The Connecticut Education Innovation Grant Program is established through General Assembly Raised Bill No. 5329, which aims to fund educational innovations in schools starting from the fiscal year ending June 30, 2027. The Department of Education will oversee this competitive grant program, prioritizing projects that enhance early literacy and numeracy, high-dosage tutoring access, college and career navigation, and effective family and community engagement, among other areas. Eligible applicants include local and regional boards of education, charter schools, and other approved educational providers, who must submit detailed proposals outlining the educational challenges they aim to address, their action plans, and evaluation methods.

Additionally, the bill introduces a provision that allows districts receiving grants under this program to exclude the grant amounts from their budgeted appropriations for education in the following fiscal year. The bill also includes a mechanism for applicants to request waivers from certain statutory or regulatory requirements that may hinder project implementation, with specific conditions outlined for granting and terminating such waivers. The Department of Education is required to report on the outcomes of the grant program annually, and a dedicated "Connecticut education innovation fund" will be established to manage the financial resources allocated for this initiative.