | Democratic | Yea |
| Saud Anwar | Democratic | Yea |
| Eric C. Berthel | Republican | Yea |
| Heather S. Somers | Republican | Yea |
| Henri Martin | Republican | Yea |
| Jeff Gordon | Republican | Yea |
| John A. Kissel | Republican | Yea |
| Paul Cicarella | Republican | Yea |
| Rob Sampson | Republican | Yea |
| Ryan Fazio | Republican | Yea |
| Stephen G. Harding | Republican | Yea |
| Tony Hwang | Republican | Yea |
| Party | Yea | Nay | Present | Not Voting |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | 81 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Republican | 25 | 18 | 0 | 1 |
| Unaffiliated | 23 | 2 | 0 | 1 |
| Total | 129 | 20 | 0 | 2 |
| % of votes cast | 85% | 13% | 0% | 1% |
How each member voted (151)
| Member | Party | Vote |
|---|---|---|
| Arnone | — | Yea |
| Khanna | — | Yea |
| Michel | — | Yea |
| Conley | — | Yea |
| Chaleski | — | Yea |
| Currey | — | Yea |
| Cheeseman | — | Yea |
| D'agostino | — | Yea |
| Cooley | — | Yea |
| Dancho | — | Nay |
| Palm | — | Yea |
| Denning | — | Yea |
| Porter | — | Yea |
| Ferraro | — | Nay |
| Cook | — | Yea |
| Ryan | — | Yea |
| Harrison | — | Yea |
| Figueroa | — | Yea |
| Hayes | — | Not Voting |
| Labriola | — | Yea |
| Tercyak | — | Yea |
| Mccarthy Vahey | — | Yea |
| Mccarty, K. | — | Yea |
| Morrin Bello | — | Yea |
| Sanchez, J. | — | Yea |
| Sanchez, R. | — | Yea |
| Aimee Berger-Girvalo | Democratic | Yea |
| Alphonse Paolillo | Democratic | Yea |
| Andre F. Baker | Democratic | Yea |
| Anne M. Hughes | Democratic | Yea |
| Anthony L. Nolan | Democratic | Yea |
| Antonio Felipe | Democratic | Yea |
| Aundre Bumgardner | Democratic | Yea |
| Bob Godfrey | Democratic | Yea |
| Bobby G. Gibson | Democratic | Yea |
| Brandon Chafee | Democratic | Yea |
| Christopher Poulos | Democratic | Yea |
| Christopher Rosario | Democratic | Yea |
| Corey P. Paris | Democratic | Yea |
| Derell Wilson | Democratic | Yea |
| Dominique Johnson | Democratic | Yea |
| Eleni Kavros DeGraw | Democratic | Yea |
| Emmanuel Sanchez | Democratic | Yea |
| Farley Santos | Democratic | Yea |
| Frank Smith | Democratic | Yea |
| Fred Gee | Democratic | Yea |
| Gary A. Turco | Democratic | Yea |
| Geoff Luxenberg | Democratic | Yea |
| Geraldo C. Reyes | Democratic | Yea |
| Gregory Haddad | Democratic | Yea |
| Hector Arzeno | Democratic | Yea |
| Henry J. Genga | Democratic | Yea |
| Hilda E. Santiago | Democratic | Yea |
| Hubert D. Delany | Democratic | Yea |
| Jaime S. Foster | Democratic | Yea |
| Jane M. Garibay | Democratic | Yea |
| Jason Doucette | Democratic | Yea |
| Jason Rojas | Democratic | Yea |
| Jennifer Leeper | Democratic | Yea |
| Jill Barry | Democratic | Yea |
| Jillian Gilchrest | Democratic | Yea |
| John-Michael Parker | Democratic | Yea |
| Jonathan Fazzino | Democratic | Yea |
| Jonathan Steinberg | Democratic | Yea |
| Joseph P. Gresko | Democratic | Yea |
| Josh Elliott | Democratic | Yea |
| Joshua M. Hall | Democratic | Yea |
| Juan R. Candelaria | Democratic | Yea |
| Julio A. Concepcion | Democratic | Yea |
| Kadeem Roberts | Democratic | Yea |
| Kai J. Belton | Democratic | Yea |
| Kara Rochelle | Democratic | Yea |
| Kate Farrar | Democratic | Yea |
| Kerry S. Wood | Democratic | Yea |
| Kevin Brown | Democratic | Yea |
| Larry B. Butler | Democratic | Yea |
| Liz Linehan | Democratic | Yea |
| Lucy Dathan | Democratic | Yea |
| Marcus Brown | Democratic | Yea |
| Maria P. Horn | Democratic | Yea |
