General Assembly		Raised Bill No. 5567
February Session, 2014		LCO No. 2431
		*02431_______ED_*
Referred to Committee on EDUCATION
Introduced by:
(ED)

AN ACT CONCERNING ALTERNATIVE SCHOOLS.

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

Section 1. (NEW) (Effective July 1, 2014) (a) For purposes of this section, section 2 of this act, and sections 10-220 and 10-233d of the general statutes, as amended by this act, "alternative school program" means a school or program offered by a local or regional board of education that is designed to serve the educational needs of students outside of a regular classroom setting or general education program offered by such board of education and that is provided in accordance with the provisions of sections 10-15, 10-16 and 10-16b of the general statutes and guidelines adopted by the Department of Education, pursuant to section 2 of this act.

(b) A local or regional board of education shall offer an alternative school program to any student (1) who is under sixteen years of age during a period of expulsion, in accordance with the provisions of section 10-233d of the general statutes, as amended by this act, (2) who is between the ages of sixteen and eighteen years and has been expelled for the first time, in accordance with the provisions of said section 10-233d, (3) as part of an adult education activity, pursuant to section 10-69 of the general statutes, as amended by this act, during a period of expulsion, in accordance with the provisions of said section 10-233d, or (4) enrolling in school who is nineteen years of age or older and cannot acquire a sufficient number of credits for graduation by twenty-one years of age, or (5) who, in the opinion of such board and with the informed consent of such student or a parent or guardian of such student, as applicable, would benefit academically in an alternative school program.

(c) Each local and regional board of education shall make available on its Internet web site information relating to the alternative school program offered under this section, including, but not limited to, the program's purpose, location, contact information, staff directory and enrollment criteria.

Sec. 2. (NEW) (Effective from passage) Not later than July 1, 2015, the Department of Education shall develop alternative school program guidelines for the purpose of assisting local and regional boards of education in the provision of alternative school programs.

Sec. 3. Subsection (a) of section 10-220 of the general statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1, 2014):

(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, 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, (3) proper maintenance of facilities, and (4) a safe school setting; shall, in accordance with the provisions of subsection (f) of this section, maintain records of allegations, investigations and reports that a child has been abused or neglected by a school employee, as defined in section 53a-65, employed by the local or regional board of education; 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 adopt and implement an indoor air quality program that provides for ongoing maintenance and facility reviews necessary for the maintenance and improvement of the indoor air quality of its facilities; shall adopt and implement a green cleaning program, pursuant to section 10-231g, that provides for the procurement and use of environmentally preferable cleaning products in school buildings and facilities; on and after July 1, 2011, and triennially thereafter, shall report to the Commissioner of Administrative Services on the condition of its facilities and the action taken to implement its long-term school building program, indoor air quality program and green cleaning program, which report the Commissioner of Administrative Services shall use to prepare a triennial report that said commissioner shall submit in accordance with section 11-4a to the joint standing committee of the General Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to education; shall advise the Commissioner of Administrative Services 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 develop and implement a written plan for minority staff recruitment for purposes of subdivision (3) of section 10-4a; shall employ and dismiss the teachers of the schools of such district subject to the provisions of sections 10-151 and 10-158a, as amended by this act; 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; shall offer an alternative school program in accordance with the provisions of section 1 of this act; 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 five years of age and over and under eighteen years of age who is not a high school graduate and is 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.

Sec. 4. Subsection (c) of section 10-220 of the general statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1, 2014):

(c) Annually, each local and regional board of education shall submit to the Commissioner of Education a strategic school profile report for each school and alternative school program, as defined in section 1 of this act, 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 November first. The profile report shall provide information on measures of (1) student needs, (2) school resources, including technological resources and utilization of such resources and infrastructure, (3) student and school performance, including truancy, (4) the number of students enrolled in an adult high school credit diploma program, pursuant to section 10-69, as amended by this act, operated by a local or regional board of education or a regional educational service center, (5) equitable allocation of resources among its schools, (6) reduction of racial, ethnic and economic isolation, and (7) special education. For purposes of this subsection, measures of special education include (A) special education identification rates by disability, (B) rates at which special education students are exempted from mastery testing pursuant to section 10-14q, (C) expenditures for special education, including such expenditures as a percentage of total expenditures, (D) achievement data for special education students, (E) rates at which students identified as requiring special education are no longer identified as requiring special education, (F) the availability of supplemental educational services for students lacking basic educational skills, (G) the amount of special education student instructional time with nondisabled peers, (H) the number of students placed out-of-district, and (I) the actions taken by the school district to improve special education programs, as indicated by analyses of the local data provided in subparagraphs (A) to (H), inclusive, of this subdivision. The superintendent shall include in the narrative portion of the report information about parental involvement and if the district has taken measures to improve parental involvement, including, but not limited to, employment of methods to engage parents in the planning and improvement of school programs and methods to increase support to parents working at home with their children on learning activities. For purposes of this subsection, measures of truancy include the type of data that is required to be collected by the Department of Education regarding attendance and unexcused absences in order for the department to comply with federal reporting requirements and the actions taken by the local or regional board of education to reduce truancy in the school district. Such truancy data shall be considered a public record for purposes of chapter 14.

