SB 6621 / Public Act 21-95 Summary

• Boards of education must hold public hearings on education-related questions upon petition by 1% of municipal electors (or 50 electors, whichever is greater) within three weeks of receiving the petition.

• Local and regional boards must provide annual vision screenings to kindergarten and grades 1, 3-5 students using Snellen charts or equivalent automated devices, with parental notification of defects or screening non-completion.

• Establishes a task force to study special education provision and funding from 2016-2020, examining costs, state reimbursement levels, and student identification criteria, with a report due by January 1, 2022.

• Boards of education must administer social-emotional learning assessments to students beginning in school year 2021-22 (mandatory) and continuing years (optional), with parental consent required before completion.

• Requires professional development programs for certified employees to integrate social-emotional learning and restorative practices principles, with school resource officers completing the same training as school staff.

• Department of Education must develop student social-emotional learning standards for grades 4-12 by October 1, 2022, and create a statewide virtual school plan offering grades K-12 by February 1, 2022.