Substitute Senate Bill No. 1513 aims to enhance the recruitment and retention of aspiring educators in Connecticut by establishing a new scholarship program and various initiatives. The bill repeals the existing diversity scholarship program and replaces it with the aspiring educators scholarship program, which offers annual scholarships of up to $10,000 to individuals who graduated from public high schools in Connecticut and are enrolled in teacher preparation programs. It introduces new definitions, such as "aspiring educator," and mandates the Talent Office within the Department of Education to develop policies regarding scholarship administration. Additionally, the bill establishes an educator apprenticeship initiative and creates the Aspiring Educator Workforce Task Force to study strategies for improving recruitment and retention in public schools. The bill also updates various sections of the general statutes, removing outdated references to "diverse students" and "minority teachers."

Furthermore, the bill establishes the Talent Office as the primary body responsible for educator certification and recruitment, replacing previous references to the Department of Education. It requires local and regional boards of education to submit aspiring educator recruitment plans by March 15, 2026, and mandates the Talent Office to oversee the approval of these plans. The bill broadens the eligibility criteria for recruitment programs, focusing on aspiring educators rather than solely on minority individuals, and extends the residency program to include aspiring educators without prior employment as paraeducators. Overall, the bill seeks to create a more diverse and qualified teaching workforce in Connecticut by enhancing support for aspiring educators and addressing teacher shortages.

Statutes affected:
Raised Bill: 10-156ii, 10-8b, 10-146j, 10-156aa, 10-156bb, 10-156cc, 10-156dd, 10-156ee, 10-156ff, 10-156gg, 10-156jj, 10-145p, 10-145t, 10-145w, 10-155d, 10-155l
ED Joint Favorable Change of Reference: 10-156ii, 10-8b, 10-146j, 10-156aa, 10-156bb, 10-156cc, 10-156dd, 10-156ee, 10-156ff, 10-156gg, 10-156jj, 10-145p, 10-145t, 10-145w, 10-155d, 10-155l
APP Joint Favorable Substitute: 10-156ii, 10-8b, 10-146j, 10-156aa, 10-156bb, 10-156cc, 10-156dd, 10-156ee, 10-156ff, 10-156gg, 10-156jj, 10-145p, 10-145t, 10-145w, 10-155d, 10-155l
File No. 851: 10-156ii, 10-8b, 10-146j, 10-156aa, 10-156bb, 10-156cc, 10-156dd, 10-156ee, 10-156ff, 10-156gg, 10-156jj, 10-145p, 10-145t, 10-145w, 10-155d, 10-155l