(a) For the fiscal year ending June 30, 2023, and each fiscal year thereafter, the Department of Administrative Services shall administer a heating, ventilation and air conditioning system grant program to reimburse local and regional boards of education for costs associated with projects for the installation, replacement or upgrading of heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems or other improvements to indoor air quality in school buildings.
(b) (1) A local or regional board of education or a regional educational service center may apply, at such time and in such manner as the Commissioner of Administrative Services prescribes, for a grant for a project involving the installation, replacement or upgrading of heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems or other improvements to indoor air quality in school buildings. A local or regional board of education may submit an application for any such project that (A) was commenced on or after March 1, 2020, and completed before the effective date of this section, or (B) is commenced on or after the effective date of this section.
(2) The commissioner shall develop eligibility criteria for the awarding of grants under the program. Such criteria shall include, but need not be limited to, (A) the age and condition of the current heating, ventilation and air conditioning system or equipment being replaced or upgraded in the school, (B) current air quality issues at the school, (C) the age and condition of the overall school building, (D) the school district's master plan, (E) the availability of maintenance records, (F) a contract or plans for the routine maintenance and cleaning of the heating, ventilation and air conditioning system, and (G) the local or regional board of education's or regional educational service center's ability to finance the remainder of the costs for such project after receiving a grant under the program. The commissioner shall utilize such eligibility criteria when determining whether to award a grant to an applicant under the program.
(3) The commissioner shall not award a grant under the program to any applicant that, on or after July 1, 2024, has not certified compliance with the uniform inspection and evaluation of an existing heating, ventilation and air conditioning system pursuant to subsection (d) of section 10-220.
(c) (1) A local board of education may receive a grant equal to a percentage of its eligible expenses. The percentage shall be determined by its ranking. Such ranking shall be determined as follows: (A) Each town shall be ranked in descending order from one to one hundred sixty-nine according to the adjusted equalized net grand list per capita, as defined in section 10-261, of the town two, three and four years prior to the fiscal year in which application is made, (B) based upon such ranking, a percentage of not less than twenty or more than eighty shall be assigned to each town on a continuous scale, and (C) the town ranked first shall be assigned a percentage of twenty and the town ranked last shall be assigned a percentage of eighty.
(2) A regional board of education may receive a grant equal to a percentage of its eligible expenses. The percentage shall be determined by its ranking. Such ranking shall be determined as follows: (A) Multiplying the total population, as defined in section 10-261, of each town in the district by such town's ranking, as determined in subdivision (1) of this subsection, (B) adding together the figures determined under subparagraph (A) of this subdivision, and (C) dividing the total computed under subparagraph (B) of this subdivision by the total population of all towns in the district. The ranking of each regional board of education shall be rounded to the next higher whole number and each such board shall receive the same reimbursement percentage as would a town with the same rank plus ten per cent, except that no such percentage shall exceed eighty-five per cent.
(3) A regional educational service center may receive a grant equal to a percentage of its eligible expenses. The percentage shall be determined by its ranking. Such ranking shall be determined by (A) multiplying the population of each member town in the regional educational service center by such town's ranking, as determined in subdivision (1) of this subsection, (B) adding together the figures for each town determined under subparagraph (A) of this subdivision, and (C) dividing the total computed under subparagraph (B) of this subdivision by the total population of all member towns in the regional educational service center. The ranking of each regional educational service center shall be rounded to the next higher whole number and each such center shall receive the same reimbursement percentage as would a town with the same rank.
(d) If there are not sufficient funds to provide grants to all local and regional boards of education and regional educational service centers, based on the percentage determined pursuant to subsection (c) of this section, the commissioner shall give priority to applicants on behalf of schools with the greatest need for heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems or other improvements to indoor air quality in school buildings, as determined by the commissioner based on the eligibility criteria developed pursuant to subdivision (2) of subsection (b) of this section.
(e) The following expenses shall not be eligible for reimbursement under this section: (1) Routine maintenance and cleaning of the heating, ventilation and air conditioning system, (2) work that is otherwise eligible for a school building project grant under chapter 173, and (3) work performed at or on a public school administrative or service facility that is not located or housed within a public school building.
(f) No grant funds received under this section by a local or regional board of education or a regional educational service center shall be used to supplant local matching requirements for federal or state funding otherwise received by such district for a project for the installation, replacement or upgrading of heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems or other improvements to indoor air quality in school buildings.
(g) Any project for the installation, replacement or upgrading of heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems or other improvements to indoor air quality in school buildings for which a grant is awarded under this section shall be completed by the end of the next calendar year, unless the duration of such project is extended by the commissioner upon a showing of good cause by the local or regional board of education or regional educational service center.
(h) Any local or regional board of education or regional educational service center that receives a grant under this section shall (1) be responsible for the routine maintenance and cleaning of the heating, ventilation and air conditioning system, and (2) provide training to school personnel and building maintenance staff concerning the proper use and maintenance of the heating, ventilation and air conditioning system.
