Conn. Gen. Stat. § 17a-812

Current with legislation from 2024 effective through June 6, 2024.

Section 17a-812 - [Effective Until 7/1/2024] (Formerly Sec. 10-295). Specialized vision-related instruction, educational programs, goods and services. Expense of services. Teachers and educational resources; funding. Adult home instruction. Adaptive equipment

(a) All residents of this state, regardless of age, who, because of blindness or impaired vision, require specialized vision-related educational programs, goods and services, on the signed recommendation of the Commissioner of Aging and Disability Services, shall be entitled to receive such instruction, programs, goods and services for such length of time as is deemed expedient by said commissioner. Upon the petition of any parent or guardian of a child who is blind or visually impaired, a local board of education may provide such instruction within the town or it may provide for such instruction by agreement with other towns as provided in subsection (d) of section 10-76d. All educational privileges prescribed in part V of chapter 164, not inconsistent with the provisions of this chapter, shall apply to the pupils covered by this subsection.

(b) The Commissioner of Aging and Disability Services shall expend funds for the services made available pursuant to subsection (a) of this section from the educational aid for children who are blind or visually impaired account in accordance with the provisions of this subsection. The Commissioner of Aging and Disability Services may adopt, in accordance with the provisions of chapter 54, such regulations as the commissioner deems necessary to carry out the purpose and intent of this subsection.

(1) The Commissioner of Aging and Disability Services shall provide, upon written request from any interested school district, the services of teachers who instruct students who are visually impaired, based on the levels established in the individualized education or service plan. The Commissioner of Aging and Disability Services shall also make available resources, including, but not limited to, the braille and large print library, to all teachers of public and nonpublic school children. The commissioner may also provide vision-related professional development and training to all school districts and cover the actual cost for paraprofessionals from school districts to participate in agency-sponsored braille training programs. The commissioner shall utilize education consultant positions, funded by moneys appropriated from the General Fund, to supplement new staffing that will be made available through the educational aid for children who are blind or visually impaired account, which shall be governed by formal written policies established by the commissioner.

(2) The Commissioner of Aging and Disability Services may use funds appropriated to said account to provide specialized books, materials, equipment, supplies, adaptive technology services and devices, specialist examinations and aids, preschool programs and vision-related independent living services, excluding primary educational placement, for eligible children.

(3) The Commissioner of Aging and Disability Services may, within available appropriations, employ certified teachers who instruct students who are visually impaired in sufficient numbers to meet the requests for services received from school districts. In responding to such requests, the commissioner shall utilize a formula for determining the number of teachers needed to serve the school districts, crediting six points for each child learning braille and one point for each other child, with one full-time certified teacher who instructs students who are visually impaired assigned for every twenty-five points credited. The commissioner shall exercise due diligence to employ the needed number of certified teachers who instruct students who are visually impaired, but shall not be liable for lack of resources. Funds appropriated to said account may also be utilized to employ additional staff in numbers sufficient to provide compensatory skills, evaluations and training to children who are blind or visually impaired, special assistants and other support staff necessary to ensure the efficient operation of service delivery. Not later than October first of each year, the Commissioner of Aging and Disability Services shall determine the number of teachers needed based on the formula provided in this subdivision. Based on such determination, the Commissioner of Aging and Disability Services shall estimate the funding needed to pay such teachers' salaries and related expenses.

(4) In any fiscal year, when funds appropriated to cover the combined costs associated with providing the services set forth in subdivisions (2) and (3) of this subsection are projected to be insufficient, the Commissioner of Aging and Disability Services may collect revenue from all school districts that have requested such services on a per student pro rata basis, in the sums necessary to cover the projected portion of these services for which there are insufficient appropriations.

(c) The Commissioner of Aging and Disability Services may provide for the instruction of adults who are blind in their homes, expending annually for this purpose such sums as the General Assembly may appropriate.

(d) The Commissioner of Aging and Disability Services may expend up to ten thousand dollars per fiscal year per person twenty-one years of age or older who is both blind or visually impaired and deaf, in addition to any other expenditures for such person, for the purpose of providing community inclusion services through specialized public and private entities from which such person can benefit. The commissioner may determine the criteria by which a person is eligible to receive specialized services and may adopt regulations necessary to carry out the provisions of this subsection. For purposes of this subsection, "community inclusion services" means the assistance provided to persons with disabilities to enable them to connect with their peers without disabilities and with the community at large.

(e) The Commissioner of Aging and Disability Services may, within available appropriations, purchase adaptive equipment for persons receiving services pursuant to this chapter.

Conn. Gen. Stat. § 17a-812

(1949 Rev., S. 1610; 1949, 1953, 1955, S. 1002d; March, 1958, P.A. 17, S. 1; 1959, P.A. 582; 591; 1961, P.A. 539, S. 4; 1963, P.A. 386, S. 3; 577; February, 1965, P.A. 289, S. 1, 2; 574, S. 12; 1967, P.A. 462, S. 1, 2; 1969, P.A. 159, S. 1, 2; 580, S. 1, 2; 767, S. 2; 1971, P.A. 567, S. 1; 1972, P.A. 212, S. 1; P.A. 73-469, S. 1, 2; P.A. 74-260, S. 1, 2; P.A. 78-211, S. 1, 2; 78-218, S. 201; P.A. 79-525, S. 1; P.A. 81-378, S. 1, 2; June 18 Sp. Sess. P.A. 97-2 , S. 138, 165; P.A. 98-252 , S. 26 , 80 ; P.A. 03-219 , S. 1 ; P.A. 04-16 , S. 1 ; P.A. 05-156 , S. 6 ; P.A. 08-133 , S. 1 ; P.A. 11-44 , S. 8 ; June 12 Sp. Sess. P.A. 12-1 , S. 40 ; P.A. 13-234 , S. 70 ; June Sp. Sess. P.A. 15-5 , S. 369 ; P.A. 16-118 , S. 2 ; May Sp. Sess. P.A. 16-3 , S. 80 ; P.A. 17-202 , S. 26 .)

Section 10-295 was transferred to section 17a-812 in 2023.

Amended by P.A. 19-0157, S. 20 of the Connecticut Acts of the 2019 Regular Session, eff. 10/1/2019.

Amended by P.A. 17-0202, S. 26 of the Connecticut Acts of the 2017 Regular Session, eff. 10/1/2017.

Amended by P.A. 16-0118, S. 2 of the Connecticut Acts of the 2016 Regular Session, eff. 10/1/2016.

Amended by P.A. 16-0003, S. 80 of the Connecticut Acts of the 2016 Special Session, eff. 7/1/2016.

Amended by P.A. 15-0005, S. 369 of the Connecticut Acts of the 2015 Special Session, eff. 7/1/2015.

This section is set out more than once due to postponed, multiple, or conflicting amendments.