Community Involvement Domain

Public Act No. 26-68
- Allocates funding for the Learner Engagement Program
Public Act No. 26-106
- Addresses the implementation of a surrogate parent program, where students in foster care can be paired with a surrogate parent who will represent them in the education decision-making process.
Public Act No. 26-61
- Allocates funding for high-acuity school-based mental health programming for students with intensive behavioral health challenges.
Public Act No. 26-37
- Requires nonpublic schools to file annual student attendance reports with the Commissioner of Education.
Public Act No. 26-21
- Requires DOE to administer grants for free public bus transportation passes for students in grades 9-12.
Public Act No. 26-18
- Requires dual enrollment policies to follow DOE guidance and directs the Commissioner to develop a model agreement with higher education institutions.
Public Act No. 26-15
- Establishes the Connecticut AI Academy to promote AI education, digital literacy, and student career preparation.
Public Act No. 26-12
- Requires reports on high school work-based learning programs to be submitted in consultation with DOE and posted online.

Public Act No. 25-93
- Requires SDE to establish a behavioral health support services grant program for special education students who experienced trauma or have behavioral health needs. School boards must partner with community service providers, including family service centers, and services may include trauma-informed care coordination and family outreach.
- Expands SDE’s chronic absenteeism prevention and intervention plan. The plan must be reviewed twice a year and include truancy procedures, early identification of students at risk of chronic absenteeism or disconnection, housing status data, mentorship models, and community partners.
Public Act No. 25-97
- Requires SDE to create a priority school district mental and behavioral health pilot program using an online tool. Priority school district mental health pilot includes partnerships between districts and community organizations providing mental and behavioral health care.

Public Act No. 23-97
- Requires the education commissioner to promote health care professions as career options to middle and high school students and offer health care job shadowing and internship experiences for high school students.
- Public Act Summary
Public Act No. 23-160
- Requires the Commissioner of Education to facilitate a family and community engagement in education council to advise on issues and policies related to family and community engagement in education and initiatives offered by the Department of Education.
- Public Act Summary

After School Programs (Agnes)
- Programs and funding acquisitions are built on partnerships between the school and a community organization. The programs must include three separate components in their mission: academic, enrichment, and wellness. RESCS evaluate and help manage compliance across districts.
Commissioner's Roundtable for Family and Community Engagement in Education
- This roundtable informs SDE of important policies and issues related to school-community partnerships and engagement.
Family Resource Centers
- FRCs are in public school buildings and provide comprehensive support for families and child development services. These centers promote community networks of support and forms school-family-community partnerships.
Learner Engagement Program (LEAP)
- LEAP involves home visitors sent to students’ homes to help engage them and their families.
School-Family-Community Partnerships
- School-family-community partnerships work to provide parent education and support for learning at home, as well as to promote advocacy, community collaboration, and to create a welcoming climate with family volunteering.
21st Century Program
- In general, grants fund high-dosage programs wherein districts are partnered with community organizations. RESCS evaluate and help manage compliance across districts.

State Legislation (2020 - 2026)