Bill Text: TX HB3297 | 2025-2026 | 89th Legislature | Introduced
Bill Title: Relating to the establishment of the Texas prekindergarten fund to support public school prekindergarten education.
Sponsorship: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1)
Status: (Introduced) 2025-03-20 - Referred to Public Education [HB3297 Detail]
Download: Texas-2025-HB3297-Introduced.html
| 89R13492 KJE-F | ||
| By: Reynolds | H.B. No. 3297 | |
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| relating to the establishment of the Texas prekindergarten fund to | ||
| support public school prekindergarten education. | ||
| BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: | ||
| SECTION 1. Subchapter E, Chapter 29, Education Code, is | ||
| amended by adding Section 29.1555 to read as follows: | ||
| Sec. 29.1555. TEXAS PREKINDERGARTEN FUND. (a) In this | ||
| section, "fund" means the Texas prekindergarten fund established | ||
| under this section. | ||
| (b) The Texas prekindergarten fund is a dedicated account in | ||
| the general revenue fund. | ||
| (c) The fund consists of: | ||
| (1) money appropriated or transferred to the fund; | ||
| (2) any revenue that by law is dedicated for deposit to | ||
| the credit of the fund; | ||
| (3) interest and investment earnings on money in the | ||
| fund; and | ||
| (4) money from gifts, grants, or donations to the | ||
| fund. | ||
| (d) Money in the fund may be used only to: | ||
| (1) expand access to high quality prekindergarten | ||
| programs for eligible children; | ||
| (2) provide financial assistance to school districts | ||
| and open-enrollment charter schools that offer prekindergarten; | ||
| (3) support professional development and training for | ||
| teachers who teach prekindergarten; and | ||
| (4) enhance facilities and instructional resources | ||
| for prekindergarten programs. | ||
| (e) The agency shall allocate money appropriated from the | ||
| fund to school districts and open-enrollment charter schools: | ||
| (1) based on: | ||
| (A) the percentage of educationally | ||
| disadvantaged students enrolled in the district or school; | ||
| (B) geographic and demographic needs at the | ||
| district or school; and | ||
| (C) the district's or school's compliance with | ||
| the standards for high quality prekindergarten programs under | ||
| Subchapter E-1; and | ||
| (2) prioritizing districts and schools that: | ||
| (A) serve low-income families; | ||
| (B) serve rural and underserved communities; or | ||
| (C) offer a prekindergarten program that | ||
| demonstrates high performance in early childhood education | ||
| outcomes. | ||
| (f) Not later than September 1 of each year, the agency | ||
| shall submit to the governor and the legislature a report on: | ||
| (1) the distribution of money appropriated from the | ||
| fund during the preceding school year; | ||
| (2) the impact of prekindergarten programs that | ||
| received money appropriated from the fund on student performance | ||
| during the preceding school year; and | ||
| (3) recommendations for legislative or other action. | ||
| (g) The commissioner shall adopt rules as necessary to | ||
| implement this section. | ||
| SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025. | ||
