Sec. 10-264h. Grants for capital expenditures for interdistrict magnet school
facilities. (a) For the fiscal year ending June 30, 1996, until the fiscal year ending June
30, 2003, a local or regional board of education, regional educational service center or
a cooperative arrangement pursuant to section 10-158a for purposes of an interdistrict
magnet school may be eligible for reimbursement up to the full reasonable cost of any
capital expenditure for the purchase, construction, extension, replacement, leasing or
major alteration of interdistrict magnet school facilities, including any expenditure for
the purchase of equipment, in accordance with this section. For the fiscal year ending
June 30, 2004, and each fiscal year thereafter, such entities may be eligible for reimbursement up to ninety-five per cent of such cost. To be eligible for reimbursement under
this section a magnet school construction project shall meet the requirements for a school
building project established in chapter 173, except that the Commissioner of Education
may waive any requirement in such chapter for good cause. On and after July 1, 1997,
the commissioner shall approve only applications for reimbursement under this section
that he finds will reduce racial, ethnic and economic isolation.
(b) Subject to the provisions of subsection (a) of this section, the applicant shall
receive current payments of scheduled estimated eligible project costs for the facility,
provided (1) the applicant files an application for a school building project, in accordance
with section 10-283 by the date prescribed by the commissioner, (2) final plans and
specifications for the project are approved pursuant to sections 10-291 and 10-292,
and (3) such district submits to the commissioner, in such form as the commissioner
prescribes, and the commissioner approves a plan for the operation of the facility which
includes, but need not be limited to: A description of the educational programs to be
offered, the completion date for the project, an estimated budget for the operation of
the facility, written commitments for participation from the districts that will participate
in the school and an analysis of the effect of the program on the reduction of racial,
ethnic and economic isolation. The commissioner shall notify the secretary of the State
Bond Commission when the provisions of subdivisions (1) and (3) of this subsection
have been met. Upon application to the Commissioner of Education, compliance with
the provisions of subdivisions (1) and (3) of this subsection and after authorization by
the General Assembly pursuant to section 10-283, the applicant shall be eligible to
receive progress payments in accordance with the provisions of section 10-287i.
(c) (1) If the school building ceases to be used as an interdistrict magnet school
facility and the grant was provided for the purchase or construction of the facility, the
commissioner shall determine whether (A) title to the building and any legal interest in
appurtenant land shall revert to the state or (B) the school district shall reimburse the
state an amount equal to the difference between the amount received pursuant to this
section and the amount the district would have been eligible to receive based on the
percentage determined pursuant to section 10-285a multiplied by the estimated eligible
project costs. (2) If the school building ceases to be used as an interdistrict magnet school
facility and the grant was provided for the extension or major alteration of the facility,
the school district shall reimburse the state the amount determined in accordance with
subparagraph (B) of subdivision (1) of this subsection. A school district receiving a
request for reimbursement pursuant to this subdivision shall reimburse the state not later
than the close of the fiscal year following the year in which the request is made. If the
school district fails to so reimburse the state, the Department of Education may withhold
such amount from the total sum which is paid from the State Treasury to such school
district or the town in which it is located or, in the case of a regional school district, the
towns which comprise the school district. If the amount paid from the State Treasury
is less than the amount due, the department may refer the matter to the Department of
Administrative Services for collection.
(d) The commissioner shall provide for a final audit of all project expenditures
pursuant to this section and may require repayment of any ineligible expenditures.
(P.A. 93-263, S. 9, 14; May Sp. Sess. P.A. 94-2, S. 177, 203; P.A. 95-226, S. 22, 30; P.A. 97-265, S. 84, 98; 97-290,
S. 15, 29; P.A. 98-252, S. 20, 63, 80; 98-259, S. 2, 17; May 9 Sp. Sess. P.A. 02-5, S. 7; May 9 Sp. Sess. P.A. 02-6, S. 2.)
History: P.A. 93-263 effective June 28, 1993; May Sp. Sess. P.A. 94-2 amended Subsec. (a) to substitute current
payments of scheduled estimated eligible project costs for a lump sum payment equal to the highest percentage rate
determined pursuant to Sec. 10-285a multiplied by estimated eligible project costs and provided for a grant in an amount
equal to five per cent of the amount authorized and allocated for the project upon compliance with the provisions of Subdivs.
(1) and (3), amended Subsec. (b) to provide for reimbursement to the state of the difference between the amount received
pursuant to this section and the amount the school district would have been eligible to receive based on the percentage
determined pursuant to Sec. 10-285a multiplied by the estimated eligible project costs if within three years after completion
of the project children from at least two or more school districts are not participating in the school and to provide, in such
a case, if the school district does not reimburse the state, title to the building shall revert to the state, inserted a new Subsec.
