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Read. Follow. Verify.Connecticut law updates student reading intervention, educator scholarships, American Sign Language curriculum, and paraeducator health subsidies
Last action · June 4, 2026: Signed by the GovernorSponsors: Antonio Felipe and 10 others
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What This Bill Does
This law requires the Department of Education to develop and distribute guidance for multitiered reading support systems for students in grades four through nine who struggle with reading, effective July 1, 2026. It renames and expands the aspiring educators scholarship program to provide up to $10,000 annually to students in underrepresented population subgroups enrolled in teacher preparation programs. Additionally, the legislation establishes an American Sign Language education working group, directs the Comptroller to expand health insurance subsidy programs to include charter school paraeducators, and requires annual reporting on these initiatives.
The measure directs state agencies to establish new literacy support frameworks, funds up to $10,000 annual scholarships for aspiring educators in shortage areas, sets certification and curriculum guidelines for American Sign Language, and allocates funds for health benefit plan subsidies for public school and charter school paraeducators.
- Substitute Senate Bill No. 220 was enacted as Public Act No. 26-149 by the Connecticut General Assembly and signed by the Governor on June 4, 2026. context
- The legislation modifies existing statutes concerning teacher preparation scholarships, reading assessments, and health insurance subsidies originally established under prior public acts. context
Who It Affects
Groups the bill's text affects, as described in the record. Being affected is not a position for or against it.
Students in grades four to nine below proficient in reading
Boards of education will implement new multitiered systems of support and intervention guidance specifically for these struggling readers.
Aspiring educators in underrepresented population subgroups
Eligible students enrolled in teacher preparation programs may receive annual scholarships of up to $10,000.
Charter school paraeducators
Paraeducators employed by charter schools become eligible for health benefit plan and health savings account subsidies.
Local and regional boards of education
School boards must implement new reading support guidance and incorporate American Sign Language curriculum standards.
Key Facts
You don't have to trust us. Each fact below is taken straight from the official document - click any one to see the exact passage, highlighted in the original.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is eligible for the aspiring educators scholarship program?
What does the new law require regarding student reading instruction?
How are charter school paraeducators affected by this legislation?
When must the American Sign Language curriculum guidance be issued to local school boards?
What else do you want to know?
News Coverage
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Votes, people, money & the original sourceWhere This Stands
Current status: Signed into law.
Procedural history
34 actions- Jun 4, 2026Governor of ConnecticutEnrolledSigned by the Governor
- May 29, 2026Governor of ConnecticutTransmitted by Secretary of the State to Governor
- May 29, 2026Connecticut General AssemblyTransmitted to the Secretary of State
- May 20, 2026Connecticut General AssemblyEnrolledPublic Act 26-149
- May 6, 2026Connecticut General AssemblyOn Consent Calendar / In Concurrence
- May 6, 2026HouseFloorSenate Passed as Amended by House Amendment Schedule A,B
Show 28 earlier actions
- May 6, 2026SenateFloorSenate Passed as Amended by Senate Amendment Schedule A
- May 6, 2026HouseFloorSenate Adopted House Amendment Schedule A,B
- May 6, 2026SenateDisagreeing Action, Tabled for Calendar, Senate
- May 6, 2026Connecticut General AssemblyTransmitted Pursuant To Joint Rule 17
- May 6, 2026HouseFloorHouse Passed as Amended by Senate Amendment Schedule A
- May 6, 2026HouseFloorHouse Passed as Amended by House Amendment Schedule A,B
- May 6, 2026HouseFloorHouse Adopted Senate Amendment Schedule A
- May 6, 2026HouseFloorHouse Adopted House Amendment Schedule B 6223
- May 6, 2026HouseFloorHouse Adopted House Amendment Schedule A 6248
- Apr 30, 2026HouseHouse Calendar Number 531
- Apr 30, 2026HouseFavorable Report, Tabled for the Calendar, House
- Apr 29, 2026HouseRules Suspended, Transmitted to the House
- Apr 29, 2026SenateFloorSenate Passed as Amended by Senate Amendment Schedule A
- Apr 29, 2026SenateFloorSenate Adopted Senate Amendment Schedule A 4641
- Apr 16, 2026Connecticut General AssemblyFile Number 650
- Apr 16, 2026SenateSenate Calendar Number 412
- Apr 16, 2026SenateFavorable Report, Tabled for the Calendar, Senate
- Apr 16, 2026Connecticut General AssemblyReported Out of Legislative Commissioners' Office
- Apr 10, 2026Connecticut General AssemblyReferred to Office of Legislative Research and Office of Fiscal Analysis 04/15/26 5:00 PM
- Apr 1, 2026Connecticut General AssemblyFiled with Legislative Commissioners' Office
- Apr 1, 2026Connecticut General AssemblyJoint Favorable Substitute
- Mar 24, 2026HouseFavorable Change of Reference, House to Committee on Appropriations
- Mar 24, 2026SenateFavorable Change of Reference, Senate to Committee on Appropriations
- Mar 23, 2026Connecticut General AssemblyReported Out of Legislative Commissioners' Office
- Mar 20, 2026Connecticut General AssemblyFiled with Legislative Commissioners' Office
- Mar 18, 2026Connecticut General AssemblyJoint Favorable Substitute Change of Reference Appropriations
- Feb 19, 2026Connecticut General AssemblyPublic Hearing 02/23
- Feb 18, 2026Connecticut General AssemblyCommitteeReferred to Joint Committee on Education
Version history
Only one version on file - nothing to compare yet. As later stages (committee substitute, engrossed, enrolled) are captured, the redline appears here.
View official text →Lobbying Activity
No state lobbying filings in our records match this bill. Federal lobbying reports (LDA) cover Congress, so they are not listed on state bills.
Full breakdown
Who this bill affects and the strongest case for and against it, written only from the bill’s own text.
Sponsors
Discoveries
Patterns POLISCOPE noticed across the record. These are observations to investigate, not conclusions.
Reallocation of Unexpended Scholarship Funds
The law authorizes the transfer of up to $300,000 in unexpended fiscal year 2026 scholarship funds to expand health insurance subsidy programs to charter school paraeducators.
Connected Entities
Sources
cga.ct.gov
Analysis Score
0–100- Significance80How much this matters to a regular citizen
- Controversy15Intensity of disagreement among stakeholders
- Entertainment5Compellingness for a non-policy-wonk reader
- Buzz35Current news / social attention level
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