Sec. 10-220. Duties of boards of education.
Sec. 10-220. Duties of boards of education. (a) Each local or regional board of
education shall maintain good public elementary and secondary schools, implement the
educational interests of the state as defined in section 10-4a and provide such other
educational activities as in its judgment will best serve the interests of the school district;
provided any board of education may secure such opportunities in another school district
in accordance with provisions of the general statutes and shall give all the children of
the school district as nearly equal advantages as may be practicable; shall provide an
appropriate learning environment for its students which includes (1) adequate instructional books, supplies, materials, equipment, staffing, facilities and technology, (2) equitable allocation of resources among its schools, (3) proper maintenance of facilities, and
(4) a safe school setting; shall have charge of the schools of its respective school district;
shall make a continuing study of the need for school facilities and of a long-term school
building program and from time to time make recommendations based on such study
to the town; shall adopt and implement an indoor air quality program that provides for
ongoing maintenance and facility reviews necessary for the maintenance and improvement of the indoor air quality of its facilities; shall report biennially to the Commissioner
of Education on the condition of its facilities and the action taken to implement its
long-term school building program and indoor air quality program, which report the
Commissioner of Education shall use to prepare a biennial report that said commissioner
shall submit in accordance with section 11-4a to the joint standing committee of the
General Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to education; shall advise the
Commissioner of Education of the relationship between any individual school building
project pursuant to chapter 173 and such long-term school building program; shall have
the care, maintenance and operation of buildings, lands, apparatus and other property
used for school purposes and at all times shall insure all such buildings and all capital
equipment contained therein against loss in an amount not less than eighty per cent of
replacement cost; shall determine the number, age and qualifications of the pupils to be
admitted into each school; shall develop and implement a written plan for minority staff
recruitment for purposes of subdivision (3) of section 10-4a; shall employ and dismiss
the teachers of the schools of such district subject to the provisions of sections 10-151
and 10-158a; shall designate the schools which shall be attended by the various children
within the school district; shall make such provisions as will enable each child of school
age, residing in the district to attend some public day school for the period required by
law and provide for the transportation of children wherever transportation is reasonable
and desirable, and for such purpose may make contracts covering periods of not more
than five years; may place in an alternative school program or other suitable educational
program a pupil enrolling in school who is nineteen years of age or older and cannot
acquire a sufficient number of credits for graduation by age twenty-one; may arrange
with the board of education of an adjacent town for the instruction therein of such
children as can attend school in such adjacent town more conveniently; shall cause each
child five years of age and over and under eighteen years of age who is not a high school
graduate and is living in the school district to attend school in accordance with the
provisions of section 10-184, and shall perform all acts required of it by the town or
necessary to carry into effect the powers and duties imposed by law.
(b) The board of education of each local or regional school district shall, with the
participation of parents, students, school administrators, teachers, citizens, local elected
officials and any other individuals or groups such board shall deem appropriate, prepare
a statement of educational goals for such local or regional school district. The statement
of goals shall be consistent with state-wide goals pursuant to subsection (c) of section
10-4. Each local or regional board of education shall develop student objectives which
relate directly to the statement of educational goals prepared pursuant to this subsection
and which identify specific expectations for students in terms of skills, knowledge and
competence.