(c) on a final audit and relettered Subsec. (c) as Subsec. (d), effective June 21, 1994; P.A. 95-226 divided Subsec. (a) into
Subsecs. (a) and (b) and relettered the remaining Subsecs., in Subsec. (a) specified that the cost be "reasonable", added
the requirement concerning chapter 173 and made technical changes, in Subsec. (b) added the requirement for the plan to
include an estimated budget for the operation of the facility, specified that the project be authorized by the General Assembly
and made technical changes, deleted former Subsec. (d) re reversion and added similar provision to Subsec. (c), and in
Subsec. (c) replaced provision requiring the school district to reimburse the state if within three years of completion of the
project students from two or more school districts are not participating in the school with provision allowing the commissioner to decide between reversion and reimbursement if the school building ceases to be used for the purpose for which
the grant was provided, effective July 1, 1995; P.A. 97-265 amended Subsec. (a) to make a technical change, effective
July 1, 1997; P.A. 97-290 amended Subsec. (a) to add provisions re cooperative arrangements for the purposes of an
interdistrict magnet school and the limitation on the approval of applications on and after July 1, 1997, to applications that
the commissioner finds will reduce racial, ethnic and economic isolation, and amended Subsec. (b) to add the requirement
for the plan to include an analysis of the effect of the program on the reduction of racial, ethnic and economic isolation,
effective July 1, 1997; P.A. 98-252 and P.A. 98-259 both amended Subsec. (b) to replace a grant in the amount of five per
cent of the amount authorized for the project with progress payments in accordance with Sec. 10-287i, effective July 1,
1998, and P.A. 98-252 further amended Subsec. (c) to designate existing provisions as Subdiv. (1) and limit applicability
to grants for purchase or construction of a facility and to add new Subdiv. (2) re grants for extension or major alteration
of a facility, effective June 8, 1998; May 9 Sp. Sess. P.A. 02-5 amended Subsec. (a) by making existing provisions re full
reimbursement applicable until June 30, 2002, and by adding provisions re ninety-five per cent reimbursement for the
fiscal year ending June 30, 2003, and fiscal years thereafter, effective July 1, 2002; May 9 Sp. Sess. P.A. 02-6 amended
Subsec. (a) by delaying change from full reimbursement to ninety-five per cent reimbursement until the fiscal year ending
June 30, 2004, and fiscal years thereafter, effective July 1, 2002.
Sec. 10-264i. Transportation grants for interdistrict magnet school programs.
(a) A local or regional board of education, regional educational service center, the Board
of Trustees of the Community-Technical Colleges on behalf of Manchester Community
College, or cooperative arrangement pursuant to section 10-158a which transports a
child to an interdistrict magnet school program, as defined in section 10-264l, in a town
other than the town in which the child resides shall be eligible pursuant to section 10-264e to receive a grant for the cost of transporting such child in accordance with this
section. The amount of such grant shall not exceed an amount equal to the number of such
children transported multiplied by one thousand two hundred dollars. The Department of
Education shall provide such grants within available appropriations. Nothing in this
subsection shall be construed to prevent a local or regional board of education, regional
educational service center or cooperative arrangement from receiving reimbursement
under section 10-266m for reasonable transportation expenses for which such board,
service center or cooperative arrangement is not reimbursed pursuant to this section.
(b) Grants under this section shall be contingent on documented costs of providing
such transportation. Eligible local and regional boards of education, regional educational
service centers and cooperative arrangements shall submit applications for grants under
this section to the Commissioner of Education in such form and at such times as he
prescribes. Grants pursuant to this section shall be paid as follows: In October one-half
of the estimated eligible transportation costs and the balance of such costs in May.
(c) Each local and regional board of education, regional educational service center
and cooperative arrangement participating in the grant program shall prepare a financial
statement of expenditures which shall be submitted to the Department of Education on
or before September first of the fiscal year immediately following each fiscal year in
which the school district, regional educational service center or cooperative arrangement
participates in the grant program. Based on such statement, any underpayment or overpayment may be calculated and adjusted by the Department of Education in the grant
for any subsequent year.
(d) The Department of Education may retain up to one per cent of the amount appropriated pursuant to this section for program evaluation and administration.
(P.A. 93-263, S. 10, 14; P.A. 95-226, S. 23, 30; P.A. 98-168, S. 21, 26; 98-252, S. 21, 80; 98-259, S. 3, 17; P.A. 03-76, S. 24; P.A. 04-213, S. 21.)
History: P.A. 93-263 effective June 28, 1993; P.A. 95-226 amended Subsec. (a) to apply provisions to regional educational service centers, to add reference to Sec. 10-264l, to specify that the funding for the grants be from the amount
appropriated pursuant to Sec. 10-74d, to set a five per cent limit, to add clarification concerning reimbursement under Sec.
10-266m and to make technical changes, effective July 1, 1995; P.A. 98-168 amended Subsec. (a) to set the cap for the
grant, to delete provision for grants to be paid from the amount appropriated pursuant to Sec. 10-74d and to substitute
provision for payment within available appropriations, and added new Subsec. (d) re retention of up to one per cent by
Department of Education, effective July 1, 1998; P.A. 98-252 and 98-259 both made cooperative arrangements eligible
for grants and made identical technical changes, effective July 1, 1998; P.A. 03-76 made a technical change in Subsec.
(c), effective June 3, 2003; P.A. 04-213 amended Subsec. (a) by allowing the Board of Trustees of the Community-Technical
Colleges on behalf of Manchester Community College to be eligible for grants and by making a technical change, effective
June 3, 2004.
Sec. 10-264j. No time or regional restrictions on development and implementation of interdistrict programs. Nothing in subsection (a) of section 10-74d or in
sections 10-264e to 10-264i, inclusive, shall be deemed to prohibit one or more local
or regional boards of education from developing and implementing interdistrict programs at any time.
(P.A. 93-263, S. 11, 14; P.A. 98-252, S. 22, 80.)
History: P.A. 93-263 effective June 28, 1993; P.A. 98-252 made technical changes, effective July 1, 1998.
Sec. 10-264k. Regions. Section 10-264k is repealed, effective July 1, 1998.
(P.A. 93-263, S. 12, 14; P.A. 98-252, S. 79, 80; June Sp. Sess. P.A. 98-1, S. 105, 121.)
