(h) On and after July 1,2019, any candidate entering a program of teacher preparation leading to professional certification shall be required to complete training in competency areas contained in the professional teaching Standard established by the State Board of Education, including, but not limited to, development and characteristics of learners, evidence-based and Standard-based instruction, evidence-based classroom and behavior management, assessment and professional behaviors and responsibilities and the awareness and identification of the unique learning style of gifted and talented children, social and emotional development and learning of children, and culturally responsive pedagogy and practice. The training in social and emotional development and learning of children shall include instruction concerning a comprehensive, coordinated social and emotional assessment and early intervention for children displaying behaviors associated with social or emotional problems, the availability of treatment services for such children and referring such children for assessment, intervention or treatment services. The training in culturally responsive pedagogy and practice shall include instruction concerning the awareness of students’ background and experience that lead to the development of skills, knowledge and behaviors that enable educators and students to build positive relationships and work effectively in cross-cultural situations.

(a) For the school year commencing July 1, 2019, and each school year thereafter, each certified employee shall participate in a program of professional development. Each local and regional board of education shall make available, annually, at no cost to its certified employees, a program of professional development that is not fewer than eighteen hours in length, of which a preponderance is in a small group or individual instructional setting. Such program of professional development shall (5) include training in culturally responsive pedagogy and practice. (g) Not later than January 1, 2021, and annually thereafter, the collaborative shall submit a report concerning (1) its efforts to (A) monitor the school climate improvement efforts of local and regional boards of education, (B) document needs articulated by local and regional boards of education for technical assistance and training relating to fostering positive school climates, (C) identify best practices for promoting positive school climates, and (D) direct resources to support state-wide and local initiatives on issues relating to fostering and improving positive school climates and improving access to social and emotional learning, and (2) any recommendations, to the joint standing committees of the General Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to children and education, in accordance with the provisions of section 11-4a.

(a) Each local or regional board of education shall provide an in-service training program for its teachers, administrators and pupil personnel who hold the initial educator, provisional educator or professional educator certificate. Such program shall provide such teachers, administrators and pupil personnel with information on (1) the nature and the relationship of alcohol and drugs, as defined in subdivision (17) of section 21a-240, to health and personality development, and procedures for discouraging their abuse, (2) health and mental health risk reduction education that includes, but need not be limited to, the prevention of risk-taking behavior by children and the relationship of such behavior to substance abuse, pregnancy, sexually transmitted diseases, including HIV-infection and AIDS, as defined in section 19a-581, violence, teen dating violence, domestic violence and child abuse, (3) school violence prevention, conflict resolution, the prevention of and response to youth suicide and the identification and prevention of and response to bullying, as defined in subsection (a) of section 10-222d, except that those boards of education that implement any evidence-based model approach that is approved by the Department of Education and is consistent with subsection (c) of section 10-145a, sections 10-222d, 10-222g and 10-222h, subsection (g) of section 10-233c and sections 1 and 3 of public act 08-160, shall not be required to provide in-service training on the identification and prevention of and response to bullying, (4) cardiopulmonary resuscitation and other emergency life saving procedures, (5) the requirements and obligations of a mandated reporter, (6) the detection and recognition of, and evidence-based structured literacy interventions for, students with dyslexia, as defined in section 10-3d, and (7) culturally responsive pedagogy and practice. Each local or regional board of education may allow any paraprofessional or noncertified employee to participate, on a voluntary basis, in any in-service training program provided pursuant to this section.

Each regional and local board of education may, in accordance with such regulations as may be prescribed by the State Board of Education, provide a program in intergroup relations training for all teachers employed in the public schools of the district. In addition, each such board may select one of its employees to assume responsibility as coordinator of intergroup relations. No regulation of the State Board of Education shall require a local or regional board of education to hire new personnel to carry out the purposes of subsection (a) of section 10-145a, section 10-226f and this section. Each such coordinator shall, utilizing local resources to the extent available, with the assistance of the coordinator of intergroup relations for the State Board of Education: (1) Provide for the conduct of workshops and training programs in intergroup relations for all teachers in each school; (2) evaluate, and recommend the use of, textbooks and curricula material concerning racial and cultural minorities; and (3) introduce and implement programs of intergroup relations in such schools.

This position statement from the Connecticut State Board of Education affirms the importance of culturally responsive education and professional development on best practices in culturally responsive education.

This webpage provides information on the importance and benefits of professional learning on cultural competence in schools.