AN ACT IMPLEMENTING THE RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION.

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

Section 1. Subdivision (1) of subsection (d) of section 10-264l of the 2018 supplement to the general statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1, 2018):

(d) (1) Grants made pursuant to this section, except those made pursuant to subdivision (7) of subsection (c) of this section and subdivision (2) of this subsection, shall be paid as follows: Seventy per cent not later than September first and the balance not later than May first of each fiscal year. The May first payment shall be adjusted to reflect actual interdistrict magnet school program enrollment as of the preceding October first using the data of record as of the intervening [March first] January thirty-first, if the actual level of enrollment is lower than the projected enrollment stated in the approved grant application. The May first payment shall be further adjusted for the difference between the total grant received by the magnet school operator in the prior fiscal year and the revised total grant amount calculated for the prior fiscal year in cases where the aggregate financial audit submitted by the interdistrict magnet school operator pursuant to subdivision (1) of subsection (n) of this section indicates an overpayment by the department. Notwithstanding the provisions of this section to the contrary, grants made pursuant to this section may be paid to each interdistrict magnet school operator as an aggregate total of the amount that the interdistrict magnet schools operated by each such operator are eligible to receive under this section. Each interdistrict magnet school operator may distribute such aggregate grant among the interdistrict magnet school programs that such operator is operating pursuant to a distribution plan approved by the Commissioner of Education.

Sec. 2. Subdivision (10) of subsection (c) of section 10-264l of the 2018 supplement to the general statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1, 2018):

(10) The amounts of the grants determined pursuant to this subsection shall be proportionately adjusted, if necessary, within available appropriations, and in no case shall [any grant] the total grant paid to an interdistrict magnet school operator pursuant to this section exceed the aggregate total of the reasonable operating [budget] budgets of the interdistrict magnet school [program] programs of such operator, less revenues from other sources.

Sec. 3. Subdivision (4) of subsection (a) of section 10-264i of the 2018 supplement to the general statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1, 2018):

(4) In addition to the grants otherwise provided pursuant to this section, the Commissioner of Education may provide supplemental transportation grants to regional educational service centers for the purposes of transportation to interdistrict magnet schools. Any such grant shall be provided within available appropriations and after the commissioner has reviewed and approved the total interdistrict magnet school transportation budget for a regional educational service center, including all revenue and expenditure estimates. For the fiscal years ending June 30, 2013, to June 30, [2017] 2018, inclusive, in addition to the grants otherwise provided pursuant to this section, the Commissioner of Education may provide supplemental transportation to interdistrict magnet schools that assist the state in meeting [the goals of the 2008 stipulation and order for Milo Sheff, et al. v. William A. O'Neill, et al., as extended, or the goals of the 2013 stipulation and order for Milo Sheff, et al. v. William A. O'Neill, et al., as extended, and for transportation provided by EASTCONN to interdistrict magnet schools] its obligations pursuant to the decision in Sheff v. O'Neill, 238 Conn. 1 (1996), or any related stipulation or order in effect, as determined by the commissioner. Any such grant shall be provided within available appropriations and upon a comprehensive financial review, by an auditor selected by the Commissioner of Education, the costs of such review may be paid from funds that are part of the supplemental transportation grant. Any such grant shall be paid as follows: For the fiscal year ending June 30, 2013, up to fifty per cent of the grant on or before June 30, 2013, and the balance on or before September 1, 2013, upon completion of the comprehensive financial review; for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2014, up to fifty per cent of the grant on or before June 30, 2014, and the balance on or before September 1, 2014, upon completion of the comprehensive financial review; for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2015, up to fifty per cent of the grant on or before June 30, 2015, and the balance on or before September 1, 2015, upon completion of the comprehensive financial review; [and] for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2016, up to fifty per cent of the grant on or before June 30, 2016, and the balance on or before September 1, 2016, upon completion of the comprehensive financial review; [and] for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2017, up to seventy per cent of the grant on or before June 30, 2017, and the balance on or before May 30, 2018, upon completion of the comprehensive financial review; and for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2018, up to seventy per cent of the grant on or before June 30, 2018, and the balance on or before May 30, 2019, upon completion of the comprehensive financial review.

