Bill Text: IA HF461 | 2015-2016 | 86th General Assembly | Introduced
Bill Title: A bill for an act establishing a full-day preschool program as part of the statewide preschool program.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2015-03-04 - Subcommittee, Highfill, Forristall, and Mascher. H.J. 466. [HF461 Detail]
Download: Iowa-2015-HF461-Introduced.html
House File 461 - Introduced HOUSE FILE BY MASCHER A BILL FOR 1 An Act establishing a full=day preschool program as part of the 2 statewide preschool program. 3 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA: TLSB 2126YH (7) 86 md/sc PAG LIN 1 1 Section 1. Section 256C.3, subsection 3, paragraph f, Code 1 2 2015, is amended to read as follows: 1 3 f. (1)AFor school budget years beginning before July 1, 1 4 2025, for school districts that are not participating in the 1 5 full=day preschool program under subsection 6, a minimum of 1 6 ten hours per week of instruction delivered on the skills and 1 7 knowledge included in the student learning standards developed 1 8 for the preschool program. This subparagraph is repealed July 1 9 1, 2025. 1 10 (2) For school budget years beginning on or after July 1 11 1, 2016, but before July 1, 2025, for school districts that 1 12 are participating in the full=day preschool program under 1 13 subsection 6, a minimum of thirty hours per week of instruction 1 14 delivered on the skills and knowledge included in the student 1 15 learning standards developed for the preschool program. 1 16 However, for a school district measuring instructional time in 1 17 hours pursuant to section 279.10, subsection 1, the minimum 1 18 number of hours per week of instruction delivered on the skills 1 19 and knowledge included in the student learning standards 1 20 developed for the preschool program shall be equal to the 1 21 number of instructional hours per week established by the 1 22 school district in the school calendar under section 279.10, 1 23 subsection 1, for the same school year. This subparagraph is 1 24 repealed July 1, 2025. 1 25 (3) For school budget years beginning on or after July 1 26 1, 2025, a minimum of thirty hours per week of instruction 1 27 delivered on the skills and knowledge included in the student 1 28 learning standards developed for the preschool program. 1 29 However, for a school district measuring instructional time in 1 30 hours pursuant to section 279.10, subsection 1, the minimum 1 31 number of hours per week of instruction delivered on the skills 1 32 and knowledge included in the student learning standards 1 33 developed for the preschool program shall be equal to the 1 34 number of instructional hours per week established by the 1 35 school district in the school calendar under section 279.10, 2 1 subsection 1, for the same school year. 2 2 Sec. 2. Section 256C.3, subsection 5, paragraph a, Code 2 3 2015, is amended to read as follows: 2 4 a. (1) The department shall implement an application and 2 5 selection process for school district participation in the 2 6 preschool program that includes but is not limited to the 2 7 enrollment requirements provided under section 256C.4. 2 8 (2) The department shall implement an application and 2 9 selection process for school district participation in the 2 10 full=day preschool program under subsection 6 that also 2 11 includes but is not limited to the requirements for the 2 12 application and selection process under subparagraph (1). This 2 13 subparagraph is repealed July 1, 2025. 2 14 Sec. 3. Section 256C.3, Code 2015, is amended by adding the 2 15 following new subsection: 2 16 NEW SUBSECTION. 6. Full=day preschool program == phase=in. 2 17 a. For school budget years beginning on or after July 1, 2 18 2016, but before July 1, 2025, the department of education 2 19 shall administer and select school districts for participation 2 20 in the full=day preschool program. Each school district 2 21 that applies and is selected to participate in the full=day 2 22 preschool program shall, in addition to other requirements 2 23 established by the department by rule, comply with the 2 24 instructional hours requirement of subsection 3, paragraph "f", 2 25 subparagraph (2). Utilizing all of the following selection 2 26 criteria and subject to the limitations of paragraph "b", the 2 27 department of education shall review applications and select 2 28 school districts for participation in the full=day preschool 2 29 program: 2 30 (1) Priority shall be given to school districts that do not 2 31 have existing preschool programming within the school district 2 32 boundaries. 2 33 (2) Priority shall be given to school districts that have a 2 34 high percentage of children in poverty, and such children shall 2 35 receive first priority for the programs. 3 1 (3) Consideration shall be given to the size of school 3 2 districts in order for there to be equitable statewide 3 3 distribution of preschool program services. 