Sec. 5. Subsection (a) of section 10-158a of the general statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1, 2014):

(a) Any two or more boards of education may, in writing, agree to establish cooperative arrangements to provide school accommodations services, programs or activities, special education services, [or] health care services or an alternative school program, as defined in section 1 of this act, to enable such boards to carry out the duties specified in the general statutes. Such arrangements may include the establishment of a committee to supervise such programs, the membership of the committee to be determined by the agreement of the cooperating boards. Such committee shall have the power, in accordance with the terms of the agreement, to (1) apply for, receive directly and expend on behalf of the school districts which have designated the committee an agent for such purpose any state or federal grants which may be allocated to school districts for specified programs, the supervision of which has been delegated to such committee, provided such grants are payable before implementation of any such program or are to reimburse the committee pursuant to subsection (d) of this section for transportation provided to a school operated by a cooperative arrangement; (2) receive and disburse funds appropriated to the use of such committee by the cooperating school districts, the state or the United States, or given to the committee by individuals or private corporations; (3) hold title to real or personal property in trust, or as otherwise agreed to by the parties, for the appointing boards; (4) employ personnel; (5) enter into contracts; and (6) otherwise provide the specified programs, services and activities. Teachers employed by any such committee shall be subject to the provisions of the general statutes applicable to teachers employed by the board of education of any town or regional school district. For purposes of this section, the term "teacher" shall include each professional employee of a committee below the rank of superintendent who holds a regular certificate issued by the State Board of Education and who is in a position requiring such certification.

Sec. 6. Section 10-233d of the general statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1, 2014):

(a) (1) Any local or regional board of education, at a meeting at which three or more members of such board are present, or the impartial hearing board established pursuant to subsection (b) of this section, may expel, subject to the provisions of this subsection, any pupil whose conduct on school grounds or at a school-sponsored activity is violative of a publicized policy of such board or is seriously disruptive of the educational process or endangers persons or property or whose conduct off school grounds is violative of such policy and is seriously disruptive of the educational process, provided a majority of the board members sitting in the expulsion hearing vote to expel and that at least three affirmative votes for expulsion are cast. In making a determination as to whether conduct is seriously disruptive of the educational process, the board of education or impartial hearing board may consider, but such consideration shall not be limited to: (A) Whether the incident occurred within close proximity of a school; (B) whether other students from the school were involved or whether there was any gang involvement; (C) whether the conduct involved violence, threats of violence or the unlawful use of a weapon, as defined in section 29-38, and whether any injuries occurred; and (D) whether the conduct involved the use of alcohol.

(2) Expulsion proceedings pursuant to this section, except as provided in subsection (i) of this section shall be required whenever there is reason to believe that any pupil (A) on school grounds or at a school-sponsored activity, was in possession of a firearm, as defined in 18 USC 921, as amended from time to time, or deadly weapon, dangerous instrument or martial arts weapon, as defined in section 53a-3, (B) off school grounds, did possess such a firearm in violation of section 29-35 or did possess and use such a firearm, instrument or weapon in the commission of a crime under chapter 952, or (C) on or off school grounds, offered for sale or distribution a controlled substance, as defined in subdivision (9) of section 21a-240, whose manufacture, distribution, sale, prescription, dispensing, transporting or possessing with intent to sell or dispense, offering, or administering is subject to criminal penalties under sections 21a-277 and 21a-278. Such a pupil shall be expelled for one calendar year if the local or regional board of education or impartial hearing board finds that the pupil did so possess or so possess and use, as appropriate, such a firearm, instrument or weapon or did so offer for sale or distribution such a controlled substance, provided the board of education or the hearing board may modify the period of expulsion for a pupil on a case by case basis, and as provided for in subdivision (2) of subsection (c) of this section.

(3) Unless an emergency exists, no pupil shall be expelled without a formal hearing held pursuant to sections 4-176e to 4-180a, inclusive, and section 4-181a, provided whenever such pupil is a minor, the notice required by section 4-177 and section 4-180 shall also be given to the parents or guardian of the pupil. If an emergency exists, such hearing shall be held as soon after the expulsion as possible. The notice shall include information concerning legal services provided free of charge or at a reduced rate that are available locally and how to access such services.