| Mary Fortier | Democratic | Yea |
| Mary M. Mushinsky | Democratic | Yea |
| Mary Welander | Democratic | Yea |
| Maryam Khan | Democratic | Yea |
| Matt Blumenthal | Democratic | Yea |
| Matthew Ritter | Democratic | Yea |
| Melissa Osborne | Democratic | Yea |
| Michael D. Quinn | Democratic | Yea |
| Michael DiGiovancarlo | Democratic | Yea |
| Mike Demicco | Democratic | Yea |
| Minnie Gonzalez | Democratic | Yea |
| Moira Rader | Democratic | Yea |
| Patricia A. Dillon | Democratic | Yea |
| Patrick S. Boyd | Democratic | Yea |
| Raghib Allie-Brennan | Democratic | Yea |
| Robin E. Comey | Democratic | Yea |
| Roland J. Lemar | Democratic | Yea |
| Ronald A. Napoli | Democratic | Yea |
| Sarah Keitt | Democratic | Yea |
| Stephen R. Meskers | Democratic | Yea |
| Steven J. Stafstrom | Democratic | Yea |
| Susan M. Johnson | Democratic | Yea |
| Tammy R. Exum | Democratic | Yea |
| Toni E. Walker | Democratic | Yea |
| Travis Simms | Democratic | Yea |
| Trenee McGee | Democratic | Yea |
| William Heffernan | Democratic | Yea |
| Anne Dauphinais | Republican | Nay |
| Ben McGorty | Republican | Nay |
| Bill Buckbee | Republican | Nay |
| Brian Lanoue | Republican | Nay |
| Cara Christine Pavalock-D'Amato | Republican | Nay |
| Carol Hall | Republican | Yea |
| Chris Aniskovich | Republican | Yea |
| Christie M. Carpino | Republican | Yea |
| Craig C. Fishbein | Republican | Nay |
| Dave W. Yaccarino | Republican | Yea |
| David Rutigliano | Republican | Yea |
| Devin R. Carney | Republican | Yea |
| Donna Veach | Republican | Nay |
| Doug Dubitsky | Republican | Nay |
| Gale L. Mastrofrancesco | Republican | Nay |
| Greg S. Howard | Republican | Yea |
| Irene M. Haines | Republican | Yea |
| Jason Perillo | Republican | Not Voting |
| Jay M. Case | Republican | Yea |
| Joe Hoxha | Republican | Yea |
| Joe Polletta | Republican | Yea |
| John E. Piscopo | Republican | Nay |
| Joseph H. Zullo | Republican | Yea |
| Karen Reddington-Hughes | Republican | Nay |
| Kathy Kennedy | Republican | Yea |
| Kurt Vail | Republican | Nay |
| Lezlye Zupkus | Republican | Nay |
| Mark DeCaprio | Republican | Nay |
| Mark W. Anderson | Republican | Yea |
| Martin Foncello | Republican | Yea |
| Mitch Bolinsky | Republican | Yea |
| Nicole Klarides-Ditria | Republican | Yea |
| Patrick E. Callahan | Republican | Yea |
| Seth Bronko | Republican | Yea |
| Steve Weir | Republican | Nay |
| Tami Zawistowski | Republican | Nay |
| Tammy Nuccio | Republican | Nay |
| Tim Ackert | Republican | Yea |
| Tom Delnicki | Republican | Yea |
| Tom O'Dea | Republican | Yea |
| Tony J. Scott | Republican | Yea |
| Tracy Marra | Republican | Nay |
| Vincent J. Candelora | Republican | Yea |
| William Pizzuto | Republican | Yea |
Subjects
Frequently asked questions
- Who sponsors HB 5437?
- HB 5437 is sponsored by Lisa Seminara, Christopher Poulos (Democratic), Raghib Allie-Brennan (Democratic), Farley Santos (Democratic), Christine Conley, Kara Rochelle (Democratic), Henry J. Genga (Democratic), Irene M. Haines (Republican), Patricia Billie Miller (Democratic), Matt Blumenthal (Democratic), and Jeff Gordon (Republican).
- What is the current status of HB 5437?
- This bill has been enacted into law. Introduced March 07, 2024. Enacted.
- Where can I track HB 5437?
- Track HB 5437 free on One Click Politics — get push/email alerts when it moves.
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