AN ACT CONCERNING THE EXISTENCE OF AND METHODS OF ADDRESSING RACIAL IMBALANCE IN PUBLIC SCHOOLS.

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General Assembly Substitute Bill No. 5148
February Session, 2026

AN ACT CONCERNING THE EXISTENCE OF AND METHODS OF
ADDRESSING RACIAL IMBALANCE IN PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General
Assembly convened:

Section 1. (Effective July 1, 2026) (a) The Department of Education shall 1
study the effectiveness of the method of addressing racial imbalance 2
specified in sections 10-226a to 10-226e, inclusive, of the general statutes 3
and the regulations adopted pursuant to said sections. Such study shall 4
include, but not be limited to, (1) an examination of the effectiveness of 5
various strategies implemented to correct racial imbalances in the long 6
term and short term, (2) a cost benefit analysis of implementing such 7
strategies, (3) the impact on pupils of racial minorities, as described in 8
section 10-226a of the general statutes, as a result of such strategies, such 9
as access to neighborhood schools and educational outcomes, and (4) 10
suggestions for alternative methods for correcting racial imbalances. 11
(b) Not later than January 1, 2028, the Department of Education shall 12
submit a report, in accordance with the provisions of section 11-4a of the 13
general statutes, to the joint standing committee of the General 14
Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to education on the 15
findings of the study conducted pursuant to subsection (a) of this 16
section. 17
Sec. 2. Section 10-226b of the general statutes, as amended by section 18
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28 of public act 26-1, is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu 19
thereof (Effective July 1, 2026): 20
(a) Whenever the State Board of Education finds that racial imbalance 21
exists in a public school, it shall notify in writing the board of education 22
having jurisdiction over said school that such finding has been made, 23
except the State Board of Education shall not notify a board of education 24
of such finding until July 1, [2030] 2028. 25
(b) As used in sections 10 -226a to 10 -226e, inclusive, "racial 26
imbalance" means a condition wherein the proportion of pupils of racial 27
minorities in all of the grades of a public school of the secondary level 28
or below taken together substantially exceeds or falls substantially short 29
of the proportion of such public school pupils in all of the same grades 30
of the school district in which said school is situated taken together. 31
Sec. 3. Section 10-226c of the general statutes, as amended by section 32
29 of public act 26-1, is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu 33
thereof (Effective July 1, 2026): 34
(a) Any board of education receiving notification of the existence of 35
racial imbalance as specified in section 10 -226b, as amended by public 36
act 26 -1 and this act, shall forthwith prepare a plan to correct such 37
imbalance and file a copy of said plan with the State Board of Education, 38
except such board of education shall not be required to prepare and file 39
said plan until July 1, [2030] 2028. Said plan may be limited to 40
addressing the imbalance existing at any school and need not result in a 41
district-wide plan or district-wide pupil reassignment. A school district 42
may request an extension of time in cases in which the number of 43
students causing said imbalance is fewer than five students at a school. 44
(b) Any plan submitted by the board of education of any town under 45
sections 10 -226a to 10 -226e, inclusive, shall include any proposed 46
changes in existing school attendance districts, the location of proposed 47
school building sites as related to the problem, any proposed additions 48
to existing school buildings and all other means proposed for the 49
correction of said racial imbalance. The plan shall include projections of 50
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the expected racial composition of all public schools in the district. The 51
plan may include provision for cooperation with other school districts 52
to assist in the correction of racial imbalance. 53
Sec. 4. Section 10-226d of the general statutes, as amended by section 54
30 of public act 26-1, is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu 55
thereof (Effective July 1, 2026): 56
Upon receipt of any plan required under the provisions of subsection 57
(b) of section 10 -226c, as amended by public act 26 -1 and this act, the 58
State Board of Education shall review said plan. If it determines that the 59
plan is satisfactory, it shall approve the plan and shall provide to the 60
board of education such assistance and services as may be available. The 61
board of education shall submit annual reports on the implementation 62
of the approved plan, as the State Board of Education may require. The 63
State Board of Education shall not take action on any plan received on 64
or after July 1, 2024, until July 1, [2030] 2028. 65
This act shall take effect as follows and shall amend the following
sections:

Section 1 July 1, 2026 New section
Sec. 2 July 1, 2026 10-226b
Sec. 3 July 1, 2026 10-226c
Sec. 4 July 1, 2026 10-226d

ED Joint Favorable Subst.
APP Joint Favorable