AN ACT CONCERNING THE COMMISSIONER'S NETWORK OF SCHOOLS.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Assembly convened:

Section 1. Section 10-223h of the 2016 supplement to the general statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1, 2016):

(a) The Commissioner of Education shall establish, within available appropriations, a commissioner's network of schools to improve student academic achievement and directly intervene in low-performing schools. For these schools, the commissioner or commissioner's designee shall assume responsibility from the local or regional board of education, to the extent and in the manner the Department of Education determines necessary, for implementing the educational interests of the state in accordance with section 10-4 to improve student achievement and elevate the commissioner's network school out of low achieving status. The commissioner [may] shall select [not more than twenty-five schools in any single school year that have been classified as a category four school or a category five school pursuant to section 10-223e to participate in the commissioner's network of schools] schools from the bottom five per cent of schools in the state, as identified under the state accountability system through state assessment data and considering other academic and student progress measures, including, but not limited to, graduation rates, that require highly intensive oversight, support and direction to be provided to the school, particular grade levels within the school or grade levels phased in over time to improve student achievement. The commissioner shall identify such schools not later than July 1, 2016, for the school year commencing July 1, 2016. For each school year thereafter, the department shall identify such schools by January first of the prior school year, and upon receipt of the approval of the State Board of Education of such schools being designated commissioner's network schools, shall designate the schools as commissioner's network schools. Not later than July 1, 2016, the commissioner shall identify a standard set of waivers from laws that hinder the ability of the Department of Education, or its designee, to effectively implement the provisions of this subsection in a commissioner's network school. The local or regional board of education shall retain responsibility for otherwise implementing the educational interests of the state and fulfilling any other duties set forth in this title. The commissioner shall issue guidelines regarding the development of turnaround plans, and such guidelines shall include, but not be limited to, annual deadlines for the submission or nonsubmission of a turnaround plan and annual deadlines for approval or rejection of turnaround plans. [The commissioner shall give preference for selection in the commissioner's network of schools to such schools (1) that volunteer to participate in the commissioner's network of schools, provided the local or regional board of education for such school and the representatives of the exclusive bargaining unit for certified employees chosen pursuant to section 10-153b mutually agree to participate in the commissioner's network of schools, (2) in which an existing collective bargaining agreement between the local or regional board of education for such school and the representatives of the exclusive bargaining unit for certified employees chosen pursuant to section 10-153b will have expired for the school year in which a turnaround plan will be implemented, or (3) that are located in school districts that (A) have experience in school turnaround reform, or (B) previously received a school improvement grant pursuant to Section 1003(g) of Title I of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, 20 USC 6301 et seq. The commissioner may select not more than five schools in any single school year from a single school district to participate in the commissioner's network of schools. Each school so selected shall begin implementation of a turnaround plan, as described in subsection (d) of this section.] Each school so selected shall participate in the commissioner's network of schools for at least three school years. [, and may continue such participation for an additional year, not to exceed two additional years, upon approval from the State Board of Education in accordance with the provisions of subsection (h) of this section.] After the third year, the commissioner's evaluation shall determine whether such school is prepared to exit the commissioner's network. In determining whether a school should exit the commissioner's network, the commissioner shall consider whether and the extent to which the local or regional board of education has the capacity to ensure that the school will maintain or improve its performance. If the commissioner determines that the school is ready to exit the commissioner's network, the local or regional board of education in which the commissioner's network school is located shall develop, in consultation with the department, a plan, subject to the approval by the commissioner, for the transition of the school back to full control by the local or regional board of education. The commissioner may also develop a plan to phase in transition of full control to the local or regional board of education, which may include the commissioner or the commissioner's designee retaining control over certain operations for a period of time prior to full transition of control of the school back to the local or regional board of education. The commissioner shall provide funding, technical assistance and operational support to schools participating in the commissioner's network of schools and may provide financial support to teachers and administrators working at a school that is participating in the commissioner's network of schools. All costs attributable to developing and implementing a turnaround plan in excess of the ordinary operating expenses for such school shall be paid by the State Board of Education.

