Deposition Subpoena for Gary Orfield
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September 11, 1992

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Case Files, Sheff v. O'Neill Hardbacks. Plaintiffs' Supplemental Brief on Justiciability, 1994. a55369be-a146-f011-877a-002248226c06. LDF Archives, Thurgood Marshall Institute. https://ldfrecollection.org/archives/archives-search/archives-item/6beeb77c-53dd-4431-8faf-66f3948c3916/plaintiffs-supplemental-brief-on-justiciability. Accessed July 29, 2025.
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| ® » CV89-03609778 MILO SHEFF, et al, : SUPERIOR COURT VS. : JUDICIAL DISTRICT OF HARTFORD/ NEW BRITAIN AT HARTFORD WILLIAM A. O'NEILL, et al. : JANUARY 27, 1994 PLAINTIFFS’ SUPPLEMENTAL BRIEF ON JUSTICIABILITY Introduction On two occasions prior to the trial in this matter, this Court considered and rejected defendants’ contentions that questions of justiciability should preclude the Court from considering the plaintiffs’ claims. During oral argument on December 16, 1993, the Court again raised the question of justiciability in relation to legislation which the Connecticut General Assembly passed. This legislation, which Plaintiffs believe is wholly inadequate to address the problems raised in the complaint and which is described in detail in section III, infra, sets forth a desegregation planning process and represents the only change in the procedural posture of the case since the Court's earlier decisions on justiciability.! Plaintiffs respectfully submit that neither the passage of Public Act 93-263 nor any evidence adduced at trial affects the justiciability of this case or in any way renders it moot. Accordingly, for the reasons set forth below, plaintiffs contend that the legislation in 'As Plaintiffs’ pointed out in their post-trial brief, the educational situation for students in the Hartford school system has not been static - even the relatively short time since the trial was conducted has seen a worsening of the problems raised in the complaint. PIs’ Reply Brief, August 16, 1993 pp. 24-42. As a result, the goals sought by plaintiffs have become even more distant. question does not deprive this Court of the authority to decide plaintiffs’ claims. This action creates an actual case or controversy among or between the parties under the Connecticut Constitution which the parties are entitled to have this Court resolve. Further, plaintiffs believe that the act does not preclude the Court from fashioning a remedy in the event that it decides the issue of liability in plaintiffs’ favor. Because they believe that the act does not impose a legal or factual impediment to a decision on liability and, if appropriate, remedy, plaintiffs request that the Court proceed with oral argument and decision. I AN ACT PASSED AFTER THE COMPLETION OF TRIAL DOES NOT ADDRESS THE CLAIMS RAISED BY PLAINTIFFS AND DOES NOT DIVEST THE COURT OF AUTHORITY TO CONSIDER THOSE CLAIMS. In its order denying the defendants’ motion to strike the plaintiffs’ complaint, this Court correctly decided that " the plaintiffs have stated a justiciable claim because their pleadings present a "substantial question or issue in dispute. . . which requires settlement between the parties." May 18, 1990 Memorandum of Decision On The Defendants’ Motion to Strike, page 11. Later, in its decision denying defendants’ motion for summary judgment, the Court refused to revisit the issue of justiciability because the issue had been completely explored earlier and the law of the case dictated that the Court’s earlier decision should be permitted to stand. February 24, 1992, Memorandum of Decision On the Defendants’ Motion For Summary Judgment, page 11, 12. In the oral argument of December 16, 1993, the Court raised sua sponte the question of justiciability. It is plaintiffs’ understanding that the Court’s concern about the issue arose solely as a result of the passage of Public Act 93-263 and not because the factual presentation at trial showed that the Court's earlier decisions were wrongly decided. Specifically, the Court focussed on the effect of the Public Act in light of controlling precedent on the issue of justiciability. Under the controlling case law: Justiciability requires (1) that there be an actual controversy between or among the parties to the dispute. . . ; (2) that the interests of the parties be adverse. . . ; (3) that the matter in controversy be capable of being adjudicated by the judicial power. . .; and (4) that the determination of the controversy will result in practical relief to the complainant. Pellegrino v. O'Neill, 193 Conn. 670, 674; 480 A.2d 476 (1984) quoting from State v. Nardini, 187 Conn. 109, 111-12, 445 A.2d 304 (1982). The plaintiffs understand that the Court is concerned only with the effect of the new legislation with regard to question (3), which is commonly referred to as a "political question" determination. This memorandum therefore concentrates on the "political question” doctrine and its inapplicability in the instant case. The authority to decide the plaintiffs’ complaint is not reserved to the legislature and is not a "political question." In Baker v. Carr, 369 U.S. 186, 217 (1962), a principle source for Connecticut law on the "political question” issue, the Court distinguished the question of justiciability from the consideration of federal jurisdiction. The Court held that justiciability is properly decided by examining the appropriateness of the general subject matter for judicial consideration: In the instance of nonjusticiability, consideration of the cause is not wholly and immediately foreclosed; rather the Court’s inquiring necessarily proceeds to the point of deciding whether the duty asserted can be judicially identified and its breach judicially determined, and whether protection for the right asserted can be judicially molded. Baker v. Carr, 369 U.S. at 198. The Connecticut Supreme Court adopted the standard used in Baker v. Carr for determining the existence of a "political question." Under this approach the question is subdivided into six inquiries: 1) 2) 3) 4) 5) 6) "whether there is a textually demonstrable constitutional commitment of the issue to a coordinate political department”, "the lack of judicially discoverable and manageable standards for resolving it"; "the impossibility of deciding without an initial policy determination of a kind clearly for non-judicial discretion"; “the impossibility of a Court's undertaking independent resolution without expressing lack of respect due coordinate branches of government”; "an unusual need for unquestioning adherence to a political decision already made”; "the potentiality of embarrassment from multifarious pronouncements by various departments on one question. Pellegrino v. O'Neill, 93 Conn. 670, 680-81, 480 A.2d 476, quoting Baker v. Carr, 369 U.S. 186, 217. The six inquiries are not wholly discrete but instead revolve around the issue of whether the subject matter is appropriate for judicial inquiry as opposed to a decision by other branches of government. All six of the inquiries in essence address the doctrine of separation of powers which confides general categories of power variously to the legislative, executive or judicial branches of government. Pellegrino’s language demonstrates that the "political question" doctrine asks whether a particular subject area is inherently inappropriate for judicial inquiry and whether it involves other subject areas where the judiciary previously exercised judicial power: Although it is widely assumed that the judiciary, as the ultimate arbiter of the meaning of constitutional provisions, must determine every constitutional claim presented and provide appropriate relief, some constitutional commands fall outside the conditions and purposes that circumscribe judicial action. 193 Conn. at 679, (thus, constitutional commands, as opposed to legislative or executive commands, may render an issue nonjusticiable.) This Court has already determined that this case is justiciable under the first two categories (whether there is a textually demonstrable constitutional commitment to a coordinate political department and whether there is a lack of judicially discoverable and manageable standards for resolving it) and in so doing it, fundamentally distinguished Pellegrino, in which the Court ruled that plaintiffs’ claims were nonjusticiable from Horton v. Meskill, where the court adjudicated the claims. In Pellegrino, the Court found that because the constitution committed the appointment of judges to the legislature, the judiciary could not usurp that function without manifesting a lack of respect for a coordinate branch of government. Thus, plaintiffs’ claims were nonjusticiable. 193 Conn. at 681. In contrast, the Court in Horton v. Meskill, 172 Conn 615, 376 A.2d 359 (1977) (Horton I) found that the subject matter of legislative compliance with Article Eighth, § 1 is not a matter that is textually committed to the legislative branch. See Pellegrino, 193 Conn. 673, 480 A.2d 476, 483. Whatever the effect of the enactment of Public Act 93-263% there is no question that it does not constitutionally commit the issue of legislative compliance with Article Eighth, § 1 to the legislature.’ The Supreme Court decided in Horton I that legislative compliance with that section of the constitution is justiciable. The fact that the Legislature has enacted a statute on a subject matter related to the litigation does not deprive the judiciary of jurisdiction. If the rule were otherwise, Horton I would never have been decided on the merits. Once the Legislature enacted a statute on the subject of school finance reform, as it did in 1975 while the appeal was pending (see 172 Conn. at 636), the Supreme Court would have found the case nonjusticiable at that point. The Supreme Court did not do so but instead sustained the trial court’s declaratory judgment. b. It Is Well Established That Educational Discrimination Claims Are Justiciable. Pellegrino, Horton I and a host of cases in other state and federal courts have held actions like the instant one justiciable. In fact, in the legions of cases in both federal and state courts which have dealt with issues similar to those in this case, plaintiffs are unaware of a single case which has ever hinted that school desegregation or equity cases are See Section III, infra for a discussion of the reasons that plaintiffs believe the act promises to be ineffective. *Although, as discussed in Section IV supra, the Court has framed its inquiry in terms of the "political question" doctrine, that doctrine is inapplicable. Plaintiffs believe that the Court's inquiry regarding the effects of Public Act 93-263 raises the question of mootness. Mootness, of course, arises when an action or occurence after the initiation of litigation ends the controversy between the parties. Here, no such action or occurence exists. Plaintiffs’ claims of unconstitutional racial and economic segregation remain unresolved; the facts underlying the claims remain unchanged. 6 nonjusticiable either in principle or in light of legislative or executive action. To the contrary, even when courts have elected to defer to state or local governmental bodies on questions of remedy, those courts deferred for policy reasons unrelated to justiciability. Their authority to consider actions in which a case or controversy existed was not in issue. The Connecticut Supreme Court's decision in Pellegrino and the history of continuing judicial involvement in Horton I and its progeny establish beyond peradventure that claims of violations of Article Eighth, §1 are justiciable.* Other state courts, faced with similar issues of the relative roles of legislatures and the judiciary, have also held that the judiciary must ultimately determine whether systems of public education are operating in a constitutional manner. The issue before us - the constitutionality of the system of statutes that created the common schools - is the only issue. To avoid deciding the case because of "legislative discretion,” "legislative function," etc., would be a derogation of our constitutional duty. To allow the General Assembly (or, ‘Pellegrino’s consideration of Horton v. Meskill makes clear that the Court recognizes a distinction between deferring to the state legislature on questions of remedy and having the authority to consider questions of liability and remedy: [I]mplicit in that decision to stay the hand of the judicial department in order to give the legislative branch an opportunity to solve the problem of unequal educational financing was the assumption that, if necessary, appropriate relief could be fashioned by a court within its constitutional bounds . . . In Horton the court had before it various statutory grants for public schools and it concluded that those legislative provisions for financing education in the state violated the provisions of the Connecticut constitution . . . Rather than enjoin the defendants from implementing the existing statutory financing schemes . . . the court chose to defer any such action until the legislature had considered the matter further . . . The case was clearly one where a judicial remedy could have been applied. . . . Pellegrino v. O'Neill, 193 Conn. 683, 480 A.2d 476, 483 (citation omitted). o in point of fact, the Executive) to decide whether its actions are constitutional is literally unthinkable. Rose v. The Council for Better Education, 790 S.W. 2d 186, 209 (Ky. 1989). Other state courts have also uniformly held that the discretion afforded legislatures in public education policy formulation does not render the issue of constitutionality nonjusticiable. See Pauley v. Kelley, 255 S.E.2d 859 (W.Va. 1979) (rejecting contention that legislative discretion in public school system precludes court action); Dupree v. Alma School District No. 30 of Crawford County, et al., 651 S.W. 2d 90 (Ark. 1983) (despite weight given to legislative action, court had authority to decide constitutionality of state educational system); Robinson V. Cahill, 355 A.2d 129 (N.J. 1976)(same); Washakie County School District v. Hershler, 606 P.2d 310 (Wyo. 1980) (same). Federal Court school desegregation cases also conclusively establish that the judiciary is ultimately responsible for the resolution of constitutional claims even if some deference is initially due state and local government at the remedial stage.” The post- Brown v. Board of Education, 347 U.S. 873 (1954) (Brown I), cases have repeatedly | reaffirmed, in effect, justiciability by adjudicating liability and remedy issues in the face of a range of actions taken by legislative bodies and other governmental entities. In Brown v. Board of Education, 349 U.S. 294 (1955) (Brown II), the Supreme Court considered the question of remedy a year after its decision in Brown I holding that racial discrimination in public education was unconstitutional. Before deciding Brown II, the “The fact that these cases involve issues of the relationship between federal courts and state governmental entities does not affect the analysis that follows. Like justiciability, the concept of federalism implicates the separation of powers between different governmental entitities as well as the deference owed coordinate branches of government. 