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Senate expands student‑literacy supports, teacher‑pipeline scholarship statewide
Summary
Senate passed a substitute to SB 220 requiring assessments for K–3 reading support, expanding the Aspiring Educators scholarship statewide to underrepresented subgroups (up to $10,000 to the institution), creating an ASL curriculum working group, and making a paraeducator health subsidy permanent.
The Senate adopted a strike‑all substitute for SB 220 on April 29 that strengthens early literacy supports and expands teacher‑pipeline scholarship access across Connecticut.
Sponsor Senator McCrory described provisions that codify multi‑tiered systems of support (MTSS/RTI) and require school boards to administer reading assessments at least three times per year to identify students who are struggling by grade 3 and provide tiered interventions. The amendment also broadens an existing Aspiring Educators (teacher‑diversity) scholarship program: eligibility is extended beyond Alliance Districts to students statewide and to defined underrepresented subgroups (race, ethnicity, gender, disability, or other locally identified underrepresentation). The scholarship—up to $10,000—would be paid to the institution to offset tuition and program costs; sponsors said the appropriation to fund the program exists and that unexpended funds may be used for promotion/marketing of the program.
Other sections create a working group to recommend an American Sign Language (ASL) curriculum and make the paraeducator health subsidy permanent including charter schools. Senators asked for clarifications on data collection, how the scholarship will be administered and public funding sources; sponsors said the budget currently contains funding and the State Department of Education will collect data to target underrepresented subgroups and shortage areas.
The Senate voted and passed the bill as amended, with supporters highlighting recruitment and retention of diverse teachers and earlier detection of reading struggles; questions from some senators requested clarifications on program administration and the use of unexpended funds for marketing.