(c) Annually, each local and regional board of education shall submit to the Commissioner of Education a strategic school profile report for each school under its jurisdiction and for the school district as a whole. The superintendent of each local and regional
school district shall present the profile report at the next regularly scheduled public
meeting of the board of education after each November first. The profile report shall
provide information on measures of (1) student needs, (2) school resources, including
technological resources and utilization of such resources and infrastructure, (3) student
and school performance, (4) equitable allocation of resources among its schools, (5)
reduction of racial, ethnic and economic isolation, and (6) special education. For purposes of this subsection, measures of special education include (A) special education
identification rates by disability, (B) rates at which special education students are exempted from mastery testing pursuant to section 10-14q, (C) expenditures for special
education, including such expenditures as a percentage of total expenditures, (D)
achievement data for special education students, (E) rates at which students identified
as requiring special education are no longer identified as requiring special education,
(F) the availability of supplemental educational services for students lacking basic educational skills, (G) the amount of special education student instructional time with nondisabled peers, (H) the number of students placed out-of-district, and (I) the actions
taken by the school district to improve special education programs, as indicated by
analyses of the local data provided in subparagraphs (A) to (H), inclusive, of this subdivision. The superintendent shall include in the narrative portion of the report information
about parental involvement and if the district has taken measures to improve parental
involvement, including, but not limited to, employment of methods to engage parents
in the planning and improvement of school programs and methods to increase support
to parents working at home with their children on learning activities.
(d) Prior to January 1, 2008, and every five years thereafter, for every school building that is or has been constructed, extended, renovated or replaced on or after January
1, 2003, a local or regional board of education shall provide for a uniform inspection
and evaluation program of the indoor air quality within such buildings, such as the
Environmental Protection Agency's Indoor Air Quality Tools for Schools Program.
The inspection and evaluation program shall include, but not be limited to, a review,
inspection or evaluation of the following: (1) The heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems; (2) radon levels in the water and the air; (3) potential for exposure to
microbiological airborne particles, including, but not limited to, fungi, mold and bacteria; (4) chemical compounds of concern to indoor air quality including, but not limited
to, volatile organic compounds; (5) the degree of pest infestation, including, but not
limited to, insects and rodents; (6) the degree of pesticide usage; (7) the presence of and
the plans for removal of any hazardous substances that are contained on the list prepared
pursuant to Section 302 of the federal Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act, 42 USC 9601 et seq.; (8) ventilation systems; (9) plumbing, including water
distribution systems, drainage systems and fixtures; (10) moisture incursion; (11) the
overall cleanliness of the facilities; (12) building structural elements, including, but not
limited to, roofing, basements or slabs; (13) the use of space, particularly areas that were
designed to be unoccupied; and (14) the provision of indoor air quality maintenance
training for building staff. Local and regional boards of education conducting evaluations pursuant to this subsection shall make available for public inspection the results
of the inspection and evaluation at a regularly scheduled board of education meeting.
(e) Each local and regional board of education shall establish a school district curriculum committee. The committee shall recommend, develop, review and approve all
curriculum for the local or regional school district.
(1949 Rev., S. 1501; 1949, 1953, 1955, S. 957d; February, 1965, P.A. 574, S. 11; 1969, P.A. 690, S. 4; P.A. 78-218,
S. 143; P.A. 79-128, S. 11, 36; P.A. 80-166, S. 1; P.A. 84-460, S. 3, 16; P.A. 85-377, S. 5, 13; P.A. 86-333, S. 11, 32; P.A.
90-324, S. 4, 13; P.A. 93-353, S. 28, 31, 52; P.A. 94-245, S. 9, 46; P.A. 95-182, S. 6, 11; P.A. 96-26, S. 2, 4; 96-244, S.
17, 63; 96-270, S. 1, 11; P.A. 97-290, S. 21, 29; P.A. 98-168, S. 8, 26; 98-243, S. 19, 25; 98-252, S. 13, 38, 80; June Sp.
Sess. P.A. 98-1, S. 115, 121; P.A. 00-157, S. 3, 8; P.A. 01-173, S. 19, 67; P.A. 03-220, S. 1, 2; P.A. 04-26, S. 4; P.A. 06-158, S. 5; 06-167, S. 1; P.A. 08-153, S. 6.)
