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Regular Session, 2012
SENATE BILL NO. 581
BY SENATORS APPEL AND ALARIO AND REPRESENTATIVES CARTER AND
KLECKLEY
EARLY CHILDHOOD ED. Provides for the La. Early Childhood Education Act. (gov sig)
AN ACT1
To enact Part X-A of Chapter 1 of Title 17 of the Louisiana Revised Statutes of 1950, to be2
comprised of R.S. 17:407.21 through 407.25, relative to early childhood education;3
to provide for the creation of an early childhood care and education network; to4
provide for the purposes of such network and the duties and responsibilities of5
certain state agencies related thereto; to provide relative to early childhood education6
programs and standards; to provide for an accountability system for early childhood7
education programs; to provide relative to a quality rating system for certain day care8
centers; to provide for legislative findings and intent; and to provide for related9
matters.10
Be it enacted by the Legislature of Louisiana:11
Section 1. Part X-A of Chapter 1 of Title 17 of the Louisiana Revised Statutes of12
1950, to be comprised of R.S. 17:407.21 through 407.25 is hereby enacted to read as13
follows:14
§407.21. Short title15
This Part shall be known and may be cited as the "Louisiana Early16
Childhood Education Act".17 SB NO. 581
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§407.22. Legislative findings and intent1
A. The legislature finds and declares that:2
(1) In order to significantly improve outcomes at all levels of the state's3
educational system, it is imperative that standards for, and expectations of, our4
early childhood programs be raised to levels that will promote kindergarten5
readiness and sustain lifelong learning and achievement.6
(2) Publicly-funded early childhood programs should prioritize7
kindergarten readiness and public monies should fund programs that excel at8
achieving high levels of kindergarten readiness, or progression towards9
kindergarten readiness, as applicable for the ages of children served.10
(3) Parents who choose to send their children to publicly-funded early11
childhood programs should have clear and actionable information on the quality12
of the programs available.13
(4) Providers of publicly-funded early childhood programs should be14
held accountable for the public monies they receive, but given the autonomy to15
implement an educational program that promotes and achieves kindergarten16
readiness without undue regulation.17
(5) State entities involved in the oversight or provision of early childhood18
programs should collaborate, set standards of educational achievement for19
young children that align with standards established for children enrolled in20
grades kindergarten through twelve, and hold providers of publicly-funded21
early childhood programs accountable without imposing undue regulation on22
said programs.23
(6) There are high quality early childhood programs in this state that can24
serve as a model for increasing standards of achievement and financial25
efficiency in publicly-funded early childhood programs.26
(7) Publicly-funded early childhood programs receive a significant27
amount of public monies that can and should be maximized in pursuit of high28
quality early childhood programs that achieve high levels of kindergarten29 SB NO. 581
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readiness or progression towards kindergarten readiness, as applicable for the1
ages of children served.2
(8) Tax incentives created for the purpose of promoting high quality3
early childhood programs should be awarded based on kindergarten readiness,4
or progression towards kindergarten readiness, as applicable for the ages of5
children served.6
(9) A fragmented system of standards, funding, and oversight of the7
state's publicly-funded early childhood programs serves as a barrier to8
providing every child with the high quality services and programs which he9
deserves and to providing parents with the information needed to make an10
informed choice when selecting the programs that best fit the needs of their11
children.12
B. It is the intent of the legislature that a comprehensive and integrated13
delivery system for early childhood care and education be created to ensure that14
every child enters kindergarten healthy and ready to learn.15
§407.23. Early Childhood Care and Education Network; creation;16
components; duties and responsibilities17
A. Not later than July 1, 2013, the State Board of Elementary and18
Secondary Education, hereinafter called the state board, shall create a19
comprehensive and integrated network through which to manage and oversee20
all programs funded through state or federal resources that provide early21
childhood care or educational services.22
B. To facilitate the creation of this network, the state board shall:23
(1) Establish a definition of kindergarten readiness aligned with state24
content standards for elementary and secondary schools.25
(2) Establish performance targets for children under the age of three and26
academic standards for kindergarten readiness for three - and four-year old27
children to be used in publicly-funded early childhood education programs.28
(3) Create a uniform assessment and accountability system for publicly-29 SB NO. 581
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funded early childhood education programs that includes a letter grade1
indicative of student performance.2
(4) Coordinate with the Department of Children and Family Services3
