Substitute House Bill No. 6890
Substitute House Bill No. 6890
PUBLIC ACT NO. 97-290
AN ACT ENHANCING EDUCATIONAL CHOICES AND
OPPORTUNITIES.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of
Representatives in General Assembly convened:
Section 1. Section 10-4a of the general
statutes is repealed and the following is
substituted in lieu thereof:
For purposes of sections 10-4, 10-4b and
10-220, the educational interests of the state
shall include, but not be limited to, the concern
of the state THAT (1) [that] each child shall have
for the period prescribed in the general statutes
equal opportunity to receive a suitable program of
educational experiences; (2) [that] each school
district shall finance at a reasonable level at
least equal to the minimum expenditure requirement
pursuant to the provisions of section 10-262j an
educational program designed to achieve this end;
(3) IN ORDER TO REDUCE RACIAL, ETHNIC AND ECONOMIC
ISOLATION, EACH SCHOOL DISTRICT SHALL PROVIDE
EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES FOR ITS STUDENTS TO
INTERACT WITH STUDENTS AND TEACHERS FROM OTHER
RACIAL, ETHNIC, AND ECONOMIC BACKGROUNDS AND MAY
PROVIDE SUCH OPPORTUNITIES WITH STUDENTS FROM
OTHER COMMUNITIES; and [(3) that] (4) the mandates
in the general statutes pertaining to education
within the jurisdiction of the State Board of
Education be implemented.
Sec. 2. (NEW) (a) A local or regional board of
education for purposes of subdivision (3) of
section 10-4a of the general statutes, as amended
by section 1 of this act, may offer such programs
or use such methods as: (1) Interdistrict magnet
school programs; (2) charter schools; (3)
interdistrict after-school, Saturday and summer
programs and sister-school projects; (4)
intradistrict and interdistrict public school
choice programs; (5) interdistrict school building
projects; (6) interdistrict program collaboratives
for students and staff; (7) minority staff
recruitment; (8) distance learning through the use
of technology; and (9) any other experience that
increases awareness of the diversity of
individuals and cultures.
(b) Each local and regional board of education
shall report by October 1, 1998, and biennially
thereafter, to the regional educational service
center for its area on the programs and activities
undertaken in its school district to reduce
racial, ethnic and economic isolation, including
(1) information on the number and duration of such
programs and activities and the number of students
and staff involved, and (2) evidence of the
progress over time in the reduction of racial,
ethnic and economic isolation.
(c) Each regional educational service center
shall report by December 1, 1998, and biennially
thereafter, to the Commissioner of Education on
the programs and activities undertaken in its
region to reduce racial, ethnic and economic
isolation.
(d) The Commissioner of Education shall
report, by January 1, 1999, and biennially
thereafter, in accordance with section 10-4a of
the general statutes, as amended by section 1 of
this act, to the Governor and the General Assembly
on activities and programs designed to reduce
racial, ethnic and economic isolation. The report
shall include statistics on any growth in such
programs or expansion of such activities over
time, an analysis of the success of such programs
and activities in reducing racial, ethnic and
economic isolation, a recommendation for any
statutory changes that would assist in the
expansion of such programs and activities and the
sufficiency of the annual grant pursuant to
subsection (f) of section 3 of this act and
whether additional financial incentives would
improve the program established pursuant to
section 3 of this act.
Sec. 3. (NEW) (a) As used in this section:
(1) "Receiving district" means any school
district that accepts students under the program
established pursuant to this section; and
(2) "Sending district" means any school
district which sends students it would otherwise
be legally responsible for educating to another
school district under the program.
(b) There is established, within available
appropriations, a state-wide interdistrict public
school attendance program. The purpose of the
program shall be to: (1) Improve academic
achievement; (2) reduce racial, ethnic and
economic isolation or preserve racial and ethnic
balance; and (3) provide a choice of educational
programs for students.
(c) The program shall be phased in as provided
in this subsection. (1) For the fiscal year ending
June 30, 1998, the Department of Education shall
provide grants in the amount of fifty thousand
dollars each to the regional educational service
centers for the Hartford, New Haven and Bridgeport
regions to assist school districts in planning for
the operation of the program. (2) For the school
year commencing in 1998, and for each school year
thereafter, the program shall be in operation in
the Hartford, New Haven and Bridgeport regions.
Students who reside in Hartford, New Haven or
Bridgeport may attend school in another school
district in the region and students who reside in
such other school districts may attend school in
Hartford, New Haven or Bridgeport. The Department
of Education shall provide, within available
appropriations, a grant for the fiscal year ending
June 30, 1999, to the remaining regional
educational service centers to assist school
districts in planning for the expansion of the
program to every school district in the state. (3)
For the school year commencing in 1999, and for
each school year thereafter, the program shall be
in operation in every school district in the state
and students may attend school in any school
district in accordance with the provisions of this
section, including the purposes specified in
subsection (b) of this section.
(d) Once the program is in operation in the
region served by a regional educational service
center pursuant to subsection (c) of this section,
the Department of Education shall provide,
annually, a grant in the amount of one hundred
thousand dollars to such a regional educational
service center to assist school districts in its
area in administering the program. Each regional
educational service center shall convene a meeting
of representatives of the school districts in its
area in order for school districts to report the
number of spaces available for out-of-district
students under the program. If there are more
students who seek to attend school in a receiving
district than there are spaces available, the
regional educational service center shall assist
the school district in determining attendance by
the use of a lottery or lotteries designed to
preserve or increase racial, ethnic and economic
diversity, except that the regional educational
service center shall give preference to siblings
and to students who would otherwise attend a
school that has lost its accreditation by the New
England Association of Schools and Colleges. The
admission policies shall be consistent with
section 10-15c of the general statutes. No
receiving district shall recruit students under
the program for athletic or extracurricular
purposes. Each receiving district shall allow an
out-of-district student it accepts to complete the
highest grade in the school he is attending under
the program established pursuant to this section.
(e) The Department of Education shall provide,
within available appropriations, grants to
regional educational service centers or local or
regional boards of education for the reasonable
cost of transportation for students participating
in the program, provided such grants do not exceed
an amount equal to one thousand dollars for each
student transported. The regional education
service centers shall ensure that transportation
is available for students who wish to participate
in after-school activities.
(f) The Department of Education shall provide,
within available appropriations, an annual grant
to each receiving district in an amount not to
exceed two thousand dollars for each
out-of-district student who attends school in the
receiving district under the program provided, for
the fiscal year ending June 30, 1999, the combined
total of students in the program and the program
established pursuant to section 10-266j of the
general statutes, as amended by section 5 of this
act, shall not exceed one thousand students.