3 4 (4) Consideration shall be given to school districts with 3 5 established, high=quality community partnerships for the 3 6 delivery of preschool programming that are seeking to expand 3 7 access. 3 8 b. The number of school districts selected by the department 3 9 to participate in the full=day preschool program shall be 3 10 limited as follows: 3 11 (1) For the budget year beginning July 1, 2016, not more 3 12 than ten percent of all school districts in the state. 3 13 (2) For the budget year beginning July 1, 2017, not more 3 14 than twenty percent of all school districts in the state. 3 15 (3) For the budget year beginning July 1, 2018, not more 3 16 than thirty percent of all school districts in the state. 3 17 (4) For the budget year beginning July 1, 2019, not more 3 18 than forty percent of all school districts in the state. 3 19 (5) For the budget year beginning July 1, 2020, not more 3 20 than fifty percent of all school districts in the state. 3 21 (6) For the budget year beginning July 1, 2021, not more 3 22 than sixty percent of all school districts in the state. 3 23 (7) For the budget year beginning July 1, 2022, not more 3 24 than seventy percent of all school districts in the state. 3 25 (8) For the budget year beginning July 1, 2023, not more 3 26 than eighty percent of all school districts in the state. 3 27 (9) For the budget year beginning July 1, 2024, not more 3 28 than ninety percent of all school districts in the state. 3 29 c. This subsection is repealed July 1, 2025. 3 30 Sec. 4. Section 256C.5, subsection 1, paragraph c, Code 3 31 2015, is amended to read as follows: 3 32 c. (1)"Preschool budget enrollment"For school budget 3 33 years beginning before July 1, 2025, for school districts that 3 34 are not participating in the full=day preschool program under 3 35 subsection 6, "preschool budget enrollment" means the figure 4 1 that is equal to fifty percent of the actual enrollment of 4 2 eligible students in the preschool programming provided by 4 3 a school district approved to participate in the preschool 4 4 program on October 1 of the base year, or the first Monday 4 5 in October if October 1 falls on a Saturday or Sunday. This 4 6 subparagraph is repealed July 1, 2025. 4 7 (2) For school budget years beginning on or after July 4 8 1, 2016, but before July 1, 2025, for school districts that 4 9 are participating in the full=day preschool program under 4 10 subsection 6, "preschool budget enrollment" means the figure 4 11 that is equal to the actual enrollment of eligible students 4 12 in the preschool programming provided by a school district 4 13 approved to participate in the preschool program on October 1 4 14 of the base year, or the first Monday in October if October 1 4 15 falls on a Saturday or Sunday. This subparagraph is repealed 4 16 July 1, 2025. 4 17 (3) For school budget years beginning on or after July 1, 4 18 2025, "preschool budget enrollment" means the figure that is 4 19 equal to the actual enrollment of eligible students in the 4 20 preschool programming provided by a school district approved to 4 21 participate in the preschool program on October 1 of the base 4 22 year, or the first Monday in October if October 1 falls on a 4 23 Saturday or Sunday. 4 24 Sec. 5. Section 256C.5, subsection 2, paragraph a, Code 4 25 2015, is amended to read as follows: 4 26 a. For the initial school year for which a school district 4 27 approved to participate in the preschool program receives that 4 28 approval and implements the preschool program, the funding for 4 29 the preschool foundation aid payable to that school district 4 30 shall be paid from the appropriation made for that school year 4 31 in section 256C.6, Code 2011, or in another appropriation made 4 32 for purposes of this chapter. For that initial school year, 4 33 the preschool foundation aid payable to the school district is 4 34 the product of the regular program state cost per pupil for the 4 35schoolbudget year multiplied bysixty percenta percentage 5 1 of the school district's eligible student enrollment on the 5 2 date in the school year determined by rule that is equal to the 5 3 percentage for the budget year under subsection 1, paragraph 5 4 "c". 5 5 EXPLANATION 5 6 The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with 5 7 the explanation's substance by the members of the general assembly. 5 8 This bill relates to the statewide preschool program by 5 9 requiring the department of education to establish, administer, 5 10 and phase=in a full=day preschool program as part of the 5 11 statewide preschool program. 