Chapter 184c

Sec. 10-500. Office of Early Childhood. Commissioner. Responsibilities. Successor department. Connecticut Head Start State Collaboration Office. (a) There is established an Office of Early Childhood. The office shall be under the direction of the Commissioner of Early Childhood, whose appointment shall be made by the Governor. Such appointment shall be in accordance with the provisions of sections 4-5 to 4-8, inclusive. The commissioner shall be responsible for implementing the policies and directives of the office. The commissioner shall have the authority to designate any employee as his or her agent to exercise all or part of the authority, powers and duties of the commissioner in his or her absence. Said office shall be within the Department of Education for administrative purposes only.

(b) The office shall be responsible for:

(1) Delivering services to young children and their families to ensure optimal health, safety and learning for each young child, including, but not limited to, coordinating agency efforts and data sharing in the two-generational initiative established pursuant to section 17b-112l;

(2) Developing and implementing the early childhood information system, in accordance with the provisions of section 10-501;

(3) Developing and reporting on the early childhood accountability plan, in accordance with the provisions of section 10-503;

(4) Implementing a communications strategy for outreach to families, service providers and policymakers;

(5) Beginning a state-wide longitudinal evaluation of the school readiness program examining the educational progress of children from prekindergarten programs to grade four, inclusive;

(6) Developing, coordinating and supporting public and private partnerships to aid early childhood initiatives;

(7) Developing a state-wide developmentally appropriate kindergarten entrance inventory that measures a child's level of preparedness for kindergarten, but shall not be used as a measurement tool for program accountability;

(8) Creating a unified set of reporting requirements for the purpose of collecting the data elements necessary to perform quality assessments and longitudinal analysis;

(9) Comparing and analyzing data collected pursuant to reporting requirements created under subdivision (8) of this subsection with the data collected in the state-wide public school information system, pursuant to section 10-10a, for population-level analysis of children and families;

(10) Continually monitoring and evaluating all early care and education and child development programs and services, focusing on program outcomes in satisfying the health, safety, developmental and educational needs of all children;

(11) Coordinating home visitation services across programs for young children;

(12) Providing information and technical assistance to persons seeking early care and education and child development programs and services;

(13) Assisting state agencies and municipalities in obtaining available federal funding for early care and education and child development programs and services;

(14) Providing technical assistance to providers of early care and education programs and services to obtain licensing and improve program quality;

(15) Establishing a quality rating and improvement system developed by the office that covers home-based, center-based and school-based early child care and learning;

(16) Maintaining an accreditation facilitation initiative to assist early childhood care and education program and service providers in achieving national standards and program improvement;

(17) Consulting with the Early Childhood Cabinet, established pursuant to section 10-16z, and the Head Start advisory committee, established pursuant to section 10-16n;

(18) Ensuring a coordinated and comprehensive state-wide system of professional development for providers and staff of early care and education and child development programs and services;

(19) Providing families with opportunities for choice in services including quality child care and community-based family-centered services;

(20) Integrating early childhood care and education and special education services;

(21) Promoting universal access to early childhood care and education;

(22) Ensuring nonduplication of monitoring and evaluation;

(23) Performing any other activities that will assist in the provision of early care and education and child development programs and services;

(24) Developing early learning and development standards to be used by early care and education providers;

(25) Developing and implementing a performance-based evaluation system to evaluate licensed child care centers, in accordance with the provisions of section 17b-749f;

(26) Promoting the delivery of services to infants and toddlers to ensure optimal health, safety and learning of children from birth to three years of age; and

(27) Establishing a parent cabinet to advise the office on ways to strengthen partnership and communication with families, bring awareness to gaps and barriers to services, increase access to services for families and help make improvements to the lives of young children and families in the state.

(c) The Office of Early Childhood may enter into memoranda of agreement with and accept donations from nonprofit and philanthropic organizations to accomplish the purposes of this section.

(d) The Office of Early Childhood shall constitute a successor department, in accordance with the provisions of sections 4-38d, 4-38e and 4-39, to (1) the Department of Education with respect to sections 8-210, 10-16n, 10-16p to 10-16r, inclusive, 10-16u, 10-16w, 10-16aa, 17b-749a, 17b-749c and 17b-749g to 17b-749i, inclusive; (2) the Department of Social Services (A) with respect to sections 17b-12, 17b-705a, 17b-730, 17b-733, 17b-738, 17b-749, 17b-749d to 17b-749f, inclusive, 17b-749j, 17b-749k, 17b-750 to 17b-751a, inclusive, and 17b-751d, and (B) for the purpose of administering the child care development block grant pursuant to the Child Care and Development Block Grant Act of 1990; (3) the Department of Public Health (A) with respect to sections 10a-194c, 12-634, 17a-28, 17a-101 and 19a-80f, (B) for the purpose of regulating child care services pursuant to sections 19a-77, 19a-79, 19a-80, 19a-82 and 19a-84 to 19a-87e, inclusive, (C) for the purpose of the conduct of regulation of youth camps, pursuant to sections 19a-420 to 19a-434, inclusive, and (D) for the purpose of administering the Maternal, Infant, and Early Childhood Home Visiting Program authorized under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010, P.L. 111-148; and (4) the Department of Developmental Services with respect to sections 17a-248, 17a-248b to 17a-248h, inclusive, 38a-490a and 38a-516a.

(e) The Connecticut Head Start State Collaboration Office shall be based in the Office of Early Childhood.

(P.A. 14-39, S. 4; P.A. 15-73, S. 5; 15-143, S. 12; 15-227, S. 24–26; P.A. 16-100, S. 4; 16-163, S. 7; P.A. 17-146, S. 47; P.A. 18-19, S. 3; 18-184, S. 1; P.A. 21-172, S. 6; P.A. 23-160, S. 40.)

History: P.A. 14-39 effective May 28, 2014 (Revisor's note: In Subsec. (d)(1), a reference to repealed Sec. 10-16s was replaced editorially by the Revisors with a reference to Sec. 10-16r for accuracy); P.A. 15-73 amended Subsec.(d)(2)(A) to delete reference to Sec. 17b-739, effective July 1, 2015; P.A. 15-143 made a technical change in Subsec. (a), effective June 30, 2015; P.A. 15-227 amended Subsec. (b)(7) by deleting “and implementing” and replacing “assessment tool” with “entrance inventory” and amended Subsec. (d) by deleting reference to Sec. 17b-751e, effective July 1, 2015; pursuant to P.A. 15-227, “child day care centers” and “child day care services” were changed editorially by the Revisors to “child care centers” and “child care services”, respectively, in Subsecs. (b)(25) and (d), effective July 1, 2015; P.A. 16-100 amended Subsec. (d) by deleting “to 17b-736, inclusive” and adding Subdiv. (4) re Department of Developmental Services, effective June 2, 2016; P.A. 16-163 amended Subsec. (b)(10) by deleting “child day care” and adding “for child care centers, group child care homes and family child care homes”, effective June 9, 2016; P.A. 17-146 added Subsec. (e) re Connecticut Head Start State Collaboration Office, effective June 30, 2017; P.A. 18-19 amended Subsec. (b) by adding provision re two-generational initiative in Subdiv. (1) and deleting reference to September 1, 2014 in Subdiv. (5), effective May 25, 2018; P.A. 18-184 amended Subsec. (b) by adding Subdiv. (26) re promoting delivery of services to infants and toddlers to ensure optimal health, safety and learning of children from birth to three years of age and making technical changes, effective July 1, 2018; P.A. 21-172 amended Subsec. (b)(10) by deleting provision re retaining distinct separation between quality improvement services and licensing services, effective July 1, 2021; P.A. 23-160 amended Subsec. (b) by adding Subdiv. (27) re establishing a parent cabinet to advise office, effective July 1, 2023.

See Sec. 4-38f for definition of “administrative purposes only”.

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Sec. 10-500a. Authority of office re licensing matters. The Commissioner of Early Childhood may enter into stipulations, agreements, memoranda of understanding, interim consent orders or consent orders relating to licensing matters under chapters 368a and 368r with:

(1) Any person, group of persons, association, organization, corporation, institution or agency, public or private, (A) maintaining (i) a licensed child care center or group child care home, pursuant to section 19a-80, or (ii) a licensed family child care home, pursuant to section 19a-87b, or (B) applying for a license for (i) a child care center or group home, pursuant to section 19a-80, or (ii) a family child care home, pursuant to section 19a-87b;

(2) Any person who (A) establishes, conducts or maintains a licensed youth camp, pursuant to section 19a-421, or (B) is applying for a license for a youth camp, pursuant to section 19a-421;

(3) Any person acting or seeking to act as an assistant or substitute staff member in a family child care home, pursuant to subsection (b) of section 19a-87b;

(4) Any person or entity who is the subject of an investigation or disciplinary action pursuant to section 19a-80f, 19a-84, 19a-87a, 19a-87e, 19a-423 or 19a-429 while holding a license issued by the Office of Early Childhood; or

(5) Any party in a contested case in which the office is a party.

(P.A. 16-100, S. 7.)

History: P.A. 16-100 effective June 2, 2016.

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Sec. 10-501. Early childhood information system. (a) The Office of Early Childhood shall develop and implement an early childhood information system. Such early childhood information system shall facilitate and encourage the sharing of data between and among early childhood service providers by tracking (1) the health, safety and school readiness of all young children receiving early care and education services from (A) any local or regional board of education, including children enrolled in a preschool program under the Connecticut Smart Start competitive grant program, pursuant to section 10-506, (B) any school readiness program, as defined in section 10-16p, or (C) any program receiving public funding, in a manner similar to the system described in section 10-10a, (2) the characteristics of the existing and potential workforce serving such children, (3) the characteristics of such programs serving such children, and (4) data collected from the preschool experience survey, described in section 10-515.

(b) Any local or regional board of education, school readiness program, or any child care center as described in subdivision (1) of subsection (a) of section 19a-77, and licensed by the Department of Public Health or the Office of Early Childhood, shall ensure that all children and all staff in a school under the jurisdiction of such board, program or center are entered into the early childhood information system.

(P.A. 14-39, S. 7; 14-41, S. 2; P.A. 15-134, S. 7; 15-143, S. 13; 15-227, S. 25.)

