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House File 14 - IntroducedA Bill ForAn Act 1relating to the statewide preschool program by modifying
2provisions relating to eligibility, funding, and compulsory
3attendance and including applicability provisions.
4BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA:
1 Section 1. Section 135.173A, subsection 4, paragraph p,
2Code 2021, is amended to read as follows:
3p. One person who is part of a local program implementing
4the statewide preschool program for four-year-old young
5 children under chapter 256C.
6 Sec. 2. Section 135.173A, subsection 6, paragraph f, Code
72021, is amended to read as follows:
8f. Make recommendations for improving collaborations
9between the child care programs involving the department of
10human services and programs supporting the education and
11development of young children including but not limited to the
12federal head start program; the statewide preschool program
13for four-year-old young children; and the early childhood,
14at-risk, and other early education programs administered by the
15department of education.
16 Sec. 3. Section 256C.1, subsections 1 and 4, Code 2021, are
17amended to read as follows:
181. “Approved local program” means a school district’s
19program for four-year-old young children approved by the
20department of education to provide high quality preschool
21instruction.
224. “Preschool program” means the statewide preschool program
23for four-year-old young children created in accordance with
24this chapter.
25 Sec. 4. Section 256C.2, Code 2021, is amended to read as
26follows:
27256C.2 Statewide preschool program for four-year-old young
28 children — purpose.
291. A statewide preschool program for four-year-old young
30 children is established. The purpose of the preschool program
31is to provide an opportunity for all young children in the
32state to enter school ready to learn by expanding voluntary
33access to quality preschool curricula for all children who are
34four years old.
352. The state board shall adopt rules in accordance with
-1-1chapter 17A as necessary to implement the preschool program as
2provided in this chapter.
3 Sec. 5. Section 256C.3, subsection 1, paragraphs a and b,
4Code 2021, are amended to read as follows:
5a. A child who is a resident of Iowa and who is four
6years of age on or before September 15 of a school year shall
7be eligible to enroll in the preschool program under this
8chapter. For school budget years beginning July 1, 2022, July
91, 2023, and July 1, 2024, a child who is a resident of Iowa
10and who reaches five years of age on or after March 15 but on
11or before September 15 of the calendar year during which the
12school year begins shall be eligible to enroll in the preschool
13program under this chapter if the school district elects to
14enroll children who are five years of age for the three-year
15period. For school districts that elect to enroll children
16who are five years of age during such three-year period, a
17child who enrolled as a four-year-old may enroll again as a
18five-year-old. However, if insufficient space is available in
19a preschool program for all eligible children, priority for
20enrollment shall be given to children who are four years of age
21on or before September 15 of a school year. If such a child is
22enrolled under this chapter, the child shall be considered to
23be of compulsory attendance age as provided in section 299.1A,
24subsection 3.
25b. If space and funding are available, including funding
26from another school district account or fund from which
27preschool program expenditures are authorized by law, a school
28district approved to participate in the preschool program
29may enroll and pay the cost of attendance for a younger or
30older child in the preschool program who does not satisfy the
31requirements under paragraph “a”; however, the child shall not
32be counted for state funding purposes.
33 Sec. 6. Section 256C.3, subsection 4, paragraphs b and c,
34Code 2021, are amended to read as follows:
35b. Subject to implementation of chapter 28E agreements
-2-1between a school district and community-based providers of
2services to four-year-old children and eligible five-year-old
3children, a four-year-old child or eligible five-year-old child
4 who is enrolled in a child care center or child development
5home licensed or registered under chapter 237A, or in an
6existing public or private preschool program, shall be eligible
7for services provided by the school district’s local preschool
8program.
9c. A school district shall participate in data collection
10and performance measurement processes and reporting as defined
11by rule. In addition to preschool program data collection,
12the school district data collected by the department shall
13include data related to the number and birth month and year
14of pupils who enroll in kindergarten, including all-day,
15half-day, or transitional kindergarten programs, for more
16than one school year and whether those pupils previously or
17concurrently enrolled in the school district’s approved local
18program. To the extent feasible, the data reporting relating
19to kindergarten program enrollment shall be done in a manner
20so as to avoid duplication of individual pupil data within
21multiple categories.
