Senate Bill No. 109 modifies the Connecticut Automatic Admissions Program by changing the academic qualification metrics used for student admissions. The bill replaces the minimum class rank percentile with an unweighted grade point average (GPA) as the standard for applicants to qualify for admission through the program. It also removes the requirement for a standardized method for calculating GPA to determine class rank percentile. Participating institutions are required to establish the minimum unweighted GPA as an academic threshold for admission and may also consider performance on a nationally recognized college readiness assessment.

Additionally, the bill mandates that local and regional boards of education calculate the unweighted GPA for each student completing the eleventh grade and determine if the student's GPA meets or exceeds the minimum established by the Board of Regents for Higher Education. This information, along with whether the GPA is above or below the minimum, must be shared with the student, their parent or guardian, the Department of Education, and upon request, a participating institution for the purposes of applying under the Connecticut Automatic Admissions Program. The bill does not require the publication of class rank or the inclusion of the unweighted GPA on a student's transcript. It also stipulates that each student in their final year of high school and their parent or guardian be notified if they may be admitted to at least one participating institution based on the established academic threshold. The act is effective from July 1, 2024.

Statutes affected:
Raised Bill: 10-220q
HED Joint Favorable: 10-220q
File No. 28: 10-220q
Public Act No. 24-47: 10-220q