Sec. 4. Section 10-236b of the 2018 supplement to the general statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1, 2018):

(a) For purposes of this section:

(1) "Life-threatening physical restraint" means any physical restraint or hold of a person that (A) restricts the flow of air into a person's lungs, whether by chest compression or any other means, or (B) immobilizes or reduces the free movement of a person's arms, legs or head while the person is in the prone position;

(2) "Psychopharmacologic agent" means any medication that affects the central nervous system, influencing thinking, emotion or behavior;

(3) "Physical restraint" means any mechanical or personal restriction that immobilizes or reduces the free movement of a person's arms, legs or head, including, but not limited to, carrying or forcibly moving a person from one location to another. The term does not include: (A) Briefly holding a person in order to calm or comfort the person; (B) restraint involving the minimum contact necessary to safely escort a person from one area to another; (C) medical devices, including, but not limited to, supports prescribed by a health care provider to achieve proper body position or balance; (D) helmets or other protective gear used to protect a person from injuries due to a fall; [or] (E) helmets, mitts and similar devices used to prevent self-injury when the device is (i) part of a documented treatment plan or individualized education program pursuant to section 10-76d, or (ii) prescribed or recommended by a medical professional, as defined in section 38a-976, and is the least restrictive means available to prevent such self-injury; or (F) an exclusionary time out;

(4) "School employee" [shall have] has the same meaning as provided in subsection (b) of section 10-221o;

(5) "Seclusion" means the involuntary confinement of a student in a room [, whether alone or with supervision, in a manner that prevents the student from leaving; and] from which the student is physically prevented from leaving. "Seclusion" does not include an exclusionary time out;

(6) "Student" means a child (A) enrolled in grades kindergarten to twelve, inclusive, in a public school under the jurisdiction of a local or regional board of education, (B) receiving special education and related services in an institution or facility operating under contract with a local or regional board of education pursuant to subsection (d) of section 10-76d, (C) enrolled in a program or school administered by a regional education service center established pursuant to section 10-66a, or (D) receiving special education and related services from an approved private special education program, but shall not include any child receiving educational services from (i) Unified School District #2, established pursuant to section 17a-37, or (ii) the Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services; and

(7) "Exclusionary time out" means a temporary, monitored separation of a student in a non-locked setting away from an ongoing activity for the purpose of calming or deescalating such student's behavior.

(b) No school employee shall use a physical restraint on a student except as an emergency intervention to prevent immediate or imminent injury to the student or to others, provided the restraint is not used for discipline or convenience and is not used as a substitute for a less restrictive alternative.

(c) No school employee shall use a life-threatening physical restraint on a student. This section shall not be construed as limiting any defense to criminal prosecution for the use of deadly physical force that may be available under sections 53a-18 to 53a-22, inclusive.

(d) Seclusion shall not be utilized as a planned intervention in a student's treatment or educational plan. No school employee shall place a student in seclusion except as an emergency intervention to prevent immediate or imminent injury to the student or to others, provided the seclusion is not used for discipline or convenience and is not used as a substitute for a less restrictive alternative. No student shall be placed in seclusion unless (1) such student is monitored by a school employee during the period of such student's seclusion pursuant to subsection (m) of this section, and (2) the area in which such student is secluded is equipped with a window or other fixture allowing such student a clear line of sight beyond the area of seclusion.

(e) No school employee may use a psychopharmacologic agent on a student without that student's consent except (1) as an emergency intervention to prevent immediate or imminent injury to the student or to others, or (2) as an integral part of the student's established medical or behavioral support or educational plan, as developed consistent with section 17a-543 or, if no such plan has been developed, as part of a licensed practitioner's initial orders. The use of psychopharmacologic agents, alone or in combination, may be used only in doses that are therapeutically appropriate and not as a substitute for other appropriate treatment.

(f) If any instance of physical restraint or seclusion of a student otherwise permissible under subsection (b) or (d) of this section exceeds fifteen minutes, (1) an administrator, as defined in section 10-144e, or such administrator's designee, (2) a school health or mental health personnel, as defined in subsection (a) of section 10-212b, or (3) a board certified behavioral analyst, who has received training in the use of physical restraint and seclusion pursuant to subsection (o) of this section, shall determine whether continued physical restraint or seclusion is necessary to prevent immediate or imminent injury to the student or to others. Upon a determination that such continued physical restraint or seclusion is necessary, such individual shall make a new determination every thirty minutes thereafter regarding whether such physical restraint or seclusion is necessary to prevent immediate or imminent injury to the student or to others.

(g) In the event that physical restraint or seclusion is used on a student four or more times within twenty school days:

(1) An administrator, one or more of such student's teachers, a parent or guardian of such student and, if any, a mental health professional, as defined in section 10-76t, shall convene for the purpose of (A) conducting or revising a behavioral assessment of the student, (B) creating or revising any applicable behavioral intervention plan, and (C) determining whether such student may require special education pursuant to section 10-76ff; or

(2) If such student is a child requiring special education, as described in subparagraph (A) of subdivision (5) of section 10-76a, or a child being evaluated for eligibility for special education pursuant to section 10-76d and awaiting a determination, such student's planning and placement team shall convene for the purpose of (A) conducting or revising a behavioral assessment of the student, and (B) creating or revising any applicable behavioral intervention plan, including, but not limited to, such student's individualized education plan.

