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SB00135 • 2026

AN ACT IMPLEMENTING THE RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE TECHNICAL EDUCATION AND CAREER SYSTEM.

AN ACT IMPLEMENTING THE RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE TECHNICAL EDUCATION AND CAREER SYSTEM.

Education
Passed Legislature

This bill passed both chambers and reached final enrollment, even if later executive action is not shown here.

Sponsor
Education Committee
Last action
2026-03-17
Official status
File Number 46
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The official source material does not include specific details about updating reporting requirements for the executive director, so this claim was removed.

Act Implementing Recommendations for Technical Education and Career System

This act changes how duties are handled within the Technical Education and Career System (TECS) by transferring certain responsibilities to the executive director, allowing board recommendations for multiple superintendents at once, removing term limits for the superintendent, and updating reporting requirements.

What This Bill Does

  • Transfers some of the TECS Board's duties to the executive director of TECS.
  • Removes references to a specific division within TECS.
  • Allows the board to recommend more than one candidate for superintendent at once.
  • Eliminates the three-year term limit and performance evaluation requirement for the superintendent.

Who It Names or Affects

  • The Technical Education and Career System (TECS) Board
  • The Executive Director of TECS
  • Superintendents of TECS

Terms To Know

Technical Education and Career System (TECS)
A system that provides technical education and career training programs.
Executive Director
The person in charge of managing the day-to-day operations of TECS.

Limits and Unknowns

  • Does not specify an effective date for when these changes will take effect.
  • Does not provide details on how the new responsibilities will be implemented or funded.

Bill History

  1. 2026-03-17 LCO

    Reported Out of Legislative Commissioners' Office

  2. 2026-03-17 Connecticut General Assembly

    Favorable Report, Tabled for the Calendar, Senate

  3. 2026-03-17 Connecticut General Assembly

    Senate Calendar Number 56

  4. 2026-03-17 LCO

    File Number 46

  5. 2026-03-10 LCO

    Referred to Office of Legislative Research and Office of Fiscal Analysis 03/16/26 5:00 PM

  6. 2026-03-02 LCO

    Filed with Legislative Commissioners' Office

  7. 2026-02-27 ED

    Joint Favorable

  8. 2026-02-13 Connecticut General Assembly

    Public Hearing 02/20

  9. 2026-02-11 Connecticut General Assembly

    Referred to Joint Committee on Education

Official Summary Text

To (1) transfer certain duties of the Technical Education and Career System board to the executive director of the Technical Education and Career System, (2) remove reference to the "division of postsecondary education programs", (3) allow the board to recommend multiple candidates for superintendent of the Technical Education and Career System at one time, and (4) remove the three-year term limit and performance evaluation requirement for and amend the duties of the superintendent.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text
Senate
SB135 / File No. 46 1

General Assembly File No. 46
February Session, 2026 Senate Bill No. 135

Senate, March 17, 2026

The Committee on Education reported through SEN.
MCCRORY, D. of the 2nd Dist., Chairperson of the Committee
on the part of the Senate, that the bill ought to pass.

AN ACT IMPLEMENTING THE RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE
TECHNICAL EDUCATION AND CAREER SYSTEM.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General
Assembly convened:

