Bill Text: CT HB05523 | 2014 | General Assembly | Introduced

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Bill Title: An Act Establishing A Task Force To Study Paraprofessional Staffing Levels.

Spectrum: Slight Partisan Bill (Democrat 2-1)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2014-03-07 - Public Hearing 03/12 [HB05523 Detail]

Download: Connecticut-2014-HB05523-Introduced.html

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General Assembly		Raised Bill No. 5523
February Session, 2014		LCO No. 1693
		*01693_______ED_*
Referred to Committee on EDUCATION
Introduced by:
(ED)

AN ACT ESTABLISHING A TASK FORCE TO STUDY PARAPROFESSIONAL STAFFING LEVELS.

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

Section 1. (Effective from passage) (a) There is established a task force to study issues relating to paraprofessional staffing levels. Such study shall include, but not be limited to, an examination of (1) paraprofessional staffing requirements contained in individualized education programs and the manner in which school districts are complying with such requirements, (2) the causes of inadequate or inappropriate paraprofessional staffing, (3) assignments given to instructional and special education paraprofessionals, (4) the effect on student learning and achievement when paraprofessionals are removed from their assignments to serve as substitute teachers, (5) paraprofessional staffing standards established or adopted in other states, and (6) the cost to school districts for meeting appropriate and adequate paraprofessional staffing levels.

(b) The task force shall consist of the following members:

(1) The chairpersons and ranking members of the joint standing committee of the General Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to education, or their designees, who may be members of the General Assembly;

(2) One appointed by the speaker of the House of Representatives, who shall be an instructional paraprofessional;

(3) One appointed by the president pro tempore of the Senate, who shall be a representative of the School Paraprofessional Advisory Council, established pursuant to section 10-155k of the general statutes;

(4) One appointed by the majority leader of the House of Representatives, who shall be a special education paraprofessional;

(5) One appointed by the majority leader of the Senate, who shall be a teacher with experience working with paraprofessionals in the classroom;

(6) One appointed by the minority leader of the House of Representatives, who shall be a representative of the Connecticut Association of Boards of Education;

(7) One appointed by the minority leader of the Senate, who shall be a representative of the Connecticut Association of Public School Superintendents;

(8) One appointed by the Governor, who shall be a school administrator; and

(9) The Commissioner of Education, or the commissioner's designee.

(c) All appointments to the task force shall be made not later than thirty days after the effective date of this section. Any vacancy shall be filled by the appointing authority.

(d) The speaker of the House of Representatives and the president pro tempore of the Senate shall select the chairpersons of the task force from among the members of the task force. Such chairpersons shall schedule the first meeting of the task force, which shall be held not later than sixty days after the effective date of this section.

(e) The administrative staff of the joint standing committee of the General Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to education shall serve as administrative staff of the task force.

(f) Not later than January 1, 2015, the task force shall submit the study described in subsection (a) of this section and any recommendations for legislation arising out of such study to the joint standing committee of the General Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to education, in accordance with the provisions of section 11-4a of the general statutes. The task force shall terminate on the date that it submits such report or January 1, 2015, whichever is later.

This act shall take effect as follows and shall amend the following sections:
Section 1	from passage	New section

Statement of Purpose:

To establish a task force to study issues relating to paraprofessional staffing levels.

[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.]