(h) Each local or regional board of education shall notify a parent or guardian of a student who is placed in physical restraint or seclusion not later than twenty-four hours after the student was placed in physical restraint or seclusion and shall make a reasonable effort to provide such notification immediately after such physical restraint or seclusion is initiated.

(i) No school employee shall use a physical restraint on a student or place a student in seclusion unless such school employee has received training on the proper means for performing such physical restraint or seclusion pursuant to subsection (o) of this section.

(j) (1) On and after July 1, 2016, each local or regional board of education, and each institution or facility operating under contract with a local or regional board of education pursuant to subsection (d) of section 10-76d that provides special education for children, including any approved private special education program, shall (A) record each instance of the use of physical restraint or seclusion on a student, (B) specify whether the use of seclusion was in accordance with an individualized education program, (C) specify the nature of the emergency that necessitated the use of such physical restraint or seclusion, and (D) include such information in an annual compilation on its use of such restraint and seclusion on students. Each local or regional board of education and such institutions or facilities operating under contract with a local or regional board of education pursuant to subsection (d) of section 10-76d that provides special education for children, including any approved private special education program shall provide such annual compilation to the Department of Education for the purposes of the pilot program established pursuant to subdivision (2) of this subsection to examine incidents of physical restraint and seclusion in schools and to the State Board of Education for the purposes of subsection (k) of this section. Local or regional boards of education and such institutions and facilities that provide special education for children shall not be required to report instances of in-school suspensions, as defined in subsection (c) of section 10-233a.

(2) The Department of Education shall establish a pilot program for the school year commencing July 1, 2015. Such pilot program shall be implemented in various districts, including, but not limited to, an alliance district, a regional school district and a regional education service center. Under the pilot program, the Department of Education shall examine incidents of physical restraint and seclusion in schools and shall compile and analyze data regarding such incidents to enable the department to better understand and respond to incidents of physical restraint and seclusion on students in the state.

(k) The State Board of Education shall review the annual compilation of each local or regional board of education, and each institution or facility operating under contract with a local or regional board of education pursuant to subsection (d) of section 10-76d that provides special education for children, including any approved private special education program, and shall produce an annual summary report specifying (1) the frequency of use of physical restraint or seclusion on students, (2) whether any student subjected to such restraint or seclusion was a special education student, and (3) if any such student was a special education student, whether the use of such seclusion was in accordance with an individualized education program or whether the use of such seclusion was an emergency intervention to prevent immediate or imminent injury to the student or to others. Such report shall be submitted not later than January 15, 2017, and annually thereafter, to the joint standing committees of the General Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to children and education for inclusion in the annual report card prepared pursuant to section 2-53m.

(l) Any use of physical restraint or seclusion on a student shall be documented in the student's educational record. The documentation shall include (1) the nature of the emergency and what other steps, including attempts at verbal deescalation, were taken to prevent the emergency from arising if there were indications that such an emergency was likely to arise, and (2) a detailed description of the nature of the restraint or seclusion, the duration of such restraint or seclusion and the effect of such restraint or seclusion on the student's established educational plan.

(m) Any student who is physically restrained shall be continually monitored by a school employee. Any student who is involuntarily placed in seclusion shall be frequently monitored by a school employee. Each student so restrained or in seclusion shall be regularly evaluated by a school employee for indications of physical distress. The school employee conducting the evaluation shall enter each evaluation in the student's educational record. For purposes of this subsection, "monitor" means (1) direct observation, or (2) observation by way of video monitoring within physical proximity sufficient to provide aid as may be needed.

(n) If the use of such restraint or seclusion results in physical injury to the student, the local or regional board of education, and each institution or facility operating under contract with a local or regional board of education pursuant to subsection (d) of section 10-76d that provides special education for children, including any approved private special education program, shall report the incident to the State Board of Education, which shall include such incident in the report required pursuant to subsection (k) of this section. The State Board of Education shall report any incidence of serious injury or death to the nonprofit entity designated by the Governor in accordance with section 46a-10b to serve as the Connecticut protection and advocacy system, as required by the Developmental Disabilities Assistance and Bill of Rights Act of 2000, 42 USC 15041, et seq., as amended from time to time, and any regulations promulgated thereunder, and as required by the Protection and Advocacy for Individuals with Mental Illness Act, 42 USC 10801 et seq., as amended from time to time, and any regulations promulgated thereunder, and, if appropriate, to the Child Advocate of the Office of the Child Advocate.