(g) Notwithstanding any provision of chapter
172 of the general statutes, each sending district
and each receiving district shall divide the
number of children participating in the program
who reside in such district or attend school in
such district by two for purposes of the counts
for subdivision (22) of section 10-262f of the
general statutes, as amended by section 24 of this
act, and subdivision (2) of subsection (a) of
section 10-261 of the general statutes, as amended
by section 25 of this act, but shall not count
such children for the purposes of any other count
under said sections 10-262f and 10-261.
(h) In the case of an out-of-district student
who requires special education and related
services, the sending district shall pay the
receiving district an amount equal to the
difference between the reasonable cost of
providing such special education and related
services to such student and the amount received
by the receiving district pursuant to subdivision
(f) of this section. The sending district shall be
eligible for reimbursement pursuant to section
10-76g of the general statutes.
(i) Nothing in this section shall prohibit
school districts from charging tuition to other
school districts that do not have a high school
pursuant to section 10-33 of the general statutes.
Sec. 4. (NEW) (a) The State Board of Education
shall develop a five-year implementation plan with
appropriate goals and strategies to achieve
resource equity and equality of opportunity,
increase student achievement, reduce racial,
ethnic and economic isolation, improve effective
instruction and encourage greater parental and
community involvement in all public schools of the
state. The implementation plan shall: (1) Include
methods for significantly reducing over a
five-year period any disparities among school
districts in terms of resources, staff, programs
and curriculum, student achievement and community
involvement that negatively impact student
learning, (2) provide for monitoring by the
Department of Education of the progress made in
reducing such disparities, and (3) include
proposals for minority staff recruitment,
including but not limited to, alternative
certification, mentoring programs, involvement of
the community-technical colleges and efforts by
regional educational service centers.
(b) Prior to developing the plan, the State
Board of Education shall conduct a state-wide
assessment of the disparities among local and
regional school districts and make comparisons to
relevant national standards or regional
accreditation standards, in the areas of: (1)
Resources, including educational materials,
supplies, equipment, textbooks, library materials,
facilities and expenditures by category and in
total; (2) staff, including the education and
experience of teachers, staff-student ratios, the
racial and ethnic characteristics of staff,
minority staff recruitment and a comparison of the
racial diversity of school staffs to the racial
diversity of the region where the school is
located; (3) program and curriculum, including
course offerings, requirements, enrolments in
advanced, special and compensatory education,
programs and services to students with limited
English proficiency and an analysis of such
programs and services in terms of the
recommendations of the bilingual education task
force, policies on student assignment and
promotion, extra-curricula activities and student
participation, goals and objectives and content
and performance standards, opportunities for
summer school, school-to-career transition,
alternative programs, and parent-student choice of
school or program; (4) student achievement,
including the effect of social promotional
policies on student achievement, state and
national assessments, drop-out rates, attendance,
graduation follow-up data, artistic, athletic and
community service accomplishments, other
documentation of student success, and success in
reducing the racial, ethnic and economic isolation
of students; and (5) community involvement,
including parent and family contact with the
school and teachers, business partnerships, joint
programs with community agencies, town-wide
pre-school coordination, opportunities for adult
basic education and parenting education.
(c) (1) The State Board of Education shall
report, in accordance with section 11-4a of the
general statutes, on the plan developed pursuant
to this section to the Governor and the joint
standing committee of the General Assembly having
cognizance of matters relating to education by
February 1, 1998. The report shall: (A) Include
the results of the assessment conducted pursuant
to subdivisions (1) and (2) of subsection (b) of
this section, (B) include recommendations for
changes in state law, budget proposals and
administrative actions, where appropriate, that
would assist in reducing the disparities among
school districts and increasing the accountability
of school districts, and (C) identify the
responsibility of individual boards of education
to achieve the goals as specified in subsection
(a) of this section in their school districts. (2)
On or before January 1, 1999, the State Board of
Education shall so report, to the Governor and
said committee on (A) the assessment conducted
pursuant to subdivisions (3) to (5), inclusive, of
subsection (b) of this section, (B) include
recommendations described in subparagraph (B) of
subdivision (1) of this subsection and (C)
identify the responsibility of individual boards
of education to take specific action to improve
conditions in their school districts. (3) On or
before January 1, 2001, and biennially thereafter,
the State Board of Education shall so report to
the Governor and said committee on the progress
made in reducing the disparities among school
districts and the remaining barriers to and
recommendations for achieving the goals specified
in subsection (a) of this section.
Sec. 5. Subsection (d) of section 10-266j of
the general statutes is repealed and the following
is substituted in lieu thereof:
(d) [Each] FOR EACH FISCAL YEAR COMMENCING
PRIOR TO JULY 1, 1998, EACH receiving district
shall receive, from the amount appropriated for
purposes of this subsection, a grant in an amount
equal to four hundred sixty-eight dollars for each
participating child who attended school in the
district in the fiscal year prior to the year in
which the grant is to be paid. FOR THE FISCAL YEAR
ENDING JUNE 30, 1999, AND EACH FISCAL YEAR
THEREAFTER, EACH RECEIVING DISTRICT SHALL RECEIVE,
WITHIN AVAILABLE APPROPRIATIONS, A GRANT FROM THE
DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION IN AN AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED
TWO THOUSAND DOLLARS FOR EACH OUT-OF-DISTRICT
STUDENT WHO ATTENDS SCHOOL IN THE RECEIVING
DISTRICT PURSUANT TO THIS SECTION, PROVIDED FOR
THE FISCAL YEAR ENDING JUNE 30, 1999, THE COMBINED
TOTAL OF STUDENTS IN THE PROGRAM ESTABLISHED
PURSUANT TO THIS SECTION AND THE PROGRAM
ESTABLISHED PURSUANT TO SECTION 3 OF THIS ACT
SHALL NOT EXCEED ONE THOUSAND STUDENTS.
Sec. 6. Section 10-4g of the general statutes
is repealed and the following is substituted in
lieu thereof:
(a) The State Board of Education shall develop
and distribute to all local and regional boards of
education a model program to encourage the
participation of parents AND THE COMMUNITY in the
local or regional educational system. The model
program shall include, but not be limited to, the
establishment of [local or regional panels]
SCHOOL-BASED TEAMS with representatives of
parents, students, teachers, administrators, [and]
local or regional boards of education AND
COMMUNITY GROUPS AND ORGANIZATIONS assembled to:
[foster] (1) FOSTER model agreements between
parents and their children with the cooperation of
the school, such agreements to cover goals and
objectives for the student for the school year; [,
and to] (2) adopt agreements to foster cooperation
AND IMPROVE COMMUNICATION between such
representatives regarding matters such as academic
rights and responsibilities, codes of social
conduct and disciplinary policies; AND (3) DEVELOP
AGREEMENTS TO ENCOURAGE COMMUNITY RESIDENTS TO
TAKE AN ACTIVE ROLE IN IMPROVING THE SCHOOL AND TO
BECOME SCHOOL VOLUNTEERS. The model program
developed by the state board shall provide model
agreements for the use of [such local or regional
panels] SCHOOL-BASED TEAMS in the development of
their own local or regional agreements.