Sec. 10-264l. Grants for the operation of interdistrict magnet school programs. Transportation. Special education. (a) The Department of Education shall,
within available appropriations, establish a grant program to assist local and regional
boards of education, regional educational service centers, the Board of Trustees of the
Community-Technical Colleges on behalf of Manchester Community College, and cooperative arrangements pursuant to section 10-158a with the operation of interdistrict
magnet school programs. All interdistrict magnet schools shall be operated in conformance with the same laws and regulations applicable to public schools. For the purposes
of this section "an interdistrict magnet school program" means a program which (1)
supports racial, ethnic and economic diversity, (2) offers a special and high quality
curriculum, and (3) requires students who are enrolled to attend at least half-time. An
interdistrict magnet school program does not include a regional vocational agriculture
school, a regional vocational-technical school or a regional special education center.
On and after July 1, 2000, the governing authority for each interdistrict magnet school
program that is in operation prior to July 1, 2005, shall restrict the number of students
that may enroll in the program from a participating district to eighty per cent of the total
enrollment of the program. The governing authority for each interdistrict magnet school
program that begins operations on or after July 1, 2005, shall (A) restrict the number
of students that may enroll in the program from a participating district to seventy-five
per cent of the total enrollment of the program, and (B) maintain such a school enrollment
that at least twenty-five per cent but not more than seventy-five per cent of the students
enrolled are pupils of racial minorities, as defined in section 10-226a.
(b) Applications for interdistrict magnet school program operating grants awarded
pursuant to this section shall be submitted annually to the Commissioner of Education
at such time and in such manner as the commissioner prescribes. In determining whether
an application shall be approved and funds awarded pursuant to this section, the commissioner shall consider, but such consideration shall not be limited to: (1) Whether the
program offered by the school is likely to increase student achievement; (2) whether
the program is likely to reduce racial, ethnic and economic isolation; (3) the percentage
of the student enrollment in the program from each participating district; and (4) the
proposed operating budget and the sources of funding for the interdistrict magnet school.
If requested by the commissioner, the applicant shall meet with the commissioner or
the commissioner's designee to discuss the budget and sources of funding. The commissioner shall not award a grant to a program that is in operation prior to July 1, 2005, if
more than eighty per cent of its total enrollment is from one school district, except that
the commissioner may award a grant for good cause, for any one year, on behalf of an
otherwise eligible magnet school program, if more than eighty per cent of the total
enrollment is from one district. The commissioner shall not award a grant to a program
that begins operations on or after July 1, 2005, if more than seventy-five per cent of its
total enrollment is from one school district or if less than twenty-five or more than
seventy-five per cent of the students enrolled are pupils of racial minorities, as defined
in section 10-226a, except that the commissioner may award a grant for good cause, for
one year, on behalf of an otherwise eligible interdistrict magnet school program, if more
than seventy-five per cent of the total enrollment is from one district or less than twenty-five or more than seventy-five per cent of the students enrolled are pupils of racial
minorities. The commissioner may not award grants pursuant to such an exception for
a second consecutive year.
(c) (1) The maximum amount each interdistrict magnet school program shall be
eligible to receive per enrolled student shall be determined as follows: (A) For each
participating district whose magnet school program enrollment is equal to or less than
thirty per cent of the magnet school program total enrollment, ninety per cent of the
foundation as defined in subdivision (9) of section 10-262f; (B) for each participating
district whose magnet school program enrollment is greater than thirty per cent but less
than or equal to sixty per cent of the magnet school program total enrollment, a percentage between sixty and ninety per cent of said foundation that is inversely proportional
to the percentage of magnet school program students from such district; and (C) for
each participating district whose magnet school program enrollment is greater than sixty
per cent but less than or equal to ninety per cent of the magnet school program total
enrollment, a percentage between zero and sixty per cent of said foundation that is
inversely proportional to the percentage of magnet school program students from such
district. The amounts so determined shall be proportionately adjusted, if necessary,
within the limit of the available appropriation, and in no case shall any grant pursuant
to this section exceed the reasonable operating budget of the magnet school program,
less revenues from other sources. Any magnet school program operating less than full-time but at least half-time shall be eligible to receive a grant equal to sixty-five per cent
of the grant amount determined pursuant to this subsection.
(2) For fiscal years ending June 30, 2003, and June 30, 2004, the commissioner
may, within available appropriations, provide supplemental grants for the purposes of
enhancing educational programs in such interdistrict magnet schools as the commissioner determines. Such grants shall be made after the commissioner has reviewed and
approved the total operating budget for such schools, including all revenue and expenditure estimates.
(d) Grants made pursuant to this section shall be paid as follows: Fifty per cent by
September first and the balance by January first of each fiscal year. The January first
payment shall be adjusted to reflect actual interdistrict magnet school program enrollment as of the preceding October first, if the actual level of enrollment is lower than
the projected enrollment stated in the approved grant application.
(e) The Department of Education may retain up to one per cent of the amount appropriated for purposes of this section for program evaluation and administration.
(f) Each local or regional school district in which an interdistrict magnet school is
located shall provide the same kind of transportation to its children enrolled in such
interdistrict magnet school as it provides to its children enrolled in other public schools
in such local or regional school district. The parent or guardian of a child denied the
transportation services required to be provided pursuant to this subsection may appeal
such denial in the manner provided in sections 10-186 and 10-187.
(g) On or before October fifteenth of each year, the Commissioner of Education
shall determine if interdistrict magnet school enrollment is below the number of students
for which funds were appropriated. If the commissioner determines that the enrollment
is below such number, the additional funds shall not lapse but shall be used by the
commissioner for grants for interdistrict cooperative programs pursuant to section
10-74d.