(b) [(1)] The Department of Education shall enter into a turnaround agreement with the local or regional board of education for such school. The turnaround agreement for each school shall identify which laws shall be waived pursuant to any waivers and the conditions under which such waivers shall be implemented. Upon the selection by the Commissioner of Education of a school for participation in the commissioner's network of schools, the [local or regional board of education for such school] commissioner, or the commissioner's designee, shall establish [a] an advisory turnaround committee for the school. [district. The turnaround committee shall consist of the following members: (A) Two appointed by the local or regional board of education, at least one of whom shall be an administrator employed by such board of education and at least one of whom shall be the parent or guardian of a student enrolled in the school district for such board of education; (B) three appointed by the exclusive bargaining unit for teachers chosen pursuant to section 10-153b, at least two of whom shall be teachers employed by such board of education and at least one of whom shall be the parent or guardian of a student enrolled in the school district for such board of education; and (C) the Commissioner of Education, or the commissioner's designee. The superintendent of schools for the district, or the superintendent's designee, where such school is located shall be a nonvoting ex-officio member and serve as the chairperson of the turnaround committee.] The commissioner shall appoint members to a turnaround committee, which shall include parents of the school, members of the community of the district, and representatives of the district and the exclusive bargaining unit for teachers pursuant to section 10-153b. The turnaround committee of the school shall advise on the development of the turnaround agreement and present a recommendation to the Department of Education for the proposed turnaround model to be implemented.

[(2) The turnaround committee, in consultation with the school governance council, as described in section 10-223j, for a school selected to participate in the commissioner's network of schools, shall (A) assist the Department of Education in conducting the operations and instructional audit pursuant to subsection (c) of this section, (B) develop a turnaround plan for such school in accordance with the provisions of subsection (d) of this section and guidelines issued by the commissioner, and (C) monitor the implementation of such turnaround plan.]

(c) Following the establishment of a turnaround committee, the Department of Education shall conduct, in consultation with the local or regional board of education for a school selected to participate in the commissioner's network of schools, the school governance council for such school and such turnaround committee, an operations and instructional audit, as described in subparagraph (A) of subdivision (2) of subsection (e) of section 10-223e, for such school. Such operations and instructional audit shall be conducted pursuant to guidelines issued by the department and shall determine the extent to which the school (1) has established a strong family and community connection to the school; (2) has a positive school environment, as evidenced by a culture of high expectations, a safe and orderly workplace, and that address other nonacademic factors that impact student achievement, such as students' social, emotional, arts, cultural, recreational and health needs; (3) has effective leadership, as evidenced by the school principal's performance appraisals, track record in improving student achievement, ability to lead turnaround efforts, and managerial skills and authority in the areas of scheduling, staff management, curriculum implementation and budgeting; (4) has effective teachers and support staff as evidenced by performance evaluations, policies to retain staff determined to be effective and who have the ability to be successful in the turnaround effort, policies to prevent ineffective teachers from transferring to the schools, and job-embedded, ongoing professional development informed by the teacher evaluation and support programs that are tied to teacher and student needs; (5) uses time effectively as evidenced by the redesign of the school day, week, or year to include additional time for student learning and teacher collaboration; (6) has a curriculum and instructional program that is based on student needs, is research-based, rigorous and aligned with state academic content standards, and serves all children, including students at every achievement level; and (7) uses evidence to inform decision-making and for continuous improvement, including by providing time for collaboration on the use of data. Such operations and instructional audit shall be informed by an inventory of the following: (A) Before and after school programs, (B) any school-based health centers, family resource centers or other community services offered at the school, including, but not limited to, social services, mental health services and parenting support programs, (C) whether scientific research-based interventions are being fully implemented at the school, (D) resources for scientific research-based interventions during the school year and summer school programs, (E) resources for gifted and talented students, (F) the length of the school day and the school year, (G) summer school programs, (H) alternative education, as defined in section 10-74j, if any, offered to students at the school, (I) the number of teachers employed at the school and the number of teachers who have left the school in each of the previous three school years, (J) student mobility, including the number of students who have been enrolled in and left the school, (K) the number of students whose primary language is not English, (L) the number of students receiving special education services, (M) the number of truants, (N) the number of students who are eligible for free or reduced price lunches, (O) the number of students who are eligible for HUSKY A, (P) the curricula used at the school, (Q) the reading curricula and programs for kindergarten to grade three, inclusive, if any, at the school, (R) arts and music programs offered at the school, (S) physical education programs offered and periods for recess or physical activity, (T) the number of school psychologists at the school and the ratio of school psychologists to students at the school, (U) the number of social workers at the school and the ratio of social workers to students at the school, (V) the teacher and administrator performance evaluation program, including the frequency of performance evaluations, how such evaluations are conducted and by whom, the standards for performance ratings and follow-up and remediation plans and the aggregate results of teacher performance evaluation ratings conducted pursuant to section 10-151b and any other available measures of teacher effectiveness, (W) professional development activities and programs, (X) teacher and student access to technology inside and outside of the classroom, (Y) student access to and enrollment in mastery test preparation programs, (Z) the availability of textbooks, learning materials and other supplies, (AA) student demographics, including race, gender and ethnicity, (BB) chronic absenteeism, and (CC) preexisting school improvement plans, for the purpose of (i) determining why such school improvement plans have not improved student academic performance, and (ii) identifying governance, legal, operational, staffing or resource constraints that contributed to the lack of student academic performance at such school and should be addressed, modified or removed for such school to improve student academic performance.

