House Bill 5180 (sHB5180 File No. 95) proposes amendments to Connecticut's education statutes, with most provisions effective July 1, 2024. The bill removes the deadline for the State Board of Education to establish criteria for the Connecticut State Seal of Biliteracy, allowing more schools, including private ones, to award this seal to students proficient in English and additional languages, including American Sign Language and languages spoken by Native American tribes, not limited to federally recognized tribes. It also revises the financial operations of interdistrict magnet schools, including tuition charges, which will be calculated as the difference between the school's average per-pupil expenditure and the per-pupil state subsidy plus other revenues, with a cap on tuition increases starting from the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025. The bill allows for student enrollment through a lottery without district participation agreements and authorizes the Commissioner of Education to withhold funds for unpaid tuition and conduct financial reviews of magnet schools.

The bill also addresses the Sheff v. O'Neill decision by extending the consideration period for awarding grants to interdistrict magnet schools until June 30, 2025, and allowing the commissioner to impose financial penalties on schools not meeting enrollment standards. It redefines "transition service" for special education students, emphasizing a coordinated set of activities, and assigns the Department of Education's State-wide Transition Services Coordinator to oversee transition programs and establish minimum standards. The bill mandates the creation of memoranda of understanding between the Department of Education and other state agencies to ensure the provision of special education and related services. Additionally, the bill transfers the responsibility for maintaining an online listing of transition resources from the State Education Resource Center to the Department of Education, requiring collaboration with various state departments. The bill was given a Joint Favorable Substitute by the Education Committee with a vote of 44 Yea to 1 Nay on March 6, 2024.