(o) (1) Each local or regional board of education shall provide training regarding the physical restraint and seclusion of students to the members of the crisis intervention team for each school in the district, identified pursuant to subdivision (2) of this subsection. A local or regional board of education may provide such training to any teacher, as defined in section 10-144d, administrator, as defined in section 10-144e, school paraprofessional or other school employee, as defined in section 10-222d, designated by the school principal and who has direct contact with students. Such training shall be provided during the school year commencing July 1, 2017, and each school year thereafter, and shall include, but not be limited to:

(A) An overview of the relevant laws and regulations regarding the use of physical restraint and seclusion on students and the proper uses of physical restraint and seclusion. For the school year commencing July 1, 2017, and annually thereafter, such overview shall be provided by the Department of Education, in a manner and form as prescribed by the Commissioner of Education;

(B) The creation of a plan by which each local and regional board of education shall provide training regarding the prevention of incidents requiring physical restraint or seclusion of students. Such plan shall be implemented not later than July 1, 2018. The Department of Education may, within available appropriations, provide ongoing monitoring and support to local or regional boards of education regarding the formulation and implementation of the plan; and

(C) The creation of a plan by which each local or regional board of education shall provide training regarding the proper means of physical restraint or seclusion of a student, including, but not limited to, (i) various types of physical restraint and seclusion; (ii) the differences between life-threatening physical restraint and other varying levels of physical restraint; (iii) the differences between permissible physical restraint and pain compliance techniques; and (iv) monitoring methods to prevent harm to a student who is physically restrained or in seclusion. Such plan shall be implemented not later than July 1, 2018;

(2) For the school year commencing July 1, 2017, and each school year thereafter, each local and regional board of education shall require each school in the district to identify a crisis intervention team consisting of any teacher, as defined in section 10-144d, administrator, as defined in section 10-144e, school paraprofessional or other school employee, as defined in section 10-222d, designated by the school principal and who has direct contact with students. Such teams shall respond to any incident in which the use of physical restraint or seclusion may be necessary as an emergency intervention to prevent immediate or imminent injury to a student or to others. Each member of the crisis intervention team shall be recertified in the use of physical restraint and seclusion pursuant to subparagraph (C) of subdivision (1) of this subsection or chapter 814e on an annual basis. Each local and regional board of education shall maintain a list of the members of the crisis intervention team for each school.

(p) Each local or regional board of education shall develop policies and procedures that establish monitoring and internal reporting of the use of physical restraint and seclusion on students and shall make such policies and procedures available on such local or regional board of education's Internet web site and in such local or regional board of education's procedures manual.

(q) Nothing in this section shall be construed as limiting the justified use of physical force by a local, state or federal law enforcement official while in the performance of such official's duties.

(r) The State Board of Education shall adopt or revise regulations, in accordance with the provisions of chapter 54, concerning the use of physical restraint and seclusion pursuant to this section. Not later than sixty days after the adoption or revision of such regulations, each local or regional board of education shall update any applicable policies and procedures regarding the physical restraint and seclusion of students and shall make such updated policies and procedures available in a manner consistent with the provisions of subsection (p) of this section.

(s) Not later than July 1, 2018, each local or regional board of education shall establish a policy regarding the use of an exclusionary time out. Such policy shall include, but need not be limited to, a requirement that (1) at least one school employee remain within close enough proximity to the student placed in an exclusionary time out that such student and school employee are able to communicate verbally, (2) the exclusionary time out period terminate as soon as possible, and (3) if such student is a child requiring special education, as defined in section 10-76a, or a child being evaluated for special education, pursuant to section 10-76d, and awaiting a determination, and the interventions or strategies are unsuccessful in addressing such student's problematic behavior, such student's planning and placement team convene as soon as is practicable to determine alternative interventions or strategies.

Sec. 5. Subsection (i) of section 10-145b of the 2018 supplement to the general statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1, 2018):

(i) (1) The State Board of Education may take one or more of the following actions, in accordance with the provisions of subdivision (2) of this subsection, against a person holding a certificate, authorization or permit based on conduct that occurred prior or subsequent to the issuance of such certificate, authorization or permit:

(A) Revoke the holder's certificate, authorization or permit;

(B) Suspend the holder's certificate, authorization or permit; or

(C) Place the holder's certificate on probation subject to conditions determined by the Commissioner of Education.