(b) For purposes of conducting expulsion hearings as required by subsection (a) of this section, any local or regional board of education or any two or more of such boards in cooperation may establish an impartial hearing board of one or more persons. No member of any such board or boards shall be a member of the hearing board. The hearing board shall have the authority to conduct the expulsion hearing and render a final decision in accordance with the provisions of sections 4-176e to 4-180a, inclusive, and section 4-181a.

(c) (1) In determining the length of an expulsion and the [nature of the alternative educational opportunity] alternative school program, as defined in section 1 of this act, to be offered under subsection (d) of this section, the local or regional board of education, or the impartial hearing board established pursuant to subsection (b) of this section, may receive and consider evidence of past disciplinary problems which have led to removal from a classroom, suspension or expulsion of such pupil.

(2) For any pupil expelled for the first time pursuant to this section and who has never been suspended pursuant to section 10-233c, the local or regional board of education may shorten the length of or waive the expulsion period if the pupil successfully completes a board-specified program and meets any other conditions required by the board. Such board-specified program shall not require the pupil or the parent or guardian of the pupil to pay for participation in the program.

(d) Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection (a) of section 10-220, as amended by this act, local and regional boards of education shall only be required to offer an alternative [educational opportunity] school program in accordance with this section. Any pupil under sixteen years of age who is expelled shall be offered [an alternative educational opportunity] enrollment in an alternative school program during the period of expulsion, provided any parent or guardian of such pupil who does not choose to have his or her child enrolled in an alternative [educational] school program shall not be subject to the provisions of section 10-184. Any pupil expelled for the first time who is between the ages of sixteen and eighteen and who wishes to continue his or her education shall be offered [an alternative educational opportunity] enrollment in an alternative school program if he or she complies with conditions established by his or her local or regional board of education. Such alternative [educational opportunity] school program may include, but shall not be limited to, the placement of a pupil who is at least seventeen years of age in an adult education program pursuant to section 10-69, as amended by this act. Any pupil participating in an adult education program during a period of expulsion shall not be required to withdraw from school under section 10-184. A local or regional board of education shall count the expulsion of a pupil when he or she was under sixteen years of age for purposes of determining whether an [alternative educational opportunity] enrollment in an alternative school program is required for such pupil when he or she is between the ages of sixteen and eighteen. A local or regional board of education may offer [an alternative educational opportunity] enrollment in an alternative school program to a pupil for whom such alternative [educational opportunity] school program is not required pursuant to this section.

(e) Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection (d) of this section concerning the provision of an alternative [educational opportunity] school program for pupils between the ages of sixteen and eighteen, local and regional boards of education shall not be required to offer such alternative school program to any pupil between the ages of sixteen and eighteen who is expelled because of conduct which endangers persons if it is determined at the expulsion hearing that the conduct for which the pupil is expelled involved (1) possession of a firearm, as defined in 18 USC 921, as amended from time to time, or deadly weapon, dangerous instrument or martial arts weapon, as defined in section 53a-3, on school property or at a school-sponsored activity, or (2) offering for sale or distribution on school property or at a school-sponsored activity a controlled substance, as defined in subdivision (9) of section 21a-240, whose manufacture, distribution, sale, prescription, dispensing, transporting or possessing with the intent to sell or dispense, offering, or administration is subject to criminal penalties under sections 21a-277 and 21a-278. If a pupil is expelled pursuant to this section for possession of a firearm or deadly weapon the board of education shall report the violation to the local police department or in the case of a student enrolled in a technical high school to the state police. If a pupil is expelled pursuant to this section for the sale or distribution of such a controlled substance, the board of education shall refer the pupil to an appropriate state or local agency for rehabilitation, intervention or job training, or any combination thereof, and inform the agency of its action. Whenever a local or regional board of education notifies a pupil between the ages of sixteen and eighteen or the parents or guardian of such pupil that an expulsion hearing will be held, the notification shall include a statement that the board of education is not required to offer [an alternative educational opportunity] enrollment in an alternative school program to any pupil who is found to have engaged in the conduct described in this subsection.

(f) (1) Whenever a pupil is expelled pursuant to the provisions of this section, notice of the expulsion and the conduct for which the pupil was expelled shall be included on the pupil's cumulative educational record. Such notice, except for notice of an expulsion based on possession of a firearm or deadly weapon as described in subsection (a) of this section, shall be expunged from the cumulative educational record by the local or regional board of education if a pupil graduates from high school, except as provided for in subdivision (2) of this subsection.