History: 1965 act substituted Sec. 10-158a for repealed Sec. 10-158; 1969 act added requirement that boards of education
"implement the educational interests of the state as defined in section 10-4a"; P.A. 78-218 substituted "school district"
for "town" throughout, specified applicability of provisions to local and regional, rather than town, boards and required
attendance of children "seven years of age and over and under sixteen" rather than "between the ages of seven and sixteen";
P.A. 79-128 added Subsec. (b) re statement of goals by local and regional boards; P.A. 80-166 amended Subsec. (b) to
require first attestation that programs are based on state goals "on September 1, 1982" rather than "in 1981"; P.A. 84-460
amended Subsec. (a) requiring that boards insure all buildings and all capital equipment against loss in an amount not less
than 80% of replacement cost; P.A. 85-377 substituted commissioner of education for state board; P.A. 86-333 amended
Subsec. (b) to extend from July 1, 1986, to July 1, 1987, the date when boards of education are to begin reviewing and
updating the statement of goals; P.A. 90-324 added Subsec. (c) re strategic school profile reports; P.A. 93-353 provisions
requiring local or regional board to submit the statement of goals to the state board of education, state board to review the
statement and approve the statement as it pertains to the state-wide goals, local or regional board to review and if necessary
update the statement of goals every five years and submit such statement to the state board and state board to review and
approve the statement as it pertains to the state-wide goals, and removed obsolete language and added Subsec. (d) concerning
a report to the state board of education on educational goals and student objectives and the development of a comprehensive
professional development plan, effective July 1, 1993; P.A. 94-245 amended Subsec. (c)(1) to change the dates from May
first to November first, effective June 2, 1994; P.A. 95-182 amended Subsec. (a) to remove a requirement that local and
regional boards of education attest to the Commissioner of Education that program offerings and instruction are based on
educational goals and student objectives and deleted Subsec. (d) re reports concerning the statement of educational goals
and student objectives and the development and implementation of professional development plans, effective June 28,
1995; P.A. 96-26 amended Subsec. (a) to authorize placement of certain older pupils in alternative school programs or
other suitable educational programs, effective July 1, 1996; P.A. 96-244 amended Subsec. (c) to delete obsolete language
of Subdiv. (2), deleted Subdiv. (1) designation and replaced Subparas. with Subdivs., effective July 1, 1996; P.A. 96-270
amended Subsec. (a) to add the requirement to advise the Commissioner of Education of the relationship between any
individual school building project and the long-term school building program, effective July 1, 1996; P.A. 97-290 amended
Subsec. (a) to add provisions re an appropriate learning environment, report on the condition of facilities and action taken
to implement the long-term building program and the annual report by the commissioner to the General Assembly, and
added Subsec. (c)(4) and (5) re equitable allocation of resources and re reduction of racial, ethnic and economic isolation,
effective July 1, 1997; P.A. 98-168 amended Subsec. (c) to add provisions re special education, effective July 1, 1998;
P.A. 98-243 amended Subsec. (a) to lower the age requirement for school attendance from 7 to 5, effective July 1, 1998;
P.A. 98-252 amended Subsec. (a) to add requirement for a written plan for minority staff recruitment and to make a technical
change and amended Subsec. (c) to remove November date for report and in Subdiv. (2) specified technological resources
and utilization of such resources and infrastructure, effective July 1, 1998; June Sp. Sess. P.A. 98-1 made a technical
change in Subsec. (a), effective July 1, 1998; P.A. 00-157 amended Subsec. (a) to change the reference to the school
attendance age from "sixteen years of age" to "eighteen years of age who is not a high school graduate", effective July 1,
2001; P.A. 01-173 amended Subsec. (a) to make a technical change for the purposes of gender neutrality, effective July
1, 2001; P.A. 03-220 amended Subsec. (a) by adding provisions re maintenance of facilities and indoor air quality and
making technical changes and added Subsec. (d) re indoor air quality inspection and evaluation program, effective July 1,
2003; P.A. 04-26 made a technical change in Subsec. (d)(5), effective April 28, 2004; P.A. 06-158 amended Subsec. (a)
by changing annual reporting on facility conditions to biennial reporting, effective July 1, 2006; P.A. 06-167 amended
Subsec. (c) by adding language re parental involvement, effective July 1, 2006; P.A. 08-153 added Subsec. (e) re establishment of curriculum committee, effective July 1, 2008.