History: P.A. 14-39 effective May 28, 2014; P.A. 14-41 amended Subsec. (a)(1)(A) by adding provision re children enrolled in a preschool program under Connecticut Smart Start competitive grant program, effective May 28, 2014; P.A. 15-134 amended Subsec. (a)(4) by deleting “if any”, effective July 1, 2015; P.A. 15-143 made a technical change in Subsec. (a)(1)(B), effective June 30, 2015; pursuant to P.A. 15-227, “child day care center” was changed editorially by the Revisors to “child care center” in Subsec. (b), effective July 1, 2015.

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Sec. 10-502. (Formerly Sec. 10-16bb). Collaboration with local early childhood collaboratives. The Office of Early Childhood shall collaborate with and may, within available appropriations, provide funding to local early childhood collaboratives for the implementation of early care and education and child development programs at the local level. Such local early childhood collaboratives shall: (1) Develop and implement a comprehensive plan for an early childhood system for the community served by such local early childhood collaborative, (2) develop policy and program planning, (3) encourage community participation by emphasizing substantial parental involvement, (4) collect, analyze and evaluate data with a focus on program and service outcomes, (5) allocate resources, and (6) perform any other functions that will assist in the provision of early childhood programs and services. Such local early childhood collaboratives may enter into memoranda of agreement with the local or regional school readiness council, described in section 10-16r, of the town or region served by such local early childhood collaborative to perform the duties and functions of a school readiness council, in accordance with the provisions of section 10-16r, or if no such local or regional school readiness council exists for the town or region of such local early childhood collaborative, perform the duties and functions of a school readiness council, in accordance with the provisions of section 10-16r.

(P.A. 11-181, S. 2; P.A. 12-116, S. 3; P.A. 14-39, S. 6; P.A. 15-134, S. 3; P.A. 23-150, S. 4.)

History: P.A. 11-181 effective July 1, 2011; P.A. 12-116 amended Subsec. (b)(10) by replacing “create, implement and maintain a” with “incorporate the” and adding “developed by the Department of Education”, effective July 1, 2012; P.A. 14-39 deleted former Subsecs. (a), (b) and (d) re coordinated system of early care and education and child development, system functions and memoranda of agreement with and acceptance of donations from nonprofit and philanthropic organizations, deleted Subsec. (c) designator, replaced “The coordinated system of early care and education and child development” with “The Office of Early Childhood”, replaced “to implement the coordinated system of” with “in the implementation of”, added “programs” re child development and made a technical change, effective May 28, 2014; Sec. 10-16bb transferred to Sec. 10-502 in 2015; P.A. 15-134 added “and may, within available appropriations, provide funding to” and made a technical change, effective July 1, 2015; P.A. 23-150 replaced “local and regional early childhood councils” with “local early childhood collaboratives” and made conforming changes, effective July 1, 2023.

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Sec. 10-503. Early childhood accountability plan. Report cards. Report. (a) Not later than December 31, 2015, the Office of Early Childhood shall develop, in consultation with the Early Childhood Cabinet, established pursuant to section 10-16z, an early childhood accountability plan. Such plan shall (1) identify and define appropriate population indicators and program and system performance measures of the health, safety and readiness of children to enter kindergarten, and early school success of children, and shall identify any new or improved data required for such purposes; and (2) include aggregate information on the characteristics of children and programs tracked by the early childhood information system, developed pursuant to section 10-501, including, but not limited to, family income, whether the families of such children receive assistance through temporary assistance for needy families, pursuant to section 17b-112, or a similar program, and the communities in which such children reside using a performance measurement accountability framework.

(b) Not later than July 1, 2015, and annually thereafter, the office shall develop report cards containing the indicators and performance measures identified in the early childhood accountability plan.

(c) Not later than January 15, 2016, the Office of Early Childhood shall (1) submit the early childhood accountability plan, and (2) annually report on the results of such plan and report cards to the joint standing committees of the General Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to education and appropriations, in accordance with the provisions of section 11-4a.

(P.A. 14-39, S. 8.)

History: P.A. 14-39 effective May 28, 2014.

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Sec. 10-504. Child care development block grant administered by the Office of Early Childhood. The Office of Early Childhood is designated as the state agency for the administration of the child care development block grant pursuant to the Child Care and Development Block Grant Act of 1990.

(P.A. 14-39, S. 20.)

History: P.A. 14-39 effective July 1, 2014.

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Sec. 10-505. Grant program for costs associated with classroom start-up and new spaces in certain school readiness programs. (a) For purposes of this section:

(1) “Eligible town” means a town in which a priority school, as defined in section 10-16p, is located or a town ranked one to fifty when all towns are ranked in ascending order according to town wealth, as defined in subdivision (26) of section 10-262f, whose school district is not a priority school district pursuant to section 10-266p;

(2) “Eligible regional school readiness council” means a regional school readiness council, pursuant to subsection (c) of section 10-16r, for a region in which a priority school is located;

(3) “Eligible children” means children (A) from birth to four years of age, inclusive, and children five years of age who are not eligible to enroll in school pursuant to section 10-15c, or who are eligible to enroll in school and will attend a school readiness program pursuant to section 10-16t, and (B) who reside (i) in an area served by a priority school or a former priority school, as described in subdivision (2) of subsection (d) of section 10-16p, (ii) in a town ranked one to fifty when all towns are ranked in ascending order according to town wealth, as defined in subdivision (26) of section 10-262f, whose school district is not a priority school district pursuant to section 10-266p, (iii) in a town formerly a town described in clause (ii) of this subparagraph, as provided for in subdivision (2) of subsection (d) of section 10-16p, or (iv) in a town designated as an alliance district, as defined in section 10-262u, whose school district is not a priority school district pursuant to section 10-266p;

(4) “School readiness program” has the same meaning as provided in section 10-16p;

(5) “Priority school” has the same meaning as provided in section 10-16p;

(6) “Accredited” has the same meaning as provided in section 10-16p; and

(7) “Seeking accreditation” has the same meaning as provided in section 10-16p.

(b) The Commissioner of Early Childhood shall establish a grant program for eligible towns and eligible regional school readiness councils for (1) start-up of school readiness classrooms, and (2) providing spaces to all eligible children in accredited school readiness programs and school readiness programs seeking accreditation. An eligible town or eligible regional school readiness council may apply for such grant to the commissioner, at such time and in such manner as the commissioner prescribes.

(P.A. 14-39, S. 85; P.A. 23-160, S. 37.)

History: P.A. 14-39 effective July 1, 2014; P.A. 23-160 amended Subsec. (a)(3) by redefining “eligible children” to be children from birth to 4 years of age, effective July 1, 2023.

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Sec. 10-505a. Emergency stabilization grant program for school readiness programs and certain other child care centers receiving state financial assistance. (a) For the fiscal years ending June 30, 2023, and June 30, 2024, the Office of Early Childhood shall administer an emergency stabilization grant program for school readiness programs, as defined in section 10-16p, and child care centers receiving state financial assistance pursuant to section 8-210. The office shall provide grants-in-aid to those school readiness programs and child care centers who meet the eligibility criteria set forth in the guidelines developed pursuant to subsection (b) of this section, and submit an application for a grant, on a form and in such manner as prescribed by the office. A grant awarded under this section may be expended by such school readiness program or child care center for programmatic or administrative needs, in accordance with the guidelines developed by the office pursuant to subsection (b) of this section.

(b) The office shall develop (1) eligibility criteria for school readiness programs and child care centers to be eligible to receive a grant under this section, and (2) guidelines for the expenditure of funds from a grant awarded under this section.

(P.A. 22-118, S. 259.)

History: P.A. 22-118 effective July 1, 2022.

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Sec. 10-505b. Tri-Share Child Care Matching Program. (a) The Office of Early Childhood shall, within available appropriations, establish a Tri-Share Child Care Matching Program serving New London County. Under such program, costs for child care provided by duly licensed child care facilities in the state shall be shared equally among participating employers, employees and the state.

(b) (1) The program shall be established for a minimum of two years and the office shall select a regional or state-wide organization as the administrator of the program. Such administrator shall (A) determine employers' and employees' eligibility for participation in the program, (B) ensure that child care facilities to which payments will be made under the program are licensed by the state, (C) collect and ensure timely payment from participating employers, participating employees and the state, (D) disburse funds to the appropriate child care provider, (E) recruit employers to participate in the program, (F) coordinate adequate communication between all parties, and (G) collect and submit to the Office of Early Childhood data concerning participating employees, including, but not limited to, the annual household income of such employees, provided any such submitted data shall be deidentified.

(2) To be eligible to participate in the program:

(A) An employer shall have a physical facility located in New London County that is the principal workplace of its employees; and

(B) An employee shall (i) be employed by a participating employer, (ii) reside in the state, (iii) have as such employee's principal workplace a location in New London County, and (iv) not be receiving other public assistance for child care costs.

(c) The Commissioner of Early Childhood shall enter into an agreement with such administrator to perform the duties described under subdivision (1) of subsection (b) of this section. Such agreement shall include, but need not be limited to, (1) a provision that the administrator shall receive, for administrative costs of the program, up to ten per cent of the funds allocated by the state for the program, (2) a requirement that the administrator not commingle funds received for purposes of the program, other than funds for administrative costs allowed pursuant to subdivision (1) of this subsection, with other funds held or controlled by the administrator, (3) any restrictions or prohibitions on the disclosure of data received or collected by the administrator in the performance of its duties under subdivision (1) of subsection (b) of this section, and (4) penalties for violation of a provision of the agreement or of this section.

(d) Commencing with the fiscal year immediately following the first year of the program and annually thereafter, the commissioner shall submit to the joint standing committees of the General Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to appropriations and the budgets of state agencies, finance, revenue and bonding, education and children, a report on the program. Such report shall include, but need not be limited to, (1) for the fiscal year immediately preceding, (A) the number of participating employers and participating employees, (B) the percentage of participating employees whose household incomes are below the asset limited, income constrained, employed population threshold, as calculated in the most recent ALICE report by the United Way of Connecticut, and (C) the amounts disbursed by the administrator for child care costs and the amounts retained by the administrator for administrative costs, and (2) any programmatic or legislative changes the commissioner recommends to improve the program or further its purposes.

(P.A. 24-91, S. 3.)

History: P.A. 24-91 effective July 1, 2024.