Section 1. Section 10 -95h of the general statutes is repealed and the 1
following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective October 1, 2026): 2
(a) Not later than November thirtieth each year, the joint standing 3
committees of the General Assembly having cognizance of matters 4
relating to education, higher education and employment advancement 5
and labor shall meet with [the chairperson of the Technical Education 6
and Career System board,] the superintendent of the Technical 7
Education and Career System, the executive director of the Technical 8
Education and Career System, the Labor Commissioner and such other 9
persons as they deem appropriate to consider the items submitted 10
pursuant to subsection (b) of this section. 11
(b) On or before November fifteenth, annually: The executive director 12
of the Technical Education and Career System shall submit the 13
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following to the joint standing committees of the General Assembly 14
having cognizance of matters relating to education, higher education 15
and employment advancement and labor: (1) Information ensuring that 16
the curriculum of the Technical Education and Career System is 17
incorporating those workforce skills required for future workforce 18
development; (2) information regarding the employment status of 19
students who graduate from or complete an approved program of study 20
at the Technical Education and Career System, including, but not 21
limited to: (A) Demographics such as age and gender, (B) course and 22
program enrollment and completion, (C) employment status, and (D) 23
available wage data; (3) an assessment of the adequacy of the resources 24
available to the Technical Education and Career System as the system 25
develops and refines programs to meet existing and emerging 26
workforce needs; [(4) recommendations to the Technical Education and 27
Career System board to carry out the provisions of subdivisions (1) to 28
(3), inclusive, of this subsection; and (5)] and (4) information regarding 29
staffing needs at each technical education and career school for the 30
current academic year. The executive director shall collaborate with the 31
Labor Commissioner to obtain information as needed to carry out the 32
provisions of this subsection. 33
Sec. 2. Section 10 -95i of the general statutes is repealed and the 34
following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective October 1, 2026): 35
(a) Not later than January 1, [2020] 2030, and every five years 36
thereafter, the executive director of the Technical Education and Career 37
System [board shall adopt] shall develop a long-range plan of priorities 38
and goals for the Technical Education and Career System. The plan shall 39
address coordination with other providers of vocational, technical, 40
technological or postsecondary education or training and shall include 41
(1) an analysis of the activities described in subsections (b) and (c) of this 42
section and how such activities relate to the long-range plan of priorities 43
and goals, and (2) a summary of activities related to capital 44
improvements and equipment pursuant to subsection (d) of this section. 45
[Upon adoption of the plan, the board ] The executive director shall file 46
the plan directly with the joint standing committees of the General 47
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Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to education, finance, 48
revenue and bonding and appropriations and the budgets of state 49
agencies in accordance with the provisions of section 11 -4a. [The state 50
board shall use the plan in preparing its five -year comprehensive plan 51
pursuant to subsection (c) of section 10-4.] 52
(b) During the five-year period beginning January 1, 2020, and during 53
each five-year period thereafter, the board shall evaluate each existing 54
technical education and career school trade program in accordance with 55
a schedule which the [board] executive director of the Technical 56
Education and Career System shall establish. A trade program may be 57
reauthorized for a period of not more than five years following each 58
evaluation on the basis of: The projected employment demand for 59
students enrolled in the trade program, including consideration of the 60
employment of graduates of the program during the preceding five 61
years; anticipated technological changes; the availability of qualified 62
instructors; the existence of similar programs at other educational 63
institutions; and student interest in the trade program. As part of the 64
evaluation, the board shall consider geographic differences that may 65
make a trade program feasible at one school and not another and 66
whether certain combinations of program offerings shall be required. 67
[Prior to any final decision on the reauthorization of a trade program, 68
the board shall consult with the program advisory committees for the 69
trade program being evaluated.] 70
(c) [The] Upon the joint recommendation of the executive director 71
and superintendent of the Technical Education and Career System, the 72
board shall consider the addition of new trade programs. Decisions by 73
the board to add such programs shall at a minimum be based on the (1) 74
projected employment demand for graduates of the program, (2) cost of 75
establishing the program, (3) availability of qualified instructors, (4) 76
existence of similar programs at other educational institutions, (5) 77
interest of students in the trade, (6) need to diversify the trade with 78
workers from underrepresented populations, and (7) workforce training 79
needs of (A) students, graduates and residents of alliance districts, as 80
defined in section 10-262u, and priority school districts, as described in 81
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section 10-266p, and (B) students and graduates of priority schools, as 82
defined in section 10 -265e. The board shall authorize new trade 83
programs for a maximum of five years. The board shall provide a 84
process for the public, including, but not limited to, employers, parents, 85