(h) In the case of a student identified as requiring special education, the school
district in which the student resides shall: (1) Hold the planning and placement team
meeting for such student and shall invite representatives from the interdistrict magnet
school to participate in such meeting; and (2) pay the interdistrict magnet school an
amount equal to the difference between the reasonable cost of educating such student
and the sum of the amount received by the interdistrict magnet school for such student
pursuant to subsection (c) of this section and amounts received from other state, federal,
local or private sources calculated on a per pupil basis. Such school district shall be
eligible for reimbursement pursuant to section 10-76g. If a student requiring special
education attends an interdistrict magnet school on a full-time basis, such interdistrict
magnet school shall be responsible for ensuring that such student receives the services
mandated by the student's individualized education program whether such services are
provided by the interdistrict magnet school or by the school district in which the student
resides.
(i) Nothing in this section shall be construed to prohibit the enrollment of nonpublic
school students in an interdistrict magnet school program that operates less than full-time, provided (1) such students constitute no more than five per cent of the full-time
equivalent enrollment in such magnet school program, and (2) such students are not
counted for purposes of determining the amount of grants pursuant to this section and
section 10-264i.
(P.A. 95-226, S. 17, 30; P.A. 97-290, S. 16, 29; P.A. 98-168, S. 22, 26; 98-252, S. 23, 80; 98-259, S. 4, 17; P.A. 99-289, S. 9, 11; P.A. 00-48, S. 9, 12; P.A. 01-173, S. 65, 67; May 9 Sp. Sess. P.A. 02-7, S. 106; P.A. 03-76, S. 36; P.A 04-213, S. 22; 04-257, S. 12.)
History: P.A. 95-226 effective July 1, 1995; P.A. 97-290 amended Subsec. (a) to add provision restricting the number
of students that may enroll in the program from a participating district to eighty per cent of the total enrollment of the
program and to make a technical change, and amended Subsec. (b) to require consideration of the percentage of the student
enrollment in the program from each participating district, to add the prohibition against awarding a grant to a program if
more than eighty per cent of the total enrollment is from one school district with a one-year exception for good cause, and
to make technical changes, effective July 1, 1997; P.A. 98-168 amended Subsec. (a) to delete provision for program to be
established with funds appropriated for purposes of Sec. 10-74d and to substitute provision for program to be established
within available appropriations, and added new Subsec. (e) re retention of up to one per cent by the Department of Education,
effective July 1, 1998; P.A. 98-252 and 98-259 both made cooperative arrangements eligible for grants and P.A. 98-252
also made technical changes, effective July 1, 1998; P.A. 99-289 amended Subsec. (a) to make the grants noncompetitive,
amended Subsec. (c) to increase the percentage of the grant that programs operating less than full-time are eligible to
receive from "fifty" to "sixty-five" per cent, and added Subsec. (f) re transportation and Subsec. (g) re determination of
level of enrollment, effective July 1, 1999; P.A. 00-48 added Subsec. (h) re special education students, effective July 1,
2000; P.A. 01-173 added Subsec. (i) re enrollment of nonpublic school students in programs operating less than full-time,
effective July 1, 2001; May 9 Sp. Sess. P.A. 02-7 amended Subsec. (a) by changing requirements for enrollment percentages
for schools beginning operations on or after July 1, 2005, amended Subsec. (b) by adding new Subdiv. (4) re proposed
operating budgets and by adding language re enrollment restrictions for programs beginning operations on or after July 1,
2005, and amended Subsec. (c) by redesignating existing provisions as Subdiv. (1), making technical changes therein, and
adding new Subdiv. (2) re supplemental grants, effective August 15, 2002; P.A. 03-76 made a technical change in Subsec.
(c)(1), effective June 3, 2003; P.A. 04-213 amended Subsec. (a) by allowing the Board of Trustees of the Community-Technical Colleges on behalf of Manchester Community College to be eligible for grants and by adding provision re
operation in conformance with laws applicable to public schools, effective June 3, 2004; P.A. 04-257 made a technical
change in Subsec. (b), effective June 14, 2004.
Sec. 10-264m. Creation of additional interdistrict magnet school programs
with special emphasis on information technology curriculum. The Department of
Education shall encourage the creation of additional interdistrict magnet school programs with special emphasis on information technology curriculum.
(P.A. 01-193, S. 8, 9.)
History: P.A. 01-193 effective July 1, 2001.
Sec. 10-265. Payments. Section 10-265 is repealed.
(1957, P.A. 642, S. 2; 1959, P.A. 143, S. 2; 645; 1961, P.A. 42; 1963, P.A. 3; P.A. 74-145, S. 1, 2.)
Sec. 10-265a. Definitions. For purposes of this section and sections 10-265b to
10-265d, inclusive:
(a) "Vocational education equipment" means personal property with an estimated
useful life of five or more years and an initial purchase price of five hundred dollars or
more for use in (1) vocational, technical or technological education; (2) business office
education; (3) health occupations education; (4) marketing education; (5) consumer and
occupational home economics education; and (6) cooperative work education. "Vocational education equipment" may include rebuilt and reconditioned machines.
(b) "Net purchase price of vocational education equipment" means, commencing
with the grant applications submitted during the fiscal year ending June 30, 1986, and for
each fiscal year thereafter, the documented cost of all eligible equipment, reimbursable
under this section and section 10-265b, including installation and freight charges, but
excluding finance and leasing charges or interest costs incurred for such purchase. The
cost of any vocational education equipment included in a grant pursuant to section 10-286 shall not be included in the net purchase price of vocational education equipment.
