2023 -- S 0978 SUBSTITUTE A

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     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2023

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A N   A C T

RELATING TO EDUCATION -- RHODE ISLAND PREKINDERGARTEN EDUCATION

ACT

     Introduced By: Senators Cano, Acosta, Pearson, Lauria, DiPalma, Lawson, Murray, Euer,
Kallman, and Burke

     Date Introduced: May 15, 2023

     Referred To: Senate Education

     It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

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

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

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

prekindergarten program.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

     (a) Definitions. As used in this section, the following words shall have the following

meanings:

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

or reduced lunch.

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

parents.

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

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

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

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

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

in any municipality participating in the state prekindergarten program.

     (b) Eligibility:

     (1) In general, to be eligible for the lottery, a student shall be:

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

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

     (c) Prekindergarten lottery:

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

     (i) A family’s preferred program.

     (ii) Siblings that are already enrolled in a particular prekindergarten program

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

operates.

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

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

pursuant to this section.

     16-87-8. Enrollment at Rhode Island prekindergarten programs.

     (a) Effective July 1, 2023, any prekindergarten program (a "program") located in any

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 all

of the following conditions are present:

     (1) The program has open slots available;

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

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

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

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

education aid to the program.

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

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

pursuant to this section.

     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

accept students from outside the municipality under certain conditions.

     This act would take effect upon passage.

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