(d) Following the operations and instructional audit for the school selected to participate in the commissioner's network of schools, the turnaround committee shall develop a turnaround plan for such school [. The school governance council for each turnaround school may recommend to the turnaround committee for the school district one of the turnaround models described in subparagraphs (A) to (F), inclusive, of subdivision (3) of this subsection. The turnaround committee may accept such recommendation or may choose a different turnaround model for inclusion in the turnaround plan submitted under this subsection. The turnaround plan for such school shall (1) include a description of how such turnaround plan will improve student academic achievement in the school, (2) address deficiencies identified in the operations and instructional audit, and (3) utilize one of the following turnaround models: (A) A CommPACT school, as described in section 10-74g, (B) a social development model, (C) the management, administration or governance of the school to be the responsibility of a regional educational service center, a public or private institution of higher education located in the state, or, subject to the provisions of subsection (e) of this section, an approved educational management organization, (D) a school described in section 10-74f, (E) a model developed by the turnaround committee that utilizes strategies, methods and best practices that have been proven to be effective in improving student academic performance, including, but not limited to, strategies, methods and best practices used at public schools, interdistrict magnet schools and charter schools or collected by the commissioner pursuant to subsection (f) of this section, (F) a community school, as described in section 10-74i, or (G) a model developed in consultation with the commissioner or by the commissioner subject to the provisions of subsection (e) of this section. The turnaround plan shall not assign the management, administration or governance of such school to a (i) for-profit corporation, or (ii) a private not-for-profit organization that is exempt from taxation under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, or any subsequent corresponding internal revenue code of the United States, as from time to time amended, other than a public or private institution of higher education located in the state or, subject to the provisions of subsection (e) of this section, an approved not-for-profit educational management organization, as defined in subsection (e) of this section. Such turnaround plan may include proposals changing the hours and schedules of teachers and administrators at such school, the length and schedule of the school day, the length and calendar of the school year, the amount of time teachers shall be present in the school beyond the regular school day and the hiring or reassignment of teachers or administrators at such school. If a turnaround committee does not develop a turnaround plan, or if the commissioner determines that a turnaround plan developed by a turnaround committee is deficient, the commissioner may develop a turnaround plan for such school in accordance with the provisions of this subsection and, if the commissioner deems necessary, the commissioner may appoint a district improvement officer for such school to implement the provisions of the turnaround plan developed by the commissioner.] that shall include a turnaround agreement to be entered into by the local or regional board of education and the Department of Education. Such agreement shall require a simple majority vote by the entire turnaround committee to approve the recommendation of the committee to be made to the Department of Education. Should the committee not reach majority vote, the commissioner, or commissioner's designee, may unilaterally require the implementation of specific operating and working conditions and determine the turnaround model used in each school. Such turnaround agreement shall include, but not be limited to, the following elements: (1) The model of school turnaround to be implemented, (2) a plan for the operation of the commissioner's network school and the monitoring and oversight of such school by the Department of Education, (3) annual and interim measurable benchmarks for progress toward the goal of removing the school from low achieving status, and (4) other provisions required by the model of school turnaround or identified by the department. Such turnaround agreement shall be entered into by the Department of Education not later than one hundred twenty days from the date the school is designated as a commissioner's network school, except that the Department of Education may grant a planning year for the school. During this planning year, the Department of Education may direct funds to the planning of the commissioner's network school. If the local or regional board of education and Department of Education cannot agree on the terms of the turnaround agreement during the negotiation period, the commissioner, or commissioner's designee, may operate the commissioner's network school through the Department of Education or designate a receiver or any other entity to operate the commissioner's network school. The Department of Education shall support the identification and recruitment of effective turnaround leaders and operators through an annual state review and preapproval process and shall make such list of leaders and operators available to the turnaround committee. Such commissioner's designee or entity may be granted authority up to and including the powers of the superintendent and school board for the specific school, and is directly responsible for reporting results to the commissioner. The turnaround plan shall direct all resources and funding to programs and services delivered at such school for the educational benefit of the students enrolled at such school and be transparent and accountable to the local community. The State Board of Education shall approve the turnaround plan developed by a turnaround committee before a school may implement such turnaround plan. For the school year commencing July 1, 2016, the commissioner may identify a designee, such as a receiver, or a school leader or operator to oversee schools in the commissioner's network. The commissioner's designee shall be vested with the duties, rights and responsibilities delegated by the commissioner and shall report to and serve at the pleasure of the commissioner and shall be retained and compensated by the Department of Education. The receiver shall be deemed the successor party in interest and deemed to be in privity of contract for all lawful purposes. The receiver may be provided additional responsibilities by the commissioner not inconsistent with the provisions of this section.