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Sec. 10-506. Connecticut Smart Start competitive grant program. (a) For the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025, and each fiscal year thereafter, the Office of Early Childhood, in consultation with the Department of Education, shall design and administer the Connecticut Smart Start competitive grant program to provide grants to local and regional boards of education for capital and operating expenses related to establishing or expanding a preschool program under the jurisdiction of the board of education for the town. A local or regional board of education may submit an application to the office, in accordance with the provisions of subsection (b) of this section, and may receive (1) a grant for capital expenses in an amount not to exceed seventy-five thousand dollars per classroom for costs related to the renovation of an existing public school to accommodate the establishment or expansion of a preschool program, and (2) an annual grant for operating expenses (A) in an amount not to exceed five thousand dollars per child served by such grant, or (B) in an amount not to exceed seventy-five thousand dollars for each preschool classroom. Each local or regional board of education that establishes or expands a preschool program under this section shall be eligible to receive an annual grant for operating expenses for a period of five years, provided such preschool program meets standards established by the Commissioner of Early Childhood. Such local or regional board of education may submit an application for renewal of such grant to the office.

(b) On and after July 1, 2014, local and regional boards of education, individually or cooperatively, pursuant to section 10-158a, may apply, at such time and in such manner as the commissioner prescribes, to the office for a capital grant and an operating grant for the purposes described in subsection (a) of this section. To be eligible to receive such grants under this section, an applicant board of education shall (1) demonstrate that it has a need for establishing or expanding a preschool program using information requested by the commissioner on a form prescribed by the commissioner, such as data collected from the preschool experience survey, described in section 10-515, (2) submit a plan for the expenditure of grant funds received under this section that outlines how such board of education will use such funds to establish or expand a preschool program, including, but not limited to, the amount that such board will contribute to the operation of such preschool program and how such board of education will provide access to preschool for children who would not otherwise be able to enroll in a preschool program, and (3) submit a letter of support for establishing or expanding a preschool program by the local or regional school readiness council, described in section 10-16r, if any, for the school district. The commissioner shall give priority to boards of education (A) that demonstrate the greatest need for the establishment or expansion of a preschool program, and (B) whose plan allocates at least sixty per cent of the spaces in such preschool program to children who are members of families who are at or below seventy-five per cent of the state median income. The commissioner, in reviewing applications submitted under this subsection, shall also take into consideration (i) whether an applicant board of education (I) currently offers a full-day kindergarten program, (II) will be cooperating and coordinating with other governmental and community programs to provide services during periods when the preschool program is not in session, or (III) will collaborate with other boards of education, as part of a cooperative arrangement pursuant to section 10-158a, to offer a regional preschool program, and (ii) current community capacity for preschool programs and current opportunities for preschool for children in the community.

(c) A preschool program created or expanded under this section shall (1) contain a classroom with an individual who holds certification pursuant to section 10-145b with an endorsement in early childhood education or early childhood special education and is an employee of the board of education providing a preschool program under this section, (2) maintain a classroom size and teacher-child ratio that is in compliance with standards established by the National Association for the Education of Young Children, (3) obtain accreditation, as described in section 10-16p, not later than three years after the creation or expansion of the preschool program, and (4) be located in a public school or in a space maintained by an early care and education and child development program provider, pursuant to an agreement between a board of education and such early care and education and child development program provider.

(d) Each local or regional board of education receiving a grant under this section shall submit an annual report, on a form and in a manner prescribed by the commissioner, to the Office of Early Childhood regarding the status and operation of the preschool program.

(e) A local or regional board of education receiving grant funds under this section may implement a sliding fee scale for the cost of services provided to children enrolled in such preschool program.

(P.A. 14-41, S. 1; P.A. 15-227, S. 12; P.A. 23-160, S. 39; 23-204, S. 332; P.A. 24-78, S. 40.)

History: P.A. 14-41 effective July 1, 2014; P.A. 15-227 amended Subsec. (a) by replacing “reimburse” with “provide grants to”, effective July 1, 2015; P.A. 23-160 amended Subsec. (a) by replacing “For the fiscal years ending June 30, 2015, to June 30, 2024, inclusive” with “For the fiscal year ending June 30, 2015, and each fiscal year thereafter”, and amended Subsec. (b) by deleting “, or fifty per cent of the spaces in such preschool program to children who are eligible for free and reduced price lunches” and making a technical change, effective July 1, 2023; P.A. 23-204 made identical changes as P.A. 23-160, effective July 1, 2023; P.A. 24-78 amended Subsec. (a) by replacing “June 30, 2015” with “June 30, 2025” and deleting “provided no town shall receive a total annual grant for operating expenses greater than three hundred thousand dollars” in Subdiv. (2), effective July 1, 2024.

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Sec. 10-507. Smart start competitive capital grant account. Smart start competitive operating grant account. (a) There is established an account to be known as the “smart start competitive capital grant account” which shall be a capital projects fund. The account shall contain the amounts authorized by the State Bond Commission in accordance with section 10-508 and any other moneys required by law to be deposited in the account. Moneys in the account shall be expended by the Office of Early Childhood for the purposes of the Connecticut Smart Start competitive grant program established pursuant to section 10-506.

(b) There is established an account to be known as the “smart start competitive operating grant account” which shall be a separate, nonlapsing account within the General Fund. The account shall contain moneys required by law to be deposited in the account. Moneys in the account shall be expended by the Office of Early Childhood for the purposes of the Connecticut Smart Start competitive grant program established pursuant to section 10-506.

(P.A. 14-98, S. 24; P.A. 15-227, S. 11; P.A. 16-163, S. 18; June Sp. Sess. P.A. 17-2, S. 664; P.A. 18-81, S. 61.)

History: P.A. 14-98 effective May 22, 2014; P.A. 15-227 designated existing provisions as Subsec. (a) and amended same by replacing “smart start competitive grant account” with “smart start competitive capital grant account”, replacing “separate, nonlapsing account within the General Fund” with “capital projects fund”, replacing “by subsection (a) of section 10-501” with “pursuant to” and deleting reference to section 3 of public act 14-41, and added Subsec. (b) re smart start competitive operating grant account, effective July 7, 2015; P.A. 16-163 replaced “Smart Start” with “Connecticut Smart Start”, effective June 9, 2016; June Sp. Sess. P.A. 17-2 amended Subsec. (b) by deleting “subdivision (4) of”, effective October 31, 2017; P.A. 18-81 amended Subsec. (b) by deleting reference to Sec. 4-28e(c), effective May 15, 2018.

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Sec. 10-508. Bond authorization for early care and education facility improvement grants. (a) For the purposes described in subsection (b) of this section, the State Bond Commission shall have the power from time to time to authorize the issuance of bonds of the state in one or more series and in principal amounts not exceeding in the aggregate forty-eight million five hundred nineteen thousand one hundred forty-nine dollars, provided three million five hundred nineteen thousand one hundred forty-nine dollars of said authorization shall be effective July 1, 2015, five million dollars of said authorization shall be effective July 1, 2020, ten million dollars of said authorization shall be effective July 1, 2021, ten million dollars of said authorization shall be effective July 1, 2022, and ten million dollars of said authorization shall be effective July 1, 2023.

(b) The proceeds of the sale of said bonds, to the extent of the amount stated in subsection (a) of this section, shall be used by the Office of Early Childhood for the purposes of early care and education facility improvements in the Smart Start competitive grant program established pursuant to subsection (a) of section 10-501, section 10-506 and section 3 of public act 14-41*, the school readiness program, as defined in section 10-16p, state-funded day care centers pursuant to section 8-210, Even Start program pursuant to section 10-265n, programs administered by local and regional boards of education, and to expand the delivery of child care services to infants and toddlers where a demonstrated need exists, as determined by the Office of Early Childhood. Grants awarded pursuant to this subsection shall be used for facility improvements and minor capital repairs. Applicants eligible pursuant to this subsection may submit an application to the Office of Early Childhood and may receive a grant for capital expenses in an amount not to exceed seventy-five thousand dollars per classroom for costs related to the renovation of a facility.

(c) All provisions of section 3-20, or the exercise of any right or power granted thereby, which are not inconsistent with the provisions of this section are hereby adopted and shall apply to all bonds authorized by the State Bond Commission pursuant to this section, and temporary notes in anticipation of the money to be derived from the sale of any such bonds so authorized may be issued in accordance with said section 3-20 and from time to time renewed. Such bonds shall mature at such time or times not exceeding twenty years from their respective dates as may be provided in or pursuant to the resolution or resolutions of the State Bond Commission authorizing such bonds. None of said bonds shall be authorized except upon a finding by the State Bond Commission that there has been filed with it a request for such authorization which is signed by or on behalf of the Secretary of the Office of Policy and Management and states such terms and conditions as said commission, in its discretion, may require. Said bonds issued pursuant to this section shall be general obligations of the state and the full faith and credit of the state of Connecticut are pledged for the payment of the principal of and interest on said bonds as the same 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 State Treasurer shall pay such principal and interest as the same become due.

(P.A. 14-98, S. 25; May Sp. Sess. P.A. 16-4, S. 242; June Sp. Sess. P.A. 17-2, S. 437; P.A. 20-1, S. 62; P.A. 21-111, S. 58.)

*Note: Section 3 of public act 14-41 is special in nature and therefore has not been codified but remains in full force and effect according to its terms.

History: P.A. 14-98 effective July 1, 2014; May Sp. Sess. P.A. 16-4 amended Subsec. (a) by decreasing aggregate authorization from $105,000,000 to $100,000,000, effective July 1, 2016; June Sp. Sess. P.A. 17-2 decreased aggregate authorization from $100,000,000 to $63,519,149, decreased authorization effective July 1, 2015 from $10,000,000 to $3,519,149, and delete authorizations effective July 1, 2016, July 1, 2017, and July 1, 2018, effective October 31, 2017; P.A. 20-1 amended Subsec. (b) to add provisions re use of bond proceeds for school readiness program, state-funded day care centers, Even Start program, programs administered by local and regional boards of education and to expand delivery of child care services to infants and toddlers, use of grants for facility improvements and minor capital repairs, submission of applications to the Office of Early Childhood, maximum amount of grants and made a technical change, effective March 12, 2020; P.A. 21-111 decreased aggregate authorization from $63,519,149 to $48,519,149, decreased authorization effective July 1, 2020, from $10,000,000 to $5,000,000, and deleted authorization effective July 1, 2019, effective July 1, 2021.