For a local or regional board of education with an average daily membership, as defined
in subsection (a) of section 10-261, of less than five thousand for the fiscal year three
years prior to the fiscal year in which payment is to be made pursuant to section 10-265c, the net purchase price of vocational education equipment in any one fiscal year
shall not exceed one hundred thousand dollars. For a local or regional board of education
with an average daily membership, as defined in section 10-261, equal to or greater than
five thousand, a regional educational service center or school districts entering into
cooperative arrangements, the net purchase price of vocational education equipment in
any one fiscal year shall not exceed one hundred fifty thousand dollars.
(P.A. 82-369, S. 19, 28; P.A. 83-501, S. 7, 12; P.A. 85-170, S. 1, 4; P.A. 86-416, S. 1, 4; P.A. 87-499, S. 16, 34; P.A.
93-376, S. 3, 13; P.A. 98-252, S. 79, 80; June Sp. Sess. P.A. 98-1, S. 105, 121.)
History: P.A. 83-501 amended Subsec. (c) to clarify limitations for eligible expenditures adding provision that average
daily membership count will be that for the fiscal year three years prior to the grant year and authorizing school districts
which have entered into cooperative arrangements to participate in grant program; P.A. 85-170 deleted definitions of
"eligible costs of vocational education equipment" and "eligible expenditures", added definition of "net purchase price of
vocational education equipment" and increased maximum reimbursable amount for some smaller school districts and
districts entering into cooperative arrangements; P.A. 86-416 deleted the applicability of this section to Subsec. (b) of Sec.
10-265c and substituted "educational" for "education" in the term "regional educational service center"; P.A. 87-499 in
Subsec. (b) provided that beginning with applications submitted during the fiscal year ending June 30, 1986, the cost not
be limited to that to be paid from funds from local tax sources and made a technical change; P.A. 93-376 redefined
"vocational education equipment" to substitute "personal property" for "an item of equipment", to decrease the purchase
price from one thousand to five hundred dollars and to substitute a new list of fields for the use of the property and redefined
"net purchase price of vocational education equipment" to exclude leasing charges and to make technical changes, effective
July 1, 1993; P.A. 98-252 repealed section, effective July 1, 1998; June Sp. Sess. P.A. 98-1 amended P.A. 98-252 to remove
section from list of those to be repealed, effective June 24, 1998.
Sec. 10-265b. State grants for vocational education equipment. Commencing
with grant applications submitted during the fiscal year ending June 30, 1994, and for
each fiscal year thereafter, in which funds are available pursuant to section 10-265d,
the Commissioner of Education shall have the authority to receive, review and approve
or disapprove applications for state grants to local or regional boards of education,
regional educational service centers or school districts entering into cooperative arrangements for the purchase of vocational education equipment as defined in section 10-265a.
Applications shall be submitted to the Commissioner of Education annually at such time
and on such forms as the commissioner prescribes. The Commissioner of Education shall
annually review and approve or disapprove each application and notify the applicant of
the approval or disapproval of each application and, if the application is approved, of
the amount of the estimated grant pursuant to section 10-265c. The commissioner shall
authorize grant payments based upon such approved grant application from the local or
regional board of education, regional educational service center or the board of education
designated as the fiscal agent for school districts entering into cooperative arrangements.
Only funds derived from local sources and the state grant paid to the applicant pursuant
to this section shall be used in determining the final amount of each vocational education
equipment grant. Each recipient of a grant pursuant to said section 10-265c shall submit
a report of expenditures to the Commissioner of Education at such time and in such
manner as the commissioner prescribes. The commissioner shall calculate any overpayment of the grant paid and the recipient shall return any such portion of a grant within
sixty days after receipt of a written notice by the commissioner of such overpayment.
In no event shall an adjustment result in a recipient being entitled to a grant greater than
that already paid.
(P.A. 82-369, S. 20, 28; P.A. 83-501, S. 8, 12; P.A. 85-170, S. 2, 4; P.A. 87-499, S. 17, 34; P.A. 88-136, S. 14, 37; P.A.
93-376, S. 4, 13; P.A. 98-252, S. 79, 80; June Sp. Sess. P.A. 98-1, S. 105, 121.)
History: P.A. 83-501 authorized school districts entering into cooperative arrangements pursuant to Sec. 10-158a to
participate in the grant program; P.A. 85-170 entirely replaced prior provisions with new provisions authorizing the commissioner and not the board to receive and approve grant applications, permitting payment of grants prior to payment of the
purchase price by the receiving board and providing for adjustment of grant amounts based upon documentation required
to be filed by the grant recipient; P.A. 87-499 eliminated the requirement that the commissioner receive a copy of the
executed purchase agreement in order to authorize grant payments, added that the state grant paid pursuant the section be
used in determining the final grant amount and substituted "local sources" for "local tax sources"; P.A. 88-136 deleted
obsolete provision re grant applications received during the fiscal year ending June 30, 1985; P.A. 93-376 substituted
"1994" for "1986", changed the provisions concerning the documentation of expenditures and overpayments, and made
technical changes, effective July 1, 1993; P.A. 98-252 repealed section, effective July 1, 1998; June Sp. Sess. P.A. 98-1
amended P.A. 98-252 to remove section from list of those to be repealed, effective June 24, 1998.
