Bill Text: IA SF2237 | 2015-2016 | 86th General Assembly | Introduced
Bill Title: A bill for an act relating to the state preschool program by establishing a preschool expansion incentive, authorizing state aid for the incentive, and addressing program costs. (Formerly SSB 3140; see SF 2296.)
Spectrum: Committee Bill
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2016-02-23 - Subcommittee, Schoenjahn, Kraayenbrink, and Mathis. S.J. 344. [SF2237 Detail]
Download: Iowa-2015-SF2237-Introduced.html
Senate File 2237 - Introduced SENATE FILE BY COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION (SUCCESSOR TO SSB 3140) A BILL FOR 1 An Act relating to the state preschool program by establishing 2 a preschool expansion incentive, authorizing state aid for 3 the incentive, and addressing program costs. 4 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA: TLSB 6000SV (1) 86 md/sc PAG LIN 1 1 Section 1. Section 256C.3, subsection 4, Code 2016, is 1 2 amended by adding the following new paragraph: 1 3 NEW PARAGRAPH. e. Development and implementation of a plan 1 4 for the school district's preschool program to have sufficient 1 5 capacity to operate without a waiting list for school budget 1 6 years beginning on or after July 1, 2020. 1 7 Sec. 2. Section 256C.4, subsection 1, paragraphs g and h, 1 8 Code 2016, are amended to read as follows: 1 9 g. For the fiscal year beginning July 1,20152016, and 1 10 each succeeding fiscal year, of the amount of preschool 1 11 foundation aid received by a school district for a fiscal year 1 12 in accordance with section 257.16, not more thanfiveten 1 13 percent may be used by the school district for administering 1 14 the district's approved local program. Outreach activities 1 15 and rent for facilities not owned by the school district are 1 16 permissive uses of the administrative funds. 1 17 h. For the fiscal year beginning July 1,20152016, and 1 18 each succeeding fiscal year, of the amount of preschool 1 19 foundation aid received by a school district for a fiscal year 1 20 in accordance with section 257.16, not less thanninety=five 1 21ninety percent of the per pupil amount shall be passed through 1 22 to a community=based provider for each pupil enrolled in 1 23 the district's approved local program. For the fiscal year 1 24 beginning July 1,20152016, and each succeeding fiscal year, 1 25 not more than ten percent of the amount of preschool foundation 1 26 aid passed through to a community=based provider may be used by 1 27 the community=based provider for administrative costs. The 1 28 costs of outreach activities and rent for facilities not owned 1 29 by the school district are permissive administrative costs. 1 30 The costs of transportation involving children participating in 1 31 the preschool program and other children may be prorated. 1 32 Sec. 3. Section 256C.4, subsection 2, paragraph b, Code 1 33 2016, is amended to read as follows: 1 34 b. The enrollment count of eligible students shall not 1 35 include a child who is included in the enrollment count 2 1 determined under section 257.6 or a child who is served by 2 2aan existing preschool program already receiving state or 2 3 federal funds for the purpose ofthe provision ofproviding 2 4 four=year=old preschool programming while the child is being 2 5 served by the existing program.Such preschool programming 2 6However, the enrollment count of eligible students may include 2 7 a child being served by an existing preschool program if 2 8 the preschool programming in the existing program has been 2 9 enhanced as a result of preschool program expansion incentive 2 10 state aid provided under section 256C.7. For the purposes 2 11 of this chapter, an "existing preschool program" includes but 2 12 is not limited to shared visions and other child development 2 13 assistance programs provided under chapter 256A and section 2 14 279.51, special education programs provided under section 2 15 256B.9, school ready children grant programs and other programs 2 16 provided under chapter 256I, and federal head start programs 2 17 and the services funded by Tit. I of the federal Elementary and 2 18 Secondary Education Act of 1965. 2 19 Sec. 4. Section 256C.5, subsection 1, unnumbered paragraph 2 20 1, Code 2016, is amended to read as follows: 2 21 For the purposes of thissectionand section 256C.4chapter, 2 22 unless the context otherwise requires: 2 23 Sec. 5. NEW SECTION. 256C.7 Preschool program expansion 2 24 incentive. 2 25 1. For the purposes of this section, unless the context 2 26 otherwise requires: 2 27 a. "Base incentive enrollment" means the average of the 2 28 actual enrollments of eligible students in the preschool 2 29 programming provided by a school district on October 1, 2013, 2 30 October 1, 2014, and October 1, 2015. 2 31 b. "Incentive enrollment" means the amount by which the 2 32 actual enrollment of eligible students in the preschool 2 33 programming provided by a school district on October 1 of 2 34 the base year exceeds the school district's base incentive 2 35 enrollment. 