8 Court invited presentations from the Attorney General of the United States as well as the attorneys general of all states which had required or permitted racial discrimination in public education. Id. at 288-89. During these presentations, the Court learned that a number of states and/or communities, including some not parties to the litigation, had already begun to take action to address constitutional violations: The presentations also demonstrated that substantial steps to eliminate racial discrimination in public schools have already been taken, not only in some of the states appearing as amici curiae, but in other states as well. Substantial progress has been made in the District of Columbia and in the communities in Kansas and Delaware involved in this litigation. Id Notwithstanding the progress made by some states and localities and a policy of deferring to local authorities, the Court made perfectly clear that jurisdiction to oversee compliance with the Brown I decision would remain with the local courts and not with other governmental entities:* [T]he courts require that the defendants make a prompt and reasonable start toward full compliance . . . Once such a start had been made, the courts may find that additional time is necessary to carry out the ruling in an effective manner. The burden rests upon the defendants to establish that such time is necessary to the public interest and is consistent with good faith compliance at the earliest practicable date. To that end, °In spite of the Court's clear assertion of continuing jurisdiction, most of the criticism levelled at the remedial plan set forth in Brown II comes not because commentators believe that the Court usurped authority properly left to other branches of government but because the Court failed to order remedial actions that made clear that dilatory tactics would not be tolerated and that meaningful relief would have to be achieved rapidly. See e.g. Lasky, "Racial Discrimination and the Federal Law: A Problem in Nullification," 63 Colum. L. Rev. 1163, 1171 (1963). As a result, at least one generation of school children failed to realize the benefit of their duly adjudicated constitutional right. That danger exists here, where Public Act 93-263 does not guarantee any relief to the plaintiff school children. 9 the courts may consider problems related to administration, arising from the physical condition of the school plant, the school transportation system, personnel, revision of school districts and attendance areas in compact units to achieve a system of determining admission to the public schools on a nonracial basis, and revision of local laws and regulations which may be necessary in solving the foregoing problems. They will also consider the adequacy of any plans the defendants may propose to meet these problems . . . During this period of transition, the courts will retain jurisdiction of these cases. Id The subsequent history of school desegregation cases makes clear that the duty to decide and adequately address violations of constitutional rights pursuant to the equal protection clause of the Fourteenth Amendment remains firmly within the authority of the judiciary regardless of actions taken by state and local governments. A brief examination of some of the seminal cases reflects the broad authority of the federal courts to rule on matters involving the constitutionality of public school systems. In the wake of Brown II, federal courts repeatedly revisited the question of the constitutionality of actions by state and local authorities and the courts’ authority to create remedies. At no time did the courts conclude that their review was circumscribed by considerations which in any way resembled the doctrine of justiciability. In Raney v. Bd. of Educ. of the Gould Dist., 391 U.S. 443 (1968), the Court specifically examined the authority, and obligation, of district courts to retain jurisdiction when local governmental authorities had taken steps to address complaints of discrimination. Raney reversed the judgment of the Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals which upheld the district court’s dismissal of a school desegregation lawsuit because the school district had voluntarily adopted a desegregation plan, holding: 10 [T]he District Court’s dismissal of the complaint was an improper exercise of discretion. Dismissal will ordinarily be inconsistent with the responsibility imposed on the district courts by Brown II, 349 U.S., at 299-301 [which] contemplated that the better course would be to retain jurisdiction until it is clear that disestablishment has been achieved. We agree with the observation of another panel of judges of the Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit in another case that the district courts "should retain jurisdiction in school segregation cases to insure (1) that a constitutionally acceptable plan is adopted, and (2) that it is operated in a constitutionally permissable fashion so that the goal of a desegregated, non-racially operated school system is rapidly and finally achieved. Id. at 449, quoting Kelley v. Altheimer, 378 F.2d 483, 489 (8th Cir. 1967). Further examples of courts retaining jurisdiction abound. In Green v. School Board of New Kent County, 391 U.S. 430 (1968) the Court considered the history of legislative and administrative actions taken by government entities in discharge of their constitutional obligations. At the same time, the Court elucidated the obligations of the courts: The obligation of the district courts, as it has always been, is to assess the effectiveness of a proposed plan in achieving desegregation . . . . Moreover, whatever plan is adopted will require evaluation in practice, and the court should retain jurisdiction until it is clear that state-imposed segregation has been completely removed. Id. at 439. Later, in Swann v. Charlotte-Mecklenburg Bd.of Educ., 402 U.S. 1, 14, "See e.g. Locket v. Muscogee, 342 F.2d 225 (5th Cir. 1965) in which plaintiffs challenged the constitutionality of a school system which had undertaken steps to desegregate prior to initiation of litigation. In Lockett, the Fifth Circuit affirmed the lower court’s denial of injunctive relief based upon a finding that the board was operating in good faith. Despite the good faith finding, neither the Fifth Circuit nor the district court questioned the need or appropriateness of retaining jurisdiction over the matter to assure constitutional compliance. Id. Thus the mere fact that a defendant acted to resolve the segregation in dispute did not deprive the court of its authority to adjudicate the issue. 11 (1971) the Court returned to the question of constitutional compliance by local authorities and judicial authority: The failure of local authorities to meet their constitutional obligations aggravated the massive problem of converting from the state-enforced discrimination of racially separate school systems . . . If school authorities fail their affirmative obligations under these holdings, judicial authority may be invoked. Once a right and violation have been shown, the scope of a district court’s equitable powers to remedy past wrongs is broad, for breadth and flexibility are inherent in equitable remedies. Id. at 14-5. In a wide variety of cases, courts have explored the extent to which particular remedies fall within the authority of courts. See e.g. Missouri v. Jenkins, 495 U.S. 33 (1990) (holding that a local government with taxing authority may be ordered to levy taxes in excess of the limit set by state statute when required to aid in the remedy of a constitutional violation). Even in instances when courts have been found to exceed the scope of their authority in creating remedies, see Milliken v. Bradley, 418 U.S. 717 (1974)(Milliken I) (holding that order of interdistrict relief exceeded the scope of violation) or there has been a finding of no constitutional violation, see Crawford v. Los Angeles Board of Education, 458 U.S. 527 (1977) (finding constitutional an amendment to California Constitution limiting relief available to state court to relief that could be granted by a federal court deciding Fourteenth Amendment violation), there has never been a question that courts had the jurisdiction to adjudicate the claims raised. No In summary, the clear and unanimous voice of the state and federal courts considering the issue makes clear that cases like the instant one are justiciable. 12 C. The issues raised in plaintiffs’ complaint do not fall within any of the areas considered to be nonjusticiable in either Pellegrino v. O’Neill or Baker v. Carr. Notwithstanding the existence of a substantial body of law directly governing the justiciability of constitutional claims concerning public education, general principles defining the boundaries of justiciability dictate that this Court should proceed to determine the issue of liability and, if it rules in plaintiffs’ favor, oversee the implementation of a remedy. The Connecticut Constitution does not specifically reserve to the Legislature the consideration of claims such as those raised by the plaintiffs. Neither Public Act 93-263 nor any other previous legislation could have that effect. In light of the fact that there are clearly judicially discoverable and manageable standards that govern the resolution of such claims, it is necessary to see if any other part of Pellegrino dictates a finding of nonjusticiability. Plaintiffs respectfully contend that the claims raised in the instant lawsuit are clearly not encompassed within the extremely narrow areas deemed nonjusticiable by Pellegrino and Baker v. Carr. In considering the question of whether the judiciary had the authority to increase the number of state judges and to appoint judges to fill any newly created positions, the Pellegrino Court carefully considered subject matters that were held to be nonjusticiable. Much of that consideration involved an examination of United States Supreme Court decisions dealing with the "political question” doctrine in the federal courts. In both the state and federal courts, the subject areas which fall within the ambit of cases rendered nonjusticiable because of the "political question” doctrine are extremely narrow. 13 Before Baker, reapportionment of state legislatures had long been thought to be a political question. Baker ruled to the contrary and held that the case was justiciable under the equal protection clause of the Fourteenth Amendment. In reaching its decision, the Court examined its precedents in order to discover which types of cases had been held to be political questions and therefore nonjusticiable. An attempt to articulate a set of standards to determine the existence of a "political question” lead the Court to conclude that there was no hard and fast rule, and that courts must instead determine on a case-by-case basis whether individual circumstances fall within the scope of previously decided cases: Deciding whether a matter has in any measure been committed by the Constitution to another branch of government, or whether the action of that branch exceeds whatever authority has been committed, is itself a delicate exercise in constitutional interpretation, and is a responsibility of this Court as ultimate interpreter of the Constitution. To demonstrate this requires no less than to analyze representative cases and to infer from the analytical threads that make up the political question doctrine. Baker v. Carr, 369 U.S. at 211. The representative cases considered by the Court involved very narrow subject matter areas, none of which are remotely comparable to school desegregation, that were generally inappropriate for judicial inquiry under one or more of the six categories it had identified. For example, the subject matter of foreign relations generally involves an area *In his article discussing the utility of the "political question" doctrine, Professor Henkin suggested that the effect of Baker and subsequent cases was to substantially narrow rather than expand the areas in which the political question doctrine applied: But even as the Supreme Court was restating the doctrine and rooting it "prominently” in textual interpretation, the Court was also cutting away the principal candidates for which Professor 14 implicating most of the six categories. 369 U.S. at 211-13.° The subject matter of war obviously implicates most of the six categories. 369 U.S. at 213-14. The subject matter of the vitality of enactments implicates the respect due another branch of government and the need for finality and certainty. 369 U.S. at 214-15. The subject matter of the status of Indian tribes implicates most of the six criteria. 369 U.S. at 215-17. Similarly, the subject matter of the republican form of government surely implicates most of the six criteria. 369 U.S. at 218-26. See Luther v. Borden, 7 How. 1, 12 L.Ed. 581 (1849) (declining to resolve a conflict between competing parties claiming to constitute the government of Rhode Island and placing the guarantee clause beyond judicial reach) Pellegrino examined a number of other federal cases and added the discipline of the militia and the President’s discharge of his or her responsibility to execute law faithfully to the list set forth in Baker. Pellegrino 193 Conn. 679, at 679-80, 480 A.2d at 481-82. Having examined a range of cases involving the "political question”, the Court in Baker v. Carr then sought to apply the analytical threads derived from the cases to see whether any of Weschler would apply it. Henkin, "Is There a "Political Question" Doctrine?", 85 Yale Law Journal 597, 604 (1976). *Significantly, even within the narrow areas outlined above, the court recognized that no easy conclusions regarding justiciability could be drawn. So for example, even though it might easily be supposed that all cases dealing with foreign relations were beyond consideration by the courts, a number of cases belied that general theory. See e.g, The Three Friends (United States v. The Three Friends), 166 U.S. 1, 41 L.Ed. 897 (1896) (although recognition of belligerency abroad is in the province of executive, court may be called upon to interpret ambiguous executive proclamations to determine if statutes designed to assure American neutrality have become operative); Re Baiz, 135 U.S. 403, 34. L.Ed. 222 (1890) (executive's statements regarding a person’s status as a representative of a foreign government can be construed by courts to determine the court’s jurisdiction). 