Connecticut SB 427: AN ACT CONCERNING DUAL ENROLLMENT PROGRAMS.

Bill Text

Substitute Senate Bill No. 427 
 
Public Act No. 26-18 
 
 
AN ACT CONCERNING DUAL ENROLLMENT PROGRAMS. 
Be  it  enacted  by  the  Senate  and  House  of  Representatives  in  General 
Assembly convened: 
 
Section  1.  Section  10-221w of  the  2026  supplement  to  the  general 
statutes  is  repealed  and  the  following  is  substituted  in  lieu  thereof 
(Effective July 1, 2026): 
(a) As used in this section: 
(1) "Advanced course or program" means an honors class, advanced 
placement   class,   International   Baccalaureate   program,   Cambridge 
International program, dual enrollment, dual credit, early college or any 
other advanced or accelerated course or program offered by a local or 
regional board of education in grades nine to twelve, inclusive; [and] 
(2) "Prior academic performance" means the course or courses that a 
student has taken, the grades received for such course or courses and a 
student's grade point average; and 
(3)  "Dual  enrollment  course"  and  "concurrent  enrollment  course" 
have the same meanings as provided in section 10a-35d. 
(b) Not  later  than  July  1,  2022,  each  local  and  regional  board  of 
education shall adopt a policy, or revise an existing policy, concerning 

Substitute Senate Bill No. 427 
 
Public Act No. 26-18 2 of 3 
 
the eligibility criteria for student enrollment in an advanced  course or 
program.  Such  policy  shall  provide  for  multiple  methods  by  which  a 
student may satisfy the eligibility criteria for enrollment in an advanced 
course  or  program,  including,  but  not  limited  to,  recommendations 
from   teachers,   administrators,   school   counselors   or   other   school 
personnel.  Such  eligibility  criteria  shall  not  be  based  exclusively  on  a 
student's prior academic performance and any use of a student's prior 
academic performance shall rely on evidence-based indicators of how a 
student will perform in an advanced course or program. 
(c) Any  policy  adopted  or  revised  and  implemented  under  this 
section   shall   be   in   accordance   with   guidance   provided   by   the 
Department of Education. 
(d) (1) Not  later  than  July  1,  2026,  the  Commissioner  of  Education 
shall,  in  partnership  with  the  constituent  units  of  the  state  system  of 
higher education and independent institutions of higher education, as 
defined   in   section   10a-173,   develop   a   model   agreement   between 
secondary  schools  and  postsecondary  institutions  for  the  provision  of 
dual  enrollment  courses  and  concurrent  enrollment  courses,  as  such 
terms are defined in section 10a-35d, and postsecondary credit courses 
to students in grades nine to twelve, inclusive. 
(2)  Not  later  than  January  1,  2027,  the  Commissioner  of  Education 
shall  appoint  a  dual  and  concurrent  enrollment  course  coordinator  to 
track the establishment of such courses throughout the state and student 
outcomes from such courses, including, but not limited to, completion 
rates and average grades, by school district. 
(e) For  the  fiscal  year  ending  June  30,  2027,  and  each  fiscal  year 
thereafter,   the   Commissioner   of   Education   shall,   within   available 
appropriations,   establish   a   fee-waiver   grant   program   to   expand 
opportunities  for  high-need  high  school  students  to  access  advanced 
courses or programs, including, but not limited to, dual and concurrent 

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enrollment courses. A local or regional board of education or institution 
of  higher  education  in  the  state may  apply,  in  a  form  and  manner 
prescribed  by  the  Commissioner  of  Education,  for  reimbursement  for 
any fees charged to such board or incurred by such institution for any 
high-need student who enrolls in an advanced course or program. No 
institution  of  higher  education  that  receives  a  grant  pursuant  to  this 
subsection shall charge the parents of a student for the cost of enrolling 
in the advanced course or program for which such institution received 
the grant. 
(f) For  the  fiscal  year  ending  June  30,  2027,  and  each  fiscal  year 
thereafter,   the   Commissioner   of   Education   may,   within   available 
appropriations, pay up to five hundred thousand dollars in a fiscal year 
to the State Education Resource Center for programming that provides 
direct   support   to   local   and   regional   boards   of   education   in   the 
articulation  and  expansion  of  dual  credit  courses.  In  expending  such 
funds under this subsection, the State Education Resource Center shall 
give priority to providing funds to alliance districts. 
 
 
 
Governor's Action: 
Approved May 20, 2026