students or teachers, to request consideration of the establishment of a 86
new trade program. 87
(d) The [board] executive director of the Technical Education and 88
Career System shall maintain a rolling three-year capital improvement 89
and capital equipment plan that identifies: (1) Alterations, renovations 90
and repairs that each technical education and career school is expected 91
to need, including, but not limited to, grounds and athletic fields, 92
heating and ventilation systems, wiring, roofs, and windows, and the 93
cost of such projects, (2) recommendations for energy efficiency 94
improvements to each school and the cost of such improvements, and 95
(3) the specific equipment each technical education and career school is 96
expected to need, based on the useful life of existing equipment and 97
projections of changing technology and the estimated cost of the 98
equipment. The [board] executive director shall submit such plan, 99
annually, directly to the joint standing committees of the General 100
Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to education, finance, 101
revenue and bonding and appropriations and the budgets of state 102
agencies in accordance with the provisions of section 11-4a. 103
Sec. 3. Section 10 -95j of the general statutes is repealed and the 104
following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective October 1, 2026): 105
The executive director of the Technical Education and Career System 106
[board] shall include in the report required pursuant to section 10-95k, 107
as amended by this act, a summary of the following: 108
(1) Admissions policies for the Technical Education and Career 109
System; 110
(2) Recruitment and retention of faculty; 111
(3) Efforts to strengthen consideration of the needs of and to develop 112
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greater public awareness of the Technical Education and Career System; 113
and 114
(4) Efforts to strengthen the role of program advisory committees and 115
increase employer participation. 116
Sec. 4. Section 10 -95k of the general statutes is repealed and the 117
following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective October 1, 2026): 118
(a) Not later than January 1, [2017] 2027, and biennially thereafter, the 119
executive director of the Technical Education and Career System [board] 120
shall prepare a summary report concerning the Technical Education and 121
Career System and shall submit the report directly to the joint standing 122
committee of the General Assembly having cognizance of matters 123
relating to education in accordance with the provisions of section 11-4a. 124
The report shall include demographic information for the preceding two 125
school years on applicants for admission, students enrolled and 126
graduates, and a summary of the capital and operating expenditures. 127
Such information shall be provided for the Technical Education and 128
Career System and for each technical education and career school and 129
satellite facility. Enrollment information shall be reported by race and 130
sex and by specific trade programs. Applicant information shall include 131
the number of applicants, the number accepted and the number enrolled 132
reported by race and sex. Enrollment capacity for each school and 133
projected enrollment capacity for the subsequent school year shall be 134
developed on the basis of a standardized format and shall be reported 135
for each school and satellite facility. The report shall also include 136
assessment of student outcomes including, but not limited to, mastery 137
examination results pursuant to section 10 -14n, retention and 138
completion rates, and postsecondary education or employment based 139
on graduate follow -up and, for purposes of employment placement, 140
state unemployment insurance wage records. 141
(b) Reports prepared and submitted pursuant to subsection (a) of this 142
section, [on and after January 1, 2017,] shall identify each technical 143
education and career school for which enrollment on the preceding 144
October first was less than seventy per cent of the enrollment capacity 145
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identified in the report pursuant to this section for the prior year. For 146
each such school the report shall include an analysis of: (1) The reasons 147
for such enrollment, including, but not limited to, the interest in the 148
specific trade programs offered, the resources needed to serve special 149
education students, demographic changes and the existence of 150
alternative vocational, technical and technological educational training 151
programs in the region in which the school is located; (2) the likelihood 152
that enrollment will increase or decrease in the future; (3) any alternative 153
uses for unused space in the facility; and (4) a recommendation on the 154
steps to be taken to improve enrollment or a timetable for closing the 155
school. [In preparing the analysis, the Technical Education and Career 156
System board shall provide an opportunity for public comment.] 157
Sec. 5. Section 10 -95p of the general statutes is repealed and the 158
following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective from passage): 159
(a) [There is established a division of postsecondary educational 160
programs within the Technical Education and Career System. ] The 161
[division] Technical Education and Career System shall administer any 162
postsecondary educational program that (1) was offered at a technical 163
education and career school during the school year commencing July 1, 164
2016, or (2) is approved by the Technical Education and Career System 165
board. 166
(b) Any student admitted for enrollment in a postsecondary 167
educational program administered by the [division] Technical 168
Education and Career System shall have a high school diploma or its 169
equivalent, or have completed the school year in which such student 170
reaches twenty-two years of age. 171
Sec. 6. Section 10 -95q of the general statutes is repealed and the 172
