Senate Bill 2731

AN ACT TO AUTHORIZE THE STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION TO IMPLEMENT A PROGRAM TO MAKE AVAILABLE A FULL DAY VOLUNTARY PRE-KINDERGARTEN PROGRAM BY 2006 FOR FOUR-YEAR OLDS THROUGH A COLLABORATIVE EFFORT BETWEEN HEAD START, LICENSED CHILD CARE CENTERS AND SCHOOL DISTRICTS, BEGINNING WITH COUNTIES THAT REFLECT A NEED AS SUPPORTED BY POPULATION ELIGIBLE FOR PRE-KINDERGARTEN FOUR-YEAR OLDS AND THOSE ACTUALLY BEING SERVED, WITH THE TOTAL IMPLEMENTATION BY 2008; TO IMPLEMENT A PROGRAM TO MAKE AVAILABLE A FULL DAY VOLUNTARY PRE-KINDERGARTEN PROGRAM BY 2008 FOR THREE-YEAR OLDS THROUGH A COLLABORATIVE EFFORT BETWEEN HEAD START, LICENSED CHILD CARE CENTERS AND SCHOOL DISTRICTS, BEGINNING WITH COUNTIES THAT REFLECT A NEED AS REPORTED BY POPULATION ELIGIBLE FOR PRE-KINDERGARTEN FOR THREE-YEAR OLDS AND THOSE ACTUALLY BEING SERVED, WITH TOTAL IMPLEMENTATION BY 2010; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI:

SECTION 1. (1) As used in this act, the term "four-year old" means any child age four (4) on or before September 1 and the term "three-year old" means any child age three (3) on or before September 1.

(2) To ensure that all four-year olds and three-year olds have access to quality educational services, the Legislature hereby finds and declares that:

(a) Parents have the primary duty to educate their preschool children; and

(b) The State of Mississippi can assist parents in their role as the primary caregivers and educators by providing services for a full day pre-kindergarten program that addresses instructional, social and emotional needs for four-year old and three-year old children.

(3) The State Board of Education, in collaboration with the Department of Human Services, shall develop and implement a voluntary program to provide services for a full day kindergarten program that addresses the cognitive, social and emotional needs of four-year old and three-year old children, subject to the following conditions and provisions:

(a) The program shall be voluntary.

(b) The State Board of Education, the Department of Human Services, the State Board of Health, the Mississippi Head Start Association, and the public and private early childhood centers shall jointly develop criteria for: (i) the enrollment of four-year old and three-year old children who have predicated significant readiness deficiencies; (ii) the qualifications of personnel employed to serve the said children; (iii) pupil/teacher ratio; (iv) health and safety standards; (v) hours of operation of such programs; and (vi) provide for the transportation of said children.

(c) The core curriculum of all such four-year old and three-year old programs will meet or exceed the State Department of Education's Pre-Kindergarten Curriculum Benchmarks.

(d) To ensure coordination, the school district will review available educational resources, programs and services in order to avoid duplication of public services.

(e) The State Board of Education shall determine a process for interested school districts to apply for grant funds in order to participate in such four-year old programs. Beginning in fiscal year 2005, the State Board of Education shall award grants for not less than one (1) program in each Mississippi congressional district and not more than twenty-five (25) programs in all, and in subsequent years may award additional program grants subject to the availability of funds specifically appropriated thereafter by the Legislature. These programs shall be awarded to targeted school districts which are in need of an instructional program for four-year old children who have predicted significant readiness deficiencies. The State Board of Education will annually determine a cost per child rate which shall be used in funding a targeted program, and shall collaborate with the Department of Human Services in the determination of fair market rates for subsidized child care. The targeted districts will be responsible for blending services for children to avoid duplication in the areas of transportation, personnel, training of personnel, facilities and child nutrition.

(f) The State Board of Education shall determine a process for interested school districts, Head Start Centers, and public and private early childhood centers to apply for grant funds in order to participate in such three-year old programs. Beginning in fiscal year 2007, the State Board of Education shall award grants for not less than one (1) program in each Mississippi congressional district and not more than twenty-five (25) programs in all, and in subsequent years may award additional program grants subject to the availability of funds specifically appropriated thereafter by the Legislature. These programs shall be awarded to targeted school districts which are in need of an early childhood program for three-year old children who have predicted significant readiness deficiencies. The State Department of Education will annually determine a cost per child rate which shall be used in funding a targeted program, and shall collaborate with the Department of Human Services in the determination of fair market rates for subsidized child care.

(4) The Pre-Kindergarten Education Program Fund is established. Funds made available by the Legislature for the support and maintenance of full day pre-kindergarten education programs authorized under this act shall be deposited into the fund.

(5) The State Board of Education shall report to the Legislature on December 1, 2004, and annually thereafter, on the status of programs.

SECTION 2. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after July 1, 2004.