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Sec. 10-509. Expenditure of certain funds for early care and education and child development programs. (a) As used in this subsection, “early care and education and childhood development programs” includes the child care subsidy program, established pursuant to section 17b-749, the school readiness program, as defined in section 10-16p, the supplemental quality enhancement grant program, established pursuant to section 17b-749c, the Connecticut Home Visiting System, established pursuant to section 17b-751b, family child care homes and group child care homes, as described in section 19a-77, and the program for state financial assistance for neighborhood facilities, including child care centers, pursuant to section 8-210.

(b) For the fiscal year ending June 30, 2019, and each fiscal year thereafter, the Commissioner of Early Childhood may expend in any year an amount not to exceed two per cent of the total amount appropriated to the office for early care and education and child development programs for the purpose of carrying out its responsibilities pursuant to section 10-500, including, but not limited to, piloting innovative and results-driven service delivery, program evaluation and improvement, funding and procurement models that are performance-driven and results-accountable, interagency coordination and collaboration and evaluative tools and infrastructure, provided if the total amount of such two per cent exceeds one million dollars, all funds in excess of one million dollars shall be used for service delivery. The commissioner may not expend any funds under this section for administrative or other overhead costs of the Office of Early Childhood. The commissioner may develop policies and procedures to implement the provisions of this section.

(c) Not later than January first of each year, the office shall submit a report relating to how the commissioner has expended funds pursuant to subsection (b) of this section 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 need not be limited to, (1) the results of any program evaluations conducted by the office, (2) an assessment of the relationship between the cost and the value of the service delivery outcomes achieved, and (3) any policies and procedures developed by the commissioner to implement the provisions of this section.

(P.A. 18-184, S. 2; P.A. 21-172, S. 4.)

History: P.A. 18-184 effective July 1, 2018; P.A. 21-172 amended Subsec. (a) by replacing “Nurturing Families Network” with “Connecticut Home Visiting System” and adding “family child care homes and group child care homes, as described in section 19a-77,”, effective July 1, 2021.

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Sec. 10-509a. Allocation and expenditure of funds for professional development services, technical assistance and evaluation and program planning and implementation activities. Notwithstanding the provisions of sections 4-98, 4-212 to 4-219, inclusive, 4a-51 and 4a-57, the Commissioner of Early Childhood may, within available appropriations, allocate funds to regional educational service centers for the provision of professional development services, technical assistance and evaluation and program planning and implementation activities, local and regional boards of education, child care centers, group child care homes and family child care homes, as such terms are described in section 19a-77, and other early childhood care and education entities, as determined by the commissioner. Any funds allocated by the commissioner under this section shall be expended in accordance with procedures and conditions prescribed by the commissioner.

(P.A. 24-78, S. 34.)

History: P.A. 24-78 effective July 1, 2024.

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Sec. 10-510. Start Early - Early Child Development Initiative. (a) The Office of Early Childhood shall establish and administer the Start Early - Early Child Development Initiative. The office shall develop funding priorities for the initiative for early education and support services through a grant program for research and early education service providers to support the growth and enhancement of a system of high-quality early childhood care and education and support services. The office may test more than one type of intervention or type of program for young children and families, and shall track the differences in children's progress by program type. Funding under the initiative may include targeted formula grants to providers in high-need areas throughout the state to serve a cohort of children from infancy through kindergarten entrance and may include existing providers serving a cohort of children in the target community who agree to implement research-based professional development or curricular interventions that begin in the infant and toddler years.

(b) The office shall establish standards for the initiative that shall include, but need not be limited to, eligibility requirements, participant requirements, program outcome metrics, data reporting requirements, evaluative methods and a formula for the distribution of grant funds for a period not less than five years. Such standards may include, but need not be limited to, guidelines for staff-child interactions, lesson plans, parental engagement, staff qualifications and training, and curriculum content, including physical, social, emotional, quantitative, executive function and preliteracy development.

(c) The Commissioner of Early Childhood, or a contractor who has entered into a contract under the initiative with the commissioner, shall enter into contracts with an institution of higher education, child care center, group child care home, family child care home or staffed family child care networks to create new or support existing infant and toddler spaces and preschool spaces within the standards established by the office pursuant to subsection (b) of this section. In entering into a contract under the initiative, the commissioner shall give priority to those child care centers, group child care homes and family child care homes that are (1) located in towns with the lowest median household income or the greatest deficit of early care availability, (2) creating new infant and toddler spaces, (3) accredited, and (4) licensed to individuals who reflect the demographics of the population in the community in which such center or home is located.

(d) Any contract entered into under the initiative may include a provision requiring the provider to provide access to family support services in order to receive a grant-in-aid. Such family support services shall include, but need not be limited to, parenting support, home visiting, early intervention services, information about child development, and assistance to help parents complete their education, learn English, enroll in a job training program or find employment.

(e) The office shall develop an annual report concerning the data and outcome measures for the initiative. The report shall include, but need not be limited to, achievement on the elements outlined in the Connecticut Early Learning and Development Standards as reported in the accompanying assessment tool. The office may develop recommendations for modifications to the early education system based on an evaluation of such data and outcome measures. Not later than January 1, 2023, and annually thereafter, the office shall submit, in accordance with the provisions of section 11-4a, such report and any such recommendations to the joint standing committee of the General Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to education.

(f) The office may use a portion of the funds allocated pursuant to the provisions of Section 602 of Subtitle M of Title IX of the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021, P.L. 117-2, as amended from time to time, for administrative expenses related to the initiative, including, but not limited to, entering into an agreement with a third party to manage the program; the design, collection and analysis of required data on outcome measures as prescribed by the office; and the development of data collection and evaluation tools for continuous program evaluation.

(P.A. 22-118, S. 459.)

History: P.A. 22-118 effective July 1, 2022.

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Sec. 10-511. Early Childhood Care and Education Fund. (a) There is established the Early Childhood Care and Education Fund. Said fund may contain any moneys required or permitted by law to be deposited in the fund and shall receive and hold all payments and deposits for contributions intended for said fund, as well as gifts, bequests, endowments or federal, state or local grants and any other funds from any public or private source and all earnings until disbursed in accordance with the provisions of this section.

(b) The amounts on deposit in said fund shall not constitute property of the state and said fund shall not be construed to be a department, institution or agency of the state. Amounts on deposit in said fund shall not be commingled with state funds and the state shall have no claim to or against, or any interest in, such deposits. Any contract entered into by or any obligation of said fund shall not constitute a debt or obligation of the state and the state shall have no obligation to any person on account of said fund and all amounts obligated to be paid from said fund shall be limited to amounts available for such obligation on deposit in said fund. Said fund shall continue in existence as long as it holds any deposits or has any obligations and until its existence is terminated by law.

(c) The Treasurer shall invest the amounts on deposit in said fund in a manner reasonable and appropriate to achieve the objectives of said fund, exercising the discretion and care of a prudent person in similar circumstances with similar objectives. The Treasurer shall give due consideration to rate of return, risk, term or maturity, diversification of the total portfolio within said fund, liquidity, the projected disbursements and expenditures and the expected payments, deposits, contributions and gifts to be received. The Treasurer shall not require said fund to invest directly in obligations of the state or any political subdivision of the state or in any investment or other fund administered by the Treasurer. The assets of said fund shall be continuously invested and reinvested in a manner consistent with the objectives of said fund until disbursed by the Comptroller in accordance with the provisions of this section.

(d) The Treasurer, on behalf of said fund and for purposes of said fund, may:

(1) Receive and invest moneys in said fund in any instruments, obligations, securities or property in accordance with this section;

(2) Enter into one or more contractual agreements, including contracts for legal, actuarial, accounting, custodial, advisory, management, administrative, advertising, marketing and consulting services for said fund and pay for such services from the assets of said fund;

(3) Procure insurance in connection with said fund's property, assets, activities or deposits to said fund;

(4) Apply for and accept gifts, grants or donations from public or private sources to enable said fund to carry out its objectives;

(5) Adopt regulations in accordance with chapter 54 for purposes of this section;

(6) Sue and be sued;

(7) Establish one or more accounts within said fund; and

(8) Take any other action necessary to carry out the purposes of this section and incidental to the duties imposed on the Treasurer pursuant to this section.

(e) The amounts on deposit in said fund shall be used for the purposes of supporting early childhood education in, and child care needs of, the state and shall not be expended for any other purpose.

(P.A. 23-204, S. 338; P.A. 24-91, S. 1.)

History: P.A. 23-204 effective June 12, 2023; P.A. 24-91 renamed fund and substantially revised section re purpose and use of, and Treasurer's duties re, fund, effective June 4, 2024.

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Sec. 10-511a. Early Childhood Care and Education Fund Advisory Commission. (a)(1) There is established the Early Childhood Care and Education Fund Advisory Commission, which shall be part of the Legislative Department. The commission shall review and report on the financial health and status of the Early Childhood Care and Education Fund, submit and update a five-year plan to the General Assembly on expenditures from said fund that would best support early childhood education in, and child care needs of, the state and make recommendations for legislative changes to further the purposes of said fund.

(2) The commission shall consist of the following members:

(A) Two appointed by the speaker of the House of Representatives, (i) one of whom shall be a parent who is a member of the parent cabinet established by the Office of Early Childhood pursuant to section 10-500, and (ii) one of whom shall be an early childhood teacher;

(B) Two appointed by the president pro tempore of the Senate, (i) one of whom shall be an operator or a representative of a home-based child care services provider in the state, and (ii) one of whom shall be the parent of a child receiving services under the birth-to-three program established under section 17a-248b;

(C) Two appointed by the majority leader of the House of Representatives, (i) one of whom shall be a representative of an early childhood education program operator in the state, and (ii) one of whom shall be a representative of a family resource center described under section 10-4o and who is a member of the Early Childhood Cabinet established pursuant to section 10-16z;

(D) Two appointed by the majority leader of the Senate, (i) one of whom shall be a representative of a philanthropic organization that is (I) engaged in early childhood education issues or child care issues in the state, and (II) a member of the Early Childhood Funder Collaborative, and (ii) one of whom shall be a representative of the Connecticut Head Start State Collaboration Office within the Office of Early Childhood and who is a member of the Early Childhood Cabinet established pursuant to section 10-16z;

(E) Two appointed by the minority leader of the House of Representatives, (i) one of whom shall be a representative of a non-home-based child care services provider in the state, and (ii) one of whom shall be a representative of the Office of Early Childhood and who administers the Childhood Care and Development Fund and who is a member of the Early Childhood Cabinet established pursuant to section 10-16z;

(F) Two appointed by the minority leader of the Senate, (i) one of whom shall be a representative of a corporation with a significant physical presence in the state and that employs individuals who may benefit from early childhood education and state child care initiatives, and (ii) one of whom shall be a representative of the Office of Early Childhood and who administers Part C of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, 20 USC 1431 et seq., as amended from time to time;

(G) The chairpersons and ranking members of the joint standing committee of the General Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to finance, revenue and bonding;

(H) One member of the General Assembly appointed by the speaker of the House of Representatives and one member of the General Assembly appointed by the president pro tempore of the Senate;

(I) The commissioners of Early Childhood and Education, or their designees;

(J) The Secretary of the Office of Policy and Management, or the secretary's designee;

(K) The Treasurer, or the Treasurer's designee; and

(L) The Comptroller, or the Comptroller's designee.