Sec. 10-265c. Distribution of funds. Grant application; limitations. Within the
limits of the bond authorization, a local or regional board of education, regional educational service center or school districts entering into cooperative arrangements eligible
to receive a grant pursuant to section 10-265b, shall receive not less than forty nor more
than eighty per cent of the net purchase price of vocational education equipment except
as otherwise provided in this section. For a local or regional board of education such
percentage shall be determined pursuant to section 10-285a. For a regional educational
service center or school districts entering into cooperative arrangements, such percentage shall be determined by its respective ranking. Such ranking shall be determined by
(1) multiplying the total population, as defined in section 10-261, of each member town
by such town's percentile ranking, as determined in subsection (a) of section 10-285a;
(2) adding together the figures for each town determined under subdivision (1) of this
section; and (3) dividing the total computed under subdivision (2) of this section by the
total population of all member towns. The ranking of each regional educational service
center or school district entering into cooperative arrangements shall be rounded to the
next higher whole number and such center or school district shall receive the same
reimbursement percentage as would a town with the same rank. Such percentage shall
be increased by ten per cent whenever a regional educational service center or two or
more local or regional boards of education purchase equipment pursuant to a cooperative
arrangement for the purpose of providing a program of vocational education. For purposes of approving grant applications, school districts will be ranked, from highest to
lowest, based on each member town's adjusted equalized net grand list per capita, as
defined in section 10-261. Regional school districts, regional educational service centers
and school districts entering into cooperative arrangements will be assigned a rank
through a population weighted average of member towns' adjusted equalized net grand
list per capita rank. Grant applications shall be approved based on wealth rank beginning
with the lowest wealth-ranked applicant. Applications approved pursuant to this section
shall not exceed the bond authorization. Commencing with applications submitted for
a grant for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1984, and annually thereafter, no school district
shall be eligible to receive a grant under this section more than once every three years.
(P.A. 82-369, S. 21, 28; P.A. 83-501, S. 9, 12; P.A. 84-388, S. 1, 3; P.A. 85-170, S. 3, 4; 85-558, S. 9, 17; P.A. 86-333,
S. 13, 32; 86-416, S. 2, 4; P.A. 87-405, S. 11, 26; P.A. 93-376, S. 5, 13; P.A. 98-252, S. 79, 80; June Sp. Sess. P.A. 98-1,
S. 105, 121.)
History: P.A. 83-501 required ranking of towns based on adjusted equalized net grand list per capita and awarding of
grants to be based on wealth beginning with the lowest ranked applicant and provided that no school district shall be eligible
to receive a grant more than once every three years; P.A. 84-388 added new Subsec. (d) re cooperative arrangements between
boards of education, regional educational service centers and opportunities industrialization centers for the purchase of
computer hardware; P.A. 85-170 made technical changes to reflect changes in sections 10-265a and 10-265b and deleted
bid information requirement and provisions concerning the entering into of agreements, contained in Subsecs. (b) and (c);
P.A. 85-558 extended program under Subsec. (d) to fiscal year ending June 30, 1986 and included computer systems rather
than only hardware; P.A. 86-333 amended Subsec. (a) to clarify the determination of wealth ranking and reimbursement
percentages; P.A. 86-416 in Subsec. (a) substituted "subsection" for "section" re eligibility to receive grants and in Subsec.
(b) substituted "commissioner" for "state board", included installation and freight charges in grants for computer systems,
deleted the requirements that information be filed re bidding and type and cost of the equipment and added the requirement
that a copy of the purchase agreement and order be filed; substituted "ninety working days after payment" for "a reasonable
period of time after receipt"; deleted the requirement that proof of receipt of the equipment be filed, and specified that
certain sections not apply to the subsection; P.A. 87-405 amended Subsec. (b) to remove the limitation of the program to
the fiscal year ending June 30, 1986; P.A. 93-376 deleted former Subsec. (b) concerning cooperative arrangements with
opportunities industrialization centers for the purchase of computer systems, effective July 1, 1993; P.A. 98-252 repealed
section, effective July 1, 1998; June Sp. Sess. P.A. 98-1 amended P.A. 98-252 to remove section from list of those to be
repealed, effective June 24, 1998.
Sec. 10-265d. Bond authorization. (a) For purposes of making grants pursuant
to section 10-265c, the State Treasurer is authorized and directed, subject to and in
accordance with the provisions of section 3-20, to issue bonds of the state from time to
time in one or more series in an aggregate amount not exceeding fourteen million eight
hundred twenty thousand dollars, provided one million dollars of said authorization
shall be effective July 1, 1994. Bonds of each series shall bear such date or dates and
mature at such time or times not exceeding twenty years from their respective dates and
be subject to such redemption privileges, with or without premium, as may be fixed by
the State Bond Commission. They shall be sold at not less than par and accrued interest
and the full faith and credit of the state is pledged for the payment of the interest thereon
and the principal thereof as the same shall become due, and accordingly and as part of
the contract of the state with the holders of said bonds, appropriation of all amounts
necessary for punctual payment of such principal and interest is hereby made, and the
Treasurer shall pay such principal and interest as the same become due. The State Treasurer is authorized to invest temporarily in direct obligations of the United States, United
States agency obligations, certificates of deposit, commercial paper or bank acceptances
such portion of the proceeds of such bonds or of any notes issued in anticipation thereof
as may be deemed available for such purpose.
(b) For purposes of making grants pursuant to subsection (b) of section 10-265c,
the State Treasurer is authorized and directed, subject to and in accordance with the
provisions of section 3-20, to issue bonds of the state from time to time in one or more
series in an aggregate amount not exceeding three hundred thousand dollars. Bonds of
each series shall bear such date or dates and mature at such time or times not exceeding
five years from their respective dates and be subject to such redemption privileges, with
or without premium, as may be fixed by the State Bond Commission. They shall be sold
at not less than par and accrued interest and the full faith and credit of the state is pledged
for the payment of the interest thereon and the principal thereof as the same shall become
due, and accordingly and as part of the contract of the state with the holders of said
bonds, appropriation of all amounts necessary for punctual payment of such principal
and interest is hereby made, and the Treasurer shall pay such principal and interest as
the same become due. The State Treasurer is authorized to invest temporarily in direct
obligations of the United States, United States agency obligations, certificates of deposit,
commercial paper or bank acceptances such portion of the proceeds of such bonds or
of any notes issued in anticipation thereof as may be deemed available for such purpose.
