AN ACT CONCERNING THE ESTABLISHMENT OF A MATCHING GRANT PROGRAM FOR THE HIRING OF SPECIAL EDUCATION TEACHERS AND PARAEDUCATORS.

HB 5665 establishes a state-funded matching grant program to help school districts hire more special education teachers and paraeducators. Local and regional school boards can receive state funds that match their own spending on these positions. The program aims to reduce the number of students each special education staff member supports (caseload) by increasing staffing levels. This directly affects school districts and their ability to provide specialized instruction to students with disabilities. The bill seeks to address staffing shortages through direct financial support for hiring.