(2) In the case of a pupil for which the length of the expulsion period is shortened or the expulsion period is waived pursuant to subdivision (2) of subsection (c) of this section, such notice shall be expunged from the cumulative educational record by the local or regional board of education (A) if the pupil graduates from high school, or (B) if the board so chooses, at the time the pupil completes the board-specified program and meets any other conditions required by the board pursuant to subdivision (2) of subsection (c) of this section, whichever is earlier.

(g) A local or regional board of education may adopt the decision of a pupil expulsion hearing conducted by another school district provided such local or regional board of education or impartial hearing board shall hold a hearing pursuant to the provisions of subsection (a) of this section which shall be limited to a determination of whether the conduct which was the basis for the expulsion would also warrant expulsion under the policies of such board. The pupil shall be excluded from school pending such hearing. The excluded student shall be offered [an alternative educational opportunity] enrollment in an alternative school program in accordance with the provisions of subsections (d) and (e) of this section.

(h) Whenever a pupil against whom an expulsion hearing is pending withdraws from school after notification of such hearing but before the hearing is completed and a decision rendered pursuant to this section, (1) notice of the pending expulsion hearing shall be included on the pupil's cumulative educational record, and (2) the local or regional board of education or impartial hearing board shall complete the expulsion hearing and render a decision. If such pupil enrolls in school in another school district, such pupil shall not be excluded from school in the other district pending completion of the expulsion hearing pursuant to this subsection unless an emergency exists, provided nothing in this subsection shall limit the authority of the local or regional board of education for such district to suspend the pupil or to conduct its own expulsion hearing in accordance with this section.

(i) Prior to conducting an expulsion hearing for a child requiring special education and related services described in subparagraph (A) of subdivision (5) of section 10-76a, a planning and placement team shall convene to determine whether the misconduct was caused by the child's disability. If it is determined that the misconduct was caused by the child's disability, the child shall not be expelled. The planning and placement team shall reevaluate the child for the purpose of modifying the child's individualized education program to address the misconduct and to ensure the safety of other children and staff in the school. If it is determined that the misconduct was not caused by the child's disability, the child may be expelled in accordance with the provisions of this section applicable to children who do not require special education and related services. Notwithstanding the provisions of subsections (d) and (e) of this section, whenever a child requiring such special education and related services is expelled, [an alternative educational opportunity] enrollment in an alternative school program, consistent with such child's educational needs, shall be provided during the period of expulsion.

(j) An expelled pupil may apply for early readmission to school. Except as provided in this subsection, such readmission shall be at the discretion of the local or regional board of education. The board of education may delegate authority for readmission decisions to the superintendent of schools for the school district. If the board delegates such authority, readmission shall be at the discretion of the superintendent. Readmission decisions shall not be subject to appeal to Superior Court. The board or superintendent, as appropriate, may condition such readmission on specified criteria.

(k) Local and regional boards of education shall submit to the Commissioner of Education such information on expulsions for the possession of weapons as required for purposes of the Gun-Free Schools Act of 1994, 20 USC 8921 et seq., as amended from time to time.

(l) (1) Any student who commits an expellable offense and is subsequently committed to a juvenile detention center, the Connecticut Juvenile Training School or any other residential placement for such offense may be expelled by a local or regional board of education in accordance with the provisions of this section. The period of expulsion shall run concurrently with the period of commitment to a juvenile detention center, the Connecticut Juvenile Training School or any other residential placement.

(2) If a student who committed an expellable offense seeks to return to a school district after having been in a juvenile detention center, the Connecticut Juvenile Training School or any other residential placement and such student has not been expelled by the local or regional board of education for such offense under subdivision (1) of this subsection, the local or regional board of education for the school district to which the student is returning shall allow such student to return and may not expel the student for additional time for such offense.

Sec. 7. Subsection (b) of section 10-19m of the general statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1, 2014):

(b) A youth service bureau established pursuant to subsection (a) of this section may provide, but shall not be limited to the delivery of, the following services: (1) Individual and group counseling; (2) parent training and family therapy; (3) work placement and employment counseling; (4) alternative school programs, as defined in section 1 of this act, and special educational opportunities; (5) recreational and youth enrichment programs; (6) outreach programs to insure participation and planning by the entire community for the development of regional and community-based youth services; (7) preventive programs, including youth pregnancy, youth suicide, violence, alcohol and drug prevention; and (8) programs that develop positive youth involvement. Such services shall be designed to meet the needs of youths by the diversion of troubled youths from the justice system as well as by the provision of opportunities for all youths to function as responsible members of their communities.