(P.A. 22-118, S. 367.)
History: P.A. 22-118 effective July 1, 2022.
Structure Connecticut General Statutes
Title 10 - Education and Culture
Chapter 172 - Support of Public Schools. Transportation
Section 10-250. - Report showing number of children.
Section 10-251. - Penalty for refusing to give age of child.
Section 10-252. - Children in state receiving homes. Employment of teachers.
Section 10-255. - Waiver of forfeiture.
Section 10-256. - Misapplication of school money.
Section 10-257. - Income of town deposit fund.
Section 10-257h. - Data to be transmitted.
Section 10-257i. - Educational roundtable committee.
Section 10-258. - Trust funds.
Section 10-259. - Fiscal and school year defined.
Section 10-260. - State aid to towns.
Section 10-260a. - Auditing of state grants for public education. Review of procedures manual.
Section 10-261. - Definitions.
Section 10-261a. - Equalized net grand lists for purposes of educational equalization grants.
Section 10-261b. - Data re transfers of real property for preparation of equalized net grand lists.
Section 10-262f. - Definitions.
Section 10-262h. - Equalization aid grants.
Section 10-262j. - Minimum budget requirement.
Section 10-262k. - Grants for compensatory education programs.
Section 10-262l. - Grants for improvement in student achievement.
Section 10-262m. - Grants for high level of foster care placements in a school district.
Section 10-262n. - Grants to improve the use of technology in schools.
Section 10-262o. - Grant program for teacher technology training programs.
Section 10-262q. - Centralized web-based site for educators.
Section 10-262r. - Computer-assisted writing, instruction and testing. Pilot program.
Section 10-262t. - Grants to support plans that implement cost-saving strategies.
Section 10-262u. - Alliance districts.
Section 10-263. - Withholding of payments; adjustments for underpayments and overpayments of grants.
Section 10-263c. - Transitional school district grant program.
Section 10-263e. - Safe learning grant program.
Section 10-264. - Temporary additional payment.
Section 10-264e. - Grant applications.
Section 10-264f. - Grants for single districts or one or more schools within a district.
Section 10-264g. - Grants for two or more districts.
Section 10-264h. - Grants for capital expenditures for interdistrict magnet school facilities.
Section 10-264i. - Transportation grants for interdistrict magnet school programs.
Section 10-264p. - Sliding tuition scale for preschool programs offered at certain magnet schools.
Section 10-264r. - Reduced-isolation setting standards.
Section 10-265a. - Definitions.
Section 10-265aa. - The Partnership for Connecticut, Inc. Purposes, powers and reports.
Section 10-265b. - State grants for vocational education equipment.
Section 10-265bb. - Duties of the corporation.
Section 10-265c. - Distribution of funds. Grant application; limitations.
Section 10-265cc. - Board of directors.
Section 10-265d. - Bond authorization.
Section 10-265dd. - Funding to further the purposes of the collaboration.
Section 10-265e. - Definitions.
Section 10-265ee. - Financial assistance provided by the corporation. State assistance.
Section 10-265f. - Early reading success grant program.
Section 10-265ff. - Philanthropic Match account.
Section 10-265i. - Grants for priority school districts for the purchase of library books.
Section 10-265j. - Model early childhood learning programs.
Section 10-265n. - Even start family literacy program.
Section 10-265o. - Municipal aid for new educators grant program.
Section 10-265p. - Wraparound services grant program.
Section 10-265q. - Educational reform district science grant program.
Section 10-265r. - Heating, ventilation and air conditioning system grant program.
Section 10-265s. - Heating, ventilation and air conditioning system pipeline training pilot program.
Section 10-265t. - Bond issue for school air quality improvement grants.
Section 10-266aa. - State-wide interdistrict public school attendance program.
Section 10-266cc. - Lighthouse schools.
Section 10-266dd. - Sheff Lighthouse Schools.
Section 10-266ee. - Dr. Joseph S. Renzulli Gifted and Talented Academy. Grant.
Section 10-266j. - Intercommunity programs for disadvantaged children.
Section 10-266m. - Transportation grants.
Section 10-266p. - Priority school district grant program.
Section 10-266q. - Proposals and plans for expenditure of grant.
Section 10-266r. - Evaluation of program. Financial statement of expenditures.
Section 10-266s. - Interdistrict leadership grant program.
Section 10-266w. - School breakfast grant program.
Section 10-266x. - Development of innovative programs for educational improvement.
Section 10-266y. - Competitive grant program for certain high school projects.
Section 10-273a. - Reimbursement for transportation to and from elementary and secondary schools.
Section 10-276b. - Diverse learning environment for state-funded interdistrict programs.
Section 10-280a. - Transportation for pupils in nonprofit private schools outside school district.
Section 10-280c. - Nonpublic school transportation services pilot program.
Section 10-281. - Transportation for pupils in nonprofit private schools within school district.