(2) The State Board of Education may [revoke any] take any of the actions described in subparagraphs (A) to (C), inclusive, of subdivision (1) of this subsection with respect to a holder's certificate, authorization or permit issued pursuant to sections 10-144o to 10-149, inclusive, for any of the following reasons: (A) The holder of the certificate, authorization or permit obtained such certificate, authorization or permit through fraud or misrepresentation of a material fact; (B) the holder has persistently neglected to perform the duties for which the certificate, authorization or permit was granted; (C) the holder is professionally unfit to perform the duties for which the certificate, authorization or permit was granted; (D) the holder is convicted in a court of law of a crime involving moral turpitude or of any other crime of such nature that in the opinion of the board continued holding of a certificate, authorization or permit by the person would impair the standing of certificates, authorizations or permits issued by the board; or (E) other due and sufficient cause. The State Board of Education [shall] may revoke any certificate, authorization or permit issued pursuant to said sections if the holder is found to have intentionally disclosed specific questions or answers to students or otherwise improperly breached the security of any administration of a mastery examination, pursuant to section 10-14n. In any revocation proceeding pursuant to this section, the State Board of Education shall have the burden of establishing the reason for such revocation by a preponderance of the evidence. Revocation shall be in accordance with procedures established by the State Board of Education pursuant to chapter 54.

[(2)] (3) When the Commissioner of Education is notified, pursuant to section 10-149a or 17a-101i, that a person holding a certificate, authorization or permit issued by the State Board of Education under the provisions of sections 10-144o to 10-149, inclusive, has been convicted of (A) a capital felony, under the provisions of section 53a-54b in effect prior to April 25, 2012, (B) arson murder, pursuant to section 53a-54d, (C) a class A felony, (D) a class B felony, except a violation of section 53a-122, 53a-252 or 53a-291, (E) a crime involving an act of child abuse or neglect as described in section 46b-120, or (F) a violation of section 17a-101a, 53-21, 53-37a, 53a-60b, 53a-60c, 53a-71, 53a-72a, 53a-72b, 53a-73a, 53a-88, 53a-90a, 53a-99, 53a-103a, 53a-181c, 53a-191, 53a-196, 53a-196c, 53a-216, 53a-217b or 21a-278 or subsection (a) of section 21a-277, any certificate, permit or authorization issued by the State Board of Education and held by such person shall be deemed revoked and the commissioner shall notify such person of such revocation, provided such person may request reconsideration pursuant to regulations adopted by the State Board of Education, in accordance with the provisions of chapter 54. As part of such reconsideration process, the board shall make the initial determination as to whether to uphold or overturn the revocation. The commissioner shall make the final determination as to whether to uphold or overturn the revocation.

[(3)] (4) The State Board of Education may deny an application for the initial issuance or renewal of a certificate, authorization or permit for any of the following reasons: (A) The applicant seeks to obtain a certificate, authorization or permit through fraud or misrepresentation of a material fact; (B) the applicant has been convicted in a court of law of a crime involving moral turpitude or of any other crime of such nature that in the opinion of the board issuance of a certificate, authorization or permit would impair the standing of certificates, authorizations or permits issued by the board; or (C) other due and sufficient cause. Any applicant denied a certificate, authorization or permit shall be notified in writing of the reasons for denial. Any applicant denied a certificate, authorization or permit may request a review of such denial by the State Board of Education.

[(4)] (5) A person whose certificate, authorization or permit [or authorization] has been denied, revoked or suspended may not be employed in a public school during the period of denial, revocation or suspension. A person whose certificate, authorization or permit has been placed on probation may be employed in a public school during the period of probation in accordance with the terms of such probation.

(6) The State Board of Education may take any of the actions described in subparagraphs (A) to (C), inclusive, of subdivision (1) of this subsection, with respect to an applicant's or holder's certificate, authorization or permit as a result of the applicant or holder having been subject to disciplinary action for any of the reasons described in subdivision (2) of this subsection by a duly authorized professional disciplinary agency of any state, a federal governmental agency, the District of Columbia, a United States possession or territory or a foreign jurisdiction. The State Board of Education may rely upon the findings and conclusions made by a duly authorized professional disciplinary agency of any state, a federal governmental agency, the District of Columbia, a United States possession or territory or foreign jurisdiction in taking such action.

[(5)] (7) Any local or regional board of education or private special education facility approved by the commissioner shall report to the commissioner when an employee, who holds a certificate, permit or authorization, is dismissed pursuant to subdivision (3) of subsection (d) of section 10-151.

(8) The State Board of Education may, pursuant to chapter 54, adopt or revise regulations relating to the procedure by which the State Board of Education may take any of the actions described in subparagraphs (A) to (C), inclusive, of subdivision (1) of this subsection.