(3) Each appointed member shall serve in accordance with the provisions of section 4-1a and the appointing authorities shall appoint members to ensure representation on the commission of all geographic areas in the state, to the extent practicable.

(4) The administrative staff of the joint standing committee of the General Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to finance, revenue and bonding shall serve as administrative staff of the commission.

(5) The members appointed under subparagraph (H) of subdivision (2) of this subsection and the Comptroller shall serve as the chairpersons of the commission. Such chairpersons shall schedule the first meeting of the commission, which shall be held not later than ninety days after June 4, 2024. The commission shall meet as often as deemed necessary by the chairpersons or a majority of the commission. Any appointed member who fails to attend three consecutive meetings or who fails to attend fifty per cent of all meetings held during any calendar year shall be deemed to have resigned from the commission.

(6) Any vacancy shall be filled by the appointing authority. Any vacancy occurring other than by expiration of term shall be filled for the balance of the unexpired term.

(7) A majority of the commission shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of any business.

(8) (A) The members of the commission shall serve without compensation, but shall, within the limits of available funds, be reimbursed for travel expenses necessarily incurred in travelling to and from a commission meeting, except that the following members shall be eligible, within the limit of available funds, for a stipend of twenty-five dollars for each hour or portion thereof that such member attends a commission meeting:

(i) The parent member of the parent cabinet established by the Office of Early Childhood and the parent of a child receiving services under the birth-to-three program;

(ii) The early childhood teacher;

(iii) The representative of an early childhood education program operator, provided such representative is an employee of such program operator and is compensated by such program operator on an hourly basis;

(iv) The representative of a non-home-based child care services provider, provided such representative is an employee of such provider and is compensated by such provider on an hourly basis; and

(v) The operator or representative of a home-based child care services provider, provided such representative is an employee of such provider.

(B) The time spent by a member under subparagraph (A)(i) to (A)(v), inclusive, of this subdivision to travel to and from such meeting shall not be counted for purposes of calculating the stipend under this subdivision.

(C) Each member seeking the travel expenses or stipend under this subdivision shall submit a request to the executive director of the Office of Legislative Management, in such form and manner as prescribed by said director, and shall provide any documentation required by said director to substantiate the requested amount.

(b) The commission shall have the following powers and duties:

(1) Review and monitor the Early Childhood Care and Education Fund to assess its financial sustainability;

(2) Obtain from any executive department, board, commission or other agency of the state such assistance and data as necessary and available to carry out the purposes of this section; and

(3) Perform such other acts as may be necessary and appropriate to carry out the duties described in this section.

(1) Not later than January 1, 2026, and annually thereafter, submit a report, in accordance with the provisions of section 11-4a, to the joint standing committees of the General Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to appropriations and the budgets of state agencies, finance, revenue and bonding, education and children, on the financial health and status of the Early Childhood Care and Education Fund, including, but not limited to, (A) the amounts on deposit in said fund, (B) disbursements made or expected to be made from said fund for the applicable fiscal year, (C) the rates of return on investments made by the Treasurer pursuant to subsection (c) of this section, (D) a statement as to the sufficiency of the amounts on deposit in said fund to achieve the purposes of said fund, and (E) any recommendations for policy changes and amendments to the general statutes necessary to further the purposes of said fund;

(2) Not later than January 1, 2026, submit a five-year plan, in accordance with the provisions of section 11-4a, to the joint standing committees of the General Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to appropriations and the budgets of state agencies, finance, revenue and bonding, education and children, of recommendations of expenditures from said fund that would best support early childhood education in, and child care needs of, the state. The commission shall, in developing such plan, consider reports on the state of (A) early childhood care and education in the state, and (B) kindergarten readiness in the state, as well as best practices in other states. The commission shall update such plan at least annually and submit such updated plan annually to said committees; and

(3) Commencing with the fiscal year ending June 30, 2026, hold a public hearing annually on the state of the fund and of early childhood education and child care in the state.

(P.A. 24-91, S. 2.)

History: P.A. 24-91 effective June 4, 2024 (Revisor's note: In Subsec. (a)(1), the words “Early Education Childhood Fund”, which appeared in the engrossed bill, were changed editorially by the Revisors to “Early Childhood Care and Education Fund” for accuracy).

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Secs. 10-512 and 10-513. Reserved for future use.

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Sec. 10-514. Creation of document re developmental milestones. Posting of document. (a) Not later than January 1, 2020, the Office of Early Childhood shall create a one-page document that (1) lists important developmental milestones experienced by children ages birth to five years, and (2) contains notice that any parent or guardian who is concerned that such parent or guardian's child has not met one or more such developmental milestones may access the Office of Early Childhood Child Development Infoline for information concerning appropriate services. The office shall make such document available on its Internet web site.

(b) On and after July 1, 2024, each operator of a child care center, group child care home or family child care home, as described in section 19a-77, other than those centers or homes that serve school-age children exclusively, shall post a copy of the document developed pursuant to subsection (a) of this section in a conspicuous place on the premises of such child care center, group child care home or family child care home.

(P.A. 19-106, S. 1; P.A. 24-91, S. 7.)

History: P.A. 19-106 effective July 1, 2019; P.A. 24-91 amended Subsec. (b) by replacing “February 1, 2020” with “July 1, 2024” and adding “other than those centers or homes that serve school-age children exclusively,”, effective July 1, 2024.

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Sec. 10-515. Preschool experience survey. On or before March 1, 2015, the Commissioner of Early Childhood, in consultation with the Department of Education, shall develop a preschool experience survey that shall be included in kindergarten registration materials provided by local and regional boards of education to parents or guardians of children enrolling in kindergarten pursuant to section 10-184. The board shall use such survey to collect information regarding (1) whether the child enrolling in kindergarten has participated in a preschool program, and (2) (A) if such child has participated in a preschool program, the nature, length and setting of such preschool program, or (B) if the child has not participated in a preschool program, the reasons why such child did not participate in a preschool program, including, but not limited to, financial difficulty, lack of transportation, parental choice regarding enrollment, limitations related to the hours of operation of available preschool programs and any other barriers to participation in a preschool program. A local or regional board of education shall not require any parent or guardian of such child to complete such survey as a condition of such child's enrollment in kindergarten.

(P.A. 14-39, S. 86; P.A. 15-134, S. 6.)

History: P.A. 14-39 effective May 28, 2014; P.A. 15-134 replaced “may” with “shall” re development of survey, effective July 1, 2015.

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Sec. 10-516. Competitive grants for alliance school districts. The Office of Early Childhood, in collaboration with the State Department of Education, may offer from funds which may originate from public, private, federal or philanthropic sources, a competitive grant for up to three alliance school districts to develop and implement a strategy to promote the social and emotional well-being and health of preschool children from age three to children in third grade, with a focus on instructional tools and family engagement. Up to five per cent of the grant funds provided under this section for any fiscal year may be used to pay for administrative costs.

(P.A. 14-172, S. 4.)

History: P.A. 14-172 effective July 1, 2014.

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Secs. 10-517 to 10-519. Reserved for future use.

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Sec. 10-520. Trend analysis of certain bachelor's degree programs in early childhood education or child development. Section 10-520 is repealed, effective July 12, 2019.

(P.A. 15-134, S. 1; P.A. 16-163, S. 17; P.A. 19-34, S. 2; 19-121, S. 15.)

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Sec. 10-520a. Report re staff qualifications requirement compliance. Not later than January first, annually, the Office of Early Childhood shall submit a report regarding the status of school readiness program providers' compliance with the staff qualifications requirement, described in subsection (b) of section 10-16p, 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.

(P.A. 15-134, S. 5; P.A. 19-121, S. 8.)

History: P.A. 15-134 effective July 1, 2015; P.A. 19-121 replaced “July” with “January”, effective July 12, 2019.

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Sec. 10-520b. (Note: This section is repealed, effective July 1, 2025.) Early childhood teacher credential. The Office of Early Childhood, upon receipt of a proper application and in a manner prescribed by the Commissioner of Early Childhood, shall issue an early childhood teacher credential to any person who holds (1) an associate degree with a concentration in early childhood education from an institution of higher education that is regionally accredited, provided such associate degree program is approved by (A) the Board of Regents for Higher Education or the Office of Higher Education, and (B) the Office of Early Childhood, or (2) a bachelor's degree with a concentration in early childhood education from an institution of higher education that is regionally accredited, provided such bachelor's degree program is approved by (A) the Board of Regents for Higher Education or Office of Higher Education, and (B) the Office of Early Childhood. For purposes of this section, “concentration in early childhood education” has the same meaning as provided in section 10-16p.

(P.A. 17-41, S. 2; P.A. 22-100, S. 3; P.A. 24-78, S. 41.)

History: P.A. 17-41 effective July 1, 2017; P.A. 22-100 deleted provision re any early childhood teacher credential issued pursuant to Subdiv. (1) is valid until June 30, 2021, effective May 24, 2022; P.A. 24-78 repealed section, effective July 1, 2025.

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Sec. 10-520c. Approval to work as head teacher or educational consultant. Suspension or revocation of approval. (a) Upon receipt of an application for approval to work as a head teacher or an educational consultant in a licensed child care center or group child care home, the Commissioner of Early Childhood shall issue such approval to any person who satisfies the requirements established by regulations adopted pursuant to section 19a-79.