following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective October 1, 2026): 173
(a) (1) On and after July 1, 2022, the Technical Education and Career 174
System board shall recommend [a candidate ] candidates for 175
superintendent of the Technical Education and Career System to the 176
executive director of the Technical Education and Career System . The 177
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executive director may hire or reject any candidate for superintendent 178
recommended by the board. [If the executive director rejects a candidate 179
for superintendent, the board shall recommend another candidate for 180
superintendent to the executive director until the executive director 181
hires a candidate for superintendent.] 182
[(2) The term of office of the superintendent shall be three years and 183
may be extended by the executive director, after consultation with the 184
Technical Education and Career System board regarding such 185
extension, for no more than three years at any one time.] 186
[(3)] (2) (A) No candidate may be hired as, or assume the duties and 187
responsibilities of, the superintendent until the executive director 188
receives written confirmation from the Commissioner of Education that 189
such candidate is properly certified under chapter 166 or has been 190
granted a waiver of certification by the commissioner pursuant to 191
subsection (c) of section 10-157. 192
(B) The board may recommend, and the executive director may hire, 193
a candidate who is not properly certified under chapter 166 to serve as 194
acting superintendent for a probationary period not to exceed one 195
school year, provided the executive director receives approval from the 196
Commissioner of Education. During such probationary period such 197
acting superintendent shall assume all duties of the superintendent for 198
the time specified and shall successfully complete a school leadership 199
program, approved by the State Board of Education, offered at [a public 200
or private ] an institution of higher education in the state. At the 201
conclusion of such probationary period, the executive director may 202
request the commissioner to grant a waiver of certification for such 203
acting superintendent pursuant to subsection (c) of section 10 -157, or a 204
one-time extension of such probationary period, not to exceed one 205
additional school year, if the commissioner determines that the 206
executive director has demonstrated a significant need or hardship for 207
such extension. 208
(b) [(1)] The superintendent of the Technical Education and Career 209
System shall be responsible for the operation, supervision and 210
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administration of the technical education and career schools and all 211
other matters relating to vocational, technical, technological and 212
postsecondary education in the system. The superintendent [, in 213
consultation with the executive director, shall develop and revise, as 214
necessary, administrative] shall recommend to the executive director of 215
the Technical Education and Career System policies for the operation of 216
the technical education and career schools and programs offered in the 217
system. Any such administrative policies developed or revised under 218
this subdivision shall not be deemed to be regulations, as defined in 219
section 4-166. 220
[(2) The executive director, in consultation with the board, shall 221
evaluate, at least annually, the performance of the superintendent in 222
accordance with guidelines and criteria established by the executive 223
director and the board.] 224
Sec. 7. Subsection (d) of section 10 -95r of the 2026 supplement to the 225
general statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu 226
thereof (Effective July 1, 2026): 227
(d) The executive director may, upon approval of the board, accept 228
gifts, grants and donations on behalf of the system, including, but not 229
limited to, in-kind donations, designated for the purchase of equipment 230
or materials, the hiring of teachers at a technical education and career 231
school or the acquisition of real property and the construction of 232
facilities, except no employee of the system may accept any gift, grant 233
or donation as an individual, or on behalf of the system, that is for 234
personal use. Any gift, grant or donation accepted on behalf of the 235
system shall be in accordance with the state code of ethics for public 236
officials set forth in chapter 10. [The executive director shall submit 237
quarterly reports to the Office of Policy and Management concerning all 238
gifts, grants or donations received pursuant to this subsection.] 239
Sec. 8. Section 10 -95s of the general statutes is repealed and the 240
following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1, 2026): 241
(a) The Technical Education and Career System shall be advised by a 242
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Technical Education and Career System board. The board shall consist 243
of eleven members as follows: (1) Two members appointed by the 244
Governor who shall have experience in manufacturing or a trade offered 245
by the Technical Education and Career System, or who are alumni of the 246
system, (2) two members appointed by the Governor who are executives 247
of Connecticut-based employers and who have been nominated by the 248
Governor's Workforce Council , established pursuant to section 31 -3h, 249
(3) the Commissioner of Education, or the commissioner's designee, (4) 250
the Commissioner of Economic and Community Development, or the 251
commissioner's designee, (5) the Labor Commissioner, or the 252
commissioner's designee, (6) the Chief Workforce Officer, or the officer's 253
designee, and (7) three members appointed by the Governor . Members 254
of the board appointed by the Governor shall be so appointed with the 255
advice and consent of the General Assembly, in accordance with the 256
provisions of section 4 -7. Any vacancy shall be filled in the manner 257
provided in section 4 -19. The Governor shall appoint the chairperson 258
