Chapter
110
2008 -- S 2921 AS AMENDED
Enacted 06/30/08
A N A C T
RELATING TO EDUCATION
-- RHODE ISLAND PREKINDERGARTEN EDUCATION
ACT
Introduced By: Senators Paiva-Weed, Revens, Gallo, and Maselli
Date Introduced: April 03,
2008
It is enacted
by the General Assembly as follows:
SECTION
1. Title 16 of the General Laws entitled "EDUCATION" is hereby
amended
by
adding thereto the following chapter:
CHAPTER 87
RHODE ISLAND PREKINDERGARTEN EDUCATION ACT
16-87-1.
Short title. – This act shall be known and may be cited as the
"Rhode Island
Prekindergarten
Education Act."
16-87-2.
Findings. -- (a) The general assembly hereby finds that attending
high quality
early
childhood education programs help children develop important social and
cognitive skills
and
knowledge that prepares children to succeed in school. Research has shown
long-lasting
benefits
for children who participate in very high quality, educationally focused early
childhood
programs.
The benefits to children can also generate substantial government cost savings,
including
reduced need for special education services, reduced need for cash assistance
and other
public
benefits, and reduced rates of incarceration.
(b)
The general assembly finds that there are substantial numbers of children in
Rhode
Island
entering kindergarten who are not adequately prepared to succeed in school.
Early school
failure
may ultimately contribute to such children dropping out of school at an early
age, failing
to
achieve their full potential, becoming dependent upon public assistance, or
becoming involved
in
criminal activities.
(c)
Furthermore, the general assembly finds that there is an existing
infrastructure of early
childhood
programs in Rhode Island serving preschool age children in full-day and
half-day
programs
that is supported through state and federal investments in child care, Head
Start and
special
education. It is the goal of the general assembly to support a system of
publicly-funded,
high
quality prekindergarten education programs that are operated through a diverse
delivery
network,
including child care, Head Start and public school districts.
(d)
By enacting this law, the general assembly acknowledges the need to adequately
prepare
all children to succeed in school by providing access to publicly-funded high
quality
prekindergarten
education programs.
16-87-3.
Planning phase for a prekindergarten program. – (a) The Rhode Island
department
of elementary and secondary education shall begin planning an initial, pilot
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) 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, the Rhode Island department of elementary and
secondary
education will 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 department of elementary and secondary education will begin to
develop
plans to collect and analyze data regarding the impact of the pilot
prekindergarten
program
on participating children's school readiness and school achievement.
16-87-4.
Early childhood workforce development. -- The Rhode Island
department of
elementary
and secondary education shall work with other state departments and private
philanthropy
to establish a statewide, comprehensive, research-based early childhood
workforce
development
scholarship program to expand the numbers of early childhood educators who have
an
associate's or bachelor's degree in early childhood education and who work with
children from
birth
to age (5).
16-87-5.
Reporting. -- The Rhode Island department of elementary and
secondary
education
shall report back to the general assembly and the governor on the progress of
the pilot
planning
phase no later than October 31, 2008.
SECTION
2. This act shall take effect upon passage.
=======
LC02614
=======