(P.A. 82-369, S. 22, 28; June Sp. Sess. P.A. 83-33, S. 3, 17; P.A. 84-388, S. 2, 3; 84-443, S. 8, 20; P.A. 85-558, S. 10,
17; P.A. 86-396, S. 15, 25; P.A. 87-405, S. 12, 26; P.A. 88-343, S. 7, 32; P.A. 90-297, S. 4, 24; June Sp. Sess. P.A. 91-4,
S. 10, 25; May Sp. Sess. P.A. 92-7, S. 9, 36; June Sp. Sess. P.A. 93-1, S. 9, 45; June 5 Sp. Sess. P.A. 97-1, S. 9, 20; P.A.
98-252, S. 79, 80; 98-259, S. 5, 17; June Sp. Sess. P.A. 98-1, S. 105, 121.)
History: June Sp. Sess. P.A. 83-33 increased bond authorization from one million dollars to two million dollars and
made technical correction; P.A. 84-388 added new Subsec. (b) re issuance of bonds for grants for purchase of computer
hardware pursuant to agreements entered into by boards of education, regional educational service centers and opportunities
industrialization centers; P.A. 84-443 increased authorization limit from two to three million dollars; P.A. 85-558 increased
maximum bond authorization under Subsec. (a) to four million dollars and under Subsec. (b) to two hundred thousand
dollars; P.A. 86-396 increased bond authorization from four million to five million dollars; P.A. 87-405 amended Subsec.
(a) to increase the bond authorization from five million dollars to seven million dollars and amended Subsec. (b) to increase
the bond authorization from two hundred thousand dollars to three hundred thousand dollars; P.A. 88-343 amended Subsec.
(a) to increase the bond authorization from seven million dollars to nine million dollars; P.A. 90-297 increased the bond
authorization from nine million dollars to ten million dollars; June Sp. Sess. P.A. 91-4 increased the bond authorization
from ten million dollars to twelve million dollars; May Sp. Sess. P.A. 92-7 amended Subsec. (a) to increase the bond
authorization from twelve million dollars to thirteen million dollars; June Sp. Sess. P.A. 93-1 amended Subsec. (a) to
increase bond authorization from thirteen million dollars to fifteen million dollars, effective July 1, 1993, provided one
million dollars of said authorization shall be effective July 1, 1994; June 5 Sp. Sess. P.A. 97-1 amended Subsec. (a) to
decrease bond authorization from fifteen million dollars to fourteen million nine hundred thousand dollars, effective July
31, 1997; P.A. 98-252 repealed section, effective July 1, 1998; P.A. 98-259 amended Subsec. (a) to decrease authorization
from $14,900,000 to $14,820,000, effective July 1, 1998; June Sp. Sess. P.A. 98-1 amended P.A. 98-252 to remove section
from list of those to be repealed, effective June 24, 1998.
Sec. 10-265e. Definitions. As used in sections 10-265e to 10-265i inclusive, and
subsection (h) of section 10-285a:
(1) "Priority school district" means a school district described in section 10-266p; and
(2) "Priority school" means a school in which forty per cent or more of the lunches
served are served to students who are eligible for free or reduced price lunches pursuant
to federal law and regulations, excluding such a school located in a priority school
district.
(P.A. 98-243, S. 3, 25.)
History: P.A. 98-243 effective July 1, 1998.
Sec. 10-265f. Early reading success grant program. (a) The Commissioner of
Education shall establish, within available appropriations, an early reading success grant
program to assist local and regional boards of education for priority school districts and
school districts in which priority elementary schools are located in: (1) Establishing
full-day kindergarten programs; (2) reducing class size in grades kindergarten to three,
inclusive, to not more than eighteen students; and (3) establishing intensive early intervention reading programs, including after-school and summer programs, for students
identified as being at risk of failing to learn to read by the end of first grade and students
in grades one to three, inclusive, who are reading below grade level. Eligibility for grants
pursuant to this section shall be determined for a five-year period based on a school
district's designation as a priority school district or as a school district in which a priority
elementary school is located for the initial year of application. In order to receive a grant,
an eligible board of education shall submit a plan for the expenditure of grant funds, in
accordance with this section, to the Department of Education, at such time and in such
manner as the commissioner prescribes. An eligible school district may receive a grant
for one or more purposes pursuant to subdivisions (1) to (3), inclusive, of this subsection,
provided at least fifty per cent of any grant funds received by such school district are
used for programs pursuant to subdivision (3) of this subsection. If the commissioner
determines the school district is addressing the issue of early reading intervention sufficiently, the commissioner may allow the school district to set aside a smaller percentage
of the funds received pursuant to this section for such programs.
(b) (1) In the case of proposals for full-day kindergarten programs, the plan shall
include: (A) Information on the number of full-day kindergarten classes that will be
offered initially and the number of children to be enrolled in such classes; (B) how the
board anticipates expanding the number of full-day kindergarten programs in future
school years; (C) the number of additional teachers needed and any additional equipment
needed for purposes of such programs; (D) a description of any proposed school building
project that is related to the need for additional space for full-day kindergarten programs,
including an analysis of the different options available to meet such need, such as relocatable classrooms, the division of existing classrooms, an addition to a building or new
construction; (E) information on the curriculum for the full-day kindergarten program
pursuant to subdivision (2) of this subsection; (F) information on coordination between
the full-day kindergarten program and school readiness programs for the purpose of
providing (i) information concerning transition from preschool to kindergarten, including the child's preschool records, and (ii) before and after school child care for children
attending the full-day kindergarten program; and (G) any additional information the
commissioner deems relevant.
