Bill Text: IA HF2261 | 2017-2018 | 87th General Assembly | Introduced
Bill Title: A bill for an act expanding the statewide preschool program to include five-year-old children and including applicability provisions.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 1-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2018-02-06 - Introduced, referred to Education. H.J. 213. [HF2261 Detail]
Download: Iowa-2017-HF2261-Introduced.html
House File 2261 - Introduced HOUSE FILE BY NUNN A BILL FOR 1 An Act expanding the statewide preschool program to include 2 five=year=old children and including applicability 3 provisions. 4 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA: TLSB 6097YH (2) 87 md/jh PAG LIN 1 1 Section 1. Section 135.173A, subsection 4, paragraph p, 1 2 Code 2018, is amended to read as follows: 1 3 p. One person who is part of a local program implementing 1 4 the statewide preschool program forfour=year=oldyoung 1 5 children under chapter 256C. 1 6 Sec. 2. Section 135.173A, subsection 6, paragraph f, Code 1 7 2018, is amended to read as follows: 1 8 f. Make recommendations for improving collaborations 1 9 between the child care programs involving the department of 1 10 human services and programs supporting the education and 1 11 development of young children including but not limited to the 1 12 federal head start program; the statewide preschool program 1 13 forfour=year=oldyoung children; and the early childhood, 1 14 at=risk, and other early education programs administered by the 1 15 department of education. 1 16 Sec. 3. Section 256C.1, subsections 1 and 4, Code 2018, are 1 17 amended to read as follows: 1 18 1. "Approved local program" means a school district's 1 19 program forfour=year=oldyoung children approved by the 1 20 department of education to provide high quality preschool 1 21 instruction. 1 22 4. "Preschool program" means the statewide preschool program 1 23 forfour=year=oldyoung children created in accordance with 1 24 this chapter. 1 25 Sec. 4. Section 256C.1, Code 2018, is amended by adding the 1 26 following new subsection: 1 27 NEW SUBSECTION. 7. "Young children" means children who are 1 28 four years of age or who are five years of age. 1 29 Sec. 5. Section 256C.2, Code 2018, is amended to read as 1 30 follows: 1 31 256C.2 Statewide preschool program forfour=year=oldyoung 1 32 children ==== purpose. 1 33 1. A statewide preschool program forfour=year=oldyoung 1 34 children is established. The purpose of the preschool program 1 35 is to provide an opportunity for all young children in the 2 1 state to enter school ready to learn by expanding voluntary 2 2 access to quality preschool curricula for all children who are 2 3 four years old or who are five years old. 2 4 2. The state board shall adopt rules in accordance with 2 5 chapter 17A as necessary to implement the preschool program as 2 6 provided in this chapter. 2 7 Sec. 6. Section 256C.3, subsection 1, paragraph a, Code 2 8 2018, is amended to read as follows: 2 9 a. A child who is a resident of Iowa and is four years of 2 10 age on or before September 15 of a school year or who is five 2 11 years of age on or before September 15 of a school year shall be 2 12 eligible to enroll in the preschool program under this chapter. 2 13 If such a child is enrolled under this chapter, the child shall 2 14 be considered to be of compulsory attendance age as provided in 2 15 section 299.1A, subsection 3. 2 16 Sec. 7. Section 256C.3, subsection 4, paragraph b, Code 2 17 2018, is amended to read as follows: 2 18 b. Subject to implementation of chapter 28E agreements 2 19 between a school district and community=based providers of 2 20 services to four=year=old children and five=year=old children, 2 21 a four=year=old child or eligible five=year=old child who is 2 22 enrolled in a child care center or child development home 2 23 licensed or registered under chapter 237A, or in an existing 2 24 public or private preschool program, shall be eligible for 2 25 services provided by the school district's local preschool 2 26 program. 2 27 Sec. 8. Section 256C.4, subsection 2, Code 2018, is amended 2 28 to read as follows: 2 29 2. Eligible student enrollment. 2 30 a. To be included as an eligible student in the enrollment 2 31 count of the preschool programming provided by a school 2 32 district approved to participate in the preschool program, a 2 33 child must be four years of age by September 15 or be five 2 34 years of age by September 15 in the base year and attending the 2 35 school district's approved local program. 3 1 b. The enrollment count of eligible students shall not 3 2 include a child who is included in the enrollment count 3 3 determined under section 257.6 or a child who is served by 3 4 a program already receiving state or federal funds for the 3 5 purpose of the provision of four=year=old or five=year=old 3 6 preschool programming while the child is being served by the 3 7 program. Such preschool programming includes but is not 3 8 limited to child development assistance programs provided under 3 9 chapter 256A, special education programs provided under section 3 10 256B.9, school ready children grant programs and other programs 3 11 provided under chapter 256I, and federal head start programs 3 12 and the services funded by Tit. I of the federal Elementary and 3 13 Secondary Education Act of 1965. 3 14 Sec. 9. Section 298A.2, subsection 2, paragraph a, 3 15 subparagraph (1), Code 2018, is amended to read as follows: 3 16 (1) An approved local program under the statewide preschool 3 17 program forfour=year=oldyoung children under chapter 256C. 3 18 Sec. 10. Section 298A.2, subsection 2, paragraph c, 3 19 subparagraph (1), Code 2018, is amended to read as follows: 3 20 (1) Start=up costs for an approved local program under the 3 21 statewide preschool program forfour=year=oldyoung children 3 22 under chapter 256C. 3 23 Sec. 11. Section 299.1A, subsection 3, Code 2018, is amended 3 24 to read as follows: 3 25 3. A child who has reached the age of four by September 15 3 26 or who has reached the age of five by September 15 and who is 3 27 enrolled in the statewide preschool program under chapter 256C 3 28 shall be considered to be of compulsory attendance age unless 3 29 the parent or guardian of the child submits written notice to 3 30 the school district implementing the program of the parent's or 3 31 guardian's intent to remove the child from enrollment in the 3 32 preschool program. 3 33 Sec. 12. APPLICABILITY. This Act applies to school budget 3 34 years beginning on or after July 1, 2018. 3 35 EXPLANATION 4 1 The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with 4 2 the explanation's substance by the members of the general assembly. 4 3 This bill expands the statewide preschool program for 4 4 four=year=old children under Code chapter 256C to also include 4 5 five=year=old children. The program is administered by local 4 6 school districts subject to rules adopted by the state board of 4 7 education and receives funding through the school aid formula. 4 8 References to four=year=old children in the program named in 4 9 Code chapter 256C and in related Code provisions are changed 4 10 to "young children" or expanded to also refer to five=year=old 4 11 children. 4 12 The bill applies to school budget years beginning on or after 4 13 July 1, 2018. LSB 6097YH (2) 87 md/jh