Catching Up in the 7th District

December 17, 2025


 

Due to a system outage that may have prevented many customers from enrolling in health and dental coverage by the December 15 deadline for coverage effective January 1, 2026, Access Health CT is extending the enrollment deadline. Customers now have until Saturday, December 20, 2025, at 3 p.m. to enroll in coverage beginning January 1, 2026.

To receive coverage effective January 1, 2026, enrollment must be completed by contacting the Access Health CT Call Center. Applications completed on the website will result in coverage beginning February 1, 2026.

Call: 1-855-805-4325 or TTY: 1-855-789-2428

  • Monday–Friday: 8 a.m. to 7 p.m.
  • Saturday: 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Customers should expect longer-than-normal hold times and are encouraged to call before 3 p.m. on Saturday, December 20, to ensure enrollment is completed. Assistance is available in more than 100 languages.

If you work with a Certified Broker, please contact your broker for assistance enrolling by Saturday, December 20.

Open Enrollment ends January 15, 2026. You may continue to enroll online at AccessHealthCT.com, but coverage will begin February 1, 2026.
 

Aspiring Educators Scholarship Program 

The application period is open for the "Aspiring Educators Scholarship Program." The program, administered by the Connecticut State Department of Education (CSDE), is designed to support diverse students who graduate from public high schools in priority school districts and enroll in teacher preparation programs.

The program offers up to $10,000 annually for tuition, with the application deadline set for February 6, 2026. This initiative is part of the state's broader efforts to diversify the educator workforce and address the teacher shortage.

The Aspiring Educators Scholarship Program:

  • It is available to students who graduated from a public high school in an Alliance School District. You can find the 2025-2026 list of Alliance Districts HERE.
  • Students must be enrolled in an approved educator preparation program in Connecticut.
  • Up to $10,000 available annually for undergraduate or graduate programs.
  • Established by the CT Legislature and administered by the CT Department of Education.
  • The application deadline is February 6, 2026.

For more information and to apply, click HERE. 
 

CT Technical Education & Career System (CTECS)
Accepting Applications

The Connecticut Technical Education and Career System (CTECS) is accepting applications for students entering grades 9 and 10 in the 2026-2027 school year.

CTECS is a statewide system of 17 diploma-granting, NEASC-accredited technical high schools serving approximately 11,500 high school students. Students in grades 9-12 attend a full-day program that combines academics with an advanced Career and Technical Education (CTE) curriculum. Students are served by schools located in Ansonia, Bridgeport, Danbury, Danielson, Groton, Hamden, Hartford, Manchester, Meriden, Middletown, Milford, New Britain, Norwich, Stamford, Torrington, Waterbury, and Windham.

Students can choose from 31 programs of study in areas such as these career clusters:

  • Agriculture, Food, and Natural Resources
  • Architecture and Construction
  • Arts, Audio/Visual Technology, and Communication
  • Health Science
  • Hospitality and Tourism
  • Human Services
  • Information Technology
  • Law, Public Safety, Corrections & Security
  • Manufacturing
  • Science, Technology, Engineering & Mathematics (STEM)
  • Transportation, Distribution & Logistics
Complete List of CTE Programs

Graduates are prepared for immediate employment, apprenticeships, or further education at two- or four-year colleges. There are also opportunities to earn college credit while in high school through College Career Pathways (CCP) partnerships with community colleges and Dual Enrollment Programs with universities. In addition to academics and technical training, schools offer athletics and a variety of extracurricular activities.

The CTECS application closes on January 25, 2026. Applications submitted by this deadline will be included in the lottery for on-time placements. Applications submitted after January 25 will be added to the waitlist in the order determined by the lottery. No new applications for incoming grade 9 students will be accepted after March 1, 2026.
More Information/Apply Online

NOTE: This application process does not apply to Regional School Choice Office (RSCO) schools: Cheney Tech (Manchester), Goodwin Tech (New Britain), or Prince Tech (Hartford) current grade 8 students. The on-time RSCO application for Cheney Tech, Goodwin Tech, and Prince Tech for the 2026-2027 school year is now open and closes on February 6, 2026.

Visit ChooseYourSchool.org to apply to these three specific schools.
 

Medical Debt to be Erased for 40,000 Additional
State Residents

Governor Lamont announced this week that an additional 40,000 Connecticut residents will have their medical debts erased, part of an initiative launched in partnership with the nonprofit Undue Medical Debt to give relief to those struggling to pay medical bills.
 
This is the third round of the initiative, which has now eliminated $198 million for 160,000 Connecticut residents since December 2024. The program's arrangement allows the debt to be forgiven at a fraction of its face value - typically costing a few pennies on the dollar.
 
Those affected by this program should receive a letter in the mail this week informing them of their debt forgiveness. There is no application process for this relief, and it cannot be requested.
 
Relieving tens of thousands of Connecticut residents from the stress of paying down burdensome medical debt will make a profound difference in their lives - especially in the holiday season.
 
You can read more about the program here and here.