Sec. 8. Subsection (a) of section 10-69 of the 2014 supplement to the general statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1, 2014):

(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 unless (1) such person receives the approval of the school principal of the school in which such person is enrolled in such full-time program, or (2) such person is enrolled in an adult education activity as part of an alternative [educational opportunity] school program, as defined in section 1 of this act, during a period of expulsion, in accordance with the provisions of section 10-233d, as amended by this act. Instruction: (A) 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; (B) may be provided in (i) any subject provided by the elementary and secondary schools of such school district, including vocational education, (ii) adult literacy, (iii) parenting skills, and (iv) any other subject or activity; and (C) may include college preparatory classes, for which the local or regional board of education may charge a fee, for adults who (i) have obtained a high school diploma or its equivalent, and (ii) require postsecondary developmental education that will enable such adults to enroll directly in a program of higher learning, as defined in section 10a-34, at an institution of higher education upon completion of such classes.

Sec. 9. Subsection (b) of section 10-4p of the general statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1, 2014):

(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, enrollments 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, extracurricular activities and student participation, goals and objectives and content and performance standards, opportunities for summer school, school-to-career transition, alternative school programs, as defined in section 1 of this act, 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, dropout 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 preschool coordination, opportunities for adult basic education and parenting education.

Sec. 10. Subsection (b) of section 10-263c of the general statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1, 2014):

(b) A transitional school district grant shall be payable to the local board of education for the school district. The local board shall use the funds for any of the following: (1) The creation or expansion of programs or activities related to dropout prevention, (2) an alternative [and] school program, as defined in section 1 of this act, or transitional programs for students having difficulty succeeding in traditional educational programs, (3) academic enrichment, tutorial and recreation programs or activities in school buildings during nonschool hours and during the summer, (4) development or expansion of extended-day kindergarten programs, (5) development or expansion of early reading intervention programs, 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.

Sec. 11. Subsection (b) of section 10-266q of the general statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1, 2014):

(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 programs or activities related to dropout prevention, (2) an alternative [and] school program, as defined in section 1 of this act, or transitional programs for students having difficulty succeeding in traditional educational programs, (3) academic enrichment, tutorial and recreation programs or activities in school buildings during nonschool hours and during the summer, (4) development or expansion of extended-day kindergarten programs, (5) development or expansion of early reading intervention programs, 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.

Sec. 12. Subsection (b) of section 10-94e of the general statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1, 2014):

(b) For purposes of this section, "career education program" means an alternative school program, as defined in section 1 of this act, or school without walls program designed to allow students to develop career awareness and orientation through exploration of their career interests. Such exploration includes, but is not limited to, permitting students to gain actual experience by working, without compensation but for school credit, in government agencies or in business or industrial establishments.

Sec. 13. Section 10-220d of the general statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1, 2014):

Each local and regional board of education shall provide full access to technical high schools, regional agricultural science and technology education centers, interdistrict magnet schools, charter schools and interdistrict student attendance programs for the recruitment of students attending the schools under the board's jurisdiction, provided such recruitment is not for the purpose of interscholastic athletic competition. Each local and regional board of education shall provide information relating to technical high schools, regional agricultural science and technology education centers, interdistrict magnet schools, charter schools, alternative [high schools] school programs, as defined in section 1 of this act, and interdistrict student attendance programs on the board's web site. Each local and regional board of education shall inform students and parents of students in middle and high schools within such board's jurisdiction of the availability of (1) vocational, technical and technological education and training at technical high schools, and (2) agricultural science and technology education at regional agricultural science and technology education centers.

Sec. 14. Subsection (c) of section 10-223h of the 2014 supplement to the general statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1, 2014):

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

This act shall take effect as follows and shall amend the following sections:
Section 1	July 1, 2014	New section
Sec. 2	from passage	New section
Sec. 3	July 1, 2014	10-220(a)
Sec. 4	July 1, 2014	10-220(c)
Sec. 5	July 1, 2014	10-158a(a)
Sec. 6	July 1, 2014	10-233d
Sec. 7	July 1, 2014	10-19m(b)
Sec. 8	July 1, 2014	10-69(a)
Sec. 9	July 1, 2014	10-4p(b)
Sec. 10	July 1, 2014	10-263c(b)
Sec. 11	July 1, 2014	10-266q(b)
Sec. 12	July 1, 2014	10-94e(b)
Sec. 13	July 1, 2014	10-220d
Sec. 14	July 1, 2014	10-223h(c)

Statement of Purpose:

To define and establish the criteria by which boards of education are to offer alternative school programs.

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