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Committee advances 'disconnected youth' bill after contentious debate over suspension limits and privacy of data sharing
Summary
A bill requiring annual analyses through an existing data‑sharing agreement (Data Link CT) and narrowing grounds and cumulative days for out‑of‑school suspension was advanced to Appropriations. Supporters stressed keeping students in school and adding supports; opponents warned of insufficient guidance for districts handling persistently disruptive students.
The education committee forwarded legislation addressing 'disconnected youth' and school discipline after extended debate on suspension policy and data usage.
Lede: S language in SB 311 renames a data arrangement 'Data Link CT' and requests annual analyses of Hartford‑area programs; it also tightens out‑of‑school suspension standards — preschoolers may not be suspended, kindergarten–2 suspensions reserved for serious physical harm, and grades 3–12 limited to violent behavior or possession of weapons/controlled substances — while reducing the cumulative maximum suspension from 50 to 45 days.
Nut graf: Supporters said the changes keep students in school and require earlier planning and services; critics argued the bill curtails district authority without providing concrete alternative plans for habitually disruptive students and raised questions about what happens after the cumulative limit is reached.
Representatives pressed for clarity about what precisely the existing Hartford data‑sharing agreement includes and whether shared data are deidentified; chairs said FERPA protections remain in place and that annual analyses would provide more regular evaluation of nonprofit program outcomes.
Representative Polis, a longtime educator, said in support: reducing the suspension cap is reasonable because extending suspensions beyond the threshold rarely improves outcomes and districts should implement proactive interventions. Opponents asked for language to allow districts flexibility in cases of students who are persistently disruptive despite interventions.
The committee voted to send SB 311 to Appropriations; members noted the bill requires districts to consider convening planning and placement teams for students who reach the suspension threshold.
What happens next: SB 311 moves to Appropriations for a fiscal review. The committee directed staff to ensure privacy protections in the data sharing and to clarify implementation steps for post‑suspension services.