(b) The State Board of Education shall develop
a program to encourage local and regional boards
of education to develop and implement plans to
involve parents of students in the educational
process in that district AND TO INCREASE COMMUNITY
INVOLVEMENT IN THE SCHOOLS. The local programs
shall include, but not be limited to, providing
REGULAR CONTACT WITH ALL parents, [with] INCLUDING
opportunities FOR PARENTS to meet with their
children's instructors for the purpose of
reviewing the curriculum of their child's program,
and developing strategies for parents to actively
assist in the educational process. Such local
programs shall also include the development of
written materials designed to familiarize parents
with their child's curriculum and to detail
specific activities parents and students may
undertake together to enrich the child's education
experience and development. The State Board of
Education shall develop such program on or before
[January 15, 1985] JULY 1, 1998, and shall
immediately distribute the materials explaining
the program to all local and regional boards of
education. [Boards of education may submit their
plans to the State Board of Education and the
board shall select and distribute model plans to
local and regional boards of education.]
Sec. 7. Subsections (c) and (d) of section
10-66bb of the general statutes are repealed and
the following is substituted in lieu thereof:
(c) The State Board of Education shall review,
annually, all applications and grant charters,
provided for the period from July 1, 1997, to June
30, 1999, (1) no more than [twelve] TWENTY-FOUR
charters for [local] charter schools [and no more
than twelve charters for state charter schools]
are granted [,] AND (2) no state charter school
enrolls more than two hundred [and] fifty students
or twenty-five per cent of the enrolment of the
school district in which the state charter school
is to be located, whichever is less. [, and the
total student population of all the state charter
schools does not exceed one thousand students, (3)
no more than two local charter schools and no more
than two state charter schools operate within any
Congressional district at any one time, and (4) no
more than two charter schools operate within a
school district at any one time.] The State Board
of Education shall give preference to applicants
[who] FOR CHARTER SCHOOLS THAT will serve students
who reside in a priority school district pursuant
to section 10-266p OR IN A DISTRICT IN WHICH
SEVENTY-FIVE PER CENT OR MORE OF THE ENROLLED
STUDENTS ARE MEMBERS OF RACIAL OR ETHNIC
MINORITIES and to applicants for state charter
schools that WILL BE LOCATED AT A WORK-SITE OR
THAT are institutions of higher education. In
determining whether to grant a charter, the State
Board of Education shall consider THE EFFECT OF
THE PROPOSED CHARTER SCHOOL ON THE REDUCTION OF
RACIAL, ETHNIC AND ECONOMIC ISOLATION IN THE
REGION IN WHICH IT IS TO BE LOCATED, THE REGIONAL
DISTRIBUTION OF CHARTER SCHOOLS IN THE STATE AND
the potential of over concentration of charter
schools WITHIN A SCHOOL DISTRICT OR in contiguous
school districts.
(d) Applications pursuant to this section
shall include a description of: (1) The mission,
purpose and any specialized focus of the proposed
charter school; (2) the interest in the community
for the establishment of the charter school; (3)
the school governance and procedures for the
establishment of a governing council by the
applicant, teachers, administrators and parents
and guardians of students enrolled in the school;
(4) the financial plan for operation of the
school, provided no application fees or other fees
for attendance, except as provided in section
10-66ee, AS AMENDED BY SECTION 9 OF THIS ACT, may
be charged; (5) the educational program,
instructional methodology and services to be
offered to students; (6) the number and
qualifications of teachers and administrators to
be employed in the school; (7) the organization of
the school in terms of the ages or grades to be
taught and the total estimated enrolment of the
school; (8) the student admission criteria and
procedures to [ensure] (A) ENSURE effective public
information, (B) ENSURE open access on a space
available basis, [and] (C) PROMOTE A DIVERSE
STUDENT BODY, AND (D) that the school COMPLIES
WITH THE PROVISIONS OF SECTION 10-15c AND THAT IT
does not discriminate on the basis of [race,
color, national origin, gender, religion,]
disability, athletic performance or proficiency in
the English language, provided the school may
limit enrolment to a particular grade level or
specialized educational focus and, if there is not
space available for all students seeking
enrolment, the school may give preference to
siblings but shall otherwise determine enrolment
by a lottery; (9) a means to assess student
performance that includes participation in
state-wide mastery examinations pursuant to
chapter 163c; (10) procedures for teacher
evaluation and professional development for
teachers and administrators; (11) the provision of
school facilities, pupil transportation and
student health and welfare services; (12)
procedures to encourage involvement by parents and
guardians of enrolled students in student
learning, school activities and school
decision-making; [and] (13) DOCUMENT EFFORTS TO
INCREASE THE RACIAL AND ETHNIC DIVERSITY OF STAFF;
AND [(13)] (14) a five-year plan to sustain the
maintenance and operation of the school. Subject
to the provisions of subsection (b) of section
10-66dd, an application may include, or a charter
school may file, requests to waive provisions of
the general statutes and regulations not required
by sections 10-66aa to 10-66ff, inclusive, AS
AMENDED BY THIS ACT, and which are within the
jurisdiction of the State Board of Education.
Sec. 8. Subsection (b) of section 10-66cc of
the general statutes is repealed and the following
is substituted in lieu thereof:
(b) The governing council of each charter
school shall submit annually, to the Commissioner
of Education, at such time and in such manner as
he prescribes, and, in the case of a local charter
school, to the local or regional board of
education for the school district in which the
school is located, a report on the condition of
the school, including (1) the educational progress
of students in the school, (2) the financial
condition of the school, including a certified
audit statement of all revenues and expenditures,
[and] (3) accomplishment of the mission, purpose
and any specialized focus of the charter school,
AND (4) THE RACIAL AND ETHNIC COMPOSITION OF THE
STUDENT BODY AND EFFORTS TAKEN TO INCREASE THE
RACIAL AND ETHNIC DIVERSITY OF THE STUDENT BODY.
Sec. 9. Section 10-66ee of the general
statutes is repealed and the following is
substituted in lieu thereof:
(a) For the purposes of education equalization
aid under section 10-262h a student enrolled (1)
in a local charter school shall be considered a
student enrolled in the school district in which
he resides, and (2) in a state charter school
shall not be considered a student enrolled in the
school district in which he resides.
(b) The local board of education of the school
district in which a student enrolled in a local
charter school resides shall [,] pay, annually, in
accordance with its charter, to the fiscal
authority for the charter school for each such
student the amount specified in its charter.