22 Sec. 7. Section 256C.3, subsection 4, Code 2021, is amended
23by adding the following new paragraph:
24 NEW PARAGRAPH. e. For budget years beginning on or after
25July 1, 2022, each approved local program shall provide
26consultation services for parents or guardians of children
27enrolled in the approved local program and parents or guardians
28of children eligible to enroll in the approved local program to
29assist parents or guardians in assessing the child’s readiness
30for enrollment in kindergarten or in a preschool program, as
31applicable.
32 Sec. 8. Section 256C.4, subsection 2, Code 2021, is amended
33to read as follows:
342. Eligible student enrollment.
35a. To be included as an eligible student in the enrollment
-3-1count of the preschool programming provided by a school
2district approved to participate in the preschool program, a
3child must be four years of satisfy the age by September 15
4 requirements of section 256C.3, subsection 1, paragraph “a”, in
5the base year and be attending the school district’s approved
6local program.
7b. The enrollment count of eligible students shall not
8include a child who is included in the enrollment count
9determined under section 257.6 or a child who is served by
10a program already receiving state or federal funds for the
11purpose of the provision of four-year-old or five-year-old
12 preschool programming while the child is being served by the
13program. Such preschool programming includes but is not
14limited to child development assistance programs provided under
15chapter 256A, special education programs provided under section
16256B.9, school ready children grant programs and other programs
17provided under chapter 256I, and federal head start programs
18and the services funded by Tit.I of the federal Elementary and
19Secondary Education Act of 1965.
20 Sec. 9. Section 298A.2, subsection 2, paragraph a,
21subparagraph (1), Code 2021, is amended to read as follows:
22(1) An approved local program under the statewide preschool
23program for four-year-old young children under chapter 256C.
24 Sec. 10. Section 298A.2, subsection 2, paragraph c,
25subparagraph (1), Code 2021, is amended to read as follows:
26(1) Start-up costs for an approved local program under the
27statewide preschool program for four-year-old young children
28under chapter 256C.
29 Sec. 11. Section 299.1A, subsection 3, Code 2021, is amended
30to read as follows:
313. A child who has reached the age of four by September 15
32 or five and who is enrolled in the statewide preschool program
33under chapter 256C shall be considered to be of compulsory
34attendance age unless the parent or guardian of the child
35submits written notice to the school district implementing the
-4-1program of the parent’s or guardian’s intent to remove the
2child from enrollment in the preschool program.
3 Sec. 12. APPLICABILITY. This Act applies to school budget
4years beginning on or after July 1, 2022.
5EXPLANATION
6The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with
7the explanation’s substance by the members of the general assembly.
8The statewide preschool program for four-year-old children
9under Code chapter 256C provides that a child who is a resident
10of Iowa and is four years of age on or before September 15 of
11a school year shall be eligible to enroll in the preschool
12program. Additionally, to be included as an eligible student
13in the enrollment count of the preschool programming for
14state funding purposes, a child must be four years of age
15by September 15 in the base year and attending the school
16district’s approved local program.
17For school budget years beginning July 1, 2022, July 1,
182023, and July 1, 2024, this bill expands the eligibility and
19state funding provisions of the statewide preschool program for
20four-year-old children under Code chapter 256C to also include
21five-year-old children who reach the age of five on or after
22March 15 but on or before September 15 of the calendar year
23during which the school year begins if the school district
24elects to enroll such children. For school districts that
25elect to enroll children who are five years of age during such
26three-year period, a child who enrolled as a four-year-old may
27enroll again as a five-year-old. However, if insufficient
28space is available in a preschool program for all eligible
29children, priority for enrollment shall be given to children
30who are four years of age on or before September 15 of a school
31year.
32References to four-year-old children in the program named in
33Code chapter 256C and in related Code provisions are changed
34to “young children” or expanded to also refer to eligible
35five-year-old children and Code section 299.1A relating to
-5-1compulsory education is also modified to reflect changes made
2in the bill.
3The bill also requires each approved local program to
4provide consultation services for parents or guardians of
5children enrolled in the approved local program and parents or
6guardians of children eligible to enroll in the approved local
7program to assist parents or guardians in assessing the child’s
8readiness for enrollment in kindergarten or in a preschool
9program, as applicable.
10The bill modifies provisions relating to school district
11participation in data collection and performance measurement
12processes under the statewide preschool program.
13The bill applies to school budget years beginning on or after
14July 1, 2022.