15 & » them "caught" the apportionment issue and held that none did. Baker v. Carr, 369 U.S. at 211. Similarly, none of the threads captures the instant case. All of the subject matter areas identified were extremely limited and are easily distinguishable from the subject matter of this lawsuit. Equally distinguishable from the subject matter of this case is the area carved out as nonjusticiable by Pellegrino: a court-ordered increase in the number of state judges. Pellegrino places specific subject areas beyond the reach of the judiciary, eg judicial appointments. Given all of the indications that the court viewed the "political question" issue very narrowly,’ it is difficult to believe that it would endorse a reading of justiciability so narrow as to preclude consideration of the claims raised by plaintiffs. d. The Doctrine Of Separation Of Powers Would Be Subverted By A Finding Of Nonjusticiability. As discussed above, justiciability involves a determination that certain matters have been constitutionally reserved for either the legislature or the executive branch. Plaintiffs contend that to hold that enactment of Public Act 93-263 somehow deprives this Court of its authority to consider plaintiffs’ claims would violate the constitutionally ordained scheme '®The various opinions in the case make clear that most of the court regarded the non- justiciable issue as being extremely narrow. The decision didn’t even purport to place all issues dealing with the judiciary off limits to the state courts. Four out of five justices believed that the judiciary has the inherent power to direct payments from the state treasury for the maintenance of the judiciary in the event that the legislature does not appropriate the money. 16 of separation of powers in which the judiciary and not the legislature is duty-bound to decide this case. In light of the clear justiciability of the case, this court’s obligation to decide the issues raised in plaintiffs’ complaint is clear: "It is emphatically the province and duty of the judicial department to say what the law is." Marbury v. Madison, 1 Cranch 137, 175, 2 L.Ed. 60, 73 (1803). Having brought to the Court the weighty question of the constitutionality of the racially and economically isolated schools, the plaintiffs are entitled to a determination of the merits of those claims. The Court is not relieved of its duty by legislative action that cannot interpret the constitution and that does not resolve the controversy between the parties. II. THE NEW SCHOOL DESEGREGATION PLANNING PROCESS LAW DOES NOT MAKE THIS SUIT NONJUSTICIABLE Plaintiffs believe that Public Act 93-262 is ineffectual and fails to address in any meaningful way the issues raised in this lawsuit. In summary, plaintiffs contend that its shortcomings include the fact that it is voluntary in relation to the questions of diversity and student assignment, that it fails to provide adequate enforcement mechanisms, that it lacks clearly articulated racial and economic goals, that it does not address inequities in resources, that it does not provide enhancements for urban schools, that it does not provide assurances of adequate funding or that any steps be implemented at a suitably rapid pace. Plaintiffs look forward to the opportunity to fully present their reasons for so thinking at a later point in this litigation. A detailed examination of this issue would be inappropriate for the purposes of this brief. However, in order to fully appreciate the dimensions and 17 the effect of an erroneous ruling that the legislation renders this action nonjusticiable, it is necessary to consider briefly the terms of the act itself and its origin. a. The Continuing Legacy of State Inaction The newly enacted Public Law 93-263, An Act Improving Educational Quality and Diversity, is the latest attempt in nearly three decades of failures by the state to act in a manner that addresses the overwhelming racial segregation and economic isolation of school children in Connecticut." Plaintiffs’ school desegregation remedial expert, Dr. William Gordon, aptly observed that Connecticut has been a leader in studying the problem of segregation, but a failure in taking constructive action. (Gordon II. pp. 4-5). One only has to look at the most recent failures since the inception of this lawsuit to realize that the hollow promises made by the state have borne little fruit. Shortly after the Sheff lawsuit was filed in 1989, the State Board of Education and Governor William O’Neill implemented one of the recommendations in the Tirozzi II report to create the Governor's Commission on Quality and Integrated Education to study voluntary solutions. (See citations in Pls’ Post-Trial Brief, p. 80). Yet at trial, Elliot Williams, the chief official at the Department of Education in charge of urban and priority school districts, conceded that the state had failed to implement the recommendations in the Governor's Commission Report, and failed to fund interdistrict cooperative projects beyond a mere token level. '' The historical sequence of reports, studies, and recommendations created or received by the state is included in PIs’ Exs. 1-90 and represented graphically in Pls’ Ex. 488 (timeline). Further see Pls’ Post-Trial Brief, Sect. IIl., pp. 64-86, for a summary of the thirty year history of the state’s inaction. 18 (See citations in Pls’Post-Trial Brief, pp. 80-83). Instead of bicoming a glimmer of hope in resolving the complex inequities, the Report was merely placed on the shelf with the many others that had come before. It is in this context, therefore, that the actions of Governor Weicker and the Educational Quality and Diversity Act must be placed. From the release of the Governor’s Commission Report in 1990, until Defendant Weicker spoke in January of 1993, the state legislature and the Governor were virtually silent in tackling the issues raised in this lawsuit. When Givenor Weicker finally delivered his legislative address at the same time as plaintiffs were presenting their shocking evidence of gross inequities in educational opportunities and segregation among school districts, a glimmer of hope was rekindled that the state would finally take action. But any promise that racial and economic isolation would cease and educational enhancements would at long last be targeted Hartford’s schools soon became illusory after the specifics of the "Weicker bill" were unveiled. Rather than insisting that relief must finally be afforded, Governor Weicker merely took the well-known path of least resistance: another call for another planning process to develop another set of recommendations for some future generation of urban school children. The history of Public Act 93-263 reflects a frustrating tale of three bills. The first bill introduced by Governor Weicker, while containing racial goals, limited funds for interdistrict schools and transportation, and some penalties, failed to contain the most essential components for change - a clear mandate. The Education Committee further weakened the Governor's bill by deleting the racial goals and substituting theundefined term "diversity". In addition, the Education Committee’s bill provided no money but relied 19 upon the good will of a future legislature and a new governor. The Education Committee’s bill also dropped all meaningful sanctions (except for the vague requirement that towns plan in "good faith"). In the end, the Education Committee’s bill became the new school desegregation planning law, P.A. 93-263. Meanwhile, the legislature significantly bypassed the third and most effective proposal submitted by the Black and Hispanic Legislative Caucus that contained not only racial and poverty goals, sanctions and other disincentives, but enhancements for city schools that were conspicuously ignored in any form by the other two proposals. b. The Governor's Bill Last January 1993, during the middle of this trial, defendants Governor Lowell Weicker and Commissioner of Education Vincent Ferrandino suddenly announced the Governor's proposed school desegregation bill, "An Act Concerning Quality Integrated Education.” (See attached Appendix "A"). The Governor’s bill was modest at best. While containing concrete racial goals for desegregation of school districts'?, financial incentives for school districts to participate!’ and legal penalties for districts that failed to reduce the racial isolation." It was clearly lacking in several key components which could have '? Racially isolated school means (A) the children of color are less the than 25% or more than 75% or (B) the percentage of children of color is less than or greater than a range of plus or minus 50% of the regional minority student average. (Governor's Bill No. 832, Sect. 1(3)). '* (See generally An Act Concerning Magnet Schools, Interdistrict Schools and An Interdistrict Student Attendance Program, Appendix "B"). For example the state would approve up to six magnet school building projects (Sec. 1), approve up to twelve interdistrict school building projects (Sec. 2), and pay for the transportation of students to magnet or interdistrict schools (Sec. 3). "Id. at Sec. 4. insured meaningful relief for the children of Hartford. Most importantly, it lacked any mandates to the various school districts to desegregate, or any meaningful mechanism for compelling compliance by the districts. Other negative aspects of this proposal included an unreasonably long timetable of two years, no funding for implementation, no enhancements for the large urban school districts, no goals for reduction of poverty concentration in the schools and only a perfunctory recommendation of six magnet schools for the entire state. In summary, the Governor's proposal gave the local districts too much room to wriggle around the problem. C Public Act 93-263 After this trial ended in February, 1993 amidst much speculation in the public about the potential impact of a decision by this court, the General Assembly proceeded to debate a bill which emerged from the Education Committee, as a modification of the Weicker bill and which was eventually enacted as Public Act 93-263 on July 1, 1993." The Act shall more accurately be referred to in this brief as the "school desegregation planning process law" because in the words of Representative Nancy Wyman, the Co-Chair of the Education Committee and a principal author of the legislation, '* The trial testimony in this case ended on February 26, 1993. P.A. No. 93-263 passed in the House of Representatives on May 27, 1993 and in the Senate on June 4, 1993. The General Assembly approved the act on June 28, 1993, the same day that the defendants filed their post-trial brief. At the oral argument held on December 16, 1993, this Court introduced the Act and the transcript of the debate in the General Assembly as Court Exhibit 1. 21 “... the only thing that this legislation has been asked to do with any kind of sanctions is to have those both at the local and regional level sit down and speak to each other, develop some kind of plan." (Court Ex. 1, House Debate, 5/27/93, p. 350-351). The new desegregation planning law simply describes a series of planning deadlines for a process that is voluntary. Public Act 93-263 watered down the Governor’s proposals to leave the new act with no mandates, no money and no racial or ethnic goals. The new act requires a wait of more than a year to determine if a new legislature with a new governor in the 1995 session will approve funding for any of the desegregation proposals that emerge from the end of the planning process. (Ct. Ex. 1, Sec. 2(f), 3(f)). Much later in 1996, school districts may apply to the commissioner for competitive grants to improve the quality of education. (Id. at Sec. 5(a)(b), Sec. (6), Sec. 7(a)(b), et. seq.). The most glaring inadequacy in the new desegregation planning process law is the voluntary opt-out provision for any school district that decides to refuse to participate in a plan passed by the region. Even the Co-Chair of the Education Committee, who would be expected to be an avid supporter of the bill, described it in a way that betrays modest expectations: If it [the plan] fails in your town and you choose not to implement it, and the region passes it, then your town does not have to be part of the plan. (Added words in brackets). (Court Ex. 1, House Debate, p. 351). The likelihood of passage of a proposed plan is burdened by the provision that both the municipal legislature and the board of education in a district must vote in favor of the plan to count as an affirmative vote for that municipality. (Court Ex. 1, Sec. 3(e)). The prognosis for a successful outcome for the desegregation planning process law is particularly grim when the history of education "reform", which the plaintiffs addressed in detail in the course of the trial, is considered. Central to that history is the concept of "voluntary" participation by school districts. The historical record of "voluntary" desegregation measures in Connecticut shows that this proposal is indeed nothing new under the sun. In 1966, the State Board of Education adopted a policy which stated "that the high concentration of minority group children in urban schools produces special problems on providing quality education.”", and the State Board "would help local boards of education to remove the impediments to learning. . ." by encouraging "cooperative efforts to this end among local boards of education. . . .") PIs’ Ex. 8). In fact, the state’s efforts at voluntary school desegregation through the development of cooperative programs on the local level have failed miserably for the past thirty years. Just as in the past, Public Act 93- 263 vests all power for developing a plan in elected officials - the mayor or first select person and the chairperson of the board of education. (Court Ex. 1, P.A. 93-263, Sec. 1(4), Sec. 3(e)). The lesson learned from the history in this state is bleak, local politics has never produced any change in the inequality of educational opportunities between urban and suburban schools in Connecticut in the past nor have local town officials and board of education members ever confronted the problem of disparities in educational opportunities between neighboring school districts. Quite frankly, the new school desegregation planning law really mandates all talk, but no action. The only mandate to do anything is to "participate in good faith in regional " planning..." or the state board of education may withhold state funds paid to the district. 