2024 -- S 2519

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LC004739

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     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2024

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A N   A C T

RELATING TO EDUCATION -- RHODE ISLAND PREKINDERGARTEN EDUCATION

ACT

     

     Introduced By: Senators Cano, Gallo, DiMario, Lauria, Miller, Murray, and Quezada

     Date Introduced: March 01, 2024

     Referred To: Senate Education

     It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

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     SECTION 1. Section 16-87-3 of the General Laws in Chapter 16-87 entitled "Rhode Island

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Prekindergarten Education Act" is hereby amended to read as follows:

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     16-87-3. Planning phase for a prekindergarten program. Rhode Island

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prekindergarten program.

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     (a) The Rhode Island department of elementary and secondary education ("the

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department") shall begin planning an initial, pilot maintain a prekindergarten program that meets

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high quality standards, builds on the existing early childhood education infrastructure in the state

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(including child care, Head Start and public schools) and serves children ages three (3) and four (4)

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years who reside in communities with concentrations of low performing schools. This planning

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phase will develop specific goals to expand the pilot prekindergarten program over time and will

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also identify opportunities to strengthen care and learning programs for infants and toddlers.

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     (b) During this planning phase, Annually, the Rhode Island department of elementary and

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secondary education will shall quantify the resources needed to achieve and maintain high quality

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standards in prekindergarten programs and identify incentives and supports to develop a qualified

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early education workforce, including opportunities for experienced early childhood educators and

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paraprofessionals to acquire college degrees and earn early childhood teacher certification.

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     (c) The Rhode Island Annually, the department of elementary and secondary education will

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begin to develop plans to shall collect and analyze data regarding the impact of the pilot state

 

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prekindergarten program on participating children’s school readiness and school achievement.

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     (d) The department shall conduct a lottery to determine enrollment in the state

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prekindergarten program, pursuant to § 16-87-3.1.

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     SECTION 2. Chapter 16-87 of the General Laws entitled "Rhode Island Prekindergarten

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Education Act" is hereby amended by adding thereto the following sections:

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     16-87-3.1. Lottery for the Rhode Island prekindergarten program.

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     (a) As used in this section and § 16-87-3.2, the following words shall have the following

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meanings:

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     (1) "Participating in the state prekindergarten program" means a municipality that receives

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funding from the state to create or maintain slots in a classroom for three (3) or four (4) year-olds.

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     (2) "Preferred program" means a program(s) selected by the family of a potential

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prekindergarten student when applying to enter the prekindergarten lottery. Families shall not be

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permitted to identify their preferred program(s) from a list of prekindergarten programs operating

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in any municipality participating in the state prekindergarten program.

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     (3) "Siblings" means students who are related by blood, marriage, or co-residence of their

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parents.

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     (4) "Students who are economically disadvantaged" means students who qualify for free

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or reduced lunch.

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     (b) To be eligible for the lottery, a student shall be:

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     (1) A resident of a community participating in the state prekindergarten program; and

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     (2) Four (4) years of age by September 1 of the lottery year.

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     (c) The prekindergarten lottery shall be conducted to consider the following:

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     (1) A family’s preferred program;

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     (2) Siblings that are already enrolled in a particular prekindergarten program; and

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     (3) The economic demographics of the municipality in which the prekindergarten program

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operates.

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     (d) The Rhode Island department of elementary and secondary education shall promulgate

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rules and regulations regarding the operation of the lottery for state-funded prekindergarten seats

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pursuant to this section.

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     16-87-3.2. Enrollment at Rhode Island prekindergarten programs.

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     (a) Effective July 1, 2024, any prekindergarten program (a "program") located in any

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municipality participating in the state prekindergarten program may accept students into their

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program who are not residents of the municipality in which the program operates; provided that,

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all of the following conditions are present:

 

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     (1) The program has open slots available;

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     (2) The program is limited to students who are economically disadvantaged;

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     (3) The student is otherwise eligible for the prekindergarten program; and

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     (4) The student is selected by the prekindergarten lottery.

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     (b) The acceptance of students into a program who are not residents of the municipality in

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which the program operates shall not, in and of itself, cause a loss or reduction in state or local

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education aid to the program.

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     (c) No student shall be excluded from a prekindergarten program who has a sibling enrolled

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in that prekindergarten program based on the fact that the student lives in a different municipality.

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     (d) The Rhode Island department of elementary and secondary education shall promulgate

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rules and regulations regarding the enrollment at state-funded prekindergarten seats pursuant to this

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section.

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     SECTION 3. This act shall take effect upon passage.

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EXPLANATION

BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL

OF

A N   A C T

RELATING TO EDUCATION -- RHODE ISLAND PREKINDERGARTEN EDUCATION

ACT

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     This act would allow municipalities participating in the state prekindergarten program to

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accept students from outside the municipality under certain conditions and establish a lottery for

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enrollment in the program.

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     This act would take effect upon passage.

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