House Republican Press Release

 

 

 

October 14, 2008

Press Office: 860-240-8700

 

A VIEW FROM THE INSIDE State Representative Ruth Fahrbach

 

2008 legislation regarding education 

 

The General Assembly passed a number of laws in 2008 that will have an impact on education. Below is a summary of some of those acts, as compiled by the legislature’s non-partisan Office of Legislative Research.

 

High School Credit for Private World Language Courses and for Other Subject Areas

This act permits local school boards to give a student credit towards meeting high school graduation requirements for (1) completing a world-language course provided by a non-profit organization and (2) passing a subject area proficiency test the education commissioner identifies and approves. The commissioner of education must prescribe the world language examinations and identify and approve the subject area proficiency examinations within available appropriations.

Technology Pilot Program

The act expands a pilot program to use technology in providing computer-assisted writing, instruction, and testing for 9th and 10th grade public school students to cover students in grades six through 12.

School Based Health Clinics

Previously, any school-based health clinic (SBHC) constructed on or after October 1, 2007 that was located in or attached to a school building had to have a separate entrance. This act imposes the requirement only for SBHCs located in a school built on or after July 1, 2009 where the SBHC shares a first floor exterior wall with the school building.

Tuition Waiver Benefit for Children and Surviving Spouses of Armed Forces Members Killed In Action

This act requires UConn, the CSU system, and the regional community-technical colleges (CTC) to waive tuition for any Connecticut resident who is a dependent child or surviving spouse of a state resident killed in action while performing active military duty in the U.S. Armed Forces on or after September 11, 2001.

Adding or Withdrawing Grades from a Regional School District

An act establishes an alternative procedure for a qualifying regional school district that does not include grades K-12 to add or withdraw grades from the regional district. The alternative procedure allows the regional board of education, on its own or at the request of two or more member towns’ boards of education, to recommend and develop a plan to add or withdraw grades and submit it directly to a referendum in the member towns. The alternative procedure bypasses the requirement that member towns’ boards of education and finance appoint a special committee to study whether to add or withdraw grades.

Agricultural Science and Technology Education

The act changes the statutory name for the education offered at vocational agriculture (vo-ag) centers from “vocational agriculture education” to “agricultural science and technology education” and changes the name of the centers to conform.

 

For a copy of the entire OLR report, “Acts Affecting Education,” please contact my office at 240-8700.

 

State Rep. Ruth Fahrbach represents the 61st District, including Suffield, and parts of Windsor and East Granby, in the General Assembly.