[{"_1":2,"_100":-5,"_101":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,88],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6626039,"mediaKeyId","2754672-cbab6546540b87d5ded706acc16812a5","parentId",2754672,"title","Education panel advances bill to seed universal preschool trust; lawmakers debate using surplus versus pension paydown","audioSeconds",943,"startMs",3387000,"endMs",4330000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2754672-cbab6546540b87d5ded706acc16812a5&start=3387&end=4330","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2754672-cbab6546540b87d5ded706acc16812a5/thumbnail_3387000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6626039/Connecticut/Education-panel-advances-bill-to-seed-universal-preschool-trust-lawmakers-debate-using-surplus-versus-pension-paydown","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6626039-53d3bc980fb91c8f2bb5de85bc7e7e97/orig.mp4?Expires=1770440155&Signature=ApXU1hriUVtDwE6o8W7DvmwlcQ0A70d~ujwp-oiwoTbLSoDmL0BTaGAhETml6UMQtCcQAeSZBkSlviJdcPQ9sAJpzPpMeOMo5pKu~0YE41P1yzc53cVU9HsfUl~7mBvZnzjl19qWL7SeQlQFJ-~fPrL6WEtkQDuqj3SIWC8WnN9Vr-FQi1l6zfH9~1FcmjQc4fxG8u4w4g6Hu1fKS9Vb4m51i03Yl0i3u1tm6CgG2x9mtz90S6CaB19-OsByMlJ5Zf7M8PHhDQiU4P5L6D-kCi91psHPfJ9bZc1N1ZuLDNbIxO5EBKKDF-cxS95KlDbMe7Es6PV0TDVwkr9FkT-EVg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Connecticut State Legislature - Education","date","2025-03-24T21:00:25.88Z","article","The Education Committee on Wednesday voted to send Senate Bill 1, a measure to create a Universal Preschool Trust and expand early-childhood resources, to the floor while members pressed lawmakers for clarity about how the trust would be funded.

Proponents described a plan to set aside an initial pool of surplus funds, invest them and use investment returns to pay for a phased rollout of universal pre-K. Opponents raised concerns that earmarking large unappropriated surpluses for this new, long-term program could divert dollars that otherwise might be used to prepay pension liabilities.

Why it matters: Committee members focused on whether the proposal would change Connecticut’s existing practice of using surplus and volatility-cap funds to accelerate pension payments. Supporters framed the bill as an investment that could generate recurring revenue to sustain preschool access, while skeptics warned that shifting a large one-time surplus into a new trust changes long‑term fiscal choices.

How the trust would work: The bill’s sponsor described a proposal to place an initial sum in a reserve and invest it so that later investment returns would help finance the first phase of the program rather than making repeated large direct appropriations each year. A numeric illustration was presented in committee discussion describing the use of a multi‑hundred‑million dollar initial set‑aside; committee members asked for clearer language and fiscal estimates to back up the concept.

Pension and legal questions: Several members pressed whether the funding source is a separate pot of “ARPA interest” dollars or the same surplus that feeds the volatility cap and pension prepayments. The Office of Legislative Research/Office of Legal Counsel (OLR) representative, Heather Poole, told the committee that her office’s reading of similar past language is that spending an unappropriated surplus in this way would implicate the constitutional provision on unappropriated surplus and would therefore likely require approval by at least three-fifths of each chamber of the legislature.

Committee action: The committee recorded a motion to favorably report Senate Bill 1 to the floor and then conducted a roll call; votes were held open until 4:00 p.m., per the committee’s practice. (The transcript shows the motion made and the roll call initiated; the committee chair announced votes would be held open.)

What remains: Members asked for a fiscal note, clearer drafting about the funding source, and stronger language to show whether the proposal would in any way interrupt the state’s planned pension prepayments. The sponsor and staff acknowledged those questions and signaled they would provide further detail before the measure reaches the floor.

