Relating to criteria for and funding of approved local preschool programs and including applicability provisions

The statewide preschool program for four-year-old children under Code chapter 256C imposes requirements for approved local preschool programs including a minimum of hours per week of instruction delivered on the skills and knowledge included in the student learning standards developed for the preschool program. This bill increases the minimum number of hours of instruction from to per week. The amount of state funding for each school district’s approved local program is determined using a preschool budget enrollment that is equal to percent of the actual enrollment of eligible students in the preschool programming provided by a school district on October of the base year. The bill changes the preschool budget enrollment used to determine funding to an amount equal to 100 percent of the actual enrollment of eligible students in the preschool programming provided by a school district on October of the base year. The bill also modifies the funding calculation for the initial school year for which a school district is approved to participate in the program. The bill applies to school budget years beginning on or after July 1, 2024.