[(e) (1) For the school year commencing July 1, 2012, the Commissioner of Education shall develop one turnaround plan for a school selected to participate in the commissioner's network of schools. Such turnaround plan shall be implemented for the school year commencing July 1, 2012. Such plan may assign the management, administration or governance of such school to an approved not-for-profit educational management organization, and shall negotiate matters relating to such turnaround plan in accordance with the provisions of subsection (c) of section 10-153s.

(2) For the school year commencing July 1, 2012, the Commissioner of Education may approve a turnaround plan for a school selected to participate in the commissioner's network of schools that assigns the management, administration or governance of such school to an approved not-for-profit educational management organization, and shall negotiate matters relating to such turnaround plan in accordance with the provisions of subsection (c) of section 10-153s. Such turnaround plan shall be implemented for the school year commencing July 1, 2012.

(3) The commissioner shall permit not more than four total turnaround plans for schools selected to participate in the commissioner's network of schools implementing turnaround plans beginning in the school year commencing July 1, 2013, or July 1, 2014, to assign the management, administration or governance of such school to an approved not-for-profit educational management organization, provided the commissioner shall not permit such assignment in a turnaround plan to more than three schools in a single school year. If the commissioner does not approve a turnaround plan under subdivision (2) of this subsection, the commissioner may approve one additional turnaround plan for a school selected to participate in the commissioner's network of schools that assigns the management, administration or governance of such school to an approved not-for-profit educational management organization to be implemented in the school year commencing July 1, 2013, or July 1, 2014.