(c) (1) The state shall, annually, pay in
accordance with this subsection, to the fiscal
authority for a state charter school, for each
student enrolled in such school, an amount equal
to one hundred five per cent of the foundation
level pursuant to subdivision (9) of section
10-262f, per student for the fiscal year in which
the payment is made. Such [payment] PAYMENTS shall
be made as follows: [Ten] TWENTY-FIVE per cent of
the amount determined pursuant to this subsection
[on] IN July [first] AND SEPTEMBER based on
ESTIMATED student enrolment on May first, and
[thirty] TWENTY-FIVE per cent of such amount [on
October first,] IN January [first] and THE
REMAINING AMOUNT IN April [first] each based on
student enrolment on [September] OCTOBER first.
(2) IN THE CASE OF A STUDENT IDENTIFIED AS
REQUIRING SPECIAL EDUCATION, THE SCHOOL DISTRICT
IN WHICH THE STUDENT RESIDES SHALL: (A) HOLD THE
PLANNING AND PLACEMENT TEAM MEETING FOR SUCH
STUDENT AND SHALL INVITE REPRESENTATIVES FROM THE
CHARTER SCHOOL TO PARTICIPATE IN SUCH MEETING; AND
(B) PAY THE STATE CHARTER SCHOOL AN AMOUNT EQUAL
TO THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE REASONABLE COST OF
EDUCATING SUCH STUDENT AND THE SUM OF THE AMOUNT
RECEIVED BY THE STATE CHARTER SCHOOL FOR SUCH
STUDENT PURSUANT TO SUBDIVISION (1) OF THIS
SUBSECTION AND AMOUNTS RECEIVED FROM OTHER STATE,
FEDERAL, LOCAL OR PRIVATE SOURCES CALCULATED ON A
PER PUPIL BASIS. SUCH SCHOOL DISTRICT SHALL BE
ELIGIBLE FOR REIMBURSEMENT PURSUANT TO SECTION
10-76g.
(d) NOTWITHSTANDING ANY PROVISION OF THE
GENERAL STATUTES TO THE CONTRARY, IF AT THE END OF
A FISCAL YEAR AMOUNTS RECEIVED BY A STATE CHARTER
SCHOOL, PURSUANT TO SUBDIVISION (1) OF THIS
SUBSECTION, ARE UNEXPENDED, THE CHARTER SCHOOL (1)
MAY USE, FOR THE EXPENSES OF THE CHARTER SCHOOL
FOR THE FOLLOWING FISCAL YEAR, UP TO TEN PER CENT
OF SUCH AMOUNTS, AND (2) MAY (A) CREATE A RESERVE
FUND TO FINANCE A SPECIFIC CAPITAL OR EQUIPMENT
PURCHASE OR ANOTHER SPECIFIED PROJECT AS MAY BE
APPROVED BY THE COMMISSIONER, AND (B) DEPOSIT INTO
SUCH FUND UP TO FIVE PER CENT OF SUCH AMOUNTS.
[(d)] (e) The local OR REGIONAL board of
education of the school district in which the
charter school is located shall provide
transportation services for students of the
charter school who reside in such school district
pursuant to section 10-273a unless the charter
school makes other arrangements for such
transportation. ANY LOCAL OR REGIONAL BOARD OF
EDUCATION MAY PROVIDE TRANSPORTATION SERVICES TO A
STUDENT ATTENDING A CHARTER SCHOOL OUTSIDE OF THE
DISTRICT IN WHICH THE STUDENT RESIDES AND, IF IT
ELECTS TO PROVIDE SUCH TRANSPORTATION, SHALL BE
REIMBURSED PURSUANT TO SECTION 10-266m, AS AMENDED
BY SECTION 27 OF THIS ACT, FOR THE REASONABLE
COSTS OF SUCH TRANSPORTATION. ANY LOCAL OR
REGIONAL BOARD OF EDUCATION PROVIDING
TRANSPORTATION SERVICES UNDER THIS SUBSECTION MAY
SUSPEND SUCH SERVICES IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE
PROVISIONS OF SECTION 10-233c.
[(e)] (f) Charter schools shall be eligible to
the same extent as boards of education for any
grant for special education, COMPETITIVE STATE
GRANTS AND GRANTS PURSUANT TO SECTIONS 10-17g AND
10-266w.
(g) IF THE COMMISSIONER FINDS THAT ANY CHARTER
SCHOOL USES A GRANT UNDER THIS SECTION FOR A
PURPOSE THAT IS INCONSISTENT WITH THE PROVISIONS
OF THIS PART, THE COMMISSIONER MAY REQUIRE
REPAYMENT OF SUCH GRANT TO THE STATE.
[(f)] (h) Charter schools shall receive, in
accordance with federal law and regulations, any
federal funds available for the education of any
pupils attending public schools.
[(g)] (i) The governing council of a charter
school may (1) contract or enter into other
agreements for purposes of administrative or other
support services, transportation, plant services
or leasing facilities or equipment, and (2)
receive and expend private funds or public funds,
including funds from local or regional boards of
education AND FUNDS RECEIVED BY LOCAL CHARTER
SCHOOLS FOR OUT-OF-DISTRICT STUDENTS, for school
purposes.
Sec. 10. Subsection (a) of section 10-69 of
the general statutes is repealed and the following
is substituted in lieu thereof:
(a) Each local and regional board of education
shall establish and maintain a program of adult
classes or shall provide for participation in a
program of adult classes for its adult residents
through cooperative arrangements with one or more
other boards of education, one or more cooperating
eligible entities or a regional educational
service center pursuant to the provisions of
section 10-66a. Such board of education may admit
an adult to any public elementary or secondary
school. No person enrolled in a full-time program
of study in any local or regional school district
may enroll in an adult education activity without
the approval of the school principal of the school
in which such person is enrolled in such full-time
program. Instruction: (1) Shall be provided in
Americanization and United States citizenship,
English for adults with limited English
proficiency and elementary and secondary school
completion programs or classes; and (2) may be
provided IN (A) [in] any subject provided by the
elementary and secondary schools of such school
district, including vocational education, [; and
(B) in] (B) ADULT LITERACY, (C) PARENTING SKILLS,
AND (D) any other subject or activity.
Sec. 11. (NEW) Each local and regional board
of education shall conduct an instructional time
and facility usage assessment in order to maximize
student learning and community use of facilities.
For purposes of such audit, the superintendent of
schools of each school district shall meet
regularly with representatives from the public
library and the recreation department in the town
or towns that comprise the school district to
coordinate the availability of facilities.
