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In 2021, we fought for student-centered funding, increased educator diversity and a stronger, more flexible post-Covid19 education system. We are happy to report that Connecticut has made generational investments in education and a commitment to address its inequitable and antiquated funding system. Below are education highlights from the state budget.
EDUCATION COST SHARING (ECS) GRANT REVISIONS
Suspends, for two years, scheduled decreases in ECS grants for certain towns; extends the phase-in period for grant increases and decreases until FY 29; revises the ECS formula by changing several formula components including the weighting for need students; expands the regional per-student bonus to include endowed academies that function as public high schools.
STATE CHARTER SCHOOL FUNDING FORMULA
Creates a new, foundation-based funding formula to replace the uniform per-pupil state charter school operating grant in current law
PRIORITY SCHOOL DISTRICT GRANTS
Allocates $5 million in both FY 22 & 23 for PSDs
PER-STUDENT GRANT FOR REGIONAL VOCATIONAL AGRICULTURAL (VO-AG) CENTERS
Increases, by $1,000, the state per-student grant for vo-ag centers
OFFICE OF FISCAL ANALYSIS MODELING OF THE EDUCATION FUNDING PROPOSAL
Requires OFA to conduct an independent modeling of the education funding proposal described in SB 948 of the 2021 regular legislative session, as reported out of the Education Committee
OPEN CHOICE PROGRAM EXPANSION
Expands the Open Choice Program for the 2022-23 school year under a pilot program for up to 50 students from Danbury and Norwalk
MINORITY TEACHER CANDIDATE CERTIFICATION, RETENTION AND RESIDENCY YEAR PROGRAM
Creates the candidate certification, retention, or residency year program for teacher certification candidates; requires each alliance district to partner with a residency program operator to enroll minority candidates; requires SDE to (1) withhold from each alliance district 10% of any increase in alliance aid and (2) use the funds for grants to cover costs related to the residency program
PLAN TO PROMOTE TEACHING AS A CAREER
Requires the education commissioner and certain higher education officials to jointly develop a plan to help school boards promote teaching as a career option to high school students; requires SDE to distribute to school boards information that promotes the teaching profession
IMPLICIT BIAS AND ANTI-BIAS TRAINING VIDEO MODULE
Requires SDE, in consultation with two other groups, to develop an implicit-bias video training module for school district personnel who hire teachers; training module must be completed and available by July 1, 2022; requires any board of education employee who is involved in, or responsible for, hiring teachers to complete the training
STUDY OF MULTIPLE MEASURES TO DEMONSTRATE CONTENT MASTERY FOR TEACHER CERTIFICATION
Requires SDE to study a multiple-measures approach to demonstrate content-area mastery of the content assessment requirement for teacher certification; requires SDE to submit a report with any recommendations to the Education Committee by January 1, 2023
BLACK AND LATINO STUDIES COURSE
Requires the high school course in Black and Latino studies, which by law must be offered in the 2022-2023 school year, to also be offered in each following school year
READING ASSESSMENTS
Requires the literacy center, rather than the State Department of Education (SDE), to compile a list of approved reading assessments for use by boards of education to identify children reading below proficiency
INTENSIVE READING INSTRUCTION PROGRAM
Broadens the intensive reading instruction program by requiring the literacy center to provide the program to any alliance district board of education that requests it; modifies aspects of related reading programs by placing them under the literacy center
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT FOR BLACK AND LATINO STUDIES COURSE
Requires the State Education Resource Center (SERC) to provide technical assistance for teacher professional development and in-service regarding the teaching of the black and Latino studies course;
READING CURRICULUM MODELS OR PROGRAMS AND CENTER FOR LITERACY
Creates a new Center for Literacy Research and Reading Success with the authority to recommend reading curriculum models or programs that school districts must use; creates a waiver process to allow districts to use other curriculum models or programs; modifies the definition of reading
CONNECTICUT REMOTE LEARNING COMMISSION
Requires SDE to establish a commission to analyze and provide recommendations about remote learning for K-12 public school students
STATEWIDE REMOTE LEARNING SCHOOL
Requires SDE to develop a plan to create and implement a K-12 statewide remote learning school