(4) For purposes of this section, and section 10-223i, "approved not-for-profit educational management organization" means a not-for-profit organization that is exempt from taxation under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, or any subsequent corresponding internal revenue code of the United States, as from time to time amended, that (A) operates a state charter school located in the state that has a record of student academic success for students enrolled in such state charter school, or (B) has experience and a record of success in improving student achievement for low income or low performing students through measures, including, but not limited to, reconstituting schools while, if applicable, respecting existing contracts of employees of such schools.

(f) The Commissioner of Education may partner with any public or private institution of higher education in the state, for a period not to exceed twelve months, to assist the Department of Education in collecting, compiling and replicating strategies, methods and best practices that have been proven to be effective in improving student academic performance in public schools, interdistrict magnet schools and charter schools. The commissioner shall make such strategies, methods and best practices available to local and regional boards of education and turnaround committees for use in developing a turnaround model, pursuant to subsection (d) of this section, and in implementing the turnaround plan for a school that is participating in the commissioner's network of schools.

(g) Nothing in this section shall alter the collective bargaining agreements applicable to the administrators and teachers employed by the local or regional board of education, subject to the provisions of sections 10-153a to 10-153n, inclusive, and such collective bargaining agreements shall be considered to be in operation at schools participating in the commissioner's network of schools, except to the extent the provisions are modified by any memorandum of understanding between the local or regional board of education and the representatives of the exclusive bargaining units for certified employees, chosen pursuant to section 10-153b, or are modified by a turnaround plan, including, but not limited to, any election to work agreement pursuant to such turnaround plan for such schools and negotiated in accordance with the provisions of section 10-153s.

(h) Each school participating in the commissioner's network of schools shall participate for three school years, and may continue such participation for an additional year, not to exceed two additional years, upon approval from the State Board of Education.]

(e) The commissioner shall develop criteria to identify exemplary teachers and administrators, which may be based on performance evaluations conducted pursuant to section 10-151b, as amended by this act, and other available measures, and provide incentives, including, but not limited to, financial incentives and enhanced career ladder and career advancement opportunities to encourage such teachers and administrators to work and excel in commissioner's network schools. Any teacher or administrator assigned to a school prior to its designation as a commissioner's network school (1) may apply for a position in such school after such school has been designated as a commissioner's network school, and (2) if electing not to apply for or if not selected for a position in the commissioner's network school, shall be assigned or transferred to an available position at another school under the jurisdiction of the local or regional board of education for which such teacher or administrator is assigned, which may include special teaching positions that provide coverage for teachers participating in professional development and other related activities, which shall be based on performance evaluations conducted pursuant to section 10-151b, employment qualifications, special skills or expertise and the needs of the school district, provided any such assignment or transfer shall not be on the basis of seniority or tenure, unless all considerations are otherwise equal. No teacher or administrator shall be employed in a commissioner's network school without the mutual consent of the teacher or administrator and the department, or its designee as identified pursuant to subparagraph (B) of subdivision (6) of this subsection, regardless of the seniority or tenure status of the teacher or administrator or any agreement to the contrary. When selecting applicants for positions in a commissioner's network school, the department, or its designee, shall give priority to candidates who are employed in the local or regional board of education in which the commissioner's network school is located and who are determined to be qualified by the department, or its designee, for a position in the school. Any teacher or administrator selected to work in a commissioner's network school shall (A) be considered an employee of the local or regional board of education in which the commissioner's network school is located during the period in which such teacher or administrator is assigned to such commissioner's network school, (B) be entitled to a leave of absence without pay from the local or regional board of education in which such teacher or administrator was employed immediately prior to the assignment in the commissioner's network school, so that such teacher or administrator may be assigned to a commissioner's network school, provided, at any time after the completion of such teacher's or administrator's assignment in the commissioner's network school, such teacher or administrator may return to the position in which such teacher or administrator was previously employed, or a comparable position, and such leave of absence shall not be deemed to be an interruption of service for purposes of seniority, teachers' retirement credit or attaining tenure, (C) be compensated and entitled to benefits and leave under the provisions of the collective bargaining agreement between the exclusive bargaining unit for teachers pursuant to section 10-153b and the local or regional board of education for the school district in which the commissioner's network school is located, (D) be eligible to receive incentives, during the period in which the teacher or administrator is assigned to the commissioner's network school, provided the provision and receipt of such incentives shall not be subject to collective bargaining, and (E) be permitted to use total compensation, including the salary and any financial incentives in calculating the average annual salary, pursuant to section 10-183b, for such teacher or administrator. This section shall not prohibit the commissioner or commissioner's designee from reassigning or terminating the contract of a teacher or administrator pursuant to section 10-151. The provisions of sections 10-153a to 10-153n, inclusive, shall not apply to any teacher or administrator who is assigned to a commissioner's network school, except (i) such teacher or administrator shall, for the purposes of ratification of an agreement only, be permitted to vote as a member of the teacher or administrator bargaining unit, as appropriate, for the local or regional board of education in which the commissioner's network school is located, and (ii) insofar as any such provisions protect any entitlement of such teacher or administrator to benefits or leave accumulated or accrued prior to the teacher or administrator being employed in a commissioner's network school. The provision of any financial or other incentives, including, but not limited to, compensation or the availability of professional coverage positions, shall not be subject to collective bargaining pursuant to sections 10-153a to 10-153n, inclusive.