(b) Whenever the Commissioner of Early Childhood has reason to believe that any person who has been issued an approval to work as a head teacher or an educational consultant in a licensed child care center or group child care home, pursuant to subsection (a) of this section, (1) has failed substantially to comply with the regulations adopted pursuant to section 19a-79, (2) has knowingly made or causes to be made any false or misleading statements to the Office of Early Childhood, or (3) has engaged in any other behavior that renders the person unsuitable to so work as a head teacher or an educational consultant, the commissioner may notify such person in writing of the commissioner's intention to suspend or revoke such approval. Such notice shall be served by certified mail stating the particular reasons for the intended suspension or revocation. Such person may, if aggrieved by such intended suspension or revocation, make application for a hearing in writing over such person's signature to the commissioner. Such person shall state in the application in plain language the reasons why such person claims to be aggrieved. The application shall be delivered to the commissioner not later than thirty days after such person's receipt of notification of the intended suspension or revocation. The commissioner shall thereupon hold a hearing or cause a hearing to be held not later than sixty days after receipt of such application and shall, at least ten days prior to the date of such hearing, mail a notice, giving the time and place of the hearing, to such person. The hearing may be conducted by the commissioner or by a hearing officer appointed by the commissioner in writing. Such person and the commissioner or hearing officer may issue subpoenas requiring the attendance of witnesses. Such person shall be entitled to be represented by counsel and a transcript of the hearing shall be made. If the hearing is conducted by a hearing officer, the hearing officer shall state the hearing officer's findings and make a recommendation to the commissioner on the issue of suspension or revocation. The commissioner, based upon the findings and recommendation of the hearing officer, or after a hearing conducted by the commissioner, shall render the commissioner's decision in writing suspending, revoking or continuing such approval. A copy of the decision shall be sent by certified mail to such person. The decision suspending or revoking such approval shall become effective thirty days after it is mailed by registered or certified mail to such person. Any person aggrieved by the decision of the commissioner may appeal as provided in section 19a-85. Any person whose approval has been revoked pursuant to this subsection shall be ineligible to apply for an approval for a period of one year from the effective date of revocation.

(c) The provisions of this section shall not apply to the denial of an initial application for an approval to work as a head teacher or an educational consultant in a licensed child care center or group child care home, pursuant to subsection (a) of this section, provided the commissioner shall notify the applicant of any such denial and the reasons for such denial by mailing written notice to the applicant at the applicant's address shown on the application for such approval.

(P.A. 19-121, S. 13.)

History: P.A. 19-121 effective July 1, 2019.

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Secs. 10-521 to 10-529. Reserved for future use.

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Sec. 10-530. Comprehensive background checks. (a) As used in this section:

(1) “Child care facility” means a “child care center”, “group child care home” or “family child care home” that provides “child care services”, each as described in section 19a-77, or any provider of child care services under the child care subsidy program established pursuant to section 17b-749;

(2) “Child care services provider or staff member” means any person who is (A) a licensee, employee, volunteer or alternate staff, assistant, substitute or household member of a child care facility, (B) a family child care provider, or (C) any other person who provides child care services under the child care subsidy program established pursuant to section 17b-749 but does not include a person who is providing child care services under the child care subsidy program (i) exclusively to children with whom such person is related, and (ii) without being issued a license to provide child care services by the Office of Early Childhood; and

(3) “Family child care provider” means any person who provides child care services under the child care subsidy program established pursuant to section 17b-749 (A) in a family child care home, as defined in section 19a-77, or (B) in a home not requiring a license pursuant to subdivision (4) of subsection (b) of section 19a-77.

(b) The comprehensive background checks required pursuant to subsection (c) of section 19a-80, subsection (c) of section 19a-87b and subsection (a) of section 17b-749k, shall be conducted at least once every five years for each child care services provider or staff member in accordance with the provisions of 45 CFR 98.43, as amended from time to time.

(c) Any person who applies for a position at a child care facility in the state shall not be required to submit to such comprehensive background checks if such person (1) is an employee of a child care facility in the state, or has not been separated from employment as a child care services provider or staff member in the state for a period of more than one hundred eighty days, and (2) has successfully completed such comprehensive background checks in the previous five years. Nothing in this section prohibits the Commissioner of Early Childhood from requiring that a person applying for a position as a child care services provider or staff member submit to comprehensive background checks more than once during a five-year period.

(d) Any person required to submit to comprehensive background checks pursuant to subsection (c) of section 19a-80, subsection (c) of section 19a-87b and subsection (a) of section 17b-749k, may submit a request, in writing, to the Commissioner of Early Childhood for a waiver of the requirement to submit fingerprints. Such request shall include such person's name and date of birth, and evidence that such person is unable to satisfy such fingerprints requirement due to a medical condition, including, but not limited to, a birth defect, physical deformity, skin condition or psychiatric condition. Upon the granting of a waiver to a person under this subsection, the Office of Early Childhood shall conduct a state criminal history records check of such person by using the name and date of birth that was provided in the request for a waiver by such person.

(June Sp. Sess. P.A. 17-2, S. 177; P.A. 19-121, S. 4; P.A. 21-172, S. 10; P.A. 23-160, S. 27.)

History: June Sp. Sess. P.A. 17-2 effective October 31, 2017; P.A. 19-121 added Subsec. (a) re definitions of “child care facility”, “child care services provider or staff member” and “family child care provider”, designated existing provision re comprehensive background check to be conducted at least once every 5 years as Subsec. (b) and amended same to add “for each child care services provider or staff member in accordance with the provisions of 45 CFR 98.43, as amended from time to time”, designated existing provision re persons not required to submit to comprehensive background checks as Subsec. (c) and amended same to replace “was previously an employee of a child care facility in the state during the previous one hundred eighty days” with “has not been separated from employment as a child care services provider or staff member in the state for a period of more than one hundred eighty days” in Subdiv. (1), replace “an employee or prospective employee of a child care facility to” with “a person applying for a position as a child care services provider or staff member” in Subdiv. (2), and delete former definition re “child care facility”, effective July 1, 2019; P.A. 21-172 added Subsec. (d) re request for waiver of requirement to submit fingerprints; P.A. 23-160 made a technical change in Subsec. (b), effective June 28, 2023.

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Sec. 10-531. Proposed early childhood educator compensation schedule. (a) As used in this section:

(1) “Early childhood education program” means any child care or school readiness program that accepts state funds for infant, toddler and preschool spaces associated with such program;

(2) “Employee” means any person who is employed by an early childhood education program and meets the applicable staff qualifications requirement, as defined in section 10-16p;

(3) “Compensation” means the salary, wages, benefits and other forms of valuable consideration earned by and provided to an employee in remuneration for services rendered; and

(4) “Compensation schedule” means a list or lists specifying a series of compensation steps and ranges.

(b) The Office of Early Childhood shall establish, after notice and opportunity for public comment, a proposed early childhood educator compensation schedule for employees of early childhood education programs.

(c) (1) The office shall consider the following factors in developing the proposed early childhood educator compensation schedule: (A) Level of education, (B) training in early childhood education or child development, (C) relevant employment experience, including the number of years an individual has been employed in an early childhood education program, (D) compensation levels for certified teachers employed in a preschool program operated by a local or regional board of education or regional educational service center, and (E) cost of living in the state.

(2) In developing the proposed early childhood educator compensation schedule, the office may (A) consider the findings and recommendations provided in “A Plan to Assist Early Education State Funded Providers to Degree Attainment and Increased Compensation” created by the office, pursuant to section 4 of public act 15-134*, to create a standardized salary scale and incentive package for early childhood educators, (B) utilize state and federal funding, and (C) examine existing programs that address early childhood educator compensation and staff retention through financial incentives, such as bonuses for degree or course completion.

(3) The office shall establish a recommended minimum salary for employees as part of the proposed early childhood educator compensation schedule.

(d) Not later than January 1, 2021, the office shall submit the proposed early childhood educator compensation schedule and a report to the joint standing committees of the General Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to education and appropriations and the budgets of state agencies, in accordance with the provisions of section 11-4a. Such report shall include: (1) Any recommendations for legislation relating to state-wide implementation of the proposed early childhood educator compensation schedule, (2) an estimate of the cost of implementing the proposed early childhood educator compensation schedule state-wide, (3) an analysis of the effect of the state-wide implementation of the proposed early childhood educator compensation schedule on the number of available preschool seats, and (4) an explanation of how the proposed early childhood educator compensation schedule will be included in any quality rating and improvement system developed by the office, pursuant to subdivision (15) of subsection (b) of section 10-500.

(P.A. 19-61, S. 1.)

*Note: Section 4 of public act 15-134 is special in nature and therefore has not been codified but remains in full force and effect according to its terms.

History: P.A. 19-61 effective July 1, 2019.

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Sec. 10-532. Universal nurse home visiting services program. (a) As used in this section, “universal nurse home visiting” means an evidence-based nurse home visiting model in which a registered nurse, licensed pursuant to chapter 378, with specialized training provides services in the home to families with newborns in accordance with the provisions of this section.

(b) The Commissioner of Early Childhood, in collaboration with the Commissioners of Social Services, Public Health and Health Strategy, shall, within available appropriations, develop a state-wide program to offer universal nurse home visiting services to all families with newborns residing in the state to support parental health, healthy child development and strengthen families.

(c) When developing the program, said commissioners shall (1) consult with insurers that offer health benefit plans in the state, hospitals, local public health authorities, existing early childhood home visiting programs, community-based organizations and social service providers; and (2) maximize the use of available federal funding.

(d) The program shall provide universal nurse home visiting services that are (1) evidence-based, and (2) designed to improve outcomes in one or more of the following areas: (A) Child safety; (B) child health and development; (C) family economic self-sufficiency; (D) maternal and parental health; (E) positive parenting; (F) reducing child mistreatment; (G) reducing family violence; (H) parent-infant bonding; and (I) any other appropriate area established, in writing, by the Commissioners of Early Childhood, Social Services, Public Health and Health Strategy.

(e) The universal nurse home visiting services provided pursuant to the program shall (1) be voluntary and carry no negative consequences for a family that declines to participate, (2) include an evidence-based assessment of the physical, social and emotional factors affecting a family receiving such services, (3) include at least one visit during a newborn's first three months of life or other time frame as deemed appropriate by said commissioners and that is consistent with an evidence-based model, (4) allow families to choose up to a certain number of additional visits consistent with such model, (5) include a follow-up visit no later than three months or other time frame established by such model after the last visit, and (6) provide information and referrals to address each family's identified needs. Such services may be offered in every community in the state and to all families with newborns based on the full extent of available provider capacity.

