Authorizing school districts to use funding from the secure an advanced vision for education fund for certain preschool program costs

For school budget years beginning on or after July 1, 2023, this bill authorizes a school district to request approval from the department of education to adopt a resolution and a revenue purpose statement under Code chapter 423F to use a portion of the funds received from the secure an advanced vision for education (SAVE) fund for up to three consecutive school budget years for costs associated with the school district’s initial school year participating in the statewide preschool program under Code chapter 256C or costs associated with expansion of the school district’s approved local program under Code chapter 256C, including preschool infrastructure costs. School districts approved to use SAVE funds for the purposes specified in the bill, in addition to other relevant requirements established by the department of education by rule, shall demonstrate an insufficient capacity of public or private preschool programs within the school district boundaries and satisfy one or more of the following: (1) a percentage of students in the school district who are limited English proficient exceeds the statewide average; (2) a percentage of students in the school district who are eligible for free and reduced price meals that exceeds the statewide average; and (3) more than percent of one or more attendance center’s students are not reading proficiently and are persistently at risk in reading by the end of third grade. If the department of education approves the school district’s use of SAVE funds for such preschool program purposes, the school board may approve a revenue purpose statement for that purpose without submitting the revenue purpose statement to a vote of the electors. The aggregate amount of SAVE funds that may be approved for the uses in the bill is limited to an amount equal to the total amount of SAVE funds received by the school district for the first fiscal year for which such use is approved. Funds approved for such uses shall not relieve the school district of funding use requirements established in the school district’s voter-approved revenue purpose statement, if applicable.