H.F. _____ Section 1. Section 256C.3, subsection 1, Code 2011, is 1 amended to read as follows: 2 1. Eligible children. A child who is a resident of Iowa and 3 is four years of age on or before September 15 of a school year 4 shall be eligible to enroll in the preschool program under this 5 chapter . If space and funding are available, a school district 6 approved to participate in the preschool program may enroll a 7 younger or older child in the preschool program; however, the a 8 younger child shall not be counted for state funding purposes. 9 Sec. 2. Section 256C.4, subsection 2, paragraph a, Code 10 2011, is amended to read as follows: 11 a. To be included as an eligible student in the enrollment 12 count of the preschool programming provided by a school 13 district approved to participate in the preschool program, a 14 child must be at least four years of age by September 15 in the 15 base year and attending the school district’s approved local 16 program. 17 EXPLANATION 18 This bill relates to eligibility of older children for the 19 statewide preschool program for four-year-old children. Under 20 current law, the program allows enrollment of a child who is 21 younger or older than four years of age by September 15 if 22 space and funding are available. However, the younger or older 23 child cannot be counted for state funding purposes. 24 The bill amends Code section 256C.3, relating to eligibility 25 for the program, and Code section 256C.4, relating to funding 26 provisions and enrollment, to allow a child older than 27 four years of age to be counted for state funding purposes. 28 Existing law in Code section 256C.4 prohibits a student 29 included in the enrollment count under the state foundation aid 30 formula determined under Code section 257.6 to also be included 31 in the enrollment count for the preschool program. 32 -1- LSB 6064YC (2) 84 jp/nh 1/ 1