Conn. Gen. Stat. » Title 17a — SOCIAL AND HUMAN SERVICES AND RESOURCES · Chapter 319 — Department of Children and Families
Connecticut General Statutes

Conn. Gen. Stat. § 17a-37 (2025)

(Formerly Sec. 17-441). Establishment of school district in the Department of Children and Families. Unified School District #2

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(a) The Commissioner of Children and Families shall establish a school district within the Department of Children and Families, for the education or assistance of any child or youth who resides in or receives day treatment at any state-operated institution or facility within that department and whose needs require that his education be provided within the institution in which he resides or at which he receives day treatment. The school district shall be known as State of Connecticut-Unified School District #2. The Commissioner of Children and Families shall administer, coordinate and control the operations of the school district and shall be responsible for the overall supervision and direction of all courses and activities of the school district and shall establish such vocational and academic education, research and statistics, training and development services and programs as he considers necessary or advisable in the best interests of the persons benefiting therefrom. The commissioner or his designee shall be the superintendent of said district and shall act in accordance with the applicable provisions of section 10-157.

(b) The superintendent of the school district shall have the power to (1) establish and maintain within the Department of Children and Families such schools of different grades as he may from time to time require and deem necessary; (2) establish and maintain within the department such school libraries as may from time to time be required in connection with the educational courses, services and programs authorized by this section; (3) purchase, receive, hold and convey personal property for school purposes and equip and supply such schools with necessary furniture and other appendages; (4) make agreements and policies for the establishing and conducting of the district's schools and employ and dismiss, in accordance with the applicable provisions of section 10-151, such teachers as are necessary to carry out the intent of this section and to pay their salaries; (5) receive any federal funds or aid made available to the state for such programs and shall be eligible for and may receive any other funds or aid whether private, state or otherwise, to be used for the purposes of this section.

(c) The superintendent of the school district may cooperate with the federal government in carrying out the purposes of any federal law pertaining to the education of students within his school district, and may adopt such methods of administration as are found by the federal government to be necessary, and may comply with such conditions as may be necessary to secure the full benefit of all such federal funds available.

(P.A. 75-539, S. 1–3, 4; P.A. 77-614, S. 302, 610; P.A. 80-26, S. 1, 2; P.A. 83-169, S. 1; P.A. 93-91, S. 1, 2; P.A. 09-205, S. 8; P.A. 14-187, S. 14.)

History: P.A. 77-614 replaced secretary of the state board of education with commissioner of education, effective January 1, 1979; P.A. 80-26 included children or youths receiving day treatment; P.A. 83-169 changed name designation of school district to State of Connecticut-Unified School District #2; Sec. 17-441 transferred to Sec. 17a-37 in 1991; P.A. 93-91 substituted commissioner and department of children and families for commissioner and department of children and youth services, effective July 1, 1993; P.A. 09-205 deleted former Subsec. (d) re annual evaluation and reports, effective July 1, 2009; P.A. 14-187 amended Subsec. (b)(4) by replacing reference to regulations with reference to policies, effective June 11, 2014.

See Sec. 10-15d re applicability of education general statutes to special school district.

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Notes of Decisions
Cited in 3 cases, 2001–2002 · leading case: Williams v. Ragaglia, 802 A.2d 778 (Conn. 2002).
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Williams v. Ragaglia, 802 A.2d 778 (Conn. 2002). · cites it 2× “n a majority vote of said committee, provided no names or other identifying information shall be disclosed unless it is essential to the legislative or gubernatorial purpose, (8) a local or regional board of education, provided the records are limited to educational records…”
Unified Sch. Dist. No. 1 v. Connecticut Dep't of Educ., 780 A.2d 154 (Conn. App. Ct. 2001). · cites it 2× “2, a special school district within the department of children and families established pursuant to General Statutes § 17a-37. Neither of A’s parents participated in this proceeding.”
In re Steven M., 789 A.2d 1169 (Conn. App. Ct. 2002). · cites it 2× “or others or cannot be safely held at Long Lane School, or any other facility -within the state available to the Commissioner of Children and Families, the commissioner, or his designee may request an immediate hearing before the Superior Court on the docket for juvenile matters…”
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