Bill Text: CT HB06500 | 2011 | General Assembly | Introduced

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Bill Title: An Act Concerning Educational Achievement.

Spectrum: Committee Bill

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2011-03-03 - Public Hearing 03/07 [HB06500 Detail]

Download: Connecticut-2011-HB06500-Introduced.html

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General Assembly		Raised Bill No. 6500
January Session, 2011		LCO No. 4060
		*04060_______ED_*
Referred to Committee on Education
Introduced by:
(ED )

AN ACT CONCERNING EDUCATIONAL ACHIEVEMENT.

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

Section 1. Subsection (b) of section 10-220 of the general statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1, 2011):

(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] annually establish student objectives for the school year 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.

Sec. 2. Subsection (b) of section 10-145f of the general statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1, 2011):

(b) (1) Any person who does not hold a valid certificate pursuant to section 10-145b shall (A) achieve satisfactory scores on the state reading, writing and mathematics competency examination prescribed by and administered under the direction of the State Board of Education, or qualify for a waiver of such test based on criteria approved by the State Board of Education, and (B) achieve a satisfactory evaluation on the appropriate State Board of Education approved subject area assessment in order to be eligible for a certificate pursuant to said section unless such assessment has not been approved by the State Board of Education at the time of application, in which case the applicant shall not be denied a certificate solely because of the lack of an evaluation on such assessment. A person who holds a valid school administrator certificate in another state that is at least equivalent to an initial educator certificate, pursuant to section 10-145b, as determined by the State Board of Education, and has successfully completed three years of experience as a school administrator in a public school in another state or in a nonpublic school approved by the appropriate state board of education during the ten-year period prior to the date of application for a certificate in a school administration endorsement area shall not be required to meet the state reading, writing and mathematics competency examination.

(2) Any person applying for an additional certification endorsement shall achieve a satisfactory evaluation on the appropriate State Board of Education approved subject area assessment in order to be eligible for such additional endorsement, unless such assessment has not been approved by the State Board of Education at the time of application, in which case the applicant shall not be denied the additional endorsement solely because of the lack of an evaluation on such assessment.

(3) On and after July 1, 1992, any teacher who held a valid teaching certificate but whose certificate lapsed and who had completed all requirements for the issuance of a new certificate pursuant to section 10-145b, except for filing an application for such certificate, prior to the date on which the lapse occurred, may file, within one year of the date on which the lapse occurred, an application with the Commissioner of Education for the issuance of such certificate. Upon the filing of such an application, the commissioner may grant such certificate and such certificate shall be retroactive to the date on which the lapse occurred, provided the commissioner finds that the lapse of the certificate occurred as a result of a hardship or extenuating circumstances beyond the control of the applicant. If such teacher has attained tenure and is reemployed by the same board of education in any equivalent unfilled position for which the person is qualified as a result of the issuance of a certificate pursuant to this subdivision, the lapse period shall not constitute a break in employment for such person reemployed and shall be used for the purpose of calculating continuous employment pursuant to section 10-151. If such teacher has not attained tenure, the time unemployed due to the lapse of a certificate shall not be counted toward tenure, except that if such teacher is reemployed by the same board of education as a result of the issuance of a certificate pursuant to this subdivision, such teacher may count the previous continuous employment immediately prior to the lapse towards tenure. Using information provided by the Teachers' Retirement Board, the Department of Education shall annually notify each local or regional board of education of the name of each teacher employed by such board of education whose provisional certificate will expire during the period of twelve months following such notice. Upon receipt of such notice the superintendent of each local and regional board of education shall notify each such teacher in writing, at such teacher's last known address, that the teacher's provisional certificate will expire.

(4) Notwithstanding the provisions of this subsection to the contrary, to be eligible for a certificate to teach subjects for which a bachelor's degree is not required, any applicant who is otherwise eligible for certification in such endorsement areas shall be entitled to a certificate without having met the requirements of the competency examination and subject area assessment pursuant to this subsection for a period not to exceed two years, except that for a certificate to teach skilled trades or trade-related or occupational subjects, the commissioner may waive the requirement that the applicant take the competency examination. The commissioner may, upon the showing of good cause, extend the certificate.

(5) On and after July 1, 2011, any person applying for a certification in the endorsement area of elementary education shall achieve a satisfactory evaluation on the appropriate State Board of Education approved mathematics assessment in order to be eligible for such elementary education endorsement.

Sec. 3. (NEW) (Effective July 1, 2011) (a) On or before January 1, 2012, the Department of Education shall develop a uniform system of accounting for school expenditures that includes a chart of accounts for each individual school under the jurisdiction of a local or regional board of education, regional educational service center, regional vocational-technical school system or state charter school.

(b) For the school year commencing July 1, 2012, and each school year thereafter, all local and regional boards of education, regional educational service centers, the regional vocational-technical school system and state charter schools shall (1) maintain all school financial accounts in compliance with the uniform system of accounting for school expenditures developed pursuant to subsection (a) of this section, (2) annually file the chart of accounts required pursuant to such uniform system of accounting for school expenditures with the Department of Education, and (3) make such chart of accounts available on the Internet web site for the local or regional board of education, regional educational service center, the regional vocational-technical school system or state charter school.

This act shall take effect as follows and shall amend the following sections:
Section 1	July 1, 2011	10-220(b)
Sec. 2	July 1, 2011	10-145f(b)
Sec. 3	July 1, 2011	New section

Statement of Purpose:

To require local and regional boards of education to annually establish student goals and objectives for the school year; to require all applicants for certification in the endorsement area of elementary education to pass a mathematics examination approved by the State Board of Education; and to require the Department of Education to develop a uniform system of accounting for school expenditures that includes a chart of accounts for each individual school in a school district.

[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.]