Conn. Gen. Stat. § 10-66ee

Current with legislation from the 2024 Regular and Special Sessions.

Section 10-66ee - Charter school funding. Special education students. Transportation. Contracts. Cooperative arrangements

(a) For the purposes of equalization aid under section 10-262h a student enrolled (1) in a local charter school shall be considered a student enrolled in the school district in which such student resides, and (2) in a state charter school shall not be considered a student enrolled in the school district in which such student resides.

(b)

(1) The local board of education of the school district in which a student enrolled in a local charter school resides shall pay, annually, in accordance with its charter, to the fiscal authority for the charter school for each such student the amount specified in its charter, including the reasonable special education costs of students requiring special education. The board of education shall be eligible for reimbursement for such special education costs pursuant to section 10-76g.

(2) The local or regional board of education of the school district in which the local charter school is located shall be responsible for the financial support of such local charter school at a level that is at least equal to the product of (A) the per pupil cost for the fiscal year two years prior to the fiscal year for which support will be provided, and (B) the number of students attending such local charter school in the current fiscal year. As used in this subdivision, "per pupil cost" means, for a local or regional board of education, the quotient of the current program expenditures, as defined in section 10-262f, divided by the number of resident students, as defined in section 10-262f, of such local or regional board of education.

(c) For the fiscal year ending June 30, 2014, and each fiscal year thereafter, the State Board of Education may approve, within available appropriations, a per student grant to a local charter school in an amount not to exceed three thousand dollars for each student enrolled in such local charter school, provided the local or regional board of education for such local charter school and the representatives of the exclusive bargaining unit for certified employees, chosen pursuant to section 10-153b, mutually agree on staffing flexibility in such local charter school, and such agreement is approved by the State Board of Education. The state shall make such payments, in accordance with this subsection, to the fiscal authority for a local charter school for each student enrolled in such school as follows: Twenty-five per cent of the amount not later than July fifteenth and September first based on estimated student enrollment on May first, and twenty-five per cent of the amount not later than January first and the remaining amount not later than April first, each based on student enrollment on October first.

(d)

(1) As used in this subsection:

(A) "Total charter need students" means the sum of (i) the number of students enrolled in state charter schools under the control of the governing authority for such state charter schools for the school year, and (ii) for the school year commencing July 1, 2021, and each school year thereafter, (I) thirty per cent of the number of children enrolled in such state charter schools eligible for free or reduced price meals or free milk, (II) fifteen per cent of the number of such children eligible for free or reduced price meals or free milk in excess of the number of such children eligible for free or reduced price meals or free milk that is equal to sixty per cent of the total number of children enrolled in such state charter schools, and (III) twenty-five per cent of the number of students enrolled in such state charter schools who are multilingual learners, as defined in section 10-76kk.

(B) "Foundation" has the same meaning as provided in section 10-262f.

(C) "Charter full weighted funding per student" means the quotient of (i) the product of the total charter need students and the foundation, and (ii) the number of students enrolled in state charter schools under the control of the governing authority for such state charter schools for the school year.

(D) "Charter grant adjustment" means the absolute value of the difference between the foundation and charter full weighted funding per student for state charter schools under the control of the governing authority for such state charter schools for the school year.

(2) For the fiscal year ending July 1, 2022, the state shall pay in accordance with this subsection, to the fiscal authority for a state charter school for each student enrolled in such school, the foundation plus four and one-tenth per cent of its charter grant adjustment.

(3) For the fiscal year ending June 30, 2023, the state shall pay in accordance with this subsection, to the fiscal authority for a state charter school for each student enrolled in such school, the foundation plus twenty-five and forty-two-one-hundredths per cent of its charter grant adjustment.

(4) For the fiscal year ending June 30, 2024, the state shall pay in accordance with this subsection, to the fiscal authority for a state charter school for each student enrolled in such school, the foundation plus thirty-six and eight-one-hundredths per cent of its charter grant adjustment.

(5) For the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025, and each fiscal year thereafter, the state shall pay in accordance with this subsection, to the fiscal authority for a state charter school for each student enrolled in such school, the foundation plus fifty-six and seven tenths per cent of its charter grant adjustment.

(6) Payments under subdivisions (2) to (5), inclusive, of this subsection shall be paid as follows: Twenty-five per cent of the amount not later than July fifteenth and September first based on estimated student enrollment on May first, and twenty-five per cent of the amount not later than January first and the remaining amount not later than April first, each based on student enrollment on October first.

(7) In the case of a student identified as requiring special education, the school district in which the student resides shall:

(A) Hold the planning and placement team meeting for such student and shall invite representatives from the charter school to participate in such meeting; and

(B) pay the state charter school, on a quarterly basis, an amount equal to the difference between the reasonable cost of educating such student and the sum of the amount received by the state charter school for such student pursuant to subdivision (1) of this subsection and amounts received from other state, federal, local or private sources calculated on a per pupil basis. Such school district shall be eligible for reimbursement pursuant to section 10-76g. The charter school a student requiring special education attends shall be responsible for ensuring that such student receives the services mandated by the student's individualized education program whether such services are provided by the charter school or by the school district in which the student resides.

(e) Notwithstanding any provision of the general statutes, if at the end of a fiscal year amounts received by a state charter school, pursuant to subdivision (1) of subsection (d) of this section, are unexpended, the charter school (1) may use, for the expenses of the charter school for the following fiscal year, up to ten per cent of such amounts, and (2) may (A) create a reserve fund to finance a specific capital or equipment purchase or another specified project as may be approved by the commissioner, and (B) deposit into such fund up to five per cent of such amounts.