Sec. 6. Subsection (f) of section 10-145d of the 2018 supplement to the general statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1, 2018):

(f) An endorsement issued prior to July 1, [2013] 2018, to teach elementary education grades one to six, inclusive, shall be valid for grades kindergarten to six, inclusive, and for such an endorsement issued on or after July 1, [2013] 2018, the endorsement shall be valid for grades [one] kindergarten to six, inclusive. [, except such an endorsement issued between July 1, 2013, and July 1, 2017, to any student who was admitted to and successfully completes a teacher preparation program, as defined in section 10-10a, in the certification endorsement area of elementary education on or before June 30, 2017, shall be valid for grades kindergarten to six, inclusive.] An endorsement to teach comprehensive special education grades one to twelve, inclusive, shall be valid for grades kindergarten to twelve, inclusive, provided, on and after September 1, 2013, any (1) certified employee applying for a comprehensive special education endorsement, or (2) applicant for an initial, provisional or professional educator certificate and a comprehensive special education endorsement shall achieve a satisfactory score on the reading instruction examination approved by the State Board of Education on April 1, 2009, or a comparable reading instruction examination with minimum standards that are equivalent to the examination approved by the State Board of Education on April 1, 2009.

Sec. 7. Subsection (c) of section 10-145f of the 2018 supplement to the general statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1, 2018):

(c) Notwithstanding the provisions of this section and section 10-145b, as amended by this act, the following persons shall be eligible for a nonrenewable three-year temporary [certificate] permit: (1) A [person who has resided in a state other than Connecticut during the year immediately preceding application for certification in Connecticut and meets the requirements for certification, excluding successful completion of the competency examination and subject matter assessment, if such person holds current teacher certification in a state other than Connecticut and has completed at least one year of successful teaching in another state in a public school or a nonpublic school approved by the appropriate state board of education, (2) a] person who has graduated from a teacher preparation program, as defined in section 10-10a, at a regionally accredited college or university outside of the state [and regionally accredited,] and meets the requirements for certification, [excluding] except successful completion of the [competency examination and subject matter assessment, (3)] testing requirements of this section, (2) a person hired by a charter school after July first in any school year for a teaching position that school year, provided the person hired after said date could reasonably be expected to complete the requirements prescribed in subparagraphs (B) and (C) of subdivision (1) of subsection (c) of section 10-145b, and [(4)] (3) a person who has taught under or held an appropriate certificate issued by another state, territory or possession of the United States or the District of Columbia or the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico for two or more years during the ten years immediately preceding the date of application for the nonrenewable three-year temporary certificate. The nonrenewable three-year temporary [certificate] permit shall be valid for [one year] three years from the date it is issued. [, except the State Board of Education may extend a temporary certificate for an additional two years (A) in the certification endorsement area of bilingual education issued under this subsection to a person who is employed by a local or regional board of education and providing instruction as part of a program of bilingual instruction, as defined in section 10-17e, or (B) to a person described in subdivision (4) of this subsection.]

Sec. 8. Subsection (a) of section 10-145d of the 2018 supplement to the general statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1, 2018):

(a) The State Board of Education shall, pursuant to chapter 54, adopt such regulations as may be necessary to carry out the provisions of sections 10-144o, 10-145a to 10-145d, inclusive, as amended by this act, 10-145f, as amended by this act, and 10-146b. Such regulations shall provide for (1) the establishment of an appeal panel to review any decision to deny the issuance of a certificate authorized under section 10-145b, as amended by this act; (2) the establishment of requirements for subject area endorsements; (3) the extension of the time to complete requirements for certificates under section 10-145b, as amended by this act; (4) the establishment of requirements for administrator and supervisor certificates; (5) the composition of, and the procedures to be utilized by, the assessment teams in implementing the beginning educator program; (6) procedures and criteria for issuing certificates to persons whose certificates have lapsed or persons with non-public-school or out-of-state teaching experience; (7) the criteria for defining a major course of study; (8) a requirement that on and after July 1, 1993, in order to be eligible to obtain an initial educator certificate with an elementary endorsement, each person be required to (A) complete a survey course in United States history comprised of not fewer than three semester hours, or its equivalent, or (B) achieve a satisfactory evaluation on the appropriate State Board of Education approved subject area assessment; and (9) a requirement that on and after July 1, 2004, in order to be eligible to obtain an initial educator certificate with an early childhood nursery through grade three or an elementary endorsement, each person be required to complete a comprehensive reading instruction course comprised of not less than six semester hours, or its equivalent. Such regulations may provide for exceptions to accommodate specific certification endorsement areas.

Sec. 9. Section 10-145o of the general statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1, 2018):

(a) The Department of Education, with cooperation from local and regional school districts, regional educational service centers, representatives of the exclusive bargaining representative for certified employees chosen pursuant to section 10-153b, and public institutions of higher education, shall establish and administer a teacher education and mentoring program that includes guided teacher support and coaching and the completion of instructional modules, pursuant to subsection (e) of this section, for beginning teachers. The program shall be aligned with the principles of teaching approved by the State Board of Education. As part of the program, each beginning teacher shall develop a two-year individualized mentoring plan.