Sec. 12. Section 10-74d of the general
statutes is repealed and the following is
substituted in lieu thereof:
(a) The state Department of Education shall,
within available appropriations and after payments
made pursuant to sections 10-264i, 10-264l, AS
AMENDED BY SECTION 16 OF THIS ACT, and 10-266j,
maintain a competitive grant program for the
purpose of assisting local and regional boards of
education and regional educational service centers
with the establishment and operation of
interdistrict cooperative programs, INCLUDING
PROGRAMS PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OF THIS ACT AND
LIGHTHOUSE SCHOOLS, AS DEFINED IN SECTION 18 OF
THIS ACT, BUT excluding interdistrict magnet
school programs for which a local or regional
board of education or a regional educational
service center receives funds pursuant to section
10-264h, AS AMENDED BY SECTION 15 OF THIS ACT, or
10-264l, AS AMENDED BY SECTION 16 OF THIS ACT.
(b) To be eligible for a grant under this
section, each application shall be submitted
pursuant to a cooperative arrangement on behalf of
two or more local or regional boards of education
or be submitted by a regional educational service
center solely or pursuant to a cooperative
arrangement with one or more local or regional
boards of education. Applications shall be
submitted annually to the Commissioner of
Education at such times and in such manner as the
commissioner prescribes. In determining whether an
application shall be approved and funds awarded
pursuant to this section, the commissioner shall
consider, but such consideration shall not be
limited to, the following factors: (1) The
specific objectives and description of the
proposed program; (2) the cost; (3) the number of
school districts and students [benefited] THAT
WILL BENEFIT, PROVIDED ON AND AFTER JULY 1, 1998,
THE COMMISSIONER SHALL NOT AWARD A GRANT FOR A
PROGRAM IN WHICH MORE THAN EIGHTY PER CENT OF THE
STUDENTS ARE FROM ONE SCHOOL DISTRICT; (4) the
relative wealth of the participating school
districts; (5) whether the proposed program is
likely to (A) increase student performance as
measured by state-wide mastery examination results
and (B) [enhance student diversity and awareness
of diversity] REDUCE RACIAL, ETHNIC AND ECONOMIC
ISOLATION; and (6) whether participating school
districts are located within regions described in
section 10-264k which approved regional plans in
accordance with section 10-264c.
(c) The state Department of Education may
retain up to one per cent of the amount
appropriated for interdistrict cooperative grants
pursuant to this section for state-wide technical
assistance, program monitoring and evaluation, and
administration.
Sec. 13. (NEW) Local and regional boards of
education and regional educational service centers
shall be eligible to receive grants pursuant to
section 10-74d of the general statutes, as amended
by section 12 of this act, for interdistrict
cooperative programs (1) to establish full-time
resident summer programs at colleges and
universities to provide academically challenging
courses for students from different backgrounds
and communities, and (2) for distance learning and
other technologies.
Sec. 14. Section 10-221 of the general
statutes is repealed and the following is
substituted in lieu thereof:
(a) Boards of education shall prescribe rules
for the management, studies, classification and
discipline of the public schools and, subject to
the control of the State Board of Education, the
textbooks to be used; shall make rules for the
control, within their respective jurisdictions, of
school library media centers and approve the
selection of books and other educational media
therefor, and shall approve plans for public
school buildings and superintend any high or
graded school in the manner specified in this
title.
(b) Not later than July 1, 1985, each local
and regional board of education shall develop,
adopt and implement written policies concerning
homework, attendance, promotion and retention. The
state Department of Education shall make available
model policies and guidelines to assist local and
regional boards of education in meeting the
responsibilities enumerated in this subsection.
(c) Boards of education may prescribe rules to
impose sanctions against pupils who damage or fail
to return textbooks, library materials or other
educational materials. Said boards may charge
pupils for such damaged or lost textbooks, library
materials or other educational materials and may
withhold grades, transcripts or report cards until
the pupil pays for or returns the textbook,
library book or other educational material.
(d) Not later than July 1, 1991, each local
and regional board of education shall develop,
adopt and implement policies and procedures in
conformity with section 10-154a for (1) dealing
with the use, sale or possession of alcohol or
controlled drugs, as defined in subsection (8) of
section 21a-240, by public school students on
school property, including a process for
coordination with, and referral of such students
to, appropriate agencies and (2) cooperating with
law enforcement officials.
(e) Not later than July 1, 1990, each local
and regional board of education shall adopt a
written policy and procedures for dealing with
youth suicide prevention and youth suicide
attempts. Each such board of education may
establish a student assistance program to identify
risk factors for youth suicide, procedures to
intervene with such youth, referral services and
training for teachers and other school
professionals and students who provide assistance
in the program.
(f) NOT LATER THAN SEPTEMBER 1, 1998, EACH
LOCAL AND REGIONAL BOARD OF EDUCATION SHALL
DEVELOP, ADOPT AND IMPLEMENT WRITTEN POLICIES AND
PROCEDURES TO ENCOURAGE PARENT-TEACHER
COMMUNICATION. THESE POLICIES AND PROCEDURES MAY
INCLUDE MONTHLY NEWSLETTERS, REQUIRED REGULAR
CONTACT WITH ALL PARENTS, FLEXIBLE PARENT-TEACHER
CONFERENCES, DROP-IN HOURS FOR PARENTS, HOME
VISITS AND THE USE OF TECHNOLOGY SUCH AS HOMEWORK
HOT LINES TO ALLOW PARENTS TO CHECK ON THEIR
CHILDREN'S ASSIGNMENTS AND STUDENTS TO GET
ASSISTANCE IF NEEDED.
Sec. 15. Subsections (a) and (b) of section
10-264h of the general statutes are repealed and
the following is substituted in lieu thereof:
(a) For the fiscal year ending June 30, 1996,
and each fiscal year thereafter, a local or
regional board of education, [or] regional
educational service center OR A COOPERATIVE
ARRANGEMENT PURSUANT TO SECTION 10-158a FOR
PURPOSES OF AN INTERDISTRICT MAGNET SCHOOL may be
eligible for reimbursement up to the full
reasonable cost of any capital expenditure for the
purchase, construction, extension, replacement,
leasing or major alteration of interdistrict
magnet school facilities, including any
expenditure for the purchase of equipment, in
accordance with this section. To be eligible for
reimbursement under this section a magnet school
construction project shall meet the requirements
established in chapter 173, except that the
commissioner OF EDUCATION may waive any
requirement in such chapter for good cause. ON AND
AFTER JULY 1, 1997, THE COMMISSIONER SHALL APPROVE
ONLY APPLICATIONS FOR REIMBURSEMENT UNDER THIS
SECTION THAT HE FINDS WILL REDUCE RACIAL, ETHNIC
AND ECONOMIC ISOLATION.