(2) A full-day kindergarten program that receives funding pursuant to this subsection shall: (A) Include language development and appropriate reading readiness experiences; (B) provide for the assessment of a student's progress; (C) include a professional
development component in the teaching of reading and reading readiness and assessment
of reading competency for kindergarten teachers; (D) provide for parental involvement;
and (E) refer eligible children who do not have health insurance to the HUSKY program.
(c) (1) In the case of proposals for the reduction of class size in grades kindergarten
to three, inclusive, to not more than eighteen students the plan shall include: (A) A time
frame for achieving such reduction in class size; (B) information on the class size in
such grades at each school at the time of application for the grant and the number of
classes to be reduced in size with grant funds; (C) the number of additional teachers
needed and any additional equipment needed; (D) a description of any proposed school
building project related to the need for additional space for smaller classes, including
an analysis of the different options available to meet such need such as relocatable
classrooms, the division of existing classrooms, an addition to a building or new construction; (E) an estimate of the costs associated with implementation of the plan; and
(F) any additional information the commissioner deems relevant.
(2) If a school district accepts funds pursuant to this subsection, such school district
shall limit the class size of classes in which core curriculum is taught in grades kindergarten to three, inclusive, in accordance with its plan to eighteen or less students, provided
students who enroll after October first in any school year are not included for purposes
of such count.
(d) In the case of proposals for intensive early intervention reading programs including after-school and summer programs, the plan shall: (1) Incorporate the competencies
required for early reading success, critical indicators for teacher intervention and the
components of a high quality early reading success curriculum in accordance with the
findings of the Early Reading Success Panel delineated in section 10-221l; (2) provide
for a period of time each day of individualized or small group instruction for each student;
(3) provide for monitoring of students and follow-up in subsequent grades, documentation of continuous classroom observation of student's reading behaviors and establishment of performance indicators aligned with the state-wide mastery examinations under
chapter 163c, the findings of the Early Reading Success Panel pursuant to section 10-221j and other methodologies for assessing reading competencies established by the
department pursuant to section 10-221i; (4) include a professional development component for teachers in grades kindergarten to three, inclusive, that emphasizes the teaching
of reading and reading readiness and assessment of reading competency based on the
findings of the Early Reading Success Panel pursuant to section 10-221j; (5) provide
for parental involvement and ensure that parents have access to information on strategies
that may be used at home to improve prereading or reading skills; (6) provide for data
collection and program evaluation; and (7) include any additional information the commissioner deems relevant.
(e) (1) The pilot programs established pursuant to section 10-265j shall be funded
from the amount appropriated for purposes of this section. The department shall use
ninety per cent of the remaining funds appropriated for purposes of this section for
grants to priority school districts. Priority school districts shall receive grants based on
their proportional share of the sum of the products obtained by multiplying the number
of enrolled kindergarten students in each priority school district for the year prior to the
year the grant is to be paid, by the ratio of the average percentage of free and reduced
price meals for all severe need schools in such district to the minimum percentage requirement for severe need school eligibility. (2) The department shall use nine per cent
of such remaining funds for competitive grants to school districts in which a priority
elementary school is located. In awarding grants to school districts in which priority
elementary schools are located, the department shall consider the town wealth, as defined
in subdivision (26) of section 10-262f, of the town in which the school district is located,
or in the case of regional school districts, the towns which comprise the regional school
district. Grants received by school districts in which priority elementary schools are
located shall not exceed one hundred thousand dollars and shall be used for the appropriate purpose at the priority elementary school. (3) The department may retain up to
one per cent of such remaining funds for coordination, program evaluation and administration.
(f) No funds received pursuant to this section shall be used to supplant federal, state
or local funding to the local or regional boards of education for programs for grades
kindergarten to three, inclusive.
(g) Expenditure reports shall be filed with the department as requested by the commissioner. School districts shall refund (1) any unexpended amounts at the close of the
program for which the grant is awarded, and (2) any amounts not expended in accordance
with the approved grant application.
(h) Notwithstanding the provisions of this section, for the fiscal years ending June
30, 2004, and June 30, 2005, the amount available for the competitive grant program
pursuant to this section shall be one million seven hundred eighty-eight thousand one
dollars and the maximum administrative amount shall not be more than two hundred
three thousand six hundred forty-six dollars.
(P.A. 98-243, S. 4, 25; June Sp. Sess. P.A. 01-1, S. 21, 54; P.A. 03-76, S. 47; June 30 Sp. Sess. P.A. 03-6, S. 31.)
History: P.A. 98-243 effective July 1, 1998; June Sp. Sess. P.A. 01-1 in Subsec. (b) designated a portion of existing
Subdiv. (1)(F) as Subpara. (F)(ii), adding Subpara. (F)(i) re transition information and in Subdiv. (2) added Subpara. (E)
re HUSKY referral, and in Subsec. (d) renumbered existing Subdivs. (1) to (6) as Subdivs. (2) to (7), adding new Subdiv.
(1) re incorporation of competencies and adding references to the findings of the Early Reading Success Panel in Subdivs.
(3) and (4), effective July 1, 2001; P.A. 03-76 made a technical change in Subsec. (d), effective June 3, 2003; June 30 Sp.
Sess. P.A. 03-6 added Subsec. (h) re appropriations for the fiscal years ending June 30, 2004, and June 30, 2005, effective
August 20, 2003.