SF 2383 (LSB 5223SV (2) 90)

SENATE FILE 2383

BY  COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION

(SUCCESSOR TO SF 2075)

A BILL FOR

An Act relating to statewide voluntary preschool program students whose household income is below a certain amount, minimum hours required to be offered, and funding calculations.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA:

    Section 1.  Section 256C.3, subsection 3, paragraph f, Code 2024, is amended by striking the paragraph and inserting in lieu thereof the following:
   f.  (1)  The following minimum hours per week of instruction, as chosen by the school district at the beginning of the school year, delivered on the skills and knowledge included in the student learning standards developed for the preschool program:
   (a)  For the school year beginning July 1, 2024, either of the following:
   (i)  Ten hours per week of instruction for each student.
   (ii)  (A)  Ten hours per week of instruction for students not described in subparagraph part (B).
   (B)  For eligible students whose household income is less than one hundred eighty-five percent of the federal poverty level applicable to the family’s size, fifteen hours per week of instruction.
   (b)  For school years beginning on or after July 1, 2025, either of the following:
   (i)  Ten hours per week of instruction for each student.
   (ii)  (A)  Ten hours per week of instruction for students not described in subparagraph part (B).
   (B)  For eligible students whose household income is less than one hundred eighty-five percent of the federal poverty level applicable to the family’s size, twenty hours per week of instruction.
   (2)  If a school district chooses to satisfy the minimum hour requirements for a school year under subparagraph (1), subparagraph division (a), subparagraph subdivision (ii), families of eligible children whose household income is less than one hundred eighty-five percent of the federal poverty level applicable to the family’s size may choose between ten hours of instruction per week or fifteen hours of instruction per week.
   (3)  If a school district chooses to satisfy the minimum hour requirements for a school year under subparagraph (1), subparagraph division (b), subparagraph subdivision (ii), families of eligible children whose household income is less than one hundred eighty-five percent of the federal poverty level applicable to the family’s size may choose between ten hours of instruction per week or twenty hours of instruction per week.
    Sec. 2.  Section 256C.5, subsection 1, paragraph c, Code 2024, is amended by striking the paragraph and inserting in lieu thereof the following:
   c.  “Preschool budget enrollment” means either of the following figures as applicable to the school district based on the numbers of eligible students approved to participate and enrolled in the preschool programming provided by the school district on October 1 of the base year, or the first Monday in October if October 1 falls on a Saturday or Sunday:
   (1)  For a school district providing minimum required school hours as set under section 256C.3, subsection 3, paragraph “f”, subparagraph (1), subparagraph division (a), subparagraph subdivision (i), or section 256C.3, subsection 3, paragraph “f”,subparagraph (1), subparagraph division (b), subparagraph subdivision (i), fifty percent of the actual enrollment of eligible students.
   (2)  For a school district providing minimum required school hours as set under section 256C.3, subsection 3, paragraph “f”, subparagraph (1), subparagraph division (a), subparagraph subdivision (ii), the sum of all of the following:
   (a)  Fifty percent of the actual enrollment of eligible students not described in subparagraph division (b).
   (b)  Seventy-five percent of the actual enrollment of eligible students who receive a minimum of fifteen hours of instruction per week and whose household income is less than one hundred eighty-five percent of the federal poverty level applicable to the family’s size.
   (3)  For a school district providing minimum required school hours as set under section 256C.3, subsection 3, paragraph “f”, subparagraph (1), subparagraph division (b), subparagraph subdivision (ii), the sum of all of the following:
   (a)  Fifty percent of the actual enrollment of eligible students not described in subparagraph division (b).
   (b)  The actual enrollment of eligible students who receive a minimum of twenty hours of instruction per week and whose household income is less than one hundred eighty-five percent of the federal poverty level applicable to the family’s size.
EXPLANATION
The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with
the explanation’s substance by the members of the general assembly.
   This bill relates to statewide voluntary preschool program (SVPP) students whose household income is below a certain amount, minimum hours required to be offered, and funding calculations.
   The bill allows each school district to choose at the beginning of each school year between the currently required minimum 10 hours of instruction per week for an enrolled child, or a heightened required amount of hours for enrolled children whose household family income is below 185 percent of the federal poverty level (FPL) and a required 10 hours per week of instruction for all other children. For FY 2024-2025, the heightened requirement is a minimum of 15 hours per week of instruction, and for FY 2025-2026, and each succeeding school year, the heightened requirement is a minimum of 20 hours per week of instruction.
   The bill requires school districts to allow families of children whose household income is below 185 percent of the FPL applicable to the family’s size to choose between 10 hours of instruction per week or the minimum hours of instruction established for children of families with income below 185 percent of the FPL applicable to the family’s size for the child.
   A school district with an approved SVPP is funded in part by preschool foundation aid payments. The preschool foundation aid is calculated by multiplying the regular program state cost per pupil by the school district’s preschool budget enrollment. Currently, the preschool budget enrollment for a given year is calculated by multiplying the number of eligible students enrolled in the preschool program by 50 percent. 
   The bill changes the calculation for preschool budget enrollment for school districts that choose to follow the heightened hours of instruction requirement for children whose household income is below 185 percent of the FPL to the sum of the following number of eligible students: (1) for the school year beginning July 1, 2024, 75 percent of eligible students who receive 15 hours per week of instruction and whose household income is less than 185 percent of the FPL plus 50 percent of all other eligible students; and (2) for school years beginning on or after July 1, 2025, the actual number of eligible students who receive 20 hours per week of instruction and whose household income is less than 185 percent of the FPL plus 50 percent of all other eligible students. Calculations for preschool budget enrollment for school districts that continue to follow currently required minimum hours of instruction remain unchanged.