3 1 c. "Incentive period" means the budget years beginning July 3 2 1, 2017, July 1, 2018, and July 1, 2019. 3 3 d. "Incentive state aid" means the product of ten percent of 3 4 the regular program state cost per pupil for the budget year 3 5 multiplied by the school district's incentive enrollment in the 3 6 base year. 3 7 2. a. A preschool program expansion incentive is 3 8 established in accordance with this section. In order to be 3 9 eligible for the incentive, a school district must develop and 3 10 implement a preschool program expansion plan, approved by the 3 11 department, to expand enrollment of eligible students in the 3 12 school district's preschool programming. In addition, the 3 13 school district shall work with existing preschool program 3 14 providers to expand hours and otherwise enhance the preschool 3 15 programming available to the children participating in the 3 16 programs. The plan's goal shall be that by the end of the 3 17 incentive period the district's preschool programming will 3 18 be available without a waiting list to each child wanting to 3 19 enroll in the programming. After completion of the incentive 3 20 period, the department shall analyze the growth in access 3 21 to the preschool program and enhancements made in preschool 3 22 programming as a result of the incentive, including in 3 23 the programs provided directly by school districts and in 3 24 those offered in partnership with community providers. The 3 25 department shall submit a report to the general assembly that 3 26 shall include identification of progress made toward the 3 27 incentive program's goals and documentation of collaboration 3 28 efforts made with input from participating families, early care 3 29 providers, and community partners. 3 30 b. The elements addressed in the preschool program expansion 3 31 plan shall include but are not limited to the following: 3 32 (1) How the school district will work in collaboration with 3 33 participating families, early care providers, and community 3 34 partners, as described in section 256C.3, subsection 3, 3 35 to provide the preschool programming in as convenient and 4 1 cost=effective a manner as possible for the families of the 4 2 four=year=old children who are eligible for the programming. 4 3 (2) A specification of the roles of the early care providers 4 4 and community partners in support of the expansion plan. 4 5 (3) A delineation of the specific steps for expanding hours 4 6 and otherwise enhancing the preschool programming available to 4 7 the children participating in the existing preschool programs 4 8 located in the school district. 4 9 (4) Identification of specific outcomes and progress 4 10 measures for the expansion plan. 4 11 (5) Detailed plans for contacting and soliciting enrollment 4 12 of eligible students, particularly from low=income families, 4 13 non=English speaking families, and families from ethnic and 4 14 racial groups underrepresented in the district's preschool 4 15 program enrollment. 4 16 3. The department of education shall provide required 4 17 elements and recommend best practices for outreach and program 4 18 expansion under the incentive, including expansion plan models 4 19 that school districts may consider in developing their local 4 20 expansion plans, and including but not limited to submission 4 21 provisions, annual updates, and documentation of collaboration 4 22 efforts with and input from participating families, early care 4 23 providers, and community partners. 4 24 4. During the incentive period, in addition to the 4 25 regular preschool foundation aid based on the preschool 4 26 budget enrollment, the school district implementing a 4 27 preschool expansion plan approved by the department shall 4 28 receive incentive state aid based on the district's incentive 4 29 enrollment. The incentive state aid shall be paid as 4 30 part of the state aid payments made to school districts in 4 31 accordance with section 257.16 and shall be subject to the 4 32 same requirements applicable to preschool foundation aid under 4 33 section 256C.4, subsection 1, paragraph "d". 4 34 5. A school district shall utilize its incentive state aid 4 35 to defray increases in costs in connection with the school 5 1 district's preschool program expansion plan. Such costs shall 5 2 include but are not limited to renovation and other facility 5 3 costs connected with expansion, outreach, one=time expenses, 5 4 and other costs identified as eligible by the department. 5 5 Sec. 6. Section 257.16, Code 2016, is amended by adding the 5 6 following new subsection: 5 7 NEW SUBSECTION. 1A. For the fiscal years in which the 5 8 preschool program expansion incentive applies in accordance 5 9 with section 256C.7, the appropriation made in subsection 1 5 10 shall include the amount necessary to pay incentive state aid 5 11 in accordance with section 256C.7. This subsection is repealed 5 12 on July 1, 2021. 