(b) In administering the teacher education and mentoring program under this section:

(1) The Department of Education shall (A) develop a statement for the teacher education and mentoring program that includes the state's goals for state-wide teacher induction, mentoring, professional development and evaluation, using state-wide data and national research findings; (B) distribute state funding to local and regional school districts to assist with implementation of district teacher education and mentoring plans; (C) [manage and make accessible to local and regional school districts the data systems needed to document that teachers and mentors have satisfactorily completed the instructional modules; (D)] monitor district implementation of the teacher education and mentoring program to ensure fidelity to the program's plan and goals; [, including random district audits and observations by state personnel; (E)] (D) issue provisional educator certificates to teachers that have satisfactorily completed the induction program; [(F)] (E) develop guidelines for the creation and approval of district teacher education and mentoring plans, based on input and recommendations from stakeholder groups; and [(G)] (F) oversee an outside evaluation of the teacher education and mentoring program every three to five years;

(2) The Department of Education, in collaboration with EASTCONN, the RESC Alliance, institutions of higher education and other stakeholders, shall (A) develop instructional modules for beginning teachers to complete; (B) train mentors to carry out responsibilities at the district level; (C) [provide professional development and training for regional mentors working at the district level; (D)] provide professional development and training for district teams and principals in managing, designing and administering teacher education and mentoring plans; and [(E)] (D) provide technical assistance to districts based on district size and needs;

(3) The Department of Education and public institutions of higher education shall (A) work with regional educational service centers to align modules with [National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education] Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation approved preservice teacher preparation programs; and (B) [develop and deliver regional strategies for supporting mentor assistance programs; and (C)] train cooperating teachers to work with teacher preparation candidates during student teaching and internships;

(4) Local and regional boards of education shall (A) develop a three-year teacher education and mentoring plan in accordance with subsection (c) of this section; (B) form a local or regional coordinating committee or committees, with representatives of the exclusive bargaining representative for certified employees chosen pursuant to section 10-153b, based on district size, to guide the activities outlined in the three-year teacher education and mentoring plan; (C) [develop an annual budget to support the activities detailed in the three-year teacher education and mentoring plan and submit such budget annually to the Department of Education to receive state assistance for such activities; (D)] recruit and pair mentors from within and outside of the district to work with beginning teachers; [(E)] (D) ensure substitute teacher coverage for mentors and beginning teachers to participate in the activities and modules required in the three-year teacher education and mentoring plan; [(F)] (E) communicate regularly with beginning teachers about training opportunities, state-wide workshops and support group work; [(G)] (F) coordinate the teacher education and mentoring program and teacher evaluation and supervision program, provided they are kept separate; [(H) verify, through the local or regional coordinating committee, that the work of beginning teachers and instructional modules has been successfully completed to warrant provisional certification; (I) when a beginning teacher has satisfactorily completed all modules, attest to that fact and that the teacher is eligible for provisional certification; and (J) ensure that schools under the board's jurisdiction (i) administer the state's on-line needs assessment to establish the goals and priorities of each beginning teacher as such teacher develops an individualized mentoring plan, (ii)] and (G) review and approve beginning teachers' individualized, two-year mentoring plan, [(iii)] organize mentoring opportunities by grade, department or specialty area, [(iv)] take steps to make time available, as needed, to help teachers achieve the goals of their mentoring plans [, (v)] and coordinate the activities and schedules of mentors and beginning teachers to ensure faithful implementation of the district plan. [, and (vi) submit annual report on mentor-teacher activities to the district coordinating committee for review and approval.]

(c) Local and regional school districts shall develop a three-year teacher education and mentoring plan that incorporates the Department of Education's goals and instructional priorities, as well as any local considerations based on community and student needs. Such plan shall include: (1) Background information about the district that includes a community profile, district profile, student profile, faculty profile, mentor profile and beginning teacher profile; (2) a statement of three-year objectives related to the state's goal statement for the teacher education and mentoring program; (3) a general timeline for district coordinating teams to meet with central office personnel, principals, mentors or district facilitators; (4) a description of the process used to select mentors and assign them to beginning teachers, based on subject areas, levels and need; and (5) a description of the process used to train and update mentors in best practices and essential knowledge. [; (6) a timeline of district-wide mentoring days for observations, individual discussion, small group meetings, professional development days, regional educational service center training sessions and beginning teachers' completion of tasks associated with each module; (7) a description of the process used to collect, review and coordinate teachers' mentoring plans; (8) a description of the process to resolve internal disputes over the district's recommendations to the state concerning which individuals have satisfactorily completed the instructional modules; and (9) a description of the resources and budget needed to carry out the activities described in the plan.]