23 (Id. at Sec. 4). At the end of the desegregation planning process nearly two years after its adoption, no one really knows what will happen. Representative Knierim expressed this frustration during the debates: ... We have no idea where this process is going to take us...we know our situation is urgent...we know that we’re being sued on the theory that our school system is unconstitutional...if we adopt an amendment like this, we haven’t done anything to address those problems. We've merely set forth the plan process and who really knows what’s going to come out of that? ..[T]his will perpetuate the problem we already know...there is no force or money or law behind this. (Court Ex. 1, House Debate, 5/27/93, pp. 310-315). Thus, plaintiffs are not alone in having low expectations for the new law. Other elected officials expressed disappointment with the plan’s prospects in unequivocal language best summarized by Representative Wollenberg: We are going to plan ... . Politically, we are going to tell our constituents, desegregation plan passes. It is phony... We are fooling them, again. Another sham on the people of the State of Connecticut. (Court Ex. 1, House Debate, 5/27/93, p. 622). d. I'he Hyslop Proposal A particularly disturbing development during the course of debate on this act was the lost opportunity by the legislature to actually pass legislation which could have allowed some definite and meaningful relief to the children in Connecticut who were performing the worst and needed help the most. The Black and Hispanic Caucus of the General Assembly through its Chairperson, Representative Wade Hyslop, introduced a proposed '* Similar objections and reservations were raised by Representative Dimeo. (Court Ex. 1, House Debate, 5/27/93, p.457-58, 461-62. 24 substitute bill to that of the Education Committee which ameliorated some of the flaws of the Governor’s and Education Committee’s Bill. (See Hyslop Bill, attached Appendix "C"). This bill set stricter racial balance guidelines; defined poverty concentration as more than thirty percent of students from families who are eligible for AFDC or qualify for free or reduced lunch and sought the elimination rather than the mere reduction of racially isolated and poverty concentrated schools together with the elimination of disparities of resources and student outcomes. In addition, it set an earlier timetable for implementation for September, 1994. (Hyslop proposal at Sec. 5(c)). To achieve these objectives, the Hyslop proposal contained a combination of sanctions and enhancements. The bill provided for withholding state funds to local districts which not only failed to participate in planning, but failed to implement a plan approved by the state board of education. Furthermore, it withheld reimbursement for school construction unless the proposed schools enhanced racial balance and equity. (Id. at Secs. 7; 11(a), (d)). Further, the bill included incentive funding for the full cost of capital expenditures for interdistrict schools and the provision of educational enhancements to districts if thirty percent or more of the students failed to meet the standard for remedial assistance on the state-wide mastery tests. (Id. at Sec. 9). This bill not only contained clearly articulated goals but it also called for concrete action to achieve these goals in the form of the potential for the loss of funds for non-compliance and the possibility of receiving incentive funds for taking affirmative steps to remedy racial isolation and inequity in education. In short, the Hyslop bill stood in stark contrast to its counterparts to demonstrate what could have been accomplished had the legislature shown a real commitment to the educational problems present in the state and the will to take effective steps to deal with those problems." Given the general considerations of justiciability outlined above and the manifest and overwhelming weaknesses of the bill, plaintiffs believe that a serious injustice would be done by derailing litigation at this late stage. Granting the Legislature the power to render an otherwise justiciable law suit nonjusticiable merely by passing a statute which suggests that local government officials consider the possibility of reform raises extremely disturbing questions about the balance of power between the branches of government in Connecticut and the possibility for private citizens to ever gain meaningful relief in the state courts. Put simply, such a doctrine would, in effect, give the legislature a trump card with which it could automatically end ongoing litigation merely by enacting legislation which bears some relation to the litigation and holds out some possibility, no matter how small, of offering some remedy. The Connecticut Constitution could not have intended such a result and such a result should not be permitted in this case. IV. THE ENACTMENT OF PUBLIC ACT 93-236 DOES NOT ADEQUATELY ADDRESS PLAINTIFFS’ COMPLAINT AND. ACCORDINGLY DOES NOT RENDER SUCH CLAIMS MOOT. During the oral argument of December 16, 1993, the Court raised questions about the effect of the enactment of Public Act 93-236 given the fact that both the legislation and statements made by the Governor suggested acquiescance to the plaintiffs’ claims. In its "Plaintiffs do not mean to suggest that the Hyslop Bill adequately addresses all of their claims nor do they believe that the bill, if enacted, would have preempted this Court of jurisdiction to address this lawsuit. Instead, plaintiffs include a discussion of its provisions only to highlight the considerable shortcomings of the legislation that was enacted. 26 questions, the Court suggested that the legislature might divest the court of jurisdiction to decide the lawsuit by acquiescing in the claims raised by plaintiffs in their complaint. The question of justiciability has been examined in some detail above. The questions raised by the Court suggest, though, that the Court’s concerns extended beyond justiciability to include the issue of mootness. A question is "moot" when it presents no actual controversy or where the issues have ceased to exist. See eg Delevieluse v. Manson, 184 Conn. 434, 439 A.2d 1055 (1981). To the extent that the Court’s questions implicate the doctrine of mootness, plaintiffs contend that all of the issues which existed prior to the enactment of Public Act 93-236 continue in full force today and that accordingly the doctrine of mootness does not apply. Plaintiffs believe this is the case not only because of the legislation’s limited scope but, in addition, because the legislation does not address even the limited areas within its compass in a way which can be considered comprehensive. a. The Scope Of Public Act 93-236 Is More Limited Than The Scope Of The Claims In Plaintiffs’ Complaint And Could Therefore Not Dispose Of All Such Claims. Plaintiffs would be surprised to hear that either the Governor or the Legislature intended to accede to all of the claims contained in their complaint.”® Even if the "*Plaintiffs would, of course, be delighted if it were the Governor's and Legislature’s intent to concede liability. Even the unlikely agreement of the defendants would not be sufficient by itself to terminate the case because it would leave the plaintiffs with no enforceable right as a result of the agreed-upon violations. The only way that that result could be achieved, short of a determination by this Court that defendants are liable for constitutional violations, would be for the parties to enter into a court ordered consent 27 . » defendants were in complete agreement as to the need to take action to improve education in Connecticut and enacted Public Act 93-236 to address that need, plaintiffs’ complaint is much broader in scope than the legislation such that the legislation could not render all of the plaintiffs’ claims moot. In their complaint, plaintiffs challenged the constitutionality of the Hartford school system and those of the surrounding area because they were segregated on the basis of race and ethnicity, deprived of equal opportunity to a free public education, deprived of a school system which would provide Hartford schoolchildren with a minimally adequate education as measured by state standards. To the extent that Public Act 93-263 addresses any of the concerns in the complaint, it appears to address only the issue of diversity (without bothering to define the term) and that only through voluntary measures. No mention is made of claims of deprivations of the right to a minimally adequate education or of the claims of students who would continue to suffer from racial and ethnic and economic segregation as the result of the failure of school districts to participate in voluntary desegregation plans. Accordingly, the legislation cannot be regarded as having even attempted to address these concerns and plaintiffs must be afforded the opportunity to pursue relief judicially. Because of the overwhelming limitations inherent in the statute, the enactment of Public Act 93-326 has left the plaintiffs in virtually the same position they were in at the time the case was originally filed. To hold that this empty legislation would have the effect agreement. Absent that, plaintiffs would be sacrificing their legal rights for an unenforceable promise. 28 of rendering their claims moot would result in an enormous injustice to the plaintiff class and would negate all of the time and effort expended to date in this matter with no assurance that relief would ever be adequately granted. If, as the plaintiffs believe will happen, the Public Act results in no meaningful relief, then all the parties will find themselves back at square one, compelled to repeat the exhaustive proceedings which have occurred to date. The cost in terms of both human and financial resources would be enormous. However large this waste would be, it would be dwarfed by the loss caused by continued deprivation of educational opportunities secured by the Constitution. This loss could never truly be compensated. It would be truly ironic if legislation which, however misguided, had as its goal the improvement of educational opportunity deprived this Court of jurisdiction to consider the claims of 26,000 Hartford children who are subjected to the multiple layers of overwhelming racial, ethnic and economic segregation and who are deprived of adequate educational resources. Conclusion For the reasons stated above, plaintiffs request that this Court leave its earlier holdings regarding justiciability intact and proceed to consideration of the claims of liability and remedy raised during the trial. 29 Resp fully Submitted, Jo 7 I Briireiy versity or Connecticut School of Law 5 Elizabeth Street Hartford, CT 06105 toll Utes Sandra Del Valle Ken Kimerling Puerto Rican Legal Defense and Education Fund 99 Hudson Street New York, NY 10013 He lew dershka/) Helen Hershkoff / Adam Cohen American Civil Liberties Union Foundation 132 West 43 Street New York, NY 10036 of APR Wesley/ W. Horton Kimberly A. Knox Moller, Horton & Rice 90 Gillett Street Hartford, CT 06105 AD To Definis Parker Ted Shaw NAACP Legal Defense & Educational Fund, Inc. 99 Hudson Street New York, NY 10013 Wilfred Rodriguez Hispanic Advocacy Project Neighborhood Legal Services 1229 Albany Avenue Bartford, CT 06112 [laatte She Martha Stone Connecticut Civil Liberties Union Foundation 32 Grand Street Hartford, CT 06106 WY re Philip D. Tegeler Connecticut Civil Liberties Union Foundation 32 Grand Street Hartford, CT 06106 Attorneys for Plaintiffs CERTIFICATE OF SERVICE This is to certify that one copy of the foregoing has been mailed postage prepaid to John R. Whelan and Martha Watts, Assistant Attorney Generals, MacKenzie Hall, 110 Sherman Street, Hartford, CT 06105 this 2+ day of January, 1994. Ohare =) es Dennis Parker APPENDIX A APPENDIX A STATE OF CONNECTICUT 8ill No. Page 1 Referred to Committee on LCO No. 2732 Introduced by REQUEST OF THE GOVERNOR PURSUANT TO JOINT RULE 9 General Assembly January Session, A.Dey 1993 AN ACT CONCERNING QUALITY INTEGRATED EDUCATION, Be It enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Assembly convened: Section 1, (NEW) As used in sections 1 to 7y Inclusive, of this act: (1) “Commissioner” means the commissioner of education; (2) "Education reglons” means regions of the state designated Oy the commissioner of education for education planning pursuant “ts the provisions of sections 1 to 7, Inclusive, of this act; (3) "Racially isolated school” means 3 public school building (A) the minority student Population enrolled is less than twenty-five per cent or greater than seventy-five per cent or (B) the percentage of minority students is less than or greater than 3 france of plus or minus fifty per cent of the regional minority student average} (4) "Minority student® Means a student who is enrolled on Uctodber first in 3 public schoo! and is identified under federal law and regulations as being within 3 federally recogni 2ed nonwhite racial group; (5) "Regional minority student 3verage™ means the number obtained by dividing (A) the total number of minority students enrolled in public schools in the education region by (8) the total number ef students enrolled in the public schools jn such region; and LCO No. 2732 Bill Noe. Page 2 te) "Significant reduction in racial isolation” means annual progress acceptable to the state board of education (A) in decreasing the percentage of students in an education planning region who are educated in a racially isolated school or (B) in increasing the percentage of students in an education region who participate significantly in an integrated educational experience. Seco 2 (NEW) The commissioner of education shall designate education regions within the state. Regional education planning councils established pursuant to section 4 of this act shall develop regional education plans, in accordance with the provisions of sections 1 to 7, inclusive, of this act, to provide for a significant reduction in racial isolation and promote 2a quality integrated learning environment for public school students in each such education region. The development of such plans Is 3 necessary part of a local or regional board of education's obligation to provide a suitable program of educational experiences and (Is deemed to be an educational interest of the state within the meaning of section 10-43 of the general statutes. Sec. J. (NEW) (a) On or before July 1, 1993, each local and regional board of education shall establish an advisory committee. The committee shall (1) discuss how Its district can contribute to providing for a significant reduction in racial isolation and promoting a quality Integrated learning environment for public school students (in the education region, (2) assess the district's needs and options in reaching such goals, and (3) report the results of such assessment to the regional planning council established pursuant to section 4 of this act, not later than December 31, 1993. (db) The committee shall represent the diversity ot the community and shall include; but not be limited to: The superintendent of the local or regional board of education, members of such board of education, the director of any regional vocational technical school located In the school district, the LCO No. 2732 Bill No. Page 3 chief elected official and the chief financial officer of the 71 municipality, the head of the town's legislative body, parents, 72 representatives of the exclusive bargaining unit for teachers and 73 administrators, public and private colleges and universities, - 74 civic organizations, business leaders and members of the general 79 iy public. 