(b) [The] SUBJECT TO THE PROVISIONS OF
SUBSECTION (a) OF THIS SECTION, THE applicant
shall receive current payments of scheduled
estimated eligible project costs for the facility,
provided (1) the applicant files an application
for a school building project, in accordance with
section 10-283 by the date prescribed by the
commissioner, (2) final plans and specifications
for the project are approved pursuant to sections
10-291 and 10-292, and (3) such district submits
to the commissioner, in such form as the
commissioner prescribes, and the commissioner
approves a plan for the operation of the facility
which includes, but need not be limited to: A
description of the educational programs to be
offered, the completion date for the project, an
estimated budget for the operation of the
facility, [and] written commitments for
participation from the districts that will
participate in the school AND AN ANALYSIS OF THE
EFFECT OF THE PROGRAM ON THE REDUCTION OF RACIAL,
ETHNIC AND ECONOMIC ISOLATION. The commissioner
shall notify the secretary of the State Bond
Commission when the provisions of subdivisions (1)
and (3) of this subsection have been met. Upon
application to the Commissioner of Education,
compliance with the provisions of subdivisions (1)
and (3) of this subsection and after authorization
by the General Assembly pursuant to section
10-283, the applicant shall be eligible to receive
a grant in an amount equal to five per cent of the
amount authorized for the project for the
development of final plans and specifications
pursuant to subdivision (2) of this subsection.
Sec. 16. Subsections (a) and (b) of section
10-264l of the general statutes are repealed and
the following is substituted in lieu thereof:
(a) The Department of Education shall, within
the amount appropriated for interdistrict
cooperative grants pursuant to section 10-74d, AS
AMENDED BY SECTION 12 OF THIS ACT, use up to fifty
per cent of such appropriation to establish a
competitive grant program to assist local and
regional boards of education and regional
educational service centers with the operation of
interdistrict magnet school programs. For the
purposes of this section "an interdistrict magnet
school program" means a program which (1) supports
RACIAL, ETHNIC AND ECONOMIC diversity, (2) offers
a special and high quality curriculum, and (3)
requires students who are enrolled to attend at
least half-time. An interdistrict magnet school
program does not include a regional vocational
agriculture school, a regional
vocational-technical school or a regional special
education center. ON AND AFTER JULY 1, 2000, THE
GOVERNING AUTHORITY FOR EACH INTERDISTRICT MAGNET
SCHOOL PROGRAM SHALL RESTRICT THE NUMBER OF
STUDENTS THAT MAY ENROLL IN THE PROGRAM FROM A
PARTICIPATING DISTRICT TO EIGHTY PER CENT OF THE
TOTAL ENROLMENT OF THE PROGRAM.
(b) Applications for interdistrict magnet
school program operating grants awarded pursuant
to this section shall be submitted annually to the
Commissioner of Education at such time and in such
manner as the commissioner prescribes. In
determining whether an application shall be
approved and funds awarded pursuant to this
section, the commissioner shall consider, but such
consideration shall not be limited to: [, whether:
(1) The] (1) WHETHER THE program offered by the
school is likely to increase student [performance
as measured by state-wide mastery examination
results] ACHIEVEMENT; (2) WHETHER the program is
likely to [enhance student diversity and awareness
of diversity] REDUCE RACIAL, ETHNIC AND ECONOMIC
ISOLATION; (3) THE PERCENTAGE OF THE STUDENT
ENROLMENT IN THE PROGRAM FROM EACH PARTICIPATING
DISTRICT; and [(3)] (4) WHETHER participating
school districts are located within regions
described in section 10-264k which approved
regional plans in accordance with section 10-264c.
ON AND AFTER JULY 1, 2000, THE COMMISSIONER SHALL
NOT AWARD A GRANT TO A PROGRAM IF MORE THAN EIGHTY
PER CENT OF ITS TOTAL ENROLMENT IS FROM ONE SCHOOL
DISTRICT, EXCEPT THAT THE COMMISSIONER MAY AWARD A
GRANT FOR GOOD CAUSE, FOR ANY ONE YEAR, ON BEHALF
OF AN OTHERWISE ELIGIBLE MAGNET SCHOOL PROGRAM, IF
MORE THAN EIGHTY PER CENT OF THE TOTAL ENROLMENT
IS FROM ONE DISTRICT.
Sec. 17. The Department of Education shall
conduct an evaluation of interdistrict magnet
school and charter school programs in the state.
The department shall also assess the need for
additional interdistrict magnet schools and the
number of spaces in such schools needed for the
school year commencing in 2000 and for subsequent
school years. The Commissioner of Education shall
report, in accordance with the provisions of
section 11-4a of the general statutes, on the
findings of such evaluation and assessment to the
joint standing committee of the General Assembly
having cognizance of matters relating to education
by February 1, 1998.
Sec. 18. (NEW) For the fiscal year ending June
30, 1998, the Department of Education shall award
a grant in an amount not to exceed one hundred
thousand dollars to the Hartford school district
to assist in the development of a curriculum and
the training of staff for a lighthouse school. For
the fiscal year ending June 30, 1999, the
Department of Education shall award, within
available appropriations, competitive grants to
the Hartford, New Haven and Bridgeport school
districts to assist in the development of
curricula and the training of staff for lighthouse
schools. For purposes of this section and section
10-285a of the general statutes, as amended by
section 19 of this act, a "lighthouse school" is
an existing public school or a public school
planned prior to July 1, 1997, in a priority
school district that (1) has a specialized
curriculum, and (2) is designed to promote
intradistrict and interdistrict public school
choice.
Sec. 19. Section 10-285a of the general
statutes is amended by adding subsections (e) and
(f) as follows:
(NEW) (e) The percentage determined pursuant
to this section for a school building project
grant for the expansion, alteration or renovation
of an existing public school building to convert
such building for use as a lighthouse school, as
defined in section 18 of this act, shall be
increased by ten percentage points.
(NEW) (f) The percentage determined pursuant
to this section for a school building project
grant for a new building, the expansion of an
existing building, the renovation of a building to
increase the area of such building used as a
public school or renovation of a building for use
as a public school, may be increased by up to ten
percentage points based on the number of spaces
made available under the project for
out-of-district students participating in the
program established pursuant to section 3 of this
act.
Sec. 20. The Department of Education shall
expand the format for strategic school profiles to
include a section concerning the provision of
educational opportunities for students to interact
with students and teachers from other racial,
ethnic and economic backgrounds and from other
communities as included in reports pursuant to
subsection (b) of section 2 of this act.