(f) The Commissioner of Social Services may seek approval of an amendment to the state Medicaid plan or a waiver from federal law to provide coverage for universal nurse home visiting services provided pursuant to this section and in a time frame and manner to ensure that such coverage does not duplicate other applicable federal funding.

(g) The Commissioner of Early Childhood, in collaboration with the Commissioners of Social Services, Public Health and Health Strategy, shall collect and analyze data generated by the program to assess the effectiveness of the program in meeting the goals described in subsection (d) of this section and collaborate with other state agencies to develop protocols for sharing such data, including the timely sharing of data with primary care providers that provide care to families with newborns receiving universal nurse home visiting services pursuant to the provisions of this section.

(P.A. 23-147, S. 16; P.A. 24-68, S. 54; 24-81, S. 178.)

History: P.A. 23-147 effective July 1, 2023; P.A. 24-68 amended Subsec. (c) by making a technical change; P.A. 24-81 replaced references to executive director of the Office of Health Strategy with references to Commissioner of Health Strategy throughout and made conforming changes, effective May 30, 2024.

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Sec. 10-533. Document re liability insurance coverage. Distribution. Not later than December 1, 2024, the Commissioner of Early Childhood shall, in consultation with a nonprofit organization providing entrepreneurial and financial education services to women, develop a document for distribution to each person, group of persons, association, organization, corporation, institution or agency licensed to maintain a child care center or group child care home pursuant to section 19a-80 or family child care home pursuant to section 19a-87b, explaining the benefits of maintaining liability insurance coverage for such center or home and the potential consequences that may result in the absence of such coverage. Not later than January 1, 2025, and annually thereafter, the commissioner shall distribute such document electronically to each such licensee.

(P.A. 24-91, S. 6.)

History: P.A. 24-91 effective June 4, 2024.

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Secs. 10-534 to 10-549. Reserved for future use.

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Sec. 10-550. (Note: This section is effective July 1, 2025.) Early Start CT. Definitions. As used in this section and sections 10-550a to 10-550h, inclusive:

(1) “Accredited” means an early care and education program (A) accredited by the National Association for the Education of Young Children, National Association for Family Child Care or other nationally recognized accreditations or certifications as approved by the commissioner, or (B) that has received Early Head Start or Head Start federal approval;

(2) “Commissioner” means the Commissioner of Early Childhood; and

(3) “Office” means the Office of Early Childhood.

(P.A. 24-78, S. 24.)

History: P.A. 24-78 effective July 1, 2025.

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Sec. 10-550a. (Note: This section is effective July 1, 2025.) Early Start CT. Responsibilities. The Office of Early Childhood shall operate and administer Early Start CT in order to provide state funding to early care and education programs throughout the state and coordinate and facilitate the efficient delivery of such early care and education programs for eligible children. Under Early Start CT, the office shall:

(1) Provide open access for infants and toddlers and preschool-age children to high-quality early care and education programs that promote the health and safety of children and prepare them for school;

(2) Provide opportunities for parents to choose among affordable and accredited early care and education programs;

(3) Encourage coordination and cooperation among early care and education programs and prevent the duplication of services;

(4) Identify the specific service needs and unique resources available to particular municipalities;

(5) Prevent or minimize the potential for developmental delay in children prior to their reaching the age of five;

(6) Strengthen the family through: (A) Encouragement of family engagement and partnership in a child's development and education, and (B) enhancement of a family's capacity to meet the special needs of the children, including children with disabilities;

(7) Reduce educational costs by decreasing the need for special education services for school-age children;

(8) Assure that children with disabilities are integrated into early care and education programs available to children who do not have disabilities;

(9) Improve the availability and quality of Early Start CT programs and their coordination with the services of child care providers;

(10) Facilitate the racial, ethnic and socioeconomic diversity of the children, families and staff in early care and education programs; and

(11) Maximize local and federal early care and education funding to expand capacity and access.

(P.A. 24-78, S. 25.)

History: P.A. 24-78 effective July 1, 2025.

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Sec. 10-550b. (Note: This section is effective July 1, 2025.) Early Start CT. Contracts for financial assistance. (a) As part of Early Start CT, the state, acting by and in the discretion of the Commissioner of Early Childhood, may enter into direct or third-party contracts to provide financial assistance to municipalities, local and regional boards of education, regional educational service centers, family resource centers, Head Start programs, preschool programs, nonprofit organizations, child care centers, group child care homes, family child care homes, as such terms are described in section 19a-77, and any other programs that meet standards established by the commissioner for the purpose of operating early care and education programs that focus on providing early childhood services based on economic, social or environmental conditions, including in regions with insufficient access to child care. At least sixty per cent of the eligible children enrolled in an early care and education program receiving financial assistance under Early Start CT shall be members of a family that is at or below seventy-five per cent of the state median income. No such financial assistance shall be available to (1) any such child care center, group child care home or family child care home unless such center or home has been licensed by the Commissioner of Early Childhood pursuant to section 19a-80 or 19a-87b, or (2) any such local or regional board of education or regional educational service center unless the preschool program is approved by the Department of Education. The commissioner shall ensure that the majority of such early care and education programs receiving such financial assistance shall serve children that reside in or attend early care and education programs located in priority school districts pursuant to section 10-266p, former priority school districts or towns with schools deemed severe need schools because 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. In determining whether to enter into a contract for financial assistance under this section, the commissioner may consider (A) a community's participation in the state's subsidized child care subsidy program established pursuant to section 17b-749, and (B) the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's social vulnerability index determined by census tract.

(b) Any contract for financial assistance entered into under this section shall be contingent upon available funding and a successful application submitted to the office and which has been informed by the appropriate local or regional governance partner's needs assessment and community plan, as described in section 10-550c.

(c) The office, in operating and administering Early Start CT, may allocate an amount up to ten per cent of the total financial assistance under the contract with each local or regional governance partner established pursuant to section 10-550c, but not more than one hundred fifty thousand dollars, for coordination, program evaluation and administration. Such amount shall be increased by an amount equal to local funding provided for early childhood education coordination, program evaluation and administration, not to exceed fifty thousand dollars. Each local or regional governance partner shall designate a staff person to be responsible for such coordination, program evaluation and administration and to act as a liaison between the town or towns and the commissioner.

(d) Any early care and education program receiving financial assistance under Early Start CT shall not discriminate based on ancestry, race, color, national origin, sex, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, religion, learning, physical, intellectual or mental disability or any other protected class described in chapter 814c.

(e) No financial assistance received as part of Early Start CT under this section shall be used to supplant federal, state or local funding received for early care and education on behalf of children in an early care and education program.

(f) (1) For the fiscal year ending June 30, 2026, the office may pay, in an individual contract entered into under this section, a per-child rate or an amount per classroom that has been determined by the commissioner. (A) The per-child rate paid by the office under this section for each eligible child enrolled in a program under Early Start CT who is three or four years of age and each child who is five years of age and not eligible to enroll in school, pursuant to section 10-15c, shall be at least ten thousand five hundred dollars for each such child. The amount per classroom for such children described in this subparagraph shall be at an equivalent rate per child multiplied by the total capacity of the classroom as determined by the commissioner on a case by case basis and established in the contract. (B) The per-child rate paid by the office under this section for each eligible child enrolled in a program under Early Start CT who is under the age of three and enrolled in an infant or toddler classroom and not in a preschool classroom shall be at least thirteen thousand five hundred dollars for each such child. The amount per classroom for such children described in this subparagraph shall be at an equivalent rate per child multiplied by the total capacity of the classroom as determined by the commissioner on a case by case basis and established in the contract.

(2) For purposes of implementing the provisions of this subsection, the commissioner shall develop policies and procedures governing classroom sizes, payments and required enrollment rates. The commissioner shall use data-driven, outcomes-based contract provisions to facilitate and incentivize full enrollment.

(g) The office may use up to three per cent of funds allocated to the early care and education appropriation to evaluate program effectiveness and impact on participating children, families and programs, including, but not limited to, child outcomes, later school performance, quality standards, professional development and preparation, and parent engagement impact.

(h) Any Early Start CT facility that has been approved to operate an early care or education program financed through the Connecticut Health and Education Facilities Authority and has received a commitment for debt service from the Department of Social Services, pursuant to section 17b-749i, on or before June 30, 2014, and on or after July 1, 2014, from the office shall be exempt from the requirement for issuance of requests for proposals.

(P.A. 24-78, S. 26.)

History: P.A. 24-78 effective July 1, 2025.

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Sec. 10-550c. (Note: This section is effective July 1, 2025.) Early Start CT. Local and regional governance partners. (a) There shall be established, within available appropriations, local or regional governance partners to assist in the provision of early care and education in a community under Early Start CT. A town or school district and appropriate representatives of groups or entities interested in early care and education in such town or school district may establish a local governance partner. Two or more towns or school districts and appropriate representatives of groups or entities interested in early care and education in a region may establish a regional governance partner.

(b) The membership of each local or regional governance partner shall reflect the racial, ethnic and socioeconomic composition of the town or region it serves and consist of early care and education stakeholders, including, but not limited to, elected and appointed officials, parents, representatives with expertise in early care and education, a representative, where applicable, of Smart Start established pursuant to section 10-506, local education and healthcare providers in the community, a local homeless education liaison, community representatives from a workforce or job training entity and other community representatives who provide services to children.

(c) The role and responsibilities of a local or regional governance partner shall include, but are not limited to, (1) conducting and administering a data-driven needs assessment for its respective community or region in accordance with the provisions of subsection (d) of this section, (2) employing strategies to solicit parental engagement and membership, (3) providing periodic technical assistance regarding best practices in early care and education and family engagement for its town or region, (4) jointly sponsoring with the office, professional development opportunities, and (5) ensuring that community outreach is regularly conducted and maintained with community stakeholders.

(d) Each local or regional governance partner shall, within available appropriations, conduct a data-driven needs assessment for the town or region in which such partner serves. Such needs assessment may include recommendations for the preferred distribution and allocation of child care spaces within such partner's respective town or region, and, subject to the office's approval, may include a data-driven methodology to reassign child care spaces before the contract date has lapsed. Such needs assessment shall be created by the office in collaboration with communities and shall directly inform, among other things, the assignment of child care spaces across a mixed-delivery system, including, but not limited to, licensed family child care homes, group child care homes, child care centers and license-exempt public schools.

