Education

HB 5323 requires school-based health centers in Connecticut to use evidence-based screening tools for disordered eating behaviors during annual health assessments for students in grades 9-12, starting January 1, 2028. The bill also creates two new groups: a task force to develop recommendations for identifying and treating disordered eating in children, and a Holistic Food Education Working Group to create a state-wide food education roadmap and nutrition curriculum. Both groups include representatives from education, health, advocacy, and school organizations. The screening is optional for students or their parents/guardians, and the task force must report by January 1, 2028. The bill directly affects schools, health centers, and students in grades 9-12 through these new requirements and planning efforts.

SB 137 establishes the Early Childhood Cabinet, a new state coordinating body with 21 members including agency leaders and appointed stakeholders like parents, educators, and child care providers. It creates the Connecticut Smart Start grant program, providing school districts with funding to start or expand preschool programs through capital grants (up to $75,000 per classroom for facility renovations) and annual operating grants (up to $6,500 per child or $97,500 per classroom). These grants, available for five years, target local and regional school boards to support preschool programs meeting state standards. The bill directly affects public school districts, early childhood education providers, and families accessing preschool services in Connecticut, effective July 2026.

SB 138 revises Connecticut's charter school approval process. It limits charter school enrollment to 250 students or 25% of a district's total enrollment (whichever is smaller) and prioritizes applications serving students in low-performing districts, priority school districts, or specific groups like multilingual learners or those with special education needs. The State Board of Education must review charter applications for schools located in districts with "commissioner's network" schools or low achievement ratings. The bill also updates non-discrimination protections to include gender identity in school admissions policies.

SB 220 requires school districts to create individual reading plans for students in grades 4-9 who scored at Level 1 or 2 on English Language Arts exams or missed growth targets. Each plan must identify specific reading gaps, outline evidence-based interventions (like small-group tutoring with a 4:1 student-to-tutor ratio), and include parent communication. The bill also establishes a state grant program to fund high-dosage tutoring for these students, prioritizing districts in alliance towns or with detailed implementation plans. It updates required reading assessments for kindergarten through grade 3 to include frequent screening and progress monitoring.

This bill updates Connecticut's compulsory education laws to allow parents to choose between public school, private school, or home-based equivalent instruction for children aged five to seventeen. It requires parents to formally notify their local school district each year of their chosen educational path and mandates that districts provide information about available educational options. The legislation also raises the age at which students can voluntarily withdraw from school from seventeen to eighteen years old and clarifies definitions for equivalent instruction and nonpublic schools.