Relating to funding for the statewide preschool program for four-year-old children and including effective date and applicability provisions

Under Code chapter 256C, preschool foundation aid is calculated by multiplying the school district’s preschool budget enrollment by the regular program state cost per pupil for the budget year. “Preschool budget enrollment” is defined as the figure that is equal to percent of the actual enrollment of eligible students in the preschool programming provided by a school district approved to participate in the preschool program on October of the base year. This bill modifies the definition to provide that the preschool budget enrollment is equal to the actual enrollment of eligible students in the preschool programming provided by a school district. The bill specifies that the preschool program under Code chapter 256C also seeks to achieve the goal of providing access to full-day preschool for all children who are four years old. The bill takes effect upon enactment and applies to school budget years beginning on or after July 1, 2021.