The state shall encourage the development of a network of school readiness programs pursuant to sections 10-16p to 10-16r, inclusive, 10-16u and 17b-749a in order to:

(1) Provide open access for children to quality programs that promote the health and safety of children and prepare them for formal schooling;

(2) Provide opportunities for parents to choose among affordable and accredited programs;

(3) Encourage coordination and cooperation among programs and prevent the duplication of services;

(4) Recognize the specific service needs and unique resources available to particular municipalities and provide flexibility in the implementation of programs;

(5) Prevent or minimize the potential for developmental delay in children prior to their reaching the age of five;

(6) Enhance federally funded school readiness programs;

(7) Strengthen the family through: (A) Encouragement of parental involvement in a child’s development and education; and (B) enhancement of a family’s capacity to meet the special needs of the children, including children with disabilities;

(8) Reduce educational costs by decreasing the need for special education services for school age children and to avoid grade repetition;

(9) Assure that children with disabilities are integrated into programs available to children who do not have disabilities; and

(10) Improve the availability and quality of school readiness programs and their coordination with the services of child care providers.

(P.A. 97-259, S. 1, 41; P.A. 00-187, S. 10, 75; June Sp. Sess. P.A. 01-1, S. 10, 54; P.A. 03-76, S. 39; P.A. 04-215, S. 1; P.A. 17-202, S. 14.)

History: P.A. 97-259 effective July 1, 1997; P.A. 00-187 added reference to Sec. 10-16u, effective July 1, 2000; June Sp. Sess. P.A. 01-1 amended Subdiv. (10) to add provision re coordination with the services of child care providers, effective July 1, 2001; P.A. 03-76 made a technical change in Subdiv. (5), effective June 3, 2003; P.A. 04-215 amended Subdiv. (2) by deleting reference to “approved” programs, effective July 1, 2004; P.A. 17-202 amended Subdiv. (9) by replacing “are not disabled” with “do not have disabilities”.