Connecticut Substitute Bill No. 874 Summary

• Establishes Commission on Shared School Services with members from education stakeholders, municipalities, and state agencies to develop recommendations on sharing school services and collaborations among districts, terminating June 30, 2027.

• Requires Commission to produce 15 detailed reports by December 2020 on existing school districts, shared services, labor contracts, transportation, athletics, special education, early childhood programs, and financial projections on savings from collaboration.

• Mandates municipalities and school boards submit reports by September 15, 2019 on current shared services and by January 1, 2020 on planned consolidations to be completed by July 1, 2022.

• Updates teacher certification requirements and governance rules for incorporated/endowed high schools, including State Board approval, public audit submissions, and local board representation.

• Expands student expulsion standards, adds social-emotional learning and trauma-informed instruction to teacher training requirements, increases school construction grant percentages for regional districts and cooperative arrangements, and requires curriculum publication on school websites.