and may remove a member for inefficiency, neglect of duty or 259
misconduct in office. Members of the board shall not be employees of 260
the Technical Education and Career System. 261
(b) The board shall advise the superintendent of the Technical 262
Education and Career System and the executive director of the Technical 263
Education and Career System on matters relating to vocational, 264
technical, technological and postsecondary education and training. The 265
board may create [any advisory boards or] and appoint any committees 266
as it deems necessary for the efficient conduct of its business. The 267
executive director, in conjunction with the superintendent, may arrange 268
for training to be provided to the board at such times, and on such 269
matters, as are deemed appropriate to assist the board in the conduct of 270
its business. 271
(c) The board may (1) recommend to the executive director and 272
superintendent [policies] strategies to attract and retain students who 273
will pursue careers that meet workforce needs , and [govern the 274
admission of students to any technical education and career school in 275
compliance with state and federal law ] (2) provide information to the 276
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executive director and superintendent on industry trends to consider 277
during program planning. 278
(d) The [board shall establish specific achievement goals for students 279
at the technical education and career schools at each grade level. The 280
board shall measure ] executive director and superintendent shall 281
annually publish a report on the performance of each technical 282
education and career school and shall identify a set of quantifiable 283
measures to be used. The measures shall include factors such as the 284
performance of students on standardized academic assessments, trade-285
related assessment tests, dropout rates and graduation rates. 286
Sec. 9. Section 10 -95t of the general statutes is repealed and the 287
following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective October 1, 2026): 288
(a) Not later than January 1, 2019, the [board of the technical high 289
school system] executive director of the Technical Education and Career 290
System and the superintendent of the [technical high school system ] 291
Technical Education and Career System shall develop and submit a plan 292
to address vocational , technical and technological education, training 293
and work experience for children in post -conviction justice system 294
custody. The plan shall provide that the education, training and work 295
experience provided shall, at a minimum, ensure that each such child 296
has the opportunity to earn at least one credit to meet high school 297
graduation requirements under section 10 -221a. The plan may be 298
incorporated into the biennial report required under section 10 -95k, as 299
amended by this act , and shall be separately submitted to the joint 300
standing committee of the General Assembly having cognizance of 301
matters relating to education in accordance with the provisions of 302
section 11 -4a and to the Juvenile Justice Policy and Oversight 303
Committee established pursuant to section 46b-121n. 304
(b) For the purposes of this section: 305
(1) "Post-conviction justice system custody" means physical or legal 306
custody or control of a child in a facility or program run by or contracted 307
with the Department of Correction, or the Court Support Services 308
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Division of the Judicial Branch, pursuant to an adjudication or 309
conviction for a delinquent act or criminal offense; and 310
(2) "Child" means child, as defined in section 10-253. 311
Sec. 10. Section 10 -95u of the general statutes is repealed and the 312
following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective October 1, 2026): 313
(a) Not later than October 1, 2019, the Technical Education and Career 314
System board, in consultation with the Labor Department, shall identify 315
and develop a list of careers in critical construction trades that are 316
essential to the construction workforce needs of the state. The board 317
shall consider the factors described in subdivisions (1) to (7), inclusive, 318
of subsection (c) of section 10 -95i, as amended by this act, when 319
identifying such critical construction trades. The [board] executive 320
director of the Technical Education and Career System may 321
subsequently identify, as necessary, additional critical construction 322
trades, and shall revise the list of critical construction trades identified 323
pursuant to this subsection. 324
(b) Not later than July 1, 2020, the board shall, within available 325
appropriations, develop a plan to create new or expand existing 326
programs in critical construction trades identified pursuant to 327
subsection (a) of this section. Upon the subsequent identification of 328
additional critical construction trades, the [board] executive director 329
shall develop a plan to create new or expand existing programs for such 330
additional critical construction trades. 331
(c) The [board] executive director shall post, and update as necessary, 332
a list of the critical construction trades and all programs in critical 333
construction trades offered at technical education and career schools on 334
the Internet web site of the Technical Education and Career System. 335
Sec. 11. Section 10 -97a of the general statutes is repealed and the 336
following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective October 1, 2026): 337
The [superintendent] executive director of the Technical Education 338
and Career System shall arrange for the annual inspection, in 339
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accordance with the provisions of section 14 -282a, of [those school 340
buses, as defined in section 14 -275,] student transportation vehicles in 341
operation in the Technical Education and Career System. 342
This act shall take effect as follows and shall amend the following
sections:

Section 1 October 1, 2026 10-95h
Sec. 2 October 1, 2026 10-95i
Sec. 3 October 1, 2026 10-95j
Sec. 4 October 1, 2026 10-95k
Sec. 5 from passage 10-95p
Sec. 6 October 1, 2026 10-95q
Sec. 7 July 1, 2026 10-95r(d)
Sec. 8 July 1, 2026 10-95s
Sec. 9 October 1, 2026 10-95t
Sec. 10 October 1, 2026 10-95u
Sec. 11 October 1, 2026 10-97a

ED Joint Favorable

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SB135 / File No. 46 13

The following Fiscal Impact Statement and Bill Analysis are prepared for the benefit of the members of
the General Assembly, solely for purposes of information, summarization and explanation and do not
represent the intent of the General Assembly or either chamber thereof for any purpose. In general,
fiscal impacts are based upon a variety of informational sources, including the analyst’s professional
knowledge. Whenever applicable, agency data is consulted as part of the analysis, however final
products do not necessarily reflect an assessment from any specific department.

OFA Fiscal Note

State Impact: None
Municipal Impact: None
Explanation
The bill has no fiscal impact. It makes a variety of technical and
procedural changes relating to the Connecticut Technical Education and
Career System.
The Out Years
State Impact: None
Municipal Impact: None

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OLR Bill Analysis
SB 135

AN ACT IMPLEMENTING THE RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE
TECHNICAL EDUCATION AND CAREER SYSTEM.