(e) Each local or regional governance partner shall employ a staff liaison to aid and support the local or regional governance partner in implementing the provisions of this section. Each staff liaison shall ensure (1) that partnerships are established and fostered among child care providers, (2) that cooperation is maintained with the Office of Early Childhood in monitoring and evaluating early care and education programs, (3) that existing and potential resources and services available to children and families are identified, (4) facilitation and coordination of efficient, data-driven, delivery of services to children and families, including (A) referral procedures, and (B) before and after school child care for children attending school day, school year programs, (5) the exchange of information with other community organizations serving the needs of children and families, (6) that recommendations are made to school officials concerning transition from child care programs to preschool programs and kindergarten, (7) that effective community engagement strategies are employed to ensure diverse participation, (8) that biannual child assessments, approved by the office, are performed at programs, and conducted in partnership with families, and (9) collaboration with the office related to planning improvements to the state early care and education governance structure.

(f) The office shall monitor each local or regional governance partner to ensure compliance with the provisions of this section.

(P.A. 24-78, S. 27.)

History: P.A. 24-78 effective July 1, 2025.

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Sec. 10-550d. (Note: This section is effective July 1, 2025.) Early Start CT. Sliding fee scale. The Office of Early Childhood shall establish a sliding fee scale for families that are enrolled in an early care and education program under Early Start CT. Such sliding scale shall be based on family income and be consistent with the sliding fee scale used in the child care subsidy program described in section 17b-249.

(P.A. 24-78, S. 28.)

History: P.A. 24-78 effective July 1, 2025.

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Sec. 10-550e. (Note: This section is effective July 1, 2025.) Early Start CT. Unexpended funds. (a) Except as otherwise provided in subsection (b) of this section, for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025, and each fiscal year thereafter, if funds appropriated to the Office of Early Childhood for Early Start CT are not expended by the Commissioner of Early Childhood, an amount up to two million dollars of such unexpended funds may be available (1) for the provision of professional development for early care and education program providers, and staff employed in such programs, provided such programs are receiving financial assistance under Early Start CT for infant, toddler and preschool slots, or (2) to support early care and education programs in satisfying the designated qualified staff member requirements described in section 10-550g, provided such programs receive financial assistance under Early Start CT. The commissioner shall determine how such unexpended funds shall be distributed.

(b) If any unexpended funds described in subsection (a) of this section are not expended by the office under said subsection, the commissioner, with the consent of the Secretary of the Office of Policy and Management, may use such unexpended funds to provide support for purposes that include, but are not limited to, (1) assisting early care and education programs in meeting and maintaining accreditation requirements, (2) providing training in implementing preschool assessments and curricula, including training to enhance literacy teaching skills, (3) developing and implementing best practices for parents in supporting preschool and kindergarten student learning, (4) developing and implementing strategies for children to successfully transition to preschool and from preschool to kindergarten, including through parental engagement and whole-family supports that may be utilized through the two-generational initiative, established pursuant to section 17b-112l, or through other available resources, and (5) providing for professional development.

(P.A. 24-78, S. 29.)

History: P.A. 24-78 effective July 1, 2025.

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Sec. 10-550f. (Note: This section is effective July 1, 2025.) Early Start CT. Accreditation requirement. Any early care and education program receiving financial assistance under Early Start CT, including, but not limited to, licensed family child care homes, group child care homes, child care centers and other licensed exempt child care providers and settings, shall be accredited not later than three years after entering into a contract with the Office of Early Childhood under Early Start CT pursuant to section 10-550b. Any such program that is not accredited shall have an approved program plan not later than twelve months after entering into a contract with the office.

(P.A. 24-78, S. 30.)

History: P.A. 24-78 effective July 1, 2025.

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Sec. 10-550g. (Note: This section is effective July 1, 2025.) Designated staff member and designated qualified staff member requirements. (a) As used in this section:

(1) “Office of Early Childhood funded early care and education program” means an early care and education program that accepts state funds directly from the office or indirectly through office subcontractors, for any combination of infant, toddler, preschool and before and after school, but does not include the child care subsidy program established pursuant to section 17b-749.

(2) “Designated staff member” means the person assigned the primary responsibility for a classroom of children in an Office of Early Childhood funded early care and education program.

(3) “Designated qualified staff member” means a designated staff member who possesses at least one of the following:

(A) A bachelor's degree or higher with a concentration in early childhood education from an institution of higher education that is (i) regionally accredited and accredited by the National Association for the Education of Young Children, (ii) regionally accredited and working toward achieving accreditation from the National Association for the Education of Young Children, or (iii) regionally accredited;

(B) A certificate issued pursuant to section 10-145b with an endorsement in early childhood education or early childhood special education;

(C) Deemed to meet the bachelor's degree requirements by the office without a concentration in early childhood education, but with at least twelve early childhood credits from an institution of higher education that is regionally accredited;

(D) A bachelor's degree from an institution of higher education that is regionally accredited, without a concentration in early childhood education, but with at least twelve applicable early childhood credits as determined by the office;

(E) Permission from the office if such designated staff member is enrolled in an institution of higher education and engaged in and making progress in an early childhood planned program of study leading to an early childhood bachelor's degree.

(b) When a bachelor's degree designated qualified staff member is not assigned, a person may be deemed a designated qualified staff member if such person possesses at least one of the qualifications included in subsection (c) of this section and is under the supervision of an on-site bachelor's degree designated qualified staff member, except any family child care home provider that accepts state funds shall meet the designated qualified staff member qualifications.

(c) When a bachelor's degree designated qualified staff member supervises an associate degree designated qualified staff member, the person possessing a bachelor's degree may supervise such associate degree designated qualified staff member at an off-site location. The associate degree designated qualified staff member, under the supervision of a bachelor's degree qualified staff member, shall possess at least one of the following:

(1) An associate degree or higher with a concentration in early childhood education from an institution of higher education that is (i) regionally accredited and accredited by the National Association for the Education of Young Children, (ii) regionally accredited and working toward achieving accreditation from the National Association for the Education of Young Children, or (iii) regionally accredited;

(2) Deemed to meet the associate degree requirements by the office without a concentration in early childhood education, but with at least twelve early childhood credits from an institution of higher education that is regionally accredited;

(3) An associate degree from an institution of higher education that is regionally accredited, without a concentration in early childhood education, but with at least twelve applicable early childhood credits as determined by the office;

(4) Permission from the office if such associate degree designated qualified staff member is enrolled in an institution of higher education and engaged in an early childhood planned program of study leading to an early childhood associate degree.

(d) (1) From July 1, 2024, to June 30, 2027, inclusive, twenty-five per cent of the designated staff members at each Office of Early Childhood funded early childhood education program shall be designated qualified staff members meeting one of the criteria at the bachelor's degree level. If the Office of Early Childhood funded early care and education program is a family child care home, the designated qualified staff member for such family child care home shall have achieved or be working toward an early childhood associate degree or bachelor's degree.

(2) From July 1, 2027, to June 30, 2030, inclusive, fifty per cent of the designated qualified members at each Office of Early Childhood funded early childhood education program shall be designated qualified staff members meeting one of the criteria at the bachelor's degree level. If the Office of Early Childhood funded early care and education program is a family child care home, the designated qualified staff member for such family child care home shall have achieved or be working toward an early childhood associate degree or bachelor's degree.

(3) On and after July 1, 2030, sixty per cent of the designated qualified members at each Office of Early Childhood funded child care program shall be designated qualified staff members meeting one of the criteria at the bachelor's degree level. If the Office of Early Childhood funded early care and education program is a family child care home, the designated qualified staff member for such family child care home shall have achieved or be working toward an early childhood associate degree or bachelor's degree.

(P.A. 24-78, S. 31.)

History: P.A. 24-78 effective July 1, 2025.

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Sec. 10-550h. (Note: This section is effective July 1, 2025.) Early Start CT. State-funded competitive program. As part of Early Start CT, the Commissioner of Early Childhood shall establish a state-funded competitive program in which contracts are entered into with nonprofit agencies and local and regional boards of education, which are federal Head Start grant recipients, to assist in (1) establishing extended-day and full-day, year-round, Head Start programs or expanding existing Head Start programs to extended-day or full-day, year-round programs, (2) enhancing program quality, (3) increasing the number of children served in those programs that are both Head Start and Early Head Start grant recipients or delegates, (4) increasing the number of Early Head Start children served above those who are federally funded, and (5) increasing the hours for children currently receiving Early Head Start services. Nonprofit agencies or boards of education seeking contracts pursuant to this section shall make application to the commissioner on such forms and at such times as the commissioner shall prescribe. The commissioner shall include contract provisions that mandate at least twenty-five per cent of the funding for such contracts shall be for the purpose of enhancing program quality. All contracts entered into under this section shall be funded within the limits of available appropriations or otherwise from federal funds and private donations. All Head Start programs funded pursuant to this section shall be in compliance with federal Head Start program performance standards.

(P.A. 24-78, S. 32.)

History: P.A. 24-78 effective July 1, 2025 (Revisor's note: Subsec. (a) designator, which appeared in the engrossed bill, was removed editorially by the Revisors for accuracy and consistency with customary usage).

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Sec. 10-550i. Policies and procedures re Early Start CT and infant, toddler and school-age ratios, groups and teacher staffing requirements. (a) The Commissioner of Early Childhood shall implement policies and procedures necessary to (1) administer the provisions of sections 10-550 to 10-550h, inclusive, (2) implement infant and toddler and school-age ratios and group size requirements, and (3) implement head teacher staffing requirements for programs that serve only school-age children, while in the process of adopting such policies and procedures in regulation form.

(b) Any existing regulations relating to infant and toddler and school-age ratios, group size requirements and head teacher staffing requirements for programs that serve only school-age children that are generally applicable to child care centers and group child care homes shall continue to be applicable to such centers and homes that serve infants and toddlers and school-age children until replaced and superseded by the policies and procedures described in this section.

(c) The commissioner shall post notice of the intent to adopt regulations on the department's Internet web site and the eRegulations System not later than twenty days after the date of implementation of such policies and procedures. Such policies and procedures shall be valid until the time final regulations are adopted.

(P.A. 24-78, S. 33.)

History: P.A. 24-78 effective May 30, 2024.

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