General Assembly Raised Bill No. 135 proposes significant reforms to the Technical Education and Career System (TECS) in Connecticut, primarily by shifting responsibilities from the TECS board to the executive director. The bill repeals Sections 10-95h and 10-95i, eliminating the requirement for the TECS board chairperson to participate in annual meetings and transferring the responsibility of developing a long-range plan to the executive director, who must now submit this plan by January 1, 2030. The executive director is also tasked with submitting annual reports to the General Assembly's education committees, detailing curriculum alignment with workforce skills, student employment status, and resource adequacy. Furthermore, the bill establishes a rolling three-year capital improvement plan and mandates a biennial summary report starting January 1, 2027, which will include demographic data and assessments of student outcomes.

In addition to these changes, the bill modifies the governance structure of TECS by allowing the executive director to hire a superintendent under specific conditions, who will recommend operational policies rather than develop them independently. The board's composition will now consist of eleven members appointed by the Governor and various commissioners, and it will focus on advising on vocational education matters and publishing annual performance reports. The bill also removes the requirement for the board to submit quarterly reports on gifts and donations and allows for the recommendation of multiple candidates for the superintendent position without a three-year term limit or performance evaluation requirement. Overall, the legislation aims to enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of TECS by centralizing authority and aligning educational programs with workforce needs.

Statutes affected:
Raised Bill: 10-95h, 10-95i, 10-95j, 10-95k, 10-95p, 10-95q, 10-95s, 10-95t, 10-95u, 10-97a