and the Department of Health and Hospitals to align the standards for the4
licensing of child care facilities, including the requirements for participation in5
the Louisiana Quality Start Child Care Rating System, with the standards6
established for early childhood education programs.7
(5) Establish a timeline for the creation and implementation of the early8
childhood care and education network that shall be fully implemented by the9
beginning of the 2015-2016 school year.10
C.(1) In creating this network, the state board, through the state11
Department of Education, shall work cooperatively and collaboratively with the12
Department of Children and Family Services and the Department of Health and13
Hospitals to establish a seamless early childhood educational system that is14
coordinated and integrated across all programs and related state agencies,15
regardless of public funding source.16
(2)(a) The state Department of Education shall submit the plans and17
recommendations formulated by the impacted agencies to Louisiana's Early18
Childhood Advisory Council, the Child Care Association of Louisiana, and the19
nonpublic school commission appointed by the state board pursuant to R.S.20
17:11 for review and comment.21
(b) Each reviewing entity shall submit its comments and22
recommendations to the state Department of Education, which shall prepare a23
summary report to be submitted to the state board for its consideration not24
later than January 1, 2013.25
(3) The state board shall submit recommendations for any legislative26
changes needed to implement the provisions of this Part prior to the beginning27
of the 2013 Regular Session of the Louisiana Legislature.28
§407.24. Rules29 SB NO. 581
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The State Board of Elementary and Secondary Education shall1
promulgate rules and regulations in accordance with the Administrative2
Procedure Act to implement the provisions of this Part.3
§407.25. Applicability; limitation4
This Part shall not apply to early childhood programs that receive public5
funds solely for food and nutrition assistance.6
Section 2. This Act shall become effective upon signature by the governor or, if not7
signed by the governor, upon expiration of the time for bills to become law without signature8
by the governor, as provided by Article III, Section 18 of the Constitution of Louisiana. If9
vetoed by the governor and subsequently approved by the legislature, this Act shall become10
effective on the day following such approval.11
The original instrument was prepared by Jeanne Johnston. The following
digest, which does not constitute a part of the legislative instrument, was
prepared by Cathy Wells.
DIGEST
Appel (SB 581)
Proposed law provides for an Early Childhood Care and Education Network and requires
BESE to:
1. By July 1, 2013, create a comprehensive and integrated network through which to
manage and oversee publicly-funded programs that provide early childhood
educational services.
2. Establish performance targets for children under the age of three and academic
standards for kindergarten readiness for three - and four-year old children to be used
in publicly-funded early childhood education programs.
3. Create a uniform assessment and accountability system for publicly-funded early
childhood education programs that includes a letter grade indicative of student
performance.
4. Coordinate with the Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS) and the
Department of Health and Hospitals (DHH) to align the standards for the licensing
of child care facilities, including the requirements for participation in the La. Quality
Start Child Care Rating System, with the standards established for early childhood
education programs.
5. Establish a timeline for the creation and implementation of the early childhood care
and education network that shall be fully implemented by the beginning of the 2015-
2016 school year.
6. Work cooperatively and collaboratively with DCFS and DHH, to establish a
seamless early childhood educational system that is coordinated and integrated
across all programs and related state agencies, regardless of public funding source. SB NO. 581
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7. Submit recommendations for any legislative changes needed to implement proposed
law prior to the beginning of the 2013 Regular Session of the Louisiana Legislature.
8. Promulgate rules and regulations in accordance with the APA to implement proposed
law.
Proposed law requires the Dept. of Education to submit the plans and recommendations
formulated by the impacted agencies to Louisiana's Early Childhood Advisory Council, the
Child Care Association of Louisiana, and the nonpublic school commission appointed by
BESE for review and comment. Further requires each reviewing entity to submit its
comments and recommendations to the Dept. of Education and requires the department to
prepare a summary report to BESE for its consideration not later than January 1, 2013.
Provides that proposed law shall not apply to early childhood programs that receive public
funds solely for food and nutrition assistance.
Effective upon signature of the governor or lapse of time for gubernatorial action.
(Adds R.S. 17:407.21 through 407.25)
Summary of Amendments Adopted by Senate
Committee Amendments Proposed by Senate Committee on Education to the
original bill.
1. Changes reference from "day care centers" to "child care facilities