04/18/2025
๐จ ๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐: ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ - Testimony due Sunday by 3pm!
๐จ ๐๐๐ซ๐๐ง๐ญ๐ฌ, ๐๐ซ๐๐๐ ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎ๐ซ๐ฌ๐๐ฅ๐ฏ๐๐ฌ. Connecticutโs Raised Bill 7277 is a full-on power grabโand your childโs education is on the line. (How you can ๐๐๐ค๐ ๐๐๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง ๐๐จ๐ฐ and sample written testimony can be found here: https://specialed.law/raised-bill-7277-testimony/)
This bill is long, sweeping, and dripping with language that sounds collaborativeโbut beneath the surface, it strips power from parents and local decision-makers and hands it to the state.
Here is what you need to know, in plain terms and plain truth:
โ ๐๐๐ฌ๐ฌ ๐
๐ฅ๐๐ฑ๐ข๐๐ข๐ฅ๐ข๐ญ๐ฒ ๐ข๐ง ๐๐ก๐จ๐จ๐ฌ๐ข๐ง๐ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐๐ข๐ ๐ก๐ญ ๐๐ฅ๐๐๐๐ฆ๐๐ง๐ญ
Districts will have a harder time outplacing students to private or specialized schoolsโeven when those placements are the only realistic option.
If a student is placed out-of-district and something changesโsay, the program is not workingโthe receiving school cannot ask for your child to be moved.
Only the parent can request a meeting, and only the sending district can decide whether to approve the change.
๐ธ ๐๐จ๐ซ๐ ๐๐ฎ๐ซ๐๐๐ฎ๐๐ซ๐๐๐ฒ, ๐๐๐ฌ๐ฌ ๐๐๐ฌ๐ฉ๐จ๐ง๐ฌ๐ข๐ฏ๐๐ง๐๐ฌ๐ฌ
The state will now control how much special education providers can charge.
If a provider charges even one dollar more than the state-approved rate, they cannot take new students.
That means some placements could disappear mid-yearโnot because they are inappropriate, but because they cost โtoo much.โ
๐งฉ ๐๐๐ซ๐๐๐ซ ๐ญ๐จ ๐๐ซ๐จ๐ฏ๐ ๐๐ก๐๐ญ ๐๐จ๐ฎ๐ซ ๐๐ก๐ข๐ฅ๐ ๐๐๐๐๐ฌ
Districts must now prove that a private placement is more appropriate than a public optionโa higher legal standard than the federal โappropriateโ standard under IDEA.
And if parents make a unilateral placement (meaning they pay out of pocket and later seek reimbursement), this bill shifts the burden of proof onto the parent to show that decision was appropriate.
That is a big deal. It reverses longstanding practice and makes it harder for families to win reimbursement.
๐งจ ๐๐ข๐ฌ๐ฉ๐ฎ๐ญ๐๐ฌ ๐๐ข๐ฅ๐ฅ ๐๐ ๐๐จ๐ฎ๐ ๐ก๐๐ซ ๐ญ๐จ ๐๐ข๐ง
The bill lays out new rules and timelines for special education due process hearings.
In most cases, the district presents its case first.
But in reimbursement casesโwhere parents placed their child privatelyโparents go first and carry the full legal burden.
That matters. Especially in cases where outside evaluations (like an IEE) were used to support a placement.
The data may still be solid, but the rules now make it harder to rely on that evidence in a hearing.
๐ ๐๐จ๐ซ๐ ๐๐ฏ๐๐ซ๐ฌ๐ข๐ ๐ก๐ญ ๐จ๐ ๐๐ซ๐ข๐ฏ๐๐ญ๐ ๐๐ซ๐จ๐ ๐ซ๐๐ฆ๐ฌโ๐๐ฎ๐ญ ๐๐จ๐ญ ๐๐ฎ๐๐ฅ๐ข๐ ๐๐ง๐๐ฌ
Got your child into a private program that finally works? Good.
