HF 422 (LSB 2707YH (1) 91)

HOUSE FILE 422

BY  BAGNIEWSKI

A BILL FOR

An Act relating to statewide voluntary preschool program quality standards and renewals.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA:

    Section 1.  Section 256C.1, Code 2025, is amended by adding the following new subsection:
   NEW SUBSECTION.  1A.  “Collaboration” means ongoing communication, coordination, and cooperation between an approved local program and families, early care providers, and community providers that leads to the provision of comprehensive services and the progression toward the purposes of this chapter.
    Sec. 2.  Section 256C.3, subsection 3, Code 2025, is amended to read as follows:
   3.  Program requirements.
   a.  The state board shall adopt rules to further define the following preschool program requirements which shall be used to determine whether or not a local program implemented by a school district approved to implement the preschool program qualifies as an approved local program:
   a.  (1)  Maximum and minimum teacher-to-child ratios and class sizes.
   b.  (2)  Applicable state and federal program standards.
   c.  (3)  Student learning standards.
   d.  (4)  Provisions for the integration of children from other state and federally funded preschools by ensuring, subject to the approval of a child’s parent, guardian, or custodian, that a child integrated into an approved local program has uninterrupted instruction and access to the services provided by the approved local program.
   e.  (5)  Collaboration with participating families, early care providers, and community partners including but not limited to early childhood Iowa area boards, head start programs, shared visions and other programs provided under the auspices of the child development coordinating council, licensed child care centers, registered child development homes, area education agencies, child care resource and referral services provided under section 237A.26, early childhood special education programs, services funded by Tit. I of the federal Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965, and family support programs.
   f.  (6)  A minimum of ten hours per week of instruction delivered on the skills and knowledge included in the student learning standards developed for the preschool program.
   g.  (7)  Parental involvement in the local program.
   h.  (8)  Provision for ensuring that children receiving care from other child care arrangements can participate in the preschool program with minimal disruption due to transportation and movement from one site to another. The children participating in the preschool program may be transported by the school district to activities associated with the program along with other children.
   b.  Approval of a preschool program under this section shall be valid for five years from the date of approval.
    Sec. 3.  Section 256C.3, subsection 4, paragraph a, Code 2025, is amended to read as follows:
   a.  Methods of demonstrating community readiness to implement high-quality instruction in a local program shall be identified. The potential provider shall submit a collaborative program proposal that demonstrates the involvement of multiple community stakeholders including but not limited to, and only as applicable, parents, the school district, accredited nonpublic schools and faith-based representatives, the area education agency, the early childhood Iowa area board, representatives of business, head start programs, shared visions and other programs provided under the auspices of the child development coordinating council, center-based and home-based providers of child care services, human services, public health, and economic development programs. The methods may include but are not limited to a school district providing evidence of a public hearing on the proposed programming and written documentation of collaboration agreements between the school district, existing community providers, and other community stakeholders addressing operational procedures and other critical measures.  At least once every five school budget years, an approved local program shall provide evidence to the state board that the approved local program is sufficiently incorporating community readiness and involving multiple community stakeholders as required by this paragraph.
    Sec. 4.  Section 256C.3, subsection 5, paragraph c, Code 2025, is amended to read as follows:
   c.  The department shall implement procedures to monitor the quality of the programming provided under the preschool program and revoke a preschool program’s status as an approved local program if the program fails to meet program quality standards under this chapter.
    Sec. 5.  Section 256C.3, subsection 5, Code 2025, is amended by adding the following new paragraph:
   NEW PARAGRAPH.  e.  The state board, in collaboration with the department, shall encourage school districts to collaborate with community partners to ensure comprehensive, integrated early childhood services, including but not limited to the delivery of preschool services outside of a school district in community-based settings where other early childhood services are being provided, are available to all eligible children.
    Sec. 6.  Section 256C.4, subsection 1, paragraph e, Code 2025, is amended to read as follows:
   e.  Preschool foundation aid funding shall not be used for the costs of constructing a facility in connection with an approved local program. Preschool foundation aid funding may be used by approved local programs and community providers for any purpose determined by the board of directors of the school district to meet standards for high-quality preschool instruction and for purposes that directly or indirectly benefit students enrolled in the approved local program, including but not limited to professional development for preschool teachers, instructional equipment and supplies, material and equipment designed to develop pupils’ large and small motor skills, translation services, playground equipment and repair costs, food and beverages used by children in the approved local program, safety equipment, facility rental fees, and for other direct costs that enhance the approved local program, including by contracting with community partners for any such services. Preschool foundation aid funding may be used by approved local programs for the costs of transportation involving children participating in the preschool program. The costs of transporting other children associated with the preschool program or transported as provided in section 256C.3, subsection 3, paragraph “h” “a”, subparagraph (8), may be prorated by the school district. Preschool foundation aid funding received by an approved local program that remains unexpended and unobligated at the end of a fiscal year beginning on or after July 1, 2017, shall be used to build the approved local program’s preschool program capacity in the next succeeding fiscal year excluding that portion of such unexpended and unobligated funding that the school district authorizes for transfer for deposit in the school district’s flexibility account established under section 298A.2, subsection 2, if the statutory requirements for the use of such funding are met. For purposes of determining whether a school district has authority to transfer preschool foundation aid funding for deposit in the school district’s flexibility account established under section 298A.2, subsection 2, the school district must have provided preschool programming during the fiscal year for which funding remains unexpended and unobligated to all eligible students for whom a timely application for enrollment was submitted.
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) quality standards.
   The bill defines “collaboration” for purposes of the SVPP as ongoing communication, coordination, and cooperation between an approved local program and families, early care providers, and community providers that leads to the provision of comprehensive services and the progression toward the purposes of the SVPP.
   The bill requires the state board of education (BOE) to adopt rules that provide for the integration of children from other state and federally funded preschools by ensuring, subject to the approval of a child’s parent, guardian, or custodian, that a child integrated into an approved local program has uninterrupted instruction and access to the services provided by the approved local program.
   The bill limits a preschool program’s status as an approved local program for a period of five years.
   The bill requires, at least once every five years, for an approved local program to provide evidence to the BOE that the approved local program is sufficiently incorporating community readiness and involving multiple community stakeholders.
   The bill requires the department of education (DE) to implement procedures for revoking a preschool program’s status as an approved local program if it fails to meet program quality standards for the SVPP.
   The bill requires the BOE, in collaboration with the DE, to encourage school districts to collaborate with community partners to ensure comprehensive, integrated early childhood services, including but not limited to the delivery of preschool services outside of a school district in community-based settings where other early childhood services are being provided, are available to all children for the SVPP.
   The bill makes conforming changes.