5 13 Sec. 7. STATE MANDATE FUNDING SPECIFIED. In accordance 5 14 with section 25B.2, subsection 3, the state cost of requiring 5 15 compliance with any state mandate included in this Act shall 5 16 be paid by a school district from state school foundation aid 5 17 received by the school district under section 257.16. This 5 18 specification of the payment of the state cost shall be deemed 5 19 to meet all of the state funding=related requirements of 5 20 section 25B.2, subsection 3, and no additional state funding 5 21 shall be necessary for the full implementation of this Act 5 22 by and enforcement of this Act against all affected school 5 23 districts. 5 24 EXPLANATION 5 25 The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with 5 26 the explanation's substance by the members of the general assembly. 5 27 This bill relates to the statewide preschool program for 5 28 four=year=old children by establishing a preschool program 5 29 expansion incentive and authorizing state aid for the 5 30 incentive. The bill also addresses costs allowed under the 5 31 program. 5 32 Code section 256C.3, relating to preschool program 5 33 requirements, is amended to require each school district to 5 34 implement a plan for the school district's preschool program to 5 35 have sufficient capacity to operate without a waiting list for 6 1 school budget years beginning on or after July 1, 2020. 6 2 To be eligible for the preschool expansion incentive, 6 3 a school district must develop and implement a preschool 6 4 expansion plan, approved by the department, in order to expand 6 5 enrollment of eligible students in the school district's 6 6 preschool programming. Requirements for the plan are 6 7 provided in the bill, including how the school district will 6 8 collaborate with participating families, early care providers, 6 9 and community partners to expand the district's preschool 6 10 enrollment. The department of education is to specify other 6 11 requirements for the plan and for approval of plans by the 6 12 department. The bill requires the department of education to 6 13 analyze the enhancements to the preschool program following the 6 14 incentives period and submit a report to the general assembly. 6 15 Current law in Code section 256C.4 prohibits inclusion 6 16 in the preschool program of children already included in a 6 17 school's enrollment count for purposes of the school aid 6 18 foundation formula or children who are served by an existing 6 19 preschool program already receiving state or federal funds for 6 20 the purpose of providing four=year=old preschool programming 6 21 while the child is being served by the existing program. The 6 22 bill allows inclusion of children participating in an existing 6 23 program if the preschool programming in the existing program 6 24 has been enhanced as part of the expansion incentive. 6 25 The incentive program will operate for the three school 6 26 budget years beginning July 1, 2017, July 1, 2018, and July 6 27 1, 2019. For those three budget years, a school district is 6 28 eligible to receive incentive state aid for the increase in 6 29 the actual enrollment of eligible students in the preschool 6 30 programming provided by a school district in the immediately 6 31 preceding school year over the base incentive enrollment. 6 32 The base incentive enrollment is the average of the actual 6 33 enrollments of eligible students in the school district's 6 34 preschool programming on October 1, 2013, October 1, 2014, 6 35 and October 1, 2015. The amount of incentive state aid is 7 1 equal to 10 percent of the regular program state cost per pupil 7 2 multiplied by the school district's incentive enrollment in the 7 3 base year. 7 4 The incentive state aid is required to be used to defray 7 5 increases in costs in connection with the school district's 7 6 preschool expansion plan. Such costs may include renovation 7 7 and other facility costs connected with expansion, outreach, 7 8 one=time expenses, and other costs identified as eligible by 7 9 the department. 7 10 The bill also addresses administrative costs under the 7 11 preschool program by increasing the allowable administrative 7 12 costs for school districts from 5 to 10 percent. 7 13 The bill may include a state mandate as defined in Code 7 14 section 25B.3. The bill requires that the state cost of 7 15 any state mandate included in the bill be paid by a school 7 16 district from state school foundation aid received by the 7 17 school district under Code section 257.16. The specification 7 18 is deemed to constitute state compliance with any state mandate 7 19 funding=related requirements of Code section 25B.2. The 7 20 inclusion of this specification is intended to reinstate the 7 21 requirement of political subdivisions to comply with any state 7 22 mandates included in the bill. LSB 6000SV (1) 86 md/sc
