Relating to statewide voluntary preschool programs, including minimum hours of instruction and funding

This bill relates to the statewide voluntary preschool program (SVPP), including minimum hours of instruction and funding. The bill requires each SVPP to offer a minimum of hours of instruction per week to each student. Under current law, SVPPs only need to offer hours of instruction per week to each student. SVPP funding is calculated based on the state cost per pupil multiplied by percent of the actual enrollment of students in the SVPP. The bill changes this calculation to multiply the state cost per pupil by the actual enrollment of students in the SVPP. Under current law, in an SVPP’s initial year, the SVPP’s funding is calculated by multiplying the state cost per pupil by percent of the eligible enrollment of students in the SVPP on a date determined by the department of education (DOE) by rule. The bill makes the initial year funding calculations based on the actual number of eligible students enrolled in the SVPP on a date determined by the DOE by rule.