5 12 Code chapter 256C defines preschool program requirements 5 13 that are used to determine whether or not a local program 5 14 implemented by a school district approved to participate in 5 15 the statewide preschool program for four=year=old children 5 16 qualifies as an approved local program. Current law requires a 5 17 minimum of 10 hours per week of instruction delivered on the 5 18 skills and knowledge included in the student learning standards 5 19 developed for the preschool program. 5 20 For school budget years beginning on or after July 1, 2016, 5 21 but before July 1, 2025, the bill requires the department 5 22 of education to administer and select school districts 5 23 for participation in a full=day preschool program as part 5 24 of the statewide preschool program. Each school district 5 25 that applies and is selected to participate in the full=day 5 26 preschool program shall provide a minimum of 30 hours per 5 27 week of instruction delivered on the skills and knowledge 5 28 included in the student learning standards developed for the 5 29 preschool program. However, for a school district measuring 5 30 instructional time in hours instead of days, the minimum number 5 31 of hours per week of instruction shall be equal to the number 5 32 of instructional hours per week established by the school 5 33 district in the school calendar for the same school year. 5 34 Utilizing all of the following selection criteria, the 5 35 department of education is required to review applications 6 1 and select school districts for participation in the full=day 6 2 preschool program: (1) priority shall be given to school 6 3 districts that do not have existing preschool programming 6 4 within the school district boundaries; (2) priority shall 6 5 be given to school districts that have a high percentage 6 6 of children in poverty, and such children shall receive 6 7 first priority for the programs; (3) consideration shall 6 8 be given to the size of school districts in large, medium, 6 9 and small categories in order for there to be equitable 6 10 statewide distribution of preschool program services; and 6 11 (4) consideration shall be given to school districts with 6 12 established, high=quality community partnerships for the 6 13 delivery of preschool programming that are seeking to expand 6 14 access. 6 15 In addition to the specified selection criteria, the bill 6 16 limits the number of school districts that may be selected 6 17 by the department to participate in the full=day preschool 6 18 program. For the budget year beginning July 1, 2016, the 6 19 department may not select more than 10 percent of all school 6 20 districts in the state. For each budget year thereafter the 6 21 limit on the number of school districts that may be selected 6 22 increases by 10 percentage points until the requirements of 6 23 the full=day preschool program become applicable to all school 6 24 districts participating in the statewide preschool program 6 25 under Code chapter 256C in the budget year beginning July 1, 6 26 2025. 6 27 Under Code chapter 256C, state funding is based upon the 6 28 enrollment of eligible students in the preschool programming 6 29 provided by a school district approved to participate in the 6 30 preschool program. The amount of preschool foundation aid 6 31 is the product of the regular program state cost per pupil 6 32 for the budget year multiplied by the school district's 6 33 preschool budget enrollment. Current law defines "preschool 6 34 budget enrollment" to mean the figure that is equal to 50 6 35 percent of the actual enrollment of eligible students in the 7 1 preschool programming provided by a school district approved 7 2 to participate in the preschool program in the base year. The 7 3 bill provides that for districts approved to participate in the 7 4 full=day preschool program, the "preschool budget enrollment" 7 5 is equal to the actual enrollment of eligible students in the 7 6 preschool programming provided by a school district approved to 7 7 participate in the preschool program in the base year. 7 8 Under the bill, for budget years beginning on or after July 7 9 1, 2025, the requirement of 30 instructional hours and the 7 10 change in the definition of "preschool budget enrollment" for 7 11 funding purposes apply to all school districts approved to 7 12 participate in the preschool program under Code chapter 256C. 7 13 However, for a school district measuring instructional time in 7 14 hours instead of days, the minimum number of hours per week 7 15 of instruction shall be equal to the number of instructional 7 16 hours per week established by the school district in the school 7 17 calendar for the same school year. 7 18 The bill also amends provisions relating to the preschool 7 19 foundation aid received by a school district for the initial 7 20 school year for which a school district approved to participate 7 21 in the preschool program to match the applicable percentage 7 22 under the definition of "preschool budget enrollment" as 7 23 modified in the bill. 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