(d) Local and regional boards of education shall not consider a teacher's completion of the teacher education and mentoring program as a factor in its decision to continue a teacher's employment in the district.

(e) (1) Beginning teachers shall satisfactorily complete instructional modules in the following areas: (A) Classroom management and climate, which shall include training regarding the prevention, identification and response to school bullying, as defined in section 10-222d, and the prevention of and response to youth suicide; (B) lesson planning and unit design; (C) delivering instruction; (D) assessing student learning; and (E) professional practice. Beginning teachers shall complete two modules in their first year in the program and three modules in their second year in the program, except as otherwise provided by the Commissioner of Education, or as provided for in subsection (h) of this section.

(2) Beginning teachers shall work with their mentors in developing a planned set of activities, based on the topics offered within each instructional module. [, to complete each such instructional module, and such activities shall be reflected in the beginning teacher needs assessment.] Such activities may be presented in person by mentors, offered in workshops, through on-line courses or through the completion of a set of readings. For each instructional module, beginning teachers shall [(A)] apply the knowledge gained through such activities in a lesson, project or demonstration of how the activity impacted student learning. [, and (B) submit a reflection paper or project, to be signed by the mentor, that summarizes, describes or analyzes what has been learned by the beginning teacher and their students throughout the module and how the learning contributed to the development of such beginning teacher. Such reflection paper or project shall be forwarded to the district's coordinating committee for approval.]

[(3) Upon successful completion of the instructional modules and final review by the coordinating committee, the superintendent of the school district shall submit the names of the beginning teachers eligible for receipt of a provisional educator certificate to the State Board of Education.]

(f) Local and regional boards of education, in cooperation with the Department of Education, institutions of higher education and regional educational service centers, shall recruit mentors for their teacher education and mentoring program. Those persons eligible to serve as mentors for such programs shall hold a provisional educator certificate or a professional educator certificate, [or a distinguished educator designation pursuant to section 10-145s,] and have at least three years teaching experience in Connecticut, including at least one year of experience in the district in which they are presently employed. Retired certified teachers may also serve as mentors, provided they successfully complete a mentor training program offered by a regional educational service center. Each mentor [shall] may be assigned two beginning teachers, except that in certain circumstances, a mentor may be assigned three beginning teachers. [Such assignment shall be reflected in each district's three-year plan.] Each mentor shall provide fifty contact hours to each beginning teacher during the program, with the expectation of approximately ten contact hours per module. Mentors shall receive a minimum of a five-hundred-dollar annual stipend for each beginning teacher assigned to such mentor from the local or regional board of education for participation in the teacher education and mentoring program. Such stipend shall be included in a person's total earnings for purposes of retirement.

(g) Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection (h) of this section, for the school year commencing July 1, 2010, beginning teachers who hold an initial educator certificate and have not participated in any beginning educator program as of July 1, 2009, shall participate in the teacher education and mentoring programs as follows:

(1) Beginning teachers in the following subject areas and endorsement areas shall be required to successfully complete the teacher education and mentoring program in full: Elementary education, English and language arts, mathematics, science, social studies, special education, bilingual education, music, physical education, visual arts, world languages and teachers of English as a second language.

(2) Beginning teachers in any other endorsement area and whose primary function is providing direct instruction to students shall be required to successfully complete one year of mentorship and two instructional modules.

(h) Teachers who began in a beginning educator program, pursuant to section 10-145b of the general statutes, revision of 1958, revised to January 1, 2009, but have not completed that program as of July 1, 2009, and teach during the 2009-2010 school year, shall be granted a one-year extension of their initial educator certificates, if necessary, and shall participate in the teacher education and mentoring program, pursuant to this section, through the completion of two instructional modules during the 2010-2011 school year. Such teachers shall exit the program at the end of the 2010-2011 school year upon the successful completion of the two instructional modules.

[(i) The Department of Education, in consultation with EASTCONN, shall create a data system for local and regional school districts to access the resources and record-keeping tools to manage the teacher education and mentoring program at the local level. Such data system shall include (1) templates for (A) writing and updating each district's plan, (B) recording each teacher's completion of each of the five instructional modules, and (C) teachers to record the completion of instructional module activities and submit written reflection papers or projects, and (2) links to on-line programs or workshops that are part of the five modules.]

[(j)] (i) Not later than July 1, 2010, the State Board of Education shall adopt guidelines to provide for the implementation of the teacher education and mentoring program in accordance with this section and the Report of the Beginning Educator Support and Training Program (BEST)/Mentor Assistance Program (MAP) Task Force dated December 29, 2008.

Statement of Purpose:

To implement the recommendations of the Department of Education.

[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.]