SB 311 Connecticut Senate · 2026 Regular Session

AN ACT CONCERNING DISCONNECTED YOUTH.

SB 311 modifies Connecticut school suspension policies to better support vulnerable students. It requires schools to consider homelessness when determining suspensions (per McKinney-Vento Act definitions) and limits suspensions to 45 days per school year without a formal hearing. The bill also allows first-time suspensions to be waived if students complete free school-specified programs, and mandates that suspension records be removed from student files upon graduation or program completion. These changes directly affect students in Connecticut public schools, particularly those experiencing homelessness or facing disciplinary action. The bill does not address "disconnected youth" as implied by its title, focusing instead on school discipline procedures.

Issues: ✓ Education

Bill status in committee 1 of 4 stages cleared

Introduction

Feb 2026

Committee Review

Floor Vote

Governor

Introduced Feb 26, 2026 Last action Mar 24, 2026

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What changed between versions

Raised Bill → ED Joint Favorable Substitute Change of Reference · 5 edits

MODERATE

The bill shifts from a specific mandate for the P20 WIN executive board to share youth outcome data with a nonprofit partner to a broader mandate for the Chief Workforce Officer to request data from any state agency. It also replaces detailed suspension rules for students with a new role for an Educational Ombudsperson to handle complaints and analyze student issues, while adding a specific priority for the office to address districts over-identifying minority students for special education.

Scope change

The bill's scope expanded from a narrow data-sharing requirement between the P20 WIN board and a nonprofit to a general authority for the Chief Workforce Officer to access data from all state agencies. Additionally, the scope of student discipline oversight changed from direct administrative rules to a new oversight role for an Educational Ombudsperson.

REQUIREMENT

Replaced a specific requirement for the P20 WIN board to share data with a nonprofit with a general authority for the Chief Workforce Officer to request data from any state agency.

Established a new Educational Ombudsperson role to receive student complaints, analyze data, and monitor laws affecting students.

Added a specific directive for the Educational Ombudsperson to prioritize efforts in school districts identified as disproportionately identifying minority students for special education.

Removed detailed statutory rules regarding student suspension procedures, including limits on the number of suspensions and requirements for informal hearings.

DEFINITION

Updated the definition and structure of the P20 WIN DataLinkCT, establishing an executive board and data governing board to oversee secure data sharing.

Floor votes

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Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

Mar 16, 2026

Upper · Passed

Joint Favorable Substitute Change of Reference APP

upper

Feb 26, 2026

Committee

REF. TO JOINT COMM. ON Education

upper

1 primary · 0 co-sponsors