Ending: The committee advanced the bill to the next stage while leaving members’ substantive concerns on funding structure and legal thresholds on the record; staff and counsel were asked to provide follow-up detail and a fiscal note before final floor action.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","3/24 Education Committee Meeting","oneSentenceSummary","The Education Committee on Wednesday voted to send Senate Bill 1, which would create a Universal Preschool Trust, to the floor after debate about using unappropriated surplus funds to seed an invest‑and‑spend endowment for statewide pre‑K access.","taxTitle","Education, House of Representatives, Committees, Legislative, Connecticut","taxId",15142,"location","Connecticut","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6626035,"Committee advances scholarship and alternate‑route bill to recruit diverse educators; members press for stronger detail on commitments and program design",2002,4298000,6300000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2754672-cbab6546540b87d5ded706acc16812a5&start=4298&end=6300","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2754672-cbab6546540b87d5ded706acc16812a5/thumbnail_4298000.jpg","/articles/6626035/Connecticut/Committee-advances-scholarship-and-alternateroute-bill-to-recruit-diverse-educators-members-press-for-stronger-detail-on-commitments-and-program-design","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6626035-7f7d7bcafef5cd5d4e584935304c53f3/orig.mp4?Expires=1770440155&Signature=SnxGt3pgz4JKPedmkcLB7J7C-abQim6bSRMvXBexg-CT6vwFWH1HMQqnxKMtItHVMglE32ZCb9Bj8g~iiWjqpqzW2KWT~wOdNeBM67YDzXc~SeeX8KPOOSTfdATVsr94oBk2wzmYQ4HBi0aVXAt8j5ECTVWSOAmk7H7D2OoJmbYpN~ZLbD1UMupiYzdWSQ7vLoNnurZXSjfvDq3Z36qZ7gWd1DqUN2xI4TQpYIR5ug8xKCUmASSY5PvWF0IhuSJ~~rs2mT3XmiyNnkyjzzeCs9CvdhJdEW2Spp82kbyNSxrxacxamihOPE~VLgS59dyl6HjgUo5ybPfgszr6fDTtuQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Education Committee advanced Senate Bill 1513, a package to expand scholarship supports and alternate paths into teaching, to the Appropriations Committee after extended floor‑level discussion about program design and administration.

Why it matters: Lawmakers said Connecticut faces teacher shortages in special education, math, science and bilingual instruction, and highlighted demographic gaps between students and educators. The bill would fund scholarships, clinical stipends and set aside seats in alternate-route programs for certain groups, with supporters arguing the investments will attract and retain more educators, especially those who reflect students’ backgrounds.

Key points from committee testimony and questions:
- Scope and cost: The sponsor reported an initial program allocation history and a prospective annual funding level; the committee asked for a clearer fiscal estimate. The sponsor said prior-year allocations were underutilized and proposed expanding outreach and marketing alongside higher budget authority.
- Service commitment and payback: Members repeatedly asked how long a scholarship recipient would be required to teach in Connecticut and whether graduates would be required to serve in specific shortage areas (for example, special education). The sponsor said candidates would likely be required to teach for a multi‑year period (sponsor described a 3–5 year range) and that a payback mechanism would apply to those who do not meet the service commitment; committee members asked the sponsor to provide explicit statutory language.
- Administration and statutory authority: Several members questioned provisions assigning specific duties to the Talent Office within the State Department of Education, asking whether the bill improperly narrows the commissioner’s authority or creates an operational unit with stand‑alone decision power. The sponsor acknowledged the concern and said the language could be modified before floor action to clarify the commissioner’s role.
- Diversity and eligibility definitions: Members asked how “subgroup” and “shortage area” would be defined in practice, warning that overly broad phrasing could produce unintended eligibility categories. The sponsor and other supporters said the intent is to target underrepresented groups (for example, men in early grades and educators of color in many districts) and subject shortage areas such as special education, STEM and bilingual instruction.

Committee action: The committee voted to change the bill’s reference to Appropriations (joint favorable change of reference). Members asked staff to provide a fiscal note and to refine statutory language to clarify administrative authority, scholarship commitments and targeted shortage areas.