76 {c) The committee shall meet at least monthly beginning July 77 ly, 1793 and shall hold at least one public hearing on the results 78 . of its assessment prior to submission of its report to the 1S regional planning council. 80 Sec. 4. INEW) (3) There shall be a .regional education 81 planning council for each education region which shall develop a e2 regional plan to provide for EK significant reduction in racial 83 isolation in each school district and school building in the 84 education region and to promote a quality Integrated learning 85 anv ir onneht for all of its public school students. Each council 8¢€ shall be composed of the chz2irpersons of the local and rei onal 87 boards of education; three community leaders appointed by the 88 governor, one superintendent appointed by the Connecticut 89 Association of Public School Superintendents, two representatives 90 of the exclusive bargaining units for teachers to be jointly 91 appointed by the Connecticut Education Association and the 92 Connecticut State Federation of Teachers, one administrator 93 jointly appointed by the Elementary and Middle School Principals’ 94 5 3 Association of Connecticut, the Connecticut Association of 95 Schools and the Connecticut Federation of School Administrators, 96 and one parent appointed by the Parent-Teacher Association of 97 Connecticut, All members of the council shall reside within the 98 region and shall serve without compensation. 9a ; (dt) Each regional education planning council shall elect Its 100 own chalrperson and such other officers as the council deems 101 necessary, The first meeting of the council shall be held not 102 later than July 15, 1993. Commencing January l, 1994, the council 103 shall meet at least once each calendar month and at such other 104 times as the ch2irperson ceems necessary or upon the regusst of a 105 Bill No. Page 4 ma jority of the members of the council until a plan approved 106 pursuant to section 6 of this act is submitted to the state 107 department of education. Following approval of the plan by the 108 state board of educationy the council shall meet at least once 109 annually to evaluate the progress of its approved plan and shall, : 110 not later than August first of any yeary submit a report of its 111 findings to the commissioner, The council shall also meet 3s 112 ’ necessary to monitor such plan, consider amendments to such plan 113 and produce any successor plan which shall be required every five 114 years following approval of the initial plan. 115 (c) The commissioner shall designate a facilitator to assist 116 the activity of the codncil. Within the limits of available 117 appropriations, each Pegion shall be eligible to receive a 118 one-time planning grant in an amount not to exceed fifty thousand 119 dollars, The regidnal educational service center located in the 120 education region shall, at the direction of the commissioner, 121 serve as the fiscal agent for the council. : 122 Sec. So (NEW) (2a) Not later than August 1, 1994, each 123 regional“ education planning council shall subait for state board 124 of edvc?tion approval, {in such form and manner as prescribed by 125 the cosxissionery 3a five-year plan to provide for a significant 126 ; reduction In racial isolation and to promote 3 quality integrated = 127 learning environment for public school students. To adopt such a 128 J plan, or amendments to such 2a plan, two-thirds of the council 129 shall be present and shall vote affirmatively. Each council shall 130 2 fo hold at least two public hearings on its plan, or amendments to 131 such plan, prior to the adoption of the plan, or amendments, by 132 the council. 133 fT (db) Each regional plan shall: fl) Describe goals and 134 timeframes that provide for a significant reduction In racial 135 » isolation; (2) address educational quality through consideration 136 of program Issues such as curriculum and student assignment, 137 ‘ finance, facilities and equipment, transportation, students with 138 bl special needs, staff training for managing racial Eiversity, 139 a! recruitment, retention and assignment of a diverse staff, student 140 ow IN Na. 27% ~y « Bill Noe. Page 5 instruction on the value of racial diversity and participation in a multi-cultural society, and collaboration among social service agencies; (3) describe goals and timeframes for significantly reducing the concentration of economically disadvantaged students; (4) maintain, or recommend modification of, local and regional school board control over student assignment, proarammaticy, fiscal and personnel operations within the school district; and (5) maintain, or recommend modification of, multi-district collaborative efforts which were in operation prior to the development of the plan and which cross the boundaries of education regions if they enhance quality and integrated education. (c) Each council shall consider the following enrollment arrangesents in the development of Its plan: (1) Magnet schools; (2) interdistrict schools; (3) regional vocational-technical and vocational-agricultural- programs; (4) voluntary interdistrict student attendance programs; (35) any other enrol iment arrangements that provide for 3a significant reduction in racial isolation and promote 3 quality Integrated learning environment for public school students; and (6) any other activity that has significant quality contact hours of Integrated educational exper lences such as integrated summer school programs, extra-curricular activities, paired schools, interactive telecommunications among schools, Joint fleld trips, special joint projects, and regional early childhood centers, Sec. 6. (MEW) (a) Not later than sixty days following submission of a plany or any amendments to such a plan, in accordance with the provisions of subsection (3) of section 5 of this act, the state board of education, upon recommendation of the commissioner, shall take action on any such plan, or amendments. If such plan, or amendments, are not approved, the state board of education shall state in writing Its reasons, and shall direct the commissioner to notify the council. Within sixty calendar days from the date of state board act lon reject ing such 141 142 143 144 145 146 147 148 149 150 151 152 153 154 155 156 157 158 159 160 161 162 163 164 165 166 167 168 169 170 171 172 173 174 Bill Noe. Page 6 plan or amendments, the regional council shall resubmit 2 revised plan to the state board of education. (db) Upon approval by the state board of education of the regional council's plan, each local! and regional board of education located within such region shall be responsible for the implementation of the plan. te) Implementation of the approved plans shall begin as ‘soon as sans ibis but in no case later than September 19935. Sec. 7 (NEW) The department of education shall monitor and evaluate the implementation of the regional plans. The department of education shall report annually to the state board of education on progress toward the significant reduction in racial Iscliation in each reglon. If the state board of education determines that a regional plan Is not being implemented or is not accomplishing a significant reduction in racial isolation, it may requirs amendsent of such plisn by the council in accordance with sections 5 and 6 of this act. Sec. 8. This act shall take effect July 1, 1993. STATEV.ENTY OF PURPOSE: Te implement the governor's budget preposal. (Proposed deletions ares enclosed in brackets. Proposed additions are al! capitalized or wunderiinsd where appropriate, except that when the entire text of 3 Bill or resolution or a section thereof Is neswy; It Is net capltel ized or underlined.) 195 196 198 199 200 201 APPENDIX B . » APPENDIX B STATE UF CONNECTICUT 3 Bit! Noe. 4 Referred to Committee on LCO No. 27133 Introduced by REQUEST OF THE GOVERNOR PURSUANT TO JOINT RULE 9 General Assembly January Sessiony A,Dey 1993 AN ACT CONCERNING MAGNET SCHUOLS, INTERODISTRICT SCHOOLS AND AN INTERDISTRICT STUDENT ATTENDANCE PROGPAM, Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Assembly convened: Section l. (NEW) (a) For purposes of this section? (1) “Applicant” means any single or combination of local boards of education, regional boards of education, regional educational service centers, or cooperative committees established pursuant to section 10-1583 of the general statutes; (2) "Magnet school™ means 2a school (A) which is approved by the state board of education through an application process prescribed by the commissioner, (B) which offers a special curriculum capable of attracting 3 substantial number of students of different racial backgrounds, (C) which provides for the voluntary enrollment of students, and (D) which meets such other conditions as the commissioner may require. (3) "Home district™ wmeans the school district where each student attending a state board of education approved magnet schoo! would otherwise be entitied to free school privileges, {b) Each applicant approved by the state board of education to operate 3a magnet school shall be eligible to receive a grant in an amount equal to the net eligible cost to such district or regional educational service center of constructing, acquiring, renovating, equipping or leasing facilities to be used primarily 3s 2 magnet school. Such grant shall be in accordance with LCO Nn. 2713) Bill No. Page 2 chapter 173 of the dshaial statutesy unless the applicant applies 37 to the commissioner for a waiver of any of the provisions of said 3R chapter and the commissioner in his discretion grants such 3% waiver. Grant payments shall be made based on cost estimates as, 40 such costs are incurred, but the final progress payment shall not 41 ! be made until such building project is complete and the magnet 42 schoo! Is operating as approved. The state board of education may 43 ; 2pprove up to six magnet school building projects in each fiscal h4 year. If a magnet school building applicant fails to operate in 45 : substantial compliance with its approved plan of operation, the 46 state board of education Is authorized to obtain an order from a 47 judge of the superior court requiring the transfer of title to a 48 magnet schoo! facility, lease, or equipment to the state board of 49 education. 50 | (c) Each home district shall be eligible to receive annually, 51 . subject to an appropriation therefor, for the benefit of each 52 : child who is enrolled in a3 magnet school, an amount equal to 53 twenty-five per cent of the foundation, as defined in subdivision 54 (7) of section 10-262f of the general statutes, for each such 55 a child. 56 : {(d)] The state board of education may approve upon 57. : recommendation of the commissioner up to six applications for 58 magnet school bullding projects each year for Inclusion on the 59 board's construction priority list In accordance with section 60 Ta 10-283 of the general statutes. The state board of education may 61 ike also 2pprove additional magnet schools solely for the purpose of 62 receiving 21d pursuant to subsection (c) of this section. 63 Sec. 2. (INEW) (a) For purposes of this section, 64 a "interdistrict schocl™ means a school which is operated by two or . 65 more school districts; regional educational service centers or a 66 “iz combination thereof. 67 (t) An application for an Interdistrict school shall be 68 ak submitted In such form and manner as determined by the x) Mg commissioner and shall Include: 70 Bill Noo. Page 3 (1) A writ) agreement between two or more participatiflly 71 school districts agreeing to enroll students in the interdistrict 72 school! for a xinimum period of ten years; 73 (2) A plan for enrollment which promotes 2 quality integrated 74 learning environment; and 75 (3) Such other requirements as the commissioner shall deem 76 nNecessarye 77 (c) The state board of education may approve, upon 78 recommendation of the commissioner, up to twelve applications for 79 : interdistrict school building projects each year for inclusion on 80 the board's construction priority list in accordance with section 81 10-283 of the general statutes. 