-6-md/jh
2provisions relating to eligibility, funding, and compulsory
3attendance and including applicability provisions.
4BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA:
1 Section 1. Section 135.173A, subsection 4, paragraph p,
2Code 2021, is amended to read as follows:
3p. One person who is part of a local program implementing
4the statewide preschool program for four-year-old young
5 children under chapter 256C.
6 Sec. 2. Section 135.173A, subsection 6, paragraph f, Code
72021, is amended to read as follows:
8f. Make recommendations for improving collaborations
9between the child care programs involving the department of
10human services and programs supporting the education and
11development of young children including but not limited to the
12federal head start program; the statewide preschool program
13for four-year-old young children; and the early childhood,
14at-risk, and other early education programs administered by the
15department of education.
16 Sec. 3. Section 256C.1, subsections 1 and 4, Code 2021, are
17amended to read as follows:
181. “Approved local program” means a school district’s
19program for four-year-old young children approved by the
20department of education to provide high quality preschool
21instruction.
224. “Preschool program” means the statewide preschool program
23for four-year-old young children created in accordance with
24this chapter.
25 Sec. 4. Section 256C.2, Code 2021, is amended to read as
26follows:
27256C.2 Statewide preschool program for four-year-old young
28 children — purpose.
291. A statewide preschool program for four-year-old young
30 children is established. The purpose of the preschool program
31is to provide an opportunity for all young children in the
32state to enter school ready to learn by expanding voluntary
33access to quality preschool curricula for all children who are
34four years old.
352. The state board shall adopt rules in accordance with
-1-1chapter 17A as necessary to implement the preschool program as
2provided in this chapter.
3 Sec. 5. Section 256C.3, subsection 1, paragraphs a and b,
4Code 2021, are amended to read as follows:
5a. A child who is a resident of Iowa and who is four
6years of age on or before September 15 of a school year shall
7be eligible to enroll in the preschool program under this
8chapter. For school budget years beginning July 1, 2022, July
91, 2023, and July 1, 2024, a child who is a resident of Iowa
10and who reaches five years of age on or after March 15 but on
11or before September 15 of the calendar year during which the
12school year begins shall be eligible to enroll in the preschool
13program under this chapter if the school district elects to
14enroll children who are five years of age for the three-year
15period. For school districts that elect to enroll children
16who are five years of age during such three-year period, a
17child who enrolled as a four-year-old may enroll again as a
18five-year-old. However, if insufficient space is available in
19a preschool program for all eligible children, priority for
20enrollment shall be given to children who are four years of age
21on or before September 15 of a school year. If such a child is
22enrolled under this chapter, the child shall be considered to
23be of compulsory attendance age as provided in section 299.1A,
24subsection 3.
25b. If space and funding are available, including funding
26from another school district account or fund from which
27preschool program expenditures are authorized by law, a school
28district approved to participate in the preschool program
29may enroll and pay the cost of attendance for a younger or
30older child in the preschool program who does not satisfy the
31requirements under paragraph “a”; however, the child shall not
32be counted for state funding purposes.
33 Sec. 6. Section 256C.3, subsection 4, paragraphs b and c,
34Code 2021, are amended to read as follows:
35b. Subject to implementation of chapter 28E agreements
-2-1between a school district and community-based providers of
2services to four-year-old children and eligible five-year-old
3children, a four-year-old child or eligible five-year-old child
4 who is enrolled in a child care center or child development
5home licensed or registered under chapter 237A, or in an
6existing public or private preschool program, shall be eligible
7for services provided by the school district’s local preschool
8program.
9c. A school district shall participate in data collection
10and performance measurement processes and reporting as defined
11by rule. In addition to preschool program data collection,
12the school district data collected by the department shall
13include data related to the number and birth month and year
14of pupils who enroll in kindergarten, including all-day,
15half-day, or transitional kindergarten programs, for more
16than one school year and whether those pupils previously or
17concurrently enrolled in the school district’s approved local
18program. To the extent feasible, the data reporting relating
19to kindergarten program enrollment shall be done in a manner
20so as to avoid duplication of individual pupil data within
21multiple categories.