Sec. 21. Section 10-220 of the general
statutes is repealed and the following is
substituted in lieu thereof:
(a) Each local or regional board of education
shall maintain good public elementary and
secondary schools, implement the educational
interests of the state as defined in section
10-4a, AS AMENDED BY SECTION 1 OF THIS ACT, and
provide such other educational activities as in
its judgment will best serve the interests of the
school district; provided any board of education
may secure such opportunities in another school
district in accordance with provisions of the
general statutes and shall give all the children
of the school district as nearly equal advantages
as may be practicable; SHALL PROVIDE AN
APPROPRIATE LEARNING ENVIRONMENT FOR ITS STUDENTS
WHICH INCLUDES (1) ADEQUATE INSTRUCTIONAL BOOKS,
SUPPLIES, MATERIALS, EQUIPMENT, STAFFING,
FACILITIES AND TECHNOLOGY, (2) EQUITABLE
ALLOCATION OF RESOURCES AMONG ITS SCHOOLS, AND (3)
A SAFE SCHOOL SETTING; shall have charge of the
schools of its respective school district; shall
make a continuing study of the need for school
facilities and of a long-term school building
program and from time to time make recommendations
based on such study to the town; SHALL REPORT
ANNUALLY TO THE COMMISSIONER OF EDUCATION ON THE
CONDITION OF ITS FACILITIES AND THE ACTION TAKEN
TO IMPLEMENT ITS LONG-TERM SCHOOL BUILDING
PROGRAM, WHICH REPORT THE COMMISSIONER SHALL USE
TO PREPARE AN ANNUAL REPORT THAT HE SHALL SUBMIT
IN ACCORDANCE WITH SECTION 11-4a TO THE JOINT
STANDING COMMITTEE OF THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY HAVING
COGNIZANCE OF EDUCATION; shall advise the
Commissioner of Education of the relationship
between any individual school building project
pursuant to chapter 173 and such long-term school
building program; shall have the care, maintenance
and operation of buildings, lands, apparatus and
other property used for school purposes and at all
times shall insure all such buildings and all
capital equipment contained therein against loss
in an amount not less than eighty per cent of
replacement cost; shall determine the number, age
and qualifications of the pupils to be admitted
into each school; shall employ and dismiss the
teachers of the schools of such district subject
to the provisions of sections 10-151 and 10-158a;
shall designate the schools which shall be
attended by the various children within the school
district; shall make such provisions as will
enable each child of school age, residing in the
district to attend some public day school for the
period required by law and provide for the
transportation of children wherever transportation
is reasonable and desirable, and for such purpose
may make contracts covering periods of not more
than five years; may place in an alternative
school program or other suitable educational
program a pupil enrolling in school who is
nineteen years of age or older and cannot acquire
a sufficient number of credits for graduation by
age twenty-one; may arrange with the board of
education of an adjacent town for the instruction
therein of such children as can attend school in
such adjacent town more conveniently; shall cause
each child seven years of age and over and under
sixteen living in the school district to attend
school in accordance with the provisions of
section 10-184, and shall perform all acts
required of it by the town or necessary to carry
into effect the powers and duties imposed by law.
(b) The board of education of each local or
regional school district shall, with the
participation of parents, students, school
administrators, teachers, citizens, local elected
officials and any other individuals or groups such
board shall deem appropriate, prepare a statement
of educational goals for such local or regional
school district. The statement of goals shall be
consistent with state-wide goals pursuant to
subsection (c) of section 10-4. Each local or
regional board of education shall develop student
objectives which relate directly to the statement
of educational goals prepared pursuant to this
subsection and which identify specific
expectations for students in terms of skills,
knowledge and competence.
(c) By November 1, 1994, and annually
thereafter, each local and regional board of
education shall submit to the Commissioner of
Education a strategic school profile report for
each school under its jurisdiction and for the
school district as a whole. The superintendent of
each local and regional school district shall
present the profile report at the next regularly
scheduled public meeting of the board of education
after each such November first. The profile report
shall provide information on measures of (1)
student needs, (2) school resources, [and] (3)
student and school performance, (4) EQUITABLE
ALLOCATION OF RESOURCES AMONG ITS SCHOOLS, AND (5)
REDUCTION OF RACIAL, ETHNIC AND ECONOMIC
ISOLATION.
Sec. 22. Section 10-266q of the general
statutes is repealed and the following is
substituted in lieu thereof:
(a) On or before September fifteenth of each
fiscal year in which payment is to be made, the
State Board of Education shall authorize grant
awards. Grant awards shall be authorized only
after proposals for such grants have been
submitted to the commissioner by the school
districts described in section 10-266p, at such
time and in such manner as the commissioner shall
prescribe, and after the commissioner and each
such school district have reached agreement
regarding how such grant shall be utilized. Each
proposal shall be based on a three-year project
plan and include, but not be limited to, an
explanation of project goals, objectives,
evaluation strategies and budget which shall
identify local funding and other resource
contributions for the three-year period provided
proposals shall give priority to the development
or expansion of extended-day kindergarten
programs.
(b) A priority school district grant shall be
payable to the local board of education for the
school districts described in section 10-266p,
which shall use the funds for any of the
following: (1) The creation or expansion of
[training, evaluation, research, development,
innovative] programs or activities related to
dropout prevention, [developed pursuant to the
policy adopted by the State Board of Education in
accordance with section 10-202e,] (2) ALTERNATIVE
AND TRANSITIONAL PROGRAMS FOR STUDENTS HAVING
DIFFICULTY SUCCEEDING IN TRADITIONAL EDUCATIONAL
PROGRAMS, [(2)] (3) academic enrichment, tutorial
and recreation programs or activities in school
buildings during nonschool hours [, (3)] AND
DURING THE SUMMER, (4) development or expansion of
extended-day kindergarten programs, [(4)] (5)
development or expansion of [early childhood
education or] early reading intervention programs,
[or (5)] INCLUDING SUMMER AND AFTER-SCHOOL
PROGRAMS, (6) ENHANCEMENT OF THE USE OF TECHNOLOGY
TO SUPPORT INSTRUCTION OR IMPROVE PARENT AND
TEACHER COMMUNICATION, (7) initiatives to
strengthen parent involvement in the education of
children, and parent and other community
involvement in school and school district
programs, activities and educational policies,
which may be in accordance with the provisions of
section 10-4g, OR (8) FOR PURPOSES OF OBTAINING
ACCREDITATION FOR ELEMENTARY AND MIDDLE SCHOOLS
FROM THE NEW ENGLAND ASSOCIATION OF SCHOOLS AND
COLLEGES. EACH SUCH BOARD OF EDUCATION SHALL USE
AT LEAST TWENTY PER CENT OF ITS GRANT FOR EARLY
READING INTERVENTION PROGRAMS. Each such board of
education shall use its grant to supplement
existing programs or create new programs. If the
State Board of Education finds that any such grant
is being used for other purposes or is being used
to decrease the local share of support for
schools, it may require repayment of such grant to
the state.