82 (d) A local or regional board of education or regional 83 educational service center, or combination thereof, approved by 84 the state board of education to operate an interdistrict school 85 shall be eligible to receive a grant, in accordance with the 86 provisions of chapter 173 of the general statutes, in an amount 87 equal to the net eligible cost to such district or regional 83 educational service center of constructing, acquiring, 89 renovating, equipping or leasing facilities to be used 90 : . exclusively as an Interdistrict school provided the application 91 Ler such 2 grant is filed with the commissioner of education not 92 later than June 30, 1999. The state board of education may 93 : approve up to twelve Interdistrict schools in each fiscal year. 94 : Crant payments shall be ®made based on cost estimates as such 95 costs are Incurred, but the final progress payment shall not be 96 made until! such bullding project Is complete and the school is 97 operating as approved. If such 3 school falls to operate in 98 substantial compliance with Its approved plan of operation, the 99 state board of education Is authorized to obtain an order from a 100 : Judge of the superior court requiring the transfer of title to an 101 interdistrict school facility, lease, or equipment to the state 102 ; board of education. 103 LCO No. 2733 Bill Noe Page 4 Sec. 3. veil) ar A local or regional board of cducatiofffly 104 which transports 2a child for whom it Is responsible by law for educating to another school district for the purpose of the child's participation in a magnet school, as defined in section 1 of this act, or an interdistrict school, as defined in section 2 of this act, shall be eligible to receive 2 grant equal to thes efficient and economical costs of transporting such child. (b) Grants under this section shall be contingent on documented costs of providing such transportation. Eligible local and regional boards of education shall submit applications for grants under this section to the commissioner of education. Applications shall be submitted in such form and at such times as’ the commissioner shall prescribe. Grant payments pursuant to this section shall be made as follows: One-half of the estimated eligible transportation costs in October and one-half of such costs In May. (c) Each local and regional board of education participating in the grant program shall prepare 3 financial statement of expenditures which shall be submitted to the department on or before Septemter first of the fiscal year immediately following each fiscal year In which the school district participates in the rant program, Based on such statement, any underpayment or overpayment =ay be calculated and adjusted by the state department of education In any subsequent year's grant. If the commissioner finds that any grant recipient uses such grant for purposes which are not In conforsity with the purposes of this section; the commissioner may require repayment of the grant to the state. Sec. 4, Subsection (3) of section 10-2852 of the general statutes Is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof: | (a) The percentage of school bullding project grant money a local board of education may be eligible to recelve, under the provisions of section 10-286 shall be determined as follows: (1) Each town shall be ranked in descending order from one to one LCO No. 2733 105 106 107 108 109 110 111 Billi NG rege 5 hundred sixty-nifffaccording to such town's adjusted equalize net grand list per capita, as defined In section 10-261; (2) based upon such ranking, a percentage of not less than forty nor more than eighty shall be determined for each town on a continuous scaley except that (A) for school building projects authorized by the gererad assembly during the fiscal year ending June 30, 1991, for all such projects so authorized thereafter and for grants approved pursuant to subsection (b) of section 10-283 for which application Is made on and after July 1, 1991, the percentage of schoo! building project grant money a local board of education may be eligible to receive, under the provisions of section 10-286 shall be determined as follows: [((A)] []1) Each town shall be ranked In descending order from one to one hundred - sixty-nine according to such town's adjusted equalized net grand list per capltay as defined in section 10-261; ((B)) (jl) based upon such ranking, a percentage of not less than twenty nor more than eighty shall be determined for each town on a continuous scale AND (B)] FOR SCHOOL BUILDING PROJECTS TO CONSTRUCT, PURCHASE OR EXTEND A BUILDING TO BE USED FOR PUBLIC SCHOOL PURPOSES FOR WHICH APPLICATION 1S MADE ON OR AFTER JANUARY 1, 1993, THE PERCENTAGE OF SCHOOL BUILOING PROJECT GRANT MONEY A LOCAL BOARD OF EDUCATION MAY BE ELIGIBLE TO RECEIVE, UNDER THE PROVISIONS OF SECTION 10-286, SHALL BE CETERMINED AS FOLLOWS: (1) EACH TOWN SHALL BE RANKED IN DESCENDING ORDER FROM ONE TO ONE HUNDRED SIXTY=-NINE ACCORDING TO SUCH TOWN'S ADJUSTED EQUALIZED NET GRAND LIST PER CAPITA, AS DEFINED IN SECTION 10-261; (il) BASED UPON SUCH RANKING, A PERCENTAGE OF NOT LESS THAN TEN NOR MORE THAN FORTY SHALL BF DETERMINED FOR EACH TOWN ON A CONTINUOUS SCALE. Seco. 5. Section 10-283 of the general statutes is repealed and the following Is substituted In lleu thereof: ta) Each town or reglonal school district shall be eligible to apply for and accept grants as provided In this chapter. Any town desiring a grant for a public school buliding project may, by vote of its legislative body, authorize the board of education of such town to apply to the commissioner of education and to LCO Ko. 2733 139 140 141 142 143 144 145 146 147 148 149 150 151 152 153 154 155 156 157 158 159 160 161 162 163 164 165 166 167 168 169 170 171 172 173 ’ rd ’ . or Bill No. Page 6 accept or Mer. WB grant for the town. Any regional servo lll 174 board may vote to authorize the supervising agent of the regional school district to apply to the commissioner of education for and | to accept or reject such grant for the district. Applications for such g3rants superintendent under this ch of schools of apter shall be made by such town or regional sch district on the form provided and in the manner prescribed by coemiss loner of education. the, ool the ft) Grant applications for school building projects shall be reviewed by the commissioner categories for of education on the basis building projects and standards for sch construction established by the state board of education accordance with this section, provided grant applicatt of col in ons submitted for purposes of subsection (3a) of section 10-65; [or] section 10-76e OR SECTION 1 OF 2 OF.THIS ACT shall be revie annually by the commissioner on the basis of the educatio needs of the applicant. {gl Each project FOR WHICH APPLICATION IS FILED WITH COMMISSIONER OF EDUCATION ON OR BEFORE DECEMBER 31, 1992: sh be assicned to a category on the basis of whether such project primarily required existing facilities to prov programs pursuant to this facilities in compliance with Secondary Education Act of 19 compliance cannot be provided the correction of code violat addressed within existing p facilities or alter existing - Instructional programs pursua comparable facllities among sc grade level or levels within project is otherwise expliciti pursuant to this section; and existing facilities to provide LCC Neo 2733 to: {l1) Create: new facilities or al wed nal THE is ter ide for mandatory instructional chapter, for physical educat Title 1X of the Elementary 72 where such programs or s within existing facilities or ions which cannot be reasona rogram space; (2) create facilities to enhance mandat nt te this chapter or prov hools to all students at the s the school district unless s y . included In another categ (3) create new facilities or al supportive services; provided ion and uch for bly new ory ide ame uch ory ter in 175 176 177 178 179 180 181 182 183 184 185 186 187 188 189 190 191 192 193 194 195 196 197 198 199 200 201 202 203 204 205 206 207 208 » Bill No. Page 7 » no event shall such supportive services include swimming pools, auditoriums, outdoor athletic facilities, tennis courts, elementary school playgrounds, site improvement or garages or storage, parking or general recreation areas. {d)l EACH PROJECT FOR WHICH AN APPLICATION IS FILED WITH Tug COMMISSIONER OF EDUCATION ON AND AFTER JANUARY 1, 1993, SHALL BE ASSIGNED TO A CATEGORY CN THE BASIS OF WHETHER SUCH PROJECT IS PRIMARILY REQUIRED TO: (1) CONSTRUCT, ACQUIRE, RENOVATE, EQUIP OR LEASE FACILITIES TO BE USED EXCLUSIVELY AS A MAGNET SCHOOL, AS DEFINED IN SECTION 1 OF THIS ACT, OR AS AN INTERODISTRICT SCHOOL, AS DEFINED IN SECTION 2 UF THIS ACT; (2) CREATE NEW FACILITIES OCR ALTER EXISTING FACILITIES TO PROYIDE FOR MANDATORY INSTRUCTIONAL PROGRAMS PURSUANT TO THIS CHAPTER, FOR PHYSICAL EDUCATION FACILITIES IN COMPLIANCE WITH TITLE IX OF THE ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY EDUCATION ACT OF 1972 WHERE SUCH PROGRAMS OR SUCH COMPLIANCE CANNOT BE PROVIDED WITHIN EXISTING FACILITIES OR FOR THE CORRECTION OF CODE VIOLATIONS WHICH CANNOT BE REASONABLY ADDRESSED WITHIN EXISTING PROGR AM SPACE; (3) CREATE NEW FACILITIES OR ALTER EXISTING FACILITIES TO ENHANCE MANDATORY INSTRUCTIONAL PROGRAMS PURSUANT TO THIS CHAPTER OR PROVIDE COMPARAPLE FACILITIES AMONG SCHOOLS TC ALL STUDENTS AT THE SAME GRADE LEVEL OR LEVELS WITHIN THE SCHOOL DISTRICT UMLESS SUCH PROJECT 1S OTHERWISE EXPLICITLY INCLUDED IN ANOTHER CATEGORY PURSUANT TO THIS SECTION, AND (4) CREATE NEw FACILITIES OR ALTER EXISTING FACILITIES TO PROVIDE SUPPORTIVE SERVICES, PROVIDED IN NO EVENT SHALL SUCH SUPPORTIVE SERVICES INCLUDE SWIMMING POOLS, AUDITORIUNS, OUTDOOR ATHLETIC FACILITIES, TENNIS COURTS, ELEMENTARY SCHOOL PLAYGROUNDS, SITE IMPROVEMENTS OR GARAGES OR STORAGE, PARKING OR GENER2L RECREATION AREAS. {g]l All applications submitted prior to the first day of July in any year shall be reviewed promptly by the commissioner and the amount of the grant for which such project Is eligible shall be estimated. The commissioner shall annually prepare 2 listing of all such eligible projects fisted by category together with the amount of the estimated grants therefor including an estimate Bill No. Page 8 of the grant Ke. of interest cost and shall submit WN 244 same to the governor and the general assembly on or before the fifteenth day of December, except as provided in section 10-283a, with a request for authorization to enter into grant commitments. The general assembly shall annually authorize the commissioner to, enter into grant commitments on behalf of the state in accordance’ with the commissioner's categorized listing for such projects as the general assembly shall determine. The commissioner may not enter into any such grant commitments except pursuant to such legislative authorization. The state board of education shall issue regulations to carry out the duties of the board and the commissioner under this section. Any regional school district which assumes the responsibility for competion of a3 public schoo! bullding project shall be eligible for a grant pursuant to subdivision (5) or (6), as the case may bey, of subsection (a) of section 10-286, when such project Is completed and accepted by such regional school district. {{) For the purpose of any final grant calculation completed during the fiscal year ending June 30, 1984, and for each fiscal year thereafter, in computing the amount of 2 state grant for a schoo! building project involving the construction of a new school facility or the purchase or lease of a facility for which a grant app Vicat ion is submitted within five years after any abandonment, sale, lease, demolition or redirection of use of any school facility constructed or rencvated with state assistance, the commissioner of education shall deduct from the net eligible cost of such school! bullding project any grant amounts paid or due on the abandoned, scld, leased, demolished or redirected facility from the date such facility was abandoned, sold, leased, demolished or redirected. No such deduction shall be made for any grant which was pald or Is being paid pursuant to subsection (b) of this section, subsection (a) of section 10-65 or section 10=-76e. LCO No. 2733 245 246 247 248 249 250 251 252 253 254 255 256 257 258 259 260 261 262 263 264 265 266 267 268 269 270 271 272 27) 274 275 276 QO... No. Page 9 ® ((b)) {g)l Notwithstanding the application date requirements 277 of this section, the commissioner of education may approve 27R applications for grants pursuant to subdivision (9) of subsection 27% (a) of section 10-286 and for grants to assist school building 260 pro jects to remedy damage from fire and catastrophe or to correct. 281 safety; health and other code viclations at any time within the 282 > limit of available grant authorization and make payments thereon 283 : within the limit of appropriated funds. 284 Sec. €. Subsection (a) of section 10-284 of the general 285 > . statutes is repealed and the following is substituted In lieu 286 : thereof: 287 (a) The commissioner of education shall have authority to 288 receive; review and approve applications for state grants under 289 this chapter, INCLUDING GRANTS FOR MAGNET SCHOOLS AS DEFINED IN 290 SECTICN 1 OF THIS ACT AND INTERDISTRICT SCHOOLS AS DEFIMED IN 291 SECTION 2 OF THIS ACT; or to disapprove any such application if 292 (1) It does not comply with the requirements of the state fire 293 marshal or the department of health services, (2) it is not 294 accompanied by 3 life-cycle cost analysis approved by the 295 commissioner of public works pursuant to section 16a-38, (3) it 296 : does not comply with the provisions eof sections 10-290d and 297 2 10-291 or (4) it does not meet the standards or school bullding 298 . priorities established by the state board of edutstions 299 Secs 7. INEW) There shall be a voluntary Interdistrict 300 student attendance prograr to enable any pupil to attend a public 301 school! In a district in which the pupil! does not reside; subject 302 to the restrictions contained In sections 7 te 12, Inclusive, of 303 this act. 304 Seco. 8B. (NEW) Any local or regional board of education may 305 participate In the voluntary IiInterdistrict student attendance 306 program provided such board adopts, by resolution, specific 307 i standards for the acceptance and rejection of applications for 308 ir te pupl! attendance. Such standards (1) may include the capacity of 309 0p dai 2 program, class, grade level or school building, (2) may not 310 2 include an appllicant®®s previous academic achievement, athletic or 11 Bill No. Page 10 other extracurricular ability, physical or mental disabilities, 312 Englkish proficiency level or previous disciplinary proceedings, 313 and (J) and shall also include such additional standards as may 314 be reouired by the commissioner of education. Nothing in sections. 