H.F. 2092 Section 1. Section 256C.1, subsections 1 and 4, Code 2026, 1 are amended to read as follows: 2 1. “Approved local program” means a school district’s 3 program for four-year-old young children approved by the 4 department of education to provide high quality preschool 5 instruction. 6 4. “Preschool program” means the statewide preschool program 7 for four-year-old young children created in accordance with 8 this chapter . 9 Sec. 2. Section 256C.1, Code 2026, is amended by adding the 10 following new subsection: 11 NEW SUBSECTION . 7. “Young children” means children who are 12 four years of age or who are five years of age on specified 13 dates as provided in section 256C.3, subsection 1, paragraph 14 “a” . 15 Sec. 3. Section 256C.2, Code 2026, is amended to read as 16 follows: 17 256C.2 Statewide preschool program for four-year-old young 18 children —— purpose. 19 1. A statewide preschool program for four-year-old young 20 children is established. The purpose of the preschool program 21 is to provide an opportunity for all young children in the 22 state to enter school ready to learn by expanding voluntary 23 access to quality preschool curricula for all children who are 24 four years old . 25 2. The state board shall adopt rules in accordance with 26 chapter 17A as necessary to implement the preschool program as 27 provided in this chapter . 28 Sec. 4. Section 256C.3, subsection 1, paragraphs a and b, 29 Code 2026, are amended to read as follows: 30 a. A child who is a resident of Iowa and who is either four 31 years of age on or before September 15 of a school year or who 32 reaches five years of age on or after March 15 but on or before 33 September 15 of the calendar year during which the school year 34 begins shall be eligible to enroll in the preschool program 35 -1- LSB 5487YH (2) 91 mb/md 1/ 4

H.F. 2092 under this chapter . If such a child is enrolled under this 1 chapter , the child shall be considered to be of compulsory 2 attendance age as provided in section 299.1A, subsection 3 . 3 If a child enrolled in the preschool program pursuant to this 4 paragraph has been counted for state funding purposes under 5 this chapter for a prior school year, the child shall not be 6 counted for state funding purposes. 7 b. If space and funding are available, including funding 8 from another school district account or fund from which 9 preschool program expenditures are authorized by law, a school 10 district approved to participate in the preschool program 11 may enroll and pay the cost of attendance for a younger or 12 older child in the preschool program who does not satisfy the 13 requirements under paragraph “a” ; however, the child shall not 14 be counted for state funding purposes. 15 Sec. 5. Section 256C.3, subsection 4, paragraph b, Code 16 2026, is amended to read as follows: 17 b. Subject to implementation of chapter 28E agreements 18 between a school district and community-based providers of 19 services to four-year-old children and eligible five-year-old 20 children , a four-year-old child or eligible five-year-old child 21 who is enrolled in a child care center or child development 22 home licensed or registered under chapter 237A , or in an 23 existing public or private preschool program, shall be eligible 24 for services provided by the school district’s local preschool 25 program. 26 Sec. 6. Section 256C.4, subsection 2, Code 2026, is amended 27 to read as follows: 28 2. Eligible student enrollment. 29 a. To be included as an eligible student in the enrollment 30 count of the preschool programming provided by a school 31 district approved to participate in the preschool program, a 32 child must be four years of satisfy the age by September 15 33 requirements of section 256C.3, subsection 1, paragraph “a” , in 34 the base year and be attending the school district’s approved 35 -2- LSB 5487YH (2) 91 mb/md 2/ 4

H.F. 2092 local program. 1 b. The enrollment count of eligible students shall not 2 include a child who is included in the enrollment count 3 determined under section 257.6 or a child who is served by 4 a program already receiving state or federal funds for the 5 purpose of the provision of four-year-old or five-year-old 6 preschool programming while the child is being served by the 7 program. Such preschool programming includes but is not 8 limited to child development assistance programs provided under 9 chapter 256A , special education programs provided under section 10 256B.9 , school ready children grant programs and other programs 11 provided under chapter 256I , and federal head start programs 12 and the services funded by Tit. I of the federal Elementary and 13 Secondary Education Act of 1965. 14 Sec. 7. Section 298A.2, subsection 2, paragraph a, 15 subparagraph (1), Code 2026, is amended to read as follows: 16 (1) An approved local program under the statewide preschool 17 program for four-year-old young children under chapter 256C . 18 Sec. 8. Section 298A.2, subsection 2, paragraph c, 19 subparagraph (1), Code 2026, is amended to read as follows: 20 (1) Start-up costs for an approved local program under the 21 statewide preschool program for four-year-old young children 22 under chapter 256C . 23 Sec. 9. Section 299.1A, subsection 3, Code 2026, is amended 24 to read as follows: 25 3. A child who has reached the age of four by September 15 26 or five and who is enrolled in the statewide preschool program 27 under chapter 256C shall be considered to be of compulsory 28 attendance age unless the parent or guardian of the child 29 submits written notice to the school district implementing the 30 program of the parent’s or guardian’s intent to remove the 31 child from enrollment in the preschool program. 32 Sec. 10. APPLICABILITY. This Act applies to school budget 33 years beginning on or after July 1, 2027. 34 EXPLANATION 35 -3- LSB 5487YH (2) 91 mb/md 3/ 4

H.F. 2092 The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with 1 the explanation’s substance by the members of the general assembly. 2 The statewide preschool program for four-year-old children 3 under Code chapter 256C provides that a child who is a resident 4 of Iowa and is four years of age on or before September 15 of 5 a school year shall be eligible to enroll in the preschool 6 program. Additionally, to be included as an eligible student 7 in the enrollment count of the preschool programming for 8 state funding purposes, a child must be four years of age 9 by September 15 in the base year and attending the school 10 district’s approved local program. 11 This bill expands the eligibility and state funding 12 provisions of the statewide preschool program for four-year-old 13 children under Code chapter 256C to also include five-year-old 14 children who reach the age of five on or after March 15 but 15 on or before September 15 of the calendar year during which 16 the school year begins. However, if a child enrolled in the 17 preschool program has been counted for state funding purposes 18 under this Code chapter for a prior school year, the child 19 shall not be counted for state funding purposes. 20 References to four-year-old children in the program named in 21 Code chapter 256C and in related Code provisions are changed 22 to “young children” or expanded to also refer to eligible 23 five-year-old children and Code section 299.1A relating to 24 compulsory education is also modified to reflect changes made 25 in the bill. 26 The bill applies to school budget years beginning on or after 27 July 1, 2027. 28 -4- LSB 5487YH (2) 91 mb/md 4/ 4