Bill Text: IA HF421 | 2017-2018 | 87th General Assembly | Introduced
Bill Title: A bill for an act expanding the statewide preschool program to include certain five-year-old children and including effective date and applicability provisions.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 17-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2017-02-23 - Introduced, referred to Education. H.J. 458. [HF421 Detail]
Download: Iowa-2017-HF421-Introduced.html
House File 421 - Introduced HOUSE FILE BY BRECKENRIDGE, HUNTER, KACENA, HANSON, ANDERSON, KEARNS, OURTH, BEARINGER, STECKMAN, COHOON, GASKILL, GAINES, WINCKLER, LENSING, MASCHER, NIELSEN, and THEDE (COMPANION TO SF 98 BY HART) A BILL FOR 1 An Act expanding the statewide preschool program to include 2 certain five=year=old children and including effective date 3 and applicability provisions. 4 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA: TLSB 1525YH (2) 87 md/nh PAG LIN 1 1 Section 1. Section 135.173A, subsection 4, paragraph p, 1 2 Code 2017, 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 2017, 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 2017, 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 2017, 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 and have not 1 29 previously enrolled in a preschool program. 1 30 Sec. 5. Section 256C.2, Code 2017, is amended to read as 1 31 follows: 1 32 256C.2 Statewide preschool program forfour=year=oldyoung 1 33 children ==== purpose. 1 34 1. A statewide preschool program forfour=year=oldyoung 1 35 children is established. The purpose of the preschool program 2 1 is to provide an opportunity for all young children in the 2 2 state to enter school ready to learn by expanding voluntary 2 3 access to quality preschool curricula for all children who 2 4 are four years old or who are five years old and have not 2 5 previously enrolled in a preschool program. 2 6 2. The state board shall adopt rules in accordance with 2 7 chapter 17A as necessary to implement the preschool program as 2 8 provided in this chapter. 2 9 Sec. 6. Section 256C.3, subsection 1, paragraph a, Code 2 10 2017, is amended to read as follows: 2 11 a. A child who is a resident of Iowa and is four years of 2 12 age on or before September 15 of a school year or who is five 2 13 years of age on or before September 15 of a school year and 2 14 has not previously enrolled in a preschool program shall be 2 15 eligible to enroll in the preschool program under this chapter. 2 16 If such a child is enrolled under this chapter, the child shall 2 17 be considered to be of compulsory attendance age as provided in 2 18 section 299.1A, subsection 3. 2 19 Sec. 7. Section 256C.3, subsection 4, paragraph b, Code 2 20 2017, is amended to read as follows: 2 21 b. Subject to implementation of chapter 28E agreements 2 22 between a school district and community=based providers of 2 23 services to four=year=old children and five=year=old children, 2 24 a four=year=old child or eligible five=year=old child who is 2 25 enrolled in a child care center or child development home 2 26 licensed or registered under chapter 237A, or in an existing 2 27 public or private preschool program, shall be eligible for 2 28 services provided by the school district's local preschool 2 29 program. 2 30 Sec. 8. Section 256C.4, subsection 2, Code 2017, is amended 2 31 to read as follows: 2 32 2. Eligible student enrollment. 2 33 a. To be included as an eligible student in the enrollment 2 34 count of the preschool programming provided by a school 2 35 district approved to participate in the preschool program, a 3 1 child must be four years of age by September 15 or be five years 3 2 of age and meet the criteria under section 256C.3, subsection 3 3 1, paragraph "a", in the base year and attending the school 3 4 district's approved local program. 3 5 b. The enrollment count of eligible students shall not 3 6 include a child who is included in the enrollment count 3 7 determined under section 257.6 or a child who is served by 3 8 a program already receiving state or federal funds for the 3 9 purpose of the provision of four=year=old or five=year=old 3 10 preschool programming while the child is being served by the 3 11 program. Such preschool programming includes but is not 3 12 limited to child development assistance programs provided under 3 13 chapter 256A, special education programs provided under section 3 14 256B.9, school ready children grant programs and other programs 3 15 provided under chapter 256I, and federal head start programs 3 16 and the services funded by Tit. I of the federal Elementary and 3 17 Secondary Education Act of 1965. 3 18 Sec. 9. Section 299.1A, subsection 3, Code 2017, is amended 3 19 to read as follows: 3 20 3. A child who has reached the age of four by September 15 3 21 or who has reached the age of five by September 15 and who is 3 22 enrolled in the statewide preschool program under chapter 256C 3 23 shall be considered to be of compulsory attendance age unless 3 24 the parent or guardian of the child submits written notice to 3 25 the school district implementing the program of the parent's or 3 26 guardian's intent to remove the child from enrollment in the 3 27 preschool program. 3 28 Sec. 10. EFFECTIVE UPON ENACTMENT. This Act, being deemed 3 29 of immediate importance, takes effect upon enactment. 3 30 Sec. 11. APPLICABILITY. This Act applies to school budget 3 31 years beginning on or after July 1, 2017. 3 32 EXPLANATION 3 33 The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with 3 34 the explanation's substance by the members of the general assembly. 3 35 This bill expands the statewide preschool program for 4 1 four=year=old children under Code chapter 256C to also include 4 2 five=year=old children who have not previously enrolled in a 4 3 preschool program under that Code chapter. The program is 4 4 administered by local school districts subject to rules adopted 4 5 by the state board of education and receives funding through 4 6 the school aid formula. 4 7 References to four=year=old children in the program named in 4 8 Code chapter 256C and in related Code provisions are changed 4 9 to "young children" or expanded to also refer to five=year=old 4 10 children who have not previously enrolled in a preschool 4 11 program under Code chapter 256C. 4 12 The bill takes effect upon enactment and applies to school 4 13 budget years beginning on or after July 1, 2017. LSB 1525YH (2) 87 md/nh