(f) Notwithstanding any provision of the general statutes to the contrary, funds shall be provided to commissioner's network schools (1) to assist with the implementation of turnaround models, (2) for operational costs of such schools, and (3) for additional compensation and other financial incentives for teachers and administrators assigned to a commissioner's network school. The amount of funding allocated to commissioner's network school shall be used exclusively for turnaround programming in such school.

(g) The Department of Education shall develop a comprehensive plan to encourage exemplary teachers and administrators, as identified by performance evaluations, conducted pursuant to section 10-151b, and other measures, to work in the state's lowest performing schools and school districts and enhance the education profession's career ladder in such schools. Such plan shall be approved by the State Board of Education. The State Board of Education shall provide funding to develop and implement such plan and shall adopt regulations, in accordance with the provisions of chapter 54, or issue orders, as appropriate, to ensure that the plan is implemented. Such plan shall: (1) Encourage individuals to pursue and maintain careers in education in such schools and school districts; (2) identify professional and financial incentives, including, but not limited to, salary increases, signing bonuses, stipends, housing subsidies and housing opportunities that will encourage exemplary teachers and administrators to work in and remain in such schools and school districts; and (3) expand the capacity of nonprofit and private organizations currently working in the state to stimulate teacher and administrator leadership and career advancement opportunities in such schools and school districts, and enable other such organizations to do the same.

(h) The commissioner shall annually evaluate the commissioner's network school to determine whether such school has made demonstrated progress towards bringing student achievement to acceptable levels, as determined by the Department of Education, and removing such school from low achieving status. The commissioner shall set academic and nonacademic performance and progress standards through annual and interim achievement assessments and other leading indicators of turnaround success as appropriate and shall annually publish report results to the State Board of Education. If the commissioner or commissioner's designee determines that the school has not made acceptable progress or the model of school turnaround is not successful, the commissioner may order (1) any action necessary to ensure compliance with or specific performance of a turnaround agreement be taken, (2) the school be phased out of operation, (3) the operation of the school be assigned to a receiver, new entity or the Department of Education, (4) any turnaround agreement be revised in accordance with the commissioner's directives, or (5) any combination of such orders. Before the end of the third year that a school is participating in the commissioner's network of schools, the commissioner shall conduct an evaluation to determine whether such school is prepared to exit the commissioner's network of schools. In determining whether such school may exit the commissioner's network of schools, the commissioner shall consider whether the local or regional board of education has the capacity to ensure that such school will maintain or improve its student academic performance. If the commissioner determines that such school is ready to exit the commissioner's network of schools, the local or regional board of education for such school shall develop, [in consultation with] subject to the approval of the commissioner, a plan, subject to the approval by the State Board of Education, for the transition of such school back to full control by the local or regional board of education. [If such school is not ready to exit the commissioner's network of schools and participates in the commissioner's network of schools for an additional year, the commissioner shall conduct an evaluation in accordance with the provisions of this subsection. Before the end of the fifth year that a school is participating in the commissioner's network of schools, the commissioner shall develop, in consultation with the local or regional board of education for such school, a plan, subject to the approval by the State Board of Education, for the transition of such school back to full control by the local or regional board of education.] The commissioner may also develop a plan to phase in transition of full control to the local or regional board of education, which may include the commissioner, or the commissioner's designee, retaining control over certain operations by the commissioner, or commissioner's designee, for a period of time prior to full transition of control of the school back to the local or regional board of education.

