CT HB05329

Connecticut Department of Education shall establish a competitive grant program beginning fiscal year 2026-2027 to fund educational innovations in schools, prioritizing early literacy/numeracy (birth through grade 8), high-dosage tutoring, college/career pathways, and family engagement

Eligible applicants include local and regional boards of education, regional educational service centers, charter school governing councils, and approved nonprofit education providers

Planning grants may last up to one year; implementation and scale grants may last up to three years

Applicants may request waivers from statutory or regulatory requirements that create barriers to their projects, though waivers cannot apply to student health/safety, civil rights, special education, data privacy, or educator certification

Grant amounts are excluded from district budgeted appropriation calculations for the subsequent fiscal year, and the Department must submit annual reports to the legislature beginning January 1, 2028