Substitute House Bill No. 7216 proposes significant reforms to the Connecticut Technical Education and Career System (CTECS) aimed at enhancing vocational and technical education, particularly for underserved populations. The bill introduces the appointment of an executive director by the Governor, who will oversee the system's administration and financial accountability. This executive director will have the authority to organize the system into various units and establish cooperative agreements with nonprofit training institutes and job training agencies. Additionally, the bill modifies the definitions of "qualifying student" and "eligible institutional costs" to include students in technical education and career schools, thereby expanding access to financial aid and removing previous references to private career schools.

Moreover, the bill extends the Mary Ann Handley Award, part of the state's debt-free community college program, to students in CTECS adult education programs, requiring the Board of Regents for Higher Education to fund these awards based on reports from CTECS. It mandates that students complete the Federal Application for Free Student Aid (FAFSA) to qualify for the program. The bill also stipulates that the Secretary of the Office of Policy and Management must review and approve staffing requests within 30 days, ensuring timely staffing for educational needs. The effective date for these changes is set for July 1, 2025, with an estimated implementation cost of up to $2.7 million annually starting in FY 26.

Statutes affected:
Raised Bill: 10-95r
ED Joint Favorable Substitute Change of Reference: 10-95r
APP Joint Favorable: 10-95r
File No. 861: 10-95r