(i) Not later than thirty days after the approval of the turnaround plan for a school selected to participate in the commissioner's network of schools by the State Board of Education, the Commissioner of Education shall submit the operations and instructional audit and the turnaround plan for such school to the joint standing committee of the General Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to education, in accordance with the provisions of section 11-4a.

(j) (1) The Commissioner of Education shall annually submit a report on the academic performance of each school participating in the commissioner's network of schools to the joint standing committee of the General Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to education, in accordance with the provisions of section 11-4a. Such report shall include, but not be limited to, (A) the accountability index score, as defined in section 10-223e, for such school, (B) trends for the accountability index scores during the period that such school is participating in the commissioner's network of schools, (C) adjustments for subgroups of students at such school, including, but not limited to, students whose primary language is not English, students receiving special education services and students who are eligible for free or reduced price lunches, and (D) performance evaluation results in the aggregate for teachers and administrators at such school.

(2) The Commissioner of Education shall annually submit a report comparing and analyzing the academic performance of all the schools participating in the commissioner's network of schools to the joint standing committee of the General Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to education, in accordance with the provisions of section 11-4a. Such report shall include, but not be limited to, (A) the accountability index score, as defined in section 10-223e, for the school, (B) trends for the accountability indices during the period that such schools are participating in the commissioner's network of schools, (C) adjustments for subgroups of students at such schools, including, but not limited to, students whose primary language is not English, students receiving special education services and students who are eligible for free or reduced price lunches, and (D) performance evaluation results in the aggregate for teachers and administrators at such schools.

(3) Following the expiration of the turnaround plan for each school participating in the commissioner's network of schools, the commissioner shall submit a final report that (A) evaluates such turnaround plan and the academic performance of such school during the period that such turnaround plan was in effect, and (B) makes recommendations for the operation of such school to the joint standing committee of the General Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to education, in accordance with the provisions of section 11-4a.

(4) Not later than January 1, 2020, the commissioner shall submit a report (A) evaluating the commissioner's network of schools and its effect on improving student academic achievement in participating schools, and (B) making any recommendations for the continued operation of the commissioner's network of schools to the joint standing committee of the General Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to education, in accordance with the provisions of section 11-4a.

(k) The department shall conduct an audit of the local or regional board of education to ensure that such board is in compliance with the provisions of this section. If the department determines that a local or regional board of education is in violation of the provisions of this section, the department shall notify such board of such violation and provide such board an opportunity to comply. If such board fails to comply after such notice and opportunity, the commissioner may withhold from such board's town or towns a sum payable under section 10-262i in the amount necessary to comply with this section and shall ensure that such funds are used to provide funding, support or resources to the commissioner's network school.

(l) The commissioner may at any time place a school identified for intervention pursuant to this section on probation pursuant to meeting certain conditions as identified by the commissioner with clear student progress measures to meet over a specified period of time, or close the school and reassign the students of that school to other schools within the district.

Sec. 2. Section 10-153s of the general statutes is repealed. (Effective July 1, 2016)

Statement of Purpose:

To make revisions to the commissioner's network of schools.

[Proposed deletions are enclosed in brackets. Proposed additions are indicated by underline, except that when the entire text of a bill or resolution or a section of a bill or resolution is new, it is not underlined.]