Signed by Governor Jodi Rell

Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to concur with House Amendments and pass a bill that makes changes to the Connecticut public education system.

Highlights:

-Requires the State Department of Education to approve proposals for alternate route to certification programs for school administrators reserved to qualifying teachers who (Sec. 1):

-Hold a bachelor's degree; -Have at least forty months school teaching experience; and -Have been recommended by their immediate supervisor or their district administrator.

-Specifies that the State Board of Education shall issue an initial educator certificate valid for three years to those qualified individuals who complete the program. After being issued an initial educator certificate, program participants must obtain a master's degree within five years to be eligible for a professional educator certificate (Sec. 1) -Requires the State Department to expand the state-wide public school information system in order for it to include, but not be limited to, the following data concerning (Sec. 3):

-The language students speak at home; -A students transcripts, attendance, and readiness to enter public school; -Teacher credentials, assessments, and absenteeism in the classroom; and -A schools population, annual graduation rates, teacher retention, and the percentage of students whose primary language is not English.

-Requires the State Department of Education to collect data relating to student enrollment in and graduation from institutions of higher education provided such data is available (Sec. 3). -Requires superintendents to make sure that teachers are continuously evaluated (Sec. 4). -Establishes a "Performance Evaluation Advisory Council' within the State Department of Education whose role is to collect data for the state-wide public school information system as well as to assist the State Board of Education in the development and implementation of the teacher evaluation guidelines previously mentioned (Sec. 5). -Requires the State Board of Education to establish in consultation with the Performance Evaluation Advisory Council guidelines for a model teacher evaluation program (Sec. 4). -Authorizes local and regional boards of education to convert an existing public school into an innovation school or establish a new school as an innovation school for purposes of improving school performance and student achievement (Sec. 6). -Specifies that innovation schools must operate according to an innovation plan that includes, but is not limited to (Sec. 6):

-A curriculum plan; -A budget plan; -A school schedule; -A staffing plan; -A policies and procedures plan; and -A professional development plan.

-Requires superintendents every year to evaluate innovation schools and to submit their evaluation to the local or regional board of education and to the Commissioner of Education (Sec. 6). -Authorizes superintendents, depending on the results of the evaluation they conducted, to modify the innovation plan of the school or to terminate the program (Sec. 6). -Specifies that a retired teacher may be employed by the State public school system for up to one full school year (Sec. 8). -Authorizes the Commissioner of Education to allocate funds to state education organizations (such as associations representing superintendents, boards of education, elementary and secondary schools) to provide professional development services, technical assistance and evaluation activities to educational entities (Sec. 10). -Authorizes the State Board of Education to eliminate the enrollment limit of 250 students for state charter schools which have demonstrated a record of achievement (Sec. 12). -Requires qualified school professionals hired by a charter school for the first time after July 1, 2010 to participate in the state teacher retirement system (Sec. 13). -Requires the State Board of Education to adopt by July 1, 2011 regulations dealing with charter schools in accordance to the provisions of the general statutes (Sec. 15). -Requires classes graduating from high school beginning in 2018 to meet the following requirements (Sec. 16):

-A minimum of twenty-five credits, including at least:
-Nine credits in the humanities; -Eight credits in science, technology, engineering and mathematics; -Three and one-half credits in career and life skills; -Two credits in world languages; and -One credit senior demonstration project.
-End of the school year examinations for the following courses:
-Algebra I; -Geometry; -Biology; -American history; and -Grade Ten English.

-Authorizes the State Department of Education to establish a board examination series pilot program allowing local and regional boards of education to permit students in grades nine to twelve to receive credit for required courses if they pass a series of examinations as approved by the State Board of Education (Sec. 17). -Requires the State Department of Education to provide grants to local and regional school districts to begin implementation of the provisions of this act for the fiscal years ending June 30, 2013 to June 30, 2018 (Sec. 18). -Authorizes the State Board of Education to grant the Commissioner of Education the authority to reconstitute the local or regional board of education for a school district that fails to make adequate yearly progress for two consecutive years according to state provisions and the No Child Left Behind Act (Sec. 21). -Authorizes or requires the local or regional board of education for a school that has been identified as in need of improvement to establish a school governance council in charge of improving the school (Sec. 21). -Requires the State Department of Education to report to the joint standing committee of the General Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to the number of school governance councils established, the number of schools that have been reconstituted, and the monitoring of reconstituted schools (Sec. 22 and 23). -Establishes a Parent Trust Fund whose resources shall be used by the Commissioner of Education to fund programs aimed at improving the health, safety and education of children by training parents in civic leadership skills and by supporting greater parental engagement in community affairs (Sec. 26). -Requires any local or regional board of education for a school district with a dropout rate of 8 percent or greater to establish an online credit recovery program for students identified as in danger of failing to graduate (Sec. 28). -Requires each school to conduct two parent-teacher conferences every year beginning in 2010 (Sec. 29). -Requires each local and regional board of education from the school year commencing July 1, 2010 on to provide an advanced placement course program for courses with an advanced placement examination through the College Board (Sec. 31).