See Sec. 10-4b re complaint procedure where failure or inability of board of education to implement educational interests
of state is alleged.
See Sec. 10-220a re in-service training and professional development.
See Sec. 10-220c re transportation of students over private roads.
Powers conferred and duties imposed by former statute construed. 65 C. 183. Former statute cited. 77 C. 195. Town
may defend action brought against committee for official acts under former statute; duties as to moral fitness of teachers.
79 C. 240. Former statute held not to repeal provision in city charter. 82 C. 124. Control of town over committee under
former statute. Id., 566. Former "school committee" was agent of law and not of the town. 99 C. 695. Cited. 129 C. 191.
Cited. 134 C. 616. Cited. 143 C. 488. Actions of board, within confines of its powers, not subject to control of city common
council or officers. 147 C. 478. If land devoted to school purposes, held city could not condemn it for a highway without
approval of school committee. Id. This section must be read with section 10-186 re furnishing of transportation for school
children, and it comprehends not only distance but safety factors. 148 C. 238 (one judge dissenting). Number of teaching
positions, need of curriculum coordinator and maintenance of school properties were matters within discretion of school
board. 151 C. 1. Cited. 152 C. 148-150. Ability of board to perform its statutory duties not destroyed by requirement of
town charter that it select nonprofessional employees under civil service requirements. Id., 568. Cited. 153 C. 283. Cited.
162 C. 568. Town boards of education, in matters not involving strictly budgetary concerns, act as agents of the state.
Under powers to "employ and dismiss" teachers town boards of education can determine contested cases. 167 C. 368.
Town, by referendum could delegate its power of eminent domain to board of education which had authority to exercise
it. 168 C. 135. Cited. 170 C. 38; Id., 318. Cited. 174 C. 522. Cited. 180 C. 96. Cited. 182 C. 93; Id., 253. Cited. 187 C.
187. Cited. 193 C. 93. Cited. 195 C. 24. Cited. 205 C. 116. Cited. 217 C. 110. Cited. 228 C. 640; Id., 699. Cited. 237 C.
169. Cited. 238 C. 1.
Cited. 6 CA 212. Cited. 44 CA 179.
Elements justifying indemnification of a board member. 9 CS 442. Cited. 15 CS 370. Boards of education may discontinue or unite schools; history of section reviewed. 16 CS 339. Board as agent of the state. 19 CS 158. Boards of education
may accord problem of racial imbalance relevance in making decisions. 26 CS 124. Cited. 27 CS 339. Extension of a
"project concern" contract made by board of education of Milford with board of New Haven is an administrative decision
to be made by board as agency of the state under its authority set out in sections 10-220 through 10-239 and board of
aldermen was enjoined from holding an advisory referendum of voters as this would be an unlawful expenditure of city
funds. 28 CS 207. School boards are agents of the state...not subject to recall under a municipal charter. 29 CS 201.
Cited. 30 CS 63. The Connecticut education system violates Article I, Sec. 20 and Article VIII, Sec. 1 of the Connecticut
Constitution. 31 CS 379. Relationship between boards of education and municipal budget authorities. Extent of municipal
obligation to finance education. 32 CS 132. Cited. 34 CS 115. Cited. 35 CS 55. Cited. 36 CS 293. Local board of education
is not acting as agent of the state and not entitled to sovereign immunity when acting to recover damages arising from
construction of school building. 40 CS 141. Cited. 44 CS 527.
Subsec. (a):
Town charter that allows for separate referenda for town's operating budget and education budget and that allows voters
to reject the budgets three times does not rise to the level of a veto and does not violate state statute and policy concerning
education. 268 C. 295.
Context of community orientation of family discussed in determining place of residence for purposes of school attendance. 34 CA 567.