(c) Each priority school district grant shall
be awarded by the State Board of Education on an
annual basis. Funding in subsequent years shall be
based on funds available, annual application and
program evaluation.
Sec. 23. (a) The State Board of Education
shall establish a standard of reading competency
for use by local and regional boards of education
to measure reading competency for students in
grades one to three, inclusive. The standard may
be a requirement for a certain score on a
standardized test.
(b) The Commissioner of Education shall
report, in accordance with section 11-4a of the
general statutes, on such standard to the joint
standing committee of the General Assembly having
cognizance of matters relating to education, by
February 1, 1998.
Sec. 24. Subdivision (22) of section 10-262f
of the general statutes is repealed and the
following is substituted in lieu thereof:
(22) "Resident students" means the number of
pupils of the town enrolled in public schools at
the expense of the town on October first or the
full school day immediately preceding such date,
provided the number shall be decreased by the
Department of Education for failure to comply with
the provisions of section 10-16 and shall be
increased by one-one-hundred-eightieth for each
full-time equivalent school day in the school year
immediately preceding such date of at least five
hours of actual school work in excess of one
hundred eighty days and nine hundred hours of
actual school work and be increased by the
full-time equivalent number of such pupils
attending the summer sessions immediately
preceding such date at the expense of the town;
"enrolled" shall include pupils who are scheduled
for vacation on the above date and who are
expected to return to school as scheduled.
[Students] PUPILS enrolled in an approved program
described in section 10-266j shall be counted in
accordance with the provisions of subdivision (3)
of subsection (c) of said section. PUPILS
PARTICIPATING IN THE PROGRAM ESTABLISHED PURSUANT
TO SECTION 3 OF THIS ACT SHALL BE COUNTED IN
ACCORDANCE WITH THE PROVISIONS OF SUBSECTION (g)
OF SECTION 3 OF THIS ACT.
Sec. 25. Subdivision (2) of subsection (a) of
section 10-261 of the general statutes is repealed
and the following is substituted in lieu thereof:
(2) "Average daily membership" means the
number of all pupils of the local or regional
board of education enrolled in public schools at
the expense of such board of education on October
first or the full school day immediately preceding
such date, provided the number so obtained shall
be decreased by the Department of Education for
failure to comply with the provisions of section
10-16 and shall be increased by one
one-hundred-eightieth for each full-time
equivalent school day of at least five hours of
actual school work in excess of one hundred eighty
days and nine hundred hours of actual school work
and be increased by the full-time equivalent
number of such pupils attending the summer
sessions immediately preceding such date at the
expense of such board of education; "enrolled"
shall include pupils who are scheduled for
vacation on the above dates and who are expected
to return to school as scheduled. PUPILS
PARTICIPATING IN THE PROGRAM ESTABLISHED PURSUANT
TO SECTION 3 OF THIS ACT SHALL BE COUNTED IN
ACCORDANCE WITH THE PROVISIONS OF SUBSECTION (g)
OF SECTION 3 OF THIS ACT.
Sec. 26. Section 10-66ff of the general
statutes is amended by adding subsection (c) as
follows:
(NEW) (c) Charter schools established pursuant
to sections 10-66aa to 10-66gg, inclusive, shall
be eligible to invest in participation
certificates of the short-term investment fund
administered by the State Treasurer pursuant to
sections 3-27a to 3-27f, inclusive.
Sec. 27. Section 10-266m of the general
statutes is repealed and the following is
substituted in lieu thereof:
A local or regional board of education
providing transportation in accordance with the
provisions of sections 10-54, 10-66ee, AS AMENDED
BY SECTION 9 OF THIS ACT, 10-97, 10-273a, 10-277,
10-280a and 10-281 shall be reimbursed for a
percentage of such transportation costs as
follows:
(1) The percentage of pupil transportation
costs reimbursed to a local board of education
shall be determined by (A) ranking each town in
the state in descending order from one to one
hundred sixty-nine according to such town's
adjusted equalized net grand list per capita, as
defined in section 10-261; (B) based upon such
ranking, and notwithstanding the provisions of
section 2-32a, (i) except as otherwise provided in
this subparagraph, a percentage of zero shall be
assigned to towns ranked from one to thirteen and
a percentage of not less than zero nor more than
sixty shall be determined for the towns ranked
from fourteen to one hundred sixty-nine on a
continuous scale, except that any such percentage
shall be increased by twenty percentage points in
accordance with section 10-97, where applicable
and (ii) for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1997,
and for each fiscal year thereafter, a percentage
of zero shall be assigned to towns ranked from one
to seventeen and a percentage of not less than
zero nor more than sixty shall be determined for
the towns ranked from eighteen to one hundred
sixty-nine on a continuous scale.
(2) The percentage of pupil transportation
costs reimbursed to a regional board of education
shall be determined by its ranking. Such ranking
shall be determined by (A) multiplying the total
population, as defined in section 10-261, of each
town in the district by such town's ranking, as
determined in subdivision (1) of this section, (B)
adding together the figures determined under
subparagraph (A) of this subdivision, and (C)
dividing the total computed under subparagraph (B)
of this subdivision by the total population of all
towns in the district. The ranking of each
regional board of education shall be rounded to
the next higher whole number and each such board
shall receive the same reimbursement percentage as
would a town with the same rank, provided such
percentage shall be increased in the case of a
secondary regional school district by an
additional five percentage points and, in the case
of any other regional school district by an
additional ten percentage points.
(3) Notwithstanding the provisions of
subdivisions (1) and (2) of this section, for the
fiscal year ending June 30, 1997, and for each
fiscal year thereafter, no local or regional board
of education shall receive a grant of less than
one thousand dollars.
Sec. 28. Section 10-65b of the general
statutes is repealed and the following is
substituted in lieu thereof:
A local or regional board of education which
operates a regional vocational agriculture center
shall provide to each student enrolled in such
center all of the student's nonagricultural
academic courses, provided that any such board
which, on or before July 1, 1993, entered into an
agreement to offer shared-time arrangements AND
ANY SUCH BOARD WHICH OPERATES A REGIONAL
VOCATIONAL AQUACULTURE PROGRAM may OFFER OR
continue to offer such SHARED-TIME arrangements
unless the Commissioner of Education determines
that such shared-time arrangements are not in
substantial compliance with the provisions of
sections 10-64 and 10-65 and any regulations
adopted pursuant to section 10-66. For purposes of
this section and said section 10-65, "shared-time
arrangements" means the enrolment of students in a
regional vocational agriculture center while such
students receive nonagricultural academic courses
in a school district under the jurisdiction of a
local or regional board of education other than
the board of education operating such center.
Sec. 29. This act shall take effect July 1,
1997.
Approved June 26, 1997