22 Sec. 7. Section 256C.3, subsection 4, Code 2021, is amended
23by adding the following new paragraph:
24 NEW PARAGRAPH. e. For budget years beginning on or after
25July 1, 2022, each approved local program shall provide
26consultation services for parents or guardians of children
27enrolled in the approved local program and parents or guardians
28of children eligible to enroll in the approved local program to
29assist parents or guardians in assessing the child’s readiness
30for enrollment in kindergarten or in a preschool program, as
31applicable.
32 Sec. 8. Section 256C.4, subsection 2, Code 2021, is amended
33to read as follows:
342. Eligible student enrollment.
35a. To be included as an eligible student in the enrollment
-3-1count of the preschool programming provided by a school
2district approved to participate in the preschool program, a
3child must be four years of satisfy the age by September 15
4 requirements of section 256C.3, subsection 1, paragraph “a”, in
5the base year and be attending the school district’s approved
6local program.
7b. The enrollment count of eligible students shall not
8include a child who is included in the enrollment count
9determined under section 257.6 or a child who is served by
10a program already receiving state or federal funds for the
11purpose of the provision of four-year-old or five-year-old
12 preschool programming while the child is being served by the
13program. Such preschool programming includes but is not
14limited to child development assistance programs provided under
15chapter 256A, special education programs provided under section
16256B.9, school ready children grant programs and other programs
17provided under chapter 256I, and federal head start programs
18and the services funded by Tit.I of the federal Elementary and
19Secondary Education Act of 1965.
20 Sec. 9. Section 298A.2, subsection 2, paragraph a,
21subparagraph (1), Code 2021, is amended to read as follows:
22(1) An approved local program under the statewide preschool
23program for four-year-old young children under chapter 256C.
24 Sec. 10. Section 298A.2, subsection 2, paragraph c,
25subparagraph (1), Code 2021, is amended to read as follows:
26(1) Start-up costs for an approved local program under the
27statewide preschool program for four-year-old young children
28under chapter 256C.
29 Sec. 11. Section 299.1A, subsection 3, Code 2021, is amended
30to read as follows:
313. A child who has reached the age of four by September 15
32 or five and who is enrolled in the statewide preschool program
33under chapter 256C shall be considered to be of compulsory
34attendance age unless the parent or guardian of the child
35submits written notice to the school district implementing the
-4-1program of the parent’s or guardian’s intent to remove the
2child from enrollment in the preschool program.
3 Sec. 12. APPLICABILITY. This Act applies to school budget
4years beginning on or after July 1, 2022.
5EXPLANATION
6The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with
7the explanation’s substance by the members of the general assembly.
8The statewide preschool program for four-year-old children
9under Code chapter 256C provides that a child who is a resident
10of Iowa and is four years of age on or before September 15 of
11a school year shall be eligible to enroll in the preschool
12program. Additionally, to be included as an eligible student
13in the enrollment count of the preschool programming for
14state funding purposes, a child must be four years of age
15by September 15 in the base year and attending the school
16district’s approved local program.
17For school budget years beginning July 1, 2022, July 1,
182023, and July 1, 2024, this bill expands the eligibility and
19state funding provisions of the statewide preschool program for
20four-year-old children under Code chapter 256C to also include
21five-year-old children who reach the age of five on or after
22March 15 but on or before September 15 of the calendar year
23during which the school year begins if the school district
24elects to enroll such children. For school districts that
25elect to enroll children who are five years of age during such
26three-year period, a child who enrolled as a four-year-old may
27enroll again as a five-year-old. However, if insufficient
28space is available in a preschool program for all eligible
29children, priority for enrollment shall be given to children
30who are four years of age on or before September 15 of a school
31year.
32References to four-year-old children in the program named in
33Code chapter 256C and in related Code provisions are changed
34to “young children” or expanded to also refer to eligible
35five-year-old children and Code section 299.1A relating to
-5-1compulsory education is also modified to reflect changes made
2in the bill.
3The bill also requires each approved local program to
4provide consultation services for parents or guardians of
5children enrolled in the approved local program and parents or
6guardians of children eligible to enroll in the approved local
7program to assist parents or guardians in assessing the child’s
8readiness for enrollment in kindergarten or in a preschool
9program, as applicable.
10The bill modifies provisions relating to school district
11participation in data collection and performance measurement
12processes under the statewide preschool program.
13The bill applies to school budget years beginning on or after
14July 1, 2022.
-6-md/jh