Substitute Bill No. 427 Summary

• Establishes a pilot program beginning July 1, 2022, allowing up to 50 students from Danbury to attend schools in New Fairfield, Brookfield, Bethel, Ridgefield, and Redding, and up to 50 students from Norwalk to attend schools in Darien, New Canaan, Wilton, Weston, and Westport, with students permitted to remain in receiving districts through high school graduation.

• Makes Guilford eligible to participate in the Open Choice Program as both a receiving and sending district with New Haven beginning July 1, 2022.

• Creates the State Teacher Shortage and Retention Task Force to develop a comprehensive report addressing teacher attrition, retention strategies, subject-matter shortages, impacts on financially distressed districts, and streamlined teacher certification processes.

• Task force composition includes 12 voting members appointed by legislative leaders and the Governor, plus the Commissioner of Education and Teachers' Retirement Board chief administrator, with representatives from teacher unions, school administrators, higher education, and state boards.

• Task force must submit its final report by January 4, 2023, to the joint standing committee on education and children, then terminates.