Now that program is subject to unannounced audits, strict reporting, and new licensing rulesโnone of which apply to public school programs.
They also must notify parents within five days of any staffing changes.
Sounds greatโbut public schools are not held to that same rule.
๐ ๐๐ซ๐๐ง๐ฌ๐ฉ๐จ๐ซ๐ญ๐๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง ๐๐๐ฒ ๐๐๐๐จ๐ฆ๐ ๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ก๐
The Department of Transportation will now coordinate special education busing.
Parents will not be involved in the process.
If your district does not share required data with the state, your child could lose transportation reimbursement entirely.
๐ซ ๐๐ง-๐๐ข๐ฌ๐ญ๐ซ๐ข๐๐ญ ๐๐ซ๐จ๐ ๐ซ๐๐ฆ๐ฌ ๐๐ข๐ฅ๐ฅ ๐๐ ๐๐ซ๐ข๐จ๐ซ๐ข๐ญ๐ข๐ณ๐๐โ๐๐ฏ๐๐ง ๐ข๐ ๐๐ก๐๐ฒ ๐๐ซ๐ ๐๐จ๐ญ ๐๐๐๐๐ฒ
Districts will be financially rewarded for keeping students in-houseโeven if the program is brand new, untested, or not appropriate.
And here is the kicker: state grant funds for these programs cannot be used to hire outside experts.
That means your child could become the test case.
๐ ๐๐จ๐ซ๐ ๐๐ฎ๐ฅ๐๐ฌ, ๐๐๐ฌ๐ฌ ๐๐ซ๐๐๐
Before a district can make a behavioral outplacement, it must conduct a functional behavior assessment and write a behavior plan.
Sounds goodโbut if your child is in crisis, this requirement could delay urgently needed help.
Even transitioning between placements mid-year now requires a formal meeting with specific restrictionsโand again, the receiving program cannot initiate that conversation.
โ ๏ธ ๐๐ข๐ ๐๐ข๐๐ญ๐ฎ๐ซ๐: ๐๐ก๐ ๐๐จ๐ฐ๐๐ซ ๐๐ฒ๐ง๐๐ฆ๐ข๐ ๐๐ฌ ๐๐ก๐๐ง๐ ๐ข๐ง๐
This bill is not about student needโit is about state control.
It adds red tape to decisions that used to be collaborative.
It raises legal burdens on families.
It makes it harder to act quickly when your child needs help.
It talks about equity, but it delivers control to the state and obstacles to the people who know your child bestโyou.
If you are a parent who already fights hard to get the right services for your childโget ready to fight harder.
This bill changes the game.
๐ฃ ๐๐๐ค๐ ๐๐๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง ๐๐จ๐ฐ
๐ File written testimony: https://www.cga.ct.gov/SED/tmy.htm
๐ค Sign up to testify live via Zoom: https://zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_RuztFlqhRl2OCmMsI2ykFw
๐จ ๐๐ก๐ข๐ฌ ๐ข๐ฌ ๐๐ฌ ๐๐ฅ๐จ๐ฌ๐ ๐ญ๐จ ๐๐ง ๐๐ฑ๐ข๐ฌ๐ญ๐๐ง๐ญ๐ข๐๐ฅ ๐ญ๐ก๐ซ๐๐๐ญ ๐๐จ๐ซ ๐จ๐ฎ๐ซ ๐ฉ๐ซ๐๐๐ญ๐ข๐๐ ๐๐ฌ ๐ฐ๐ ๐ก๐๐ฏ๐ ๐ฌ๐๐๐ง.
Spread the word. Be loud. Do not let this slide under the radar.
https://specialed.law/raised-bill-7277-testimony/
๐จ ๐๐๐ซ๐๐ง๐ญ๐ฌ, ๐๐ซ๐๐๐ ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎ๐ซ๐ฌ๐๐ฅ๐ฏ๐๐ฌ. Connecticutโs Raised Bill 7277 is a full-on power grabโand your childโs education is on the line.