(f) The local or regional board of education of the school district in which the charter school is located shall provide transportation services for students of the charter school who reside in such school district pursuant to section 10-273a unless the charter school makes other arrangements for such transportation. Any local or regional board of education may provide transportation services to a student attending a charter school outside of the district in which the student resides and, if it elects to provide such transportation, shall be reimbursed pursuant to section 10-266m for the reasonable costs of such transportation. Any local or regional board of education providing transportation services under this subsection may suspend such services in accordance with the provisions of section 10-233c. The parent or guardian of any student denied the transportation services required to be provided pursuant to this subsection may appeal such denial in the manner provided in sections 10-186 and 10-187.

(g) Charter schools shall be eligible to the same extent as boards of education for any grant for special education, competitive state grants and grants pursuant to sections 10-17g and 10-266 w.

(h) If the commissioner finds that any charter school uses a grant under this section for a purpose that is inconsistent with the provisions of this part, the commissioner may require repayment of such grant to the state.

(i) Charter schools shall receive, in accordance with federal law and regulations, any federal funds available for the education of any pupils attending public schools.

(j) The governing council of a charter school may (1) contract or enter into other agreements for purposes of administrative or other support services, transportation, plant services or leasing facilities or equipment, and (2) receive and expend private funds or public funds, including funds from local or regional boards of education and funds received by local charter schools for out-of-district students, for school purposes.

(k) If in any fiscal year, more than one new state or local charter school is approved pursuant to section 10-66bb and is awaiting funding pursuant to the provisions of this section, the State Board of Education shall determine which school is funded first based on a consideration of the following factors in order of importance as follows:

(1) The quality of the proposed program as measured against the criteria required in the charter school application process pursuant to section 10-66bb,

(2) whether the applicant has a demonstrated record of academic success by students,

(3) whether the school is located in a school district with a demonstrated need for student improvement, and

(4) whether the applicant has plans concerning the preparedness of facilities, staffing and outreach to students.

(l) Within available appropriations, the state may provide a grant in an amount not to exceed seventy-five thousand dollars to any newly approved state charter school that assists the state in meeting its obligations pursuant to the decision in Sheff v. O'Neill, 238 Conn. 1 (1996), or any related stipulation or order in effect, as determined by the Commissioner of Education, for start-up costs associated with the new charter school program.

(m) Charter schools may, to the same extent as local and regional boards of education, enter into cooperative arrangements as described in section 10-158a, provided such arrangements are approved by the Commissioner of Education. Any state charter school participating in a cooperative arrangement under this subsection shall maintain its status as a state charter school and not be excused from any obligations pursuant to sections 10-66aa to 10-66ll, inclusive.

(n) The Commissioner of Education shall provide any town receiving aid pursuant to subsection (c) or (d) of this section with the amount of such aid to be paid to each state or local charter school located in such town.

Conn. Gen. Stat. § 10-66ee

( P.A. 96-214 , S. 5 ; P.A. 97-290 , S. 9 , 29 ; P.A. 98-168 , S. 24 , 26 ; P.A. 99-289 , S. 6 , 11 ; P.A. 00-48 , S. 1 , 12 ; 00-187 , S. 23 , 75 ; June Sp. Sess. P.A. 01-1 , S. 27 , 54 ; June 30 Sp. Sess. P.A. 03-6, S. 14; P.A. 04-254 , S. 8 ; P.A. 05-245 , S. 38 ; P.A. 06-135 , S. 26 ; June Sp. Sess. P.A. 07-3 , S. 11 , 16 ; June Sp. Sess. P.A. 07-5 , S. 54 ; P.A. 08-170 , S. 10 ; June 19 Sp. Sess. P.A. 09-1 , S. 22 ; Sept. Sp. Sess. P.A. 09-6, S. 36; P.A. 11-48 , S. 200 ; 11-179 , S. 12 ; P.A. 12-116 , S. 29 ; June 12 Sp. Sess. P.A. 12-2 , S. 19 -21; Dec. Sp. Sess. P.A. 12-1 , S. 31 ; P.A. 13-247 , S. 164 ; P.A. 14-217 , S. 95 , 112 ; June Sp. Sess. P.A. 15-5 , S. 315 ; June Sp. Sess. P.A. 17-2 , S. 583 .)

Amended by P.A. 23-0150,S. 28 of the Connecticut Acts of the 2023 Regular Session, eff. 7/1/2023.

Amended by P.A. 23-0204, S. 343 of the Connecticut Acts of the 2023 Regular Session, eff. 7/1/2023.

Amended by P.A. 22-0118, S. 256 of the Connecticut Acts of the 2022 Regular Session, eff. 7/1/2022.

Amended by P.A. 21-0002, SS.  352 of the Connecticut Acts of the 2021 Special Session, 408 of the Connecticut Acts of the 2021 Special Session eff. 7/1/2021.

Amended by P.A. 17-0002, S. 583 of the Connecticut Acts of the 2017 Special Session, eff. 10/31/2017.

Amended by P.A. 15-0005, S. 315 of the Connecticut Acts of the 2015 Special Session, eff. 7/1/2015.

Amended by P.A. 14-0217, S. 112 of the Connecticut Acts of the 2014 Regular Session, eff. 6/13/2014.

Amended by P.A. 14-0217, S. 95 of the Connecticut Acts of the 2014 Regular Session, eff. 7/1/2014.

Subsec. (f): Does not require charter school to provide transportation services to preschool children. 278 C. 326.