Full Bill Text

Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to concur with House Amendments and pass a bill that makes changes to the Connecticut public education system.

Highlights:

-Requires the State Department of Education to approve proposals for alternate route to certification programs for school administrators reserved to qualifying teachers who (Sec. 1):

-Hold a bachelor's degree; -Have at least forty months school teaching experience; and -Have been recommended by their immediate supervisor or their district administrator.

-Specifies that the State Board of Education shall issue an initial educator certificate valid for three years to those qualified individuals who complete the program. After being issued an initial educator certificate, program participants must obtain a master's degree within five years to be eligible for a professional educator certificate (Sec. 1) -Requires the State Department to expand the state-wide public school information system in order for it to include, but not be limited to, the following data concerning (Sec. 3):

-The language students speak at home; -A students transcripts, attendance, and readiness to enter public school; -Teacher credentials, assessments, and absenteeism in the classroom; and -A schools population, annual graduation rates, teacher retention, and the percentage of students whose primary language is not English.

-Requires the State Department of Education to collect data relating to student enrollment in and graduation from institutions of higher education provided such data is available (Sec. 3). -Requires superintendents to make sure that teachers are continuously evaluated (Sec. 4). -Establishes a "Performance Evaluation Advisory Council' within the State Department of Education whose role is to collect data for the state-wide public school information system as well as to assist the State Board of Education in the development and implementation of the teacher evaluation guidelines previously mentioned (Sec. 5). -Requires the State Board of Education to establish in consultation with the Performance Evaluation Advisory Council guidelines for a model teacher evaluation program (Sec. 4). -Authorizes local and regional boards of education to convert an existing public school into an innovation school or establish a new school as an innovation school for purposes of improving school performance and student achievement (Sec. 6). -Specifies that innovation schools must operate according to an innovation plan that includes, but is not limited to (Sec. 6):

-A curriculum plan; -A budget plan; -A school schedule; -A staffing plan; -A policies and procedures plan; and -A professional development plan.

-Requires superintendents every year to evaluate innovation schools and to submit their evaluation to the local or regional board of education and to the Commissioner of Education (Sec. 6). -Authorizes superintendents, depending on the results of the evaluation they conducted, to modify the innovation plan of the school or to terminate the program (Sec. 6). -Specifies that a retired teacher may be employed by the State public school system for up to one full school year (Sec. 8). -Authorizes the Commissioner of Education to allocate funds to state education organizations (such as associations representing superintendents, boards of education, elementary and secondary schools) to provide professional development services, technical assistance and evaluation activities to educational entities (Sec. 10). -Authorizes the State Board of Education to eliminate the enrollment limit of 250 students for state charter schools which have demonstrated a record of achievement (Sec. 12). -Requires qualified school professionals hired by a charter school for the first time after July 1, 2010 to participate in the state teacher retirement system (Sec. 13). -Requires the State Board of Education to adopt by July 1, 2011 regulations dealing with charter schools in accordance to the provisions of the general statutes (Sec. 15). -Requires classes graduating from high school beginning in 2018 to meet the following requirements (Sec. 16):

-A minimum of twenty-five credits, including at least:
-Nine credits in the humanities; -Eight credits in science, technology, engineering and mathematics; -Three and one-half credits in career and life skills; -Two credits in world languages; and -One credit senior demonstration project.
-End of the school year examinations for the following courses:
-Algebra I; -Geometry; -Biology; -American history; and -Grade Ten English.

-Authorizes the State Department of Education to establish a board examination series pilot program allowing local and regional boards of education to permit students in grades nine to twelve to receive credit for required courses if they pass a series of examinations as approved by the State Board of Education (Sec. 17). -Requires the State Department of Education to provide grants to local and regional school districts to begin implementation of the provisions of this act for the fiscal years ending June 30, 2013 to June 30, 2018 (Sec. 18). -Authorizes the State Board of Education to grant the Commissioner of Education the authority to reconstitute the local or regional board of education for a school district that fails to make adequate yearly progress for two consecutive years according to state provisions and the No Child Left Behind Act (Sec. 21). -Authorizes or requires the local or regional board of education for a school that has been identified as in need of improvement to establish a school governance council in charge of improving the school (Sec. 21). -Requires the State Department of Education to report to the joint standing committee of the General Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to the number of school governance councils established, the number of schools that have been reconstituted, and the monitoring of reconstituted schools (Sec. 22 and 23). -Establishes a Parent Trust Fund whose resources shall be used by the Commissioner of Education to fund programs aimed at improving the health, safety and education of children by training parents in civic leadership skills and by supporting greater parental engagement in community affairs (Sec. 26). -Requires any local or regional board of education for a school district with a dropout rate of 8 percent or greater to establish an online credit recovery program for students identified as in danger of failing to graduate (Sec. 28). -Requires each school to conduct two parent-teacher conferences every year beginning in 2010 (Sec. 29). -Requires each local and regional board of education from the school year commencing July 1, 2010 on to provide an advanced placement course program for courses with an advanced placement examination through the College Board (Sec. 31).

Full Bill Text