Ending: Sponsors and several committee members said they support the bill’s goals and will work together on technical fixes — including service‑commitment language, targeted shortage definitions and whether the Talent Office’s functions should remain within the commissioner’s oversight — before the measure proceeds to the floor and appropriations.","Senate Bill 1513, which would expand scholarships and alternate certification routes to recruit a more diverse teaching force, was advanced to the Appropriations Committee after lawmakers pressed sponsors for clearer service‑commitment terms, fiscal detail and limits on administrative authority.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6626030,"Votes at a glance: Education Committee moves multiple education bills to the next stage; fiscal notes and drafting fixes requested",10222,3355000,13577000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2754672-cbab6546540b87d5ded706acc16812a5&start=3355&end=13577","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2754672-cbab6546540b87d5ded706acc16812a5/thumbnail_3355000.jpg","/articles/6626030/Connecticut/Votes-at-a-glance-Education-Committee-moves-multiple-education-bills-to-the-next-stage-fiscal-notes-and-drafting-fixes-requested","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6626030-95f581153267f7c4eab7ca43304cf835/orig.mp4?Expires=1770440155&Signature=YVDT9aBDD1i1QTdAiWGZ9l54I8z3eJaNDYxSxN1t0t5r7f3WKbS110EsFSqZ-vLWUL0mUDLmsr-hfGs9OOimvmg5DaKA9WhGuVyTLi~tgFzUNLc34ytncW4pVn9h26gZJNfd9Eze7zO~3dupv1ycL6y5WYj4denGh5kWThvx-KON77vsvoloVNA0wHgw8ZM8jAyzWUDRu6jwjT-vtSUW7xUv0I3OWHNI6peVc8MXqPgSAU8zJoM3ccL9CrYNDVznl-ziwbWVISRh8oSfv~k0lyLLAVcbLxrabYzsVtNsGPkYOlStziGlGiGJwzKko7O7nuUHOZXikM1zIklv2d5VEg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","What the committee did: The Education Committee took committee action on a broad set of education bills and either reported them to the floor (joint favorable) or changed reference to Appropriations. For several measures, committee members specifically asked for fiscal notes and clarified statutory language before the measures proceed to final floor consideration.

Notable items moved or referred (committee action recorded in the transcript):
- Senate Bill 1 — Universal Preschool Trust and related early‑childhood funding: Motion reported to the floor; votes held open until 4:00 p.m.; committee requested a fiscal note and written legal guidance on use of unappropriated surplus and any three‑fifths vote requirement.
- Senate Bill 1513 — Aspiring Educators (scholarships/alternate route): Reported as a joint favorable change of reference to Appropriations; members requested clarified service‑commitment language and a fiscal estimate.
- Senate Bill 1510 — Assorted revisions to education statutes: Reported to Appropriations; committee flagged potential pension and budget issues.
- House Bill 7216 — Technical education and career system implementation: Reported to Appropriations; members discussed nonprofit vs. private provider eligibility and accountability for state funds.
- House Bill 7217 — Various revisions to education statutes (MOUs, restraint/seclusion notices, executive session language): Reported to the floor; members debated changes to suspension rules for pre‑K through second grade and requested more time to examine the proposed reduction from 5 days to 2 days for certain suspensions.
- Senate Bill 1392 — Educator certification pathways: Reported to the floor with discussion about alternate pathways to certification and whether test‑only pathways should be supplemented by supervised, mentored demonstrations of classroom competence.
- House Bill 7075 — Availability of Islamic and Arab studies curriculum materials: Reported to the floor; committee clarified the Department of Education is expected to make vetted materials available rather than create a curriculum from scratch.
- House Bill 7076 — Education mandate relief (adjustments to transition/age provisions): Reported to the floor with discussion; members debated implications for students approaching transition ages and for districts' planning.
- House Bill 6899 — Early educator pay equity grants: Referred to Appropriations; committee members asked for details on recurring funding and possible sources.

Votes and next steps: For many items the committee chair announced votes would remain open until 4:00 p.m. to allow members to add or change recorded votes. Committee chairs and sponsors were asked repeatedly to provide fiscal notes and revised bill text clarifying implementation details, including administrative authority, funding sources and any service‑commitment language for scholarship programs.

What to watch for: The Appropriations Committee is scheduled to receive the referred bills; fiscal notes and revised language requested by this committee are likely to shape floor debate. Members signaled support for many policy goals (early‑childhood expansion, teacher recruitment, CTE improvements) but stressed the need for clear, auditable funding and implementation language.","The committee recorded favorable reports or changes of reference on a package of education bills and held several votes open until 4 p.m.; members repeatedly requested fiscal notes and clarified drafting, especially for bills that would create new recurring costs or shift statutory authority.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Education panel advances bill to seed universal preschool trust; lawmakers debate using surplus versus pension paydown

Committee advances scholarship and alternate‑route bill to recruit diverse educators; members press for stronger detail on commitments and program design

Votes at a glance: Education Committee moves multiple education bills to the next stage; fiscal notes and drafting fixes requested