Substitute House Bill No. 6559 - Summary

• Establishes network of school readiness programs for children ages 3-5 with standards including at least 450 hours and 180 days annually, with staff qualifications phased in by 2029 requiring bachelor's degrees in early childhood education for 100% of primary classroom teachers.

• Creates grant programs for accredited school readiness programs in priority school districts (subsection c) and competitive grants for lower-wealth towns and priority school areas (subsection d), with eligible children receiving free or reduced-cost spaces.

• Requires school readiness councils in each town composed of parents, educators, health providers, and community representatives to oversee local planning and coordination of early childhood services.

• Implements comprehensive background checks for child care workers including state/national criminal history records and child abuse registry checks, with background checks required every five years.

• Renames "Nurturing Families Network" to "Connecticut Home Visiting System" to provide evidence-based home visiting services for high-risk families with infants and young children.