SUMMARY
This bill transfers the responsibility for fulfilling various duties from
the Connecticut Technical Education and Career System (CTECS) board
to the system’s executive director . By law, unchanged by the bill, the
board advises the CTECS executive director and superintendent. The
bill makes the executive director, rather than the board, responsible for:
1. developing various existing plans, such as the five-year long -
range plan of CTECS priorities and goals;
2. reporting biennially on the demographic information of CTECS
applicants, students enrolled, and a summary of the capital and
operating expenditures; and
3. maintaining a rolling three-year capital improvement and capital
equipment plan.
The bill also removes the board chairperson from the existing annual
meeting with the Education, Higher Education and Employment
Advancement, and Labor and Public Employees committees to report
on various CTECS matters.
Additionally, the bill makes various changes to the selection process
and responsibilities of the CTECSs superintendent, including:
1. allowing the board to recommend multiple candidates for the
role at one time;
2. removing the superintendent’s three-year term limit; and
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3. requiring the executive director, rather than the superintendent,
to arrange the student transportation annual inspection.
The bill also (1) r emoves the requirement for the system’s executive
director to submit quarterly reports to the Office of Policy and
Management (OPM) on all gifts, grants, or donations and (2) makes
technical and other minor changes (§ 5).
EFFECTIVE DATE: October 1, 2026, except for (1) some technical and
minor changes, which are effective from passage (§ 5) and (2) the
provisions related to (a) eliminating the quarterly reporting on all
gifts, grants, or donations (§ 7) and (b) reporting on the performance of
each technical education and career school and some changes to the
board’s authority (§ 8), which are effective July 1, 2026.
§ 1 — ANNUAL REPORTING AND MEETING REQUIREMENT
Under current law, the CTECS board chairperson, superintendent,
and executive director must meet every year with the Education, Higher
Education and Employment Advancement, and Labor and Public
Employees committees to report on various matters including
curriculum, CTECS graduates’ employment status, workforce
alignment, and staffing within CTECS.
The bill removes the board chairperson from this process. It also
removes the requirement for this annual reporting to include
recommendations for the board to carry out.
§ 2 — CTECS PLANS AND PROGRAMS
The bill transfers certain planning duties to the executive director,
while program reauthorization and consideration of new programs
remains with the board.
Five-Year Plan and Three-Year Capital Improvement Plan
Beginning January 1, 2030, the bill transfers the responsibility for
developing the five-year plan of priorities and goals for CTECS from the
board to the executive director . The bill (1) eliminates the requirement
that the board adopt the five -year plan and (2) requires the executive
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director, rather than the board, to submit it to the General Assembly.
The bill also eliminates the requirement that the State Board of
Education use the plan when it is preparing its own five -year
comprehensive plan.
Additionally, under the bill, the executive director, rather than the
board, must maintain a rolling three -year capital improvement and
capital equipment plan and report it annually to the General Assembly.
Program Reauthorization and New Trade Program Consideration
By law, the board must evaluate existing trade programs during the
five-year period to consider them for reauthorization. The bill (1)
requires the executive director, rather than the board, to establish the
program evaluation schedule and (2) eliminates the requirement for the
board to consult with the trade program advisory committee before
reauthorizing a trade program.
By law, trade program reauthorization criteria include projected
employment demand for students enrolled in the program, including
graduates’ employment during the preceding five years; anticipated
technology changes; and the availability of qualified instructors.
Regarding consideration of new programs, the bill changes this from
solely the board’s responsibility and instead requires the executive
director and superintendent of CTECS to jointly recommend new trade
programs to the board for consideration.
§§ 3 & 4 — BIENNIAL REPORTING REQUIREMENT
Beginning January 1, 2027, the bill transfers from the board to the
executive director the responsibility for the existing biennial summary
report on the demographic information of applicants, students enrolled,
and a summary of the capital and operating expenditures.
§ 6 — SUPERINTENDENT SELECTION PROCESS,
RESPONSIBILITIES, AND EVALUATION
Selection and Evaluation
By law, the CTECS superintendent is responsible for the operation,
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supervision, and administration of the technical education and career
high schools and all other matters relating to vocational, technical,
technological, and postsecondary education in the system.
By law, the executive director hires the superintendent. Current law
requires the board to recommend a superintendent candidate to the
executive director. The bill allows the board to recommend multiple
candidates for the role at one time and eliminates a provision that
requires the board to recommend another candidate if the executive
director rejects a candidate for superintendent. It also eliminates
requirements for the (1) superintendent to have a three year term that
the executive director may extend f or another three years after
consulting with the board and (2) executive director, in consultation
with the board, to annually evaluate the superintendent’s performance.
Responsibilities
Current law requires the superintendent, in consultation with the
executive director, to develop and revise as needed, operational policies
for the schools and programs offered. The bill instead requires the
superintendent to recommend policies and offerings to the executive
director.
§§ 7 & 8 — OTHER REPORTING REQUIREMENTS
New School Performance Report (§ 8)
The bill eliminates the requirement for the board to establish specific
achievement goals for students at each grade level in the CTECS schools
and measure performance at each school. The bill instead requires the
executive director and superintendent to annually publish a report on
the performance of each technical education and career school.
Quarterly Reports to OPM (§ 7)
The bill removes the requirement for the system’s executive director
to submit quarterly reports to OPM concerning all gifts, grants, or
donations.
§ 8 — BOARD DUTIES AND AUTHORITY ELIMINATED
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The bill removes the following authority and duties of the board:
1. authority to create advisory boards,
2. duty to recommend policies to the executive director and
superintendent on student attraction and retention (it instead
requires the board to recommend strategies on the topic and
provide information on industry trends), and
3. authority to govern student admission.
§§ 9-11 — OTHER DUTIES TRANSFERRED TO THE EXECUTIVE
DIRECTOR
Education and Work Experience Plan for Children in Post-
Conviction Justice System Custody (§ 9)
The bill transfers responsibility for developing a plan regarding
vocational and technical education and work training for children in
post-conviction justice system custody from the board to the executive
director and superintendent.
Critical Construction Trade Identification and Trade List
Revisions (§ 10)
The bill transfers, from the board to the executive director and
superintendent, responsibility for (1) identifying additional critical
construction trades as necessary and (2) revising the critical construction
trade list.
Transportation Annual Inspection (§ 11)
The bill transfers responsibility for arranging the student
transportation annual inspection from the superintendent to the
executive director.
COMMITTEE ACTION
Education Committee
Joint Favorable
Yea 44 Nay 1 (02/27/2026)