315 7 to 12, inclusive, of this act shall be construed to require 2 316 school district to add teachers or classrooms cor in any way 317 exceed the requirements and standards established under state or 31R : federal law. ; 319 Sece 9. (NEW) For a pupil to attend 3a school in a 320 participating district in which the pupil does not reside, the 321 parent or guardian of the pupil shall subsit an application to 322 . the district In which attendance Is requested. After consultation 323 with the pupil’s school! district of residence and within sixty 324 days of the receipt eof such an application, 2a narticipat ing 325 district shall notify the parent or guardian and the resident 326 district in writing of the acceptance or rejection of the 327 aoplication. If an application is rejected, the participating 32R district shall state (In the notification letter the reasons for 329 rejection. 330 Seco. 10. (NEW) A participating district shall accept credits 331 toward graduation that were awarded by another district. If a 332 nonresident pupil in the program meets the participating 333 district's graduation requirements, such district shall grant 334 such pupil a diploma. 33% Sec. 11. (NEW) For purposes of educational equalization aid 336 grants calculated in accordance with section 10-262h of the 337 general statutes, pupils attending participating districts under 338 the provisions of this act shall be counted as resident students, 333 J as defined In subdivision (19) of section 10-262f of the general 340 : statutes, In the town in which they reside. The resident district 341 shall pay to the participating district for the benefit of each 342 pupil for whom it is responsible by law for educating and who Is 343 attending school In a participating district an amount equal to Re ius twenty-five per cent of the foundation, as defined In subdivision 345 (7) of section 10-2621 of the general statutes, for cach such 346 . LCC No. 2733 >see ‘ ee child, except that if the honresident pupil attending schoo! in 3 Participating district is a child requiring specliat education, the resident district shall Pay to the Participating district one hundreg Per cent of the actuaj} Costs of educating sych child. Receiving districts may not charge tuition for Pupils who attend such districts in Accordance with the Provisions of sections 7 to 12, inclusive, of this act. Sec. 12, (NEW) a pupil attending , Participating district under the voluntary interdistrice student Attendance Program shal} Bt rednonsinrs for transportation to the Participating district. Resident districts and Participating districts may transport pupils Participating in the Program who reside within their district or » geographicatyy 3d jacent Schoo | district and shall pe reinvurses for the costs of such efficient and economical! transportation annually in accordance with the Provisions of section 10-266m of the genera} statutes, 4S 3mended by cection 13 of this act. Sec. 13. Section 10-266m of the generat Statutes |g repealed and the following is sSubstituteg in Jjeu thereof: A local of regional board of education Providing transportation in accordance with the Provisions gor sections 10-54, 10-97, 10-273a, 10-277, 10-280a, (ang) 10-281 anp SECTION 12 OF THIS ACT shai be reimbursed for percentage of Such transportation costs as follows: (a) The percentage of pupil | transportation costs feimbursed to 3 locas board of education shall oe determined by (1) ranking each town jn the state in descending order from one tq one hundred Sixty-nine According to such town's 3djusted etqual ized het grand Ilist per Capita, ,¢ defined |p section 10-261; (2) based upon such ranking, ang hotwithstanding the provisions of section 2-322, » Percentage of not less than Zero nor more than sixty shag be determined for each town on 3 continuous scale, €xcept that any such Percentage shall pe increased by twenty Percentage points |n accordance with section 10-97, where applicable, ® » : Bill No. Page 12 (b) The percentage of pupil transportation costs reimbursed 3E2 to a regional board of education shall be determined by its IB ranking. Such ranking shall be determined by (1) multiplying the Ju4 total population, as defined in section 10-261, of each town br 385 the district by such town's ranking, as determined In subsection 356 (a) of this sectiony (2) adding together the figures determined 387 : under (1), and (3) dividing the total computed under (2) by the 38A4 total population of all towns In the district. The ranking of 3a° ; each regional board of education shall be rounded to the next 390 higher whole number and each such board shall receive the same 391 reimbursement percentage as would 3 town with the same rank, ‘392 provided such percentage shall be increased in the case of a 353 secondary re3lonal school district by an additional five 394 2 percentage points and, in the case of any other regional school 395 ! district by an additional ten percentage points, 396 Sec. 14. This act shall take effect July 1, 1993. 397 STATEMENT oF PURPOSE: To implement the governor's budget 400 proposal. 401 (Proposed deletions are enclosed In bDrackets. Proposed 403 additions are 211 capitalized or underlined where appropriate, 404 i except that when the entire text of a3 bill or resolution or a 405 ite section thereof Is new) It Is not capitalized or underlined.) 406 Nz *- APPENDIX C ie C STATE OF CONNECTICUT 1CO No. B483 General Assembly - January Session, A.D., 1993 Offered by REP. EHYSLOP, 39th DIST. : REP. JACKSON-BROOKS, 95th DIST. REP. SELLERS, 140th DIST. . KIRKLEY-BEY, 5th DIST. COLEMAN, 1st DIST. BEAMON, 72nd DIST. NEWTON, 124th DIST. FIGUEROA, 3rd DIST. . SANTIAGO, 130th DIST. . GARCIA, 128th DIST. GARCIA, 4th DIST. . HARP, 10th DIST. To Subst. House Bill No. 6103 File No. 726 Cal. No. 554 Entitled "AN ACT IMPROVING EDUCATIONAL QUALITY AND DIVERSITY." Strike everything after the enacting clause and insert the following in lieu thereof: nsection 1. (NEW) As used in sections 1 to 15, inclusive, of this act: (1) "Commissioner”™ means commissioner of education. (2) "Region" means each area of the state listed by town pursuant to section 14 of this act. (3) "Racially isolated school” means a public school building where (A) the minority student population enrolled is less than twenty-five per cent or greater than sixty per cent or (B) the percentage of minority students is less than or greater than a 1LCO No. B483 PF ad oO Amendment 0 2 range of plus or minus fifty per cent of the regional minority student average. (4) "Poverty concentrated school” means a public school building where more than thirty per cent of the students (A) come from families who are eligible for aid to families with dependent children or (B) qualify for free Or reduced price lunches pursuant to federal law and regulations. s (5) "Minority student” means a student who is enrolled on October first in a public school and is identified under federal law and regulations as being within a federally recognized nonwhite racial group. (6) "Significant reduction in racial isolation and poverty concentration” means annual progress acceptable to the state board of education (A) in decreasing the percentage of students in an education planning region who are educated in racially isolated and poverty concentrated schools or (B) in increasing the percentage of students in an education region who participate significantly din a racially and economically integrated educational experience. (7) "Education and Community Improvement Plan" or "plan" means a metropolitan regional plan to (A) improve the quality of school performance and student outcomes through initiatives which include, but are not limited to, magnet schools and programs, interdistrict and regional schools and programs, regional vocational-technical schools, regional vocational-agricultural programs, interdistrict student attendance including but not limited to public school choice, early childhood education and parent education, summer school, extra-curricular activities, student community service, paired schools, teacher and administrator exchange and interactive telecommunications; (B) reduce barriers to opportunity including, but not limited to, poverty, unemployment, health, and_ the lack _of housing and _ transportation; (C) enhance student diversity and awareness of diversity: (D) eliminate racially isolated and poverty concentrated schools within each region; (E) eliminate 1.CO No. B483 PE at % Amendment rolff)s disparities in resources and outcomes among students in each region and among regions; and (F) address the programmatic needs of limited English proficient students with quality bilingual programs both in the city schools and schools in surrounding communities. Any such plan may include requests for waivers of specific state statutory or regulatory mandates which may be granted by the commissioner for good cause shown upon application by one or more local or regional boards of education. Sec. 2. (NEW) (a) On or before July 1, 1993, each local and regional board of education shall establish an advisory committee. The committee shall (1) discuss how its district can contribute to providing for a significant reduction in racial isolation and poverty concentration and promoting a quality integrated learning environment for public school students in the education region, (2) assess the district’s needs and options in reaching such goals, and (3) report the results of such assessment to the regional planning council established pursuant to section 3 of this act, not later than December 31, 1993. (b) The committee shall represent the diversity of the community and shall include, but not be limited to: The superintendent of the local or regional board of education, one member of such board of education, the director of any regional vocational technical school located in the school district, the chief elected official and the chief financial officer of the municipality, the bead of the town’s legislative body, a parent from each organized parent organization within the community, two representatives of the exclusive bargaining unit for teachers and administrators, a representative from public and from private colleges and universities, civic organizations, and one business leader. (c) The committee shall meet at least monthly beginning July 1, 1993, and shall hold at least one public hearing on the results of its assessment prior to submission of its report to the regional planning council. LCO No. 8483 72 73 74 5 76 77 78 79 80 81 82 83 84 85 86 87 88 89 90 91 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 100 101 102 103 104 105 ® Amendment P 4 Sec. 3. (NEW) (a) There shall be a regional education planning council for each education region which shall develop an education and community improvement plan to provide for a significant reduction din racial isolation and poverty concentration in each school district and school building in the education region and to promote a quality integrated learning environment for all of its public school students. (b) The regional education planning council shall be representative of the diversity of the region, and shall consist of three community leaders appointed by the governor, two superintendents appointed by the Connecticut Association of Public School Superintendents, two representatives of the exclusive bargaining units for teachers to be jointly appointed by the Connecticut Education Association and the Connecticut State Federation of Teachers, two administrators jointly appointed by the [Elementary and Middle School Principals’ Association of Connecticut, the Connecticut Association of Schools and the Connecticut Federation of School Administrators, and two parents appointed by the Parent-Teacher Association of Connecticut. At least one parent, one teacher, one administrator, one community leader, and one superintendent shall be from the central city within the region. All members of the council shall reside within the region and shall serve without compensation. (c) Each regional education planning council shall elect its own chairperson and such other officers as the council deems necessary. Commencing July 15, 1993, the council shall meet at least once each calendar month and at such other times as the chairperson deems necessary Or upon the request of a majority of the members of the council until a plan adopted pursuant to section 5 of this act is submitted to the state board of education. Following approval of the plan by the state board of education, the council shall meet at least once annually to evaluate the progress of its approved plan and shall, not later than August first annually, submit a report of its findings to the commissioner. LCO No. 8483 106 107 108 109 110 111 112 113 114 115 116 117 118 119 120 121 122 123 124 125 ~ 126 127 128 129 130 131 132 133 134 135 136 137 138 139 140 ® Amendment = @y (4d) The commissioner shall designate a facilitator to assist the activity of the council. The commissioner shall also employ and assign to each council an appropriate number of desegregation experts, educational enhancement experts, and demographers for the purpose of providing technical expertise “to each council. Each region shall be eligible to receive a one-time planning grant in an amount not to exceed fifty thousand dollars. The regional educational service center located in the education region shall, at the direction of the commissioner, serve as the fiscal agent for the council. : Sec. 4. (NEW) (a) Not later than March 1, 1994, each regional education planning council shall submit for state board of education approval, in such form and manner as prescribed by the commissioner, a five-year plan to provide for a significant © reduction in racial isolation and poverty concentration and to promote a quality integrated learning environment for public school students. To adopt such a plan, Or amendments to such a plan, two-thirds of the council shall be present and shall vote affirmatively. Each council shall hold at least two public hearings on its plan, OI amendments to such plan, prior to the adoption of the plan, or amendments, by the council. (b) Each regional plan shall: (1) Describe goals and time frames that eliminate "racially isolated schools" and "poverty concentrated schools"; (2) address educational quality through consideration of program issues such as curriculum and student assignment, finance, facilities and equipment, transportation, students with special needs, staff training for managing racial diversity, recruitment, retention and assignment of a diverse staff, student instruction on the value of racial diversity and participation in a multi-cultural society, and collaboration among social service agencies; (3) maintain, or recommend modification of, local and regional school board control over student assignment, programmatic, fiscal and personnel operations within the school district; (4) maintain, or recommend modification of, multi-district collaborative efforts which were LCO No. 8483 141 142 143 144 145 146 147 148 149 150 151 152 153 154 155 156 187 158 159 160 161 162 163 164 165 166 167 168 169 170 171 172 173 174 175 pt % Amendment i 6 in operations prior to the development of the plan and which cross the boundaries of education regions if they enhance quality and integrated education; (5) address the programmatic needs of limited English proficient students with quality bilingual programs both in the city schools and schools in surrounding communities; (6) eliminate disparities in resources and outcomes among students in the region; (7) address housing and health conditions that are harmful to students enrolled in poverty concentrated schools and which impede their academic performance; and (8) include provisions which will significantly increase the pumbers of students presently enrolled in racially isolated and poverty concentrated schools moving to surrounding towns. (c) Each council shall consider the following enrolment arrangements in the development of its plan: (1) Magnet schools; (2) interdistrict schools; (3) regional vocational-technical and vocational-agricultural programs; (4) voluntary and mandatory interdistrict student attendance programs; (5) any other enrolment arrangements that provide for a significant reduction in racial isolation and poverty concentration and promote a quality integrated learning environment for public school students; and (6) any other activity that has significant quality contact bours of integrated educational experiences such as integrated summer school programs, extra-curricular activities, paired schools, interactive telecommunications among schools, joint field trips, special joint projects, and regional early childhood centers. Sec. 5. (NEW) (a) Not later than sixty days following submission of a plan, or any amendments to such a plan, the state board of education, upon recommendation of the commissioner, shall approve any such plan or amendments, if such plan or amendments satisfy the goals as set forth in subdivision (7) of section 1 of this act and subsection (b) of section 4 of this act. If the state board of education disapproves such plan or amendment, it shall state in writing its reasons, and shall direct the commissioner to notify the council. Within forty-five LCO No. 8483 176 177 178 179 180 181 182 183 184 185 186 187 188 189 190 191 192 193 194 195 196 197 198 199 200 201 202 203 204 205 206 207 208 209 210 pM Amendment £3 7 calendar days from the date of state board actio rejecting such plan or amendments, the regional council shall resubmit a revised plan to the state board of education. (b) Upon approval by the state board of education of the regional council’s plan, each local and regional board of education located within such region shall be responsible for the implementation of the plan. (c) Implementation of the approved plans shall begin as soon as possible, but in no case later than September 1994. Sec. 6. (NEW) The department of education shall monitor and evaluate the implementation of the regional plans. The department shall report annually to the state board of education on progress toward the significant reduction in racial isolation and poverty concentration in each region. If the state board of education determines that a regional plan is not being implemented, or is not accomplishing a significant reduction in racially isolated and poverty concentrated schools, or eliminating disparities in resources and outcomes, it may require amendments of such plan by the council in accordance with section 5 of this act. Sec. 7. (NEW) Notwithstanding any provisions of the general statutes to the contrary, the state board of education may withhold from the total sum which is paid from the state treasury an amount which it deems to be equitable from any town or school district in a region which the state board of education determines has failed to participate in local and regional planning and pursuant to sections 2 and 3 of this act, and has failed to implement a plan approved by the state board of education pursuant to section 5 of this act. Sec. B. Subsection (a) of section 10-74d of the general statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof: (a) The state department of education shall within available appropriations maintain a grant program for the purpose of assisting local and regional boards of education with the establishment of interdistrict cooperative programs, INCLUDING LCO No. 8483 Amendment {| 8 MAGNET SCHOOLS AND PROGRAMS NOT ELIGIBLE FOR GRANTS PURSUANT TO SECTIONS 9 TO 11, INCLUSIVE, OF THIS ACT. Sec. 9. (NEW) (a) For the fiscal year in ending June 30, 1994, and each fiscal year thereafter, the department of education shall provide the appropriate resources for educational enhancements to each school district in which thirty per cent or more of the students failed to meet or exceed: the standard for remedial assistance on state-wide mastery examinations pursuant to section 10-14n of the general statutes, measured as an average for the most recent prior three years, in order to improve the quality of school performance and student outcomes. (b) The commissioner may approve, in accordance with section 5 of this act, programs pursuant to this section if he finds the program is likely to increase student performance as measured by state-wide mastery examination results or enhance student awareness of diversity. Programs which may be eligible for grants pursuant to this section include, but are not limited to, early childhood education and extended-day kindergarten; parent involvement in the education of children and in the schools; reduction in class size; tutoring and mentoring of students; after-school academic programs; lengthening the instructional school day; lengthening the instructional school year; and drop-out prevention programs. Sec. 10. (NEW) (a) For the fiscal year ending June 30, 1994, and for each fiscal year thereafter, two Or more local or regional boards of education may, in accordance with a regional plan pursuant to sections 3 and 4 of this act, or otherwise on an interdistrict basis, apply to the commissioner, pursuant to section B of this act, for a grant. Such grants shall be limited to regional plans or other interdistrict proposals which include at least one school district in which fifteen per cent or more of the students failed to meet or exceed the standard for remedial assistance on state-wide mastery examinations pursuant to section 10-14n of the general statutes, measured as an average for the most recent prior three years and shall be for the purpose of LCO No. 8483 V4 ey Ro Amendment P 9 improving school performance and student outcomes and enhancing student diversity and awareness of diversity. Plans and proposals pursuant to this section may include, but need not be limited to, the initiatives which may be included in a regional plan. Applicants for such grants may also request technical assistance and waivers of specific state statutory or regulatory mandates which may be granted by the commissioner for good cause. Sec. 11. (NEW) (a) For the fiscal year ending June 30, 1994, and each fiscal year thereafter, the state shall reimburse school districts for the full cost of any capital expenditures for the purchase, construction, including equipment, extension, replacement, leasing Or major alteration of interdistrict school facilities in accordance with this section. The local or regional board of education for the school district in which such facility is to be located shall receive a lump sum payment for the facility equal to the highest percentage rate determined pursuant to section 10-285a of the general statutes multiplied by the estimated eligible project costs, provided (1) the districts file an application for a school building project, in accordance with section 10-283 of the general statutes by the date prescribed by the commissioner, (2) final plans and specifications for the project are approved pursuant to sections 10-291 and 10-292 of the general statutes and (3) the districts submit to the commissioner, in such form as the commissioner prescribes, and the commissioner approves a plan for the operation of the facility which shall include but not be limited to: A description of the educational programs to be offered, the completion date for the project and written commitments from the districts that such districts shall participate in the school. The commissioner shall notify the secretary of the state bond commission when the provisions of subdivisions (1) to (3), inclusive, of this subsection have been met. (b) The districts shall be eligible to receive a final grant in an amount equal to the difference between the final eligible project costs and the amount paid pursuant to subsection (a) of LCO No. 8483 281 282 283 284 285 286 287 288 289 290 291 292 293 294 295 296 297 298 299 300 301 302 303 304 305 306 307 308 309 310 31 312 313 314 315 aT Amendment | 10 this section, provided within three years after completion of the school project students from one or more additional school districts as described in the plan approved by the commissioner of education pursuant to subsection (a) of this section are participating in the school. (c) If the school building ceases to be used for the purpose for which the final grant was provided, title to the building shall revert to the state unless the commissioner of education decides otherwise for good cause. (d) Notwithstanding any other provision of the general statutes to the contrary, the state shall not reimburse school districts for capital expenditures unless the expenditures enhance racial balance and educational equality. Sec. 12. (NEW) (a) For the fiscal year ending June 30, 1994, and each fiscal year thereafter, a local or regional board of education which transports a child for whom it is responsible to another school district for the purpose of participating in a magnet school or other interdistrict school attendance program, shall be eligible to receive a grant equal to one hundred per cent of the reasonable cost of transporting such child. (b) Grants under this section shall be contingent on documented costs of providing such transportation. Eligible local and regional boards of education shall submit applications for grants under this section to the commissioner of education in such form and at such times as he prescribes. Grants pursuant to this section shall be paid in October based on one-half of the estimated eligible transportation costs and in May based on one-half of such costs. (c) Each local and regional board of education participating in the grant program shall prepare a financial statement of expenditures which shall be submitted to the department of education on or before September first of the fiscal year immediately following each fiscal year in which the school district participates in the grant program. Based on “such statement, any underpayment or overpayment may be calculated and 1CO No. 8483 316 317 318 319 320 321 322 323 324 325 326 327 328 "329 330 331 332 333 334 335 336 337 338 339 340 341 342 343 344 345 346 347 348 349 350 PE aad ® Amendment » 11 adjusted by the state department of education in the grant for any subsequent year. : Sec. 13. (NEW) Nothing in this act shall be deemed to prohibit one or more local or regional boards of education from (1) developing and implementing interdistrict programs at any time during local or regional planning pursuant to sections 2, 3 and 4 of this act or (2) developing and implementing interdistrict programs across the regions established pursuant to section 14 of this act. Sec. 14. (NEW) The regions for purpose of sections 1 to 13, inclusive, of this act are: (1) Cheshire, Chester, Clinton, Cromwell, Deep River, Durham, East Haddam, East Bampton, Essex, Haddam, Killingworth, Madison, Meriden, Middlefield, Middletown, Old Saybrook, | Portland, Wallingford and Westbrook. (2) Ansonia, Bethany, Branford, Derby, East Haven, Guilford, BEamden, Milford, New BEaven, North Branford, North Haven, Orange, West Haven and Woodbridge. (3) East Lyme, Groton, ledyard, Lyme, Montville, New London, North Stonington, Old lyme, Preston, Salem, Stonington and Waterford. (4) Andover, Ashford, Bozrah, Brooklyn, Canterbury, Chaplin, Colchester, Columbia, Coventry, Eastford, Franklin, EHampton, Hebron, lebanon, Lisbon, Mansfield, Marlborough, Norwich, Scotland, Sprague, Tolland, Willington and Windham. (5) Beacon Falls, Bethlehem, Middlebury, Naugatuck, Oxford, Plymouth, Prospect, Seymour, Southbury, Thomaston, Waterbury, Watertown, Wolcott and Woodbury. (6) Bethel, Bridgewater, Brookfield, Danbury, New Fairfield, New Milford, Newtown, Ridgefield, Roxbury, Sherman and Washington. (7) Bridgeport, Easton, Fairfield, Monroe, Redding, Shelton, Stratford, Trumbull and Weston. LCO No. 8483 351 352 353 354 355 356 357 358 359 360 361 362 363 364 365 366 367 368 369 370 371 372 373 374 375 376 377 378 379 380 381 382 383 ® Amendment @: 12 (8) Darien, Greenwich, New Canaan, Norwalk, Stamford, Westport and Wilton. (9) Avon, Bloomfield, Bolton, Canton, East Granby, East Hartford, East Windsor, Ellington, Enfield, Glastonbury, Granby, Bartford, Manchester, Rocky Hill, Simsbury, South Windsor, Suffield, Vernon, West Hartford, Wethersfield, Windsor and Windsor Locks. - (10) Berlin, Bristol, Burlington, Farmington, Harwinton, New Britain, Newington, Plainville and Southington. Sec. 15. (NEW) The commissioners of education, housing and health services shall develop a plan no later than January 1, 1994, and request funding for fiscal year 1994-95 for the purpose of accomplishing the following: (1) Identifying and improving housing, health, and other neighborhood conditions that are detrimental to the personal growth and impede academic performance of students enrolled in racially isolated and poverty concentrated schools; and (2) providing opportunities to significantly increase the numbers of students enrolled in racially isolated and poverty concentrate schools who can move to surrounding towns. Sec. 16. Sections 10-266p to 10-266r, inclusive, of the general statutes are repealed. Sec. 17. This act shall take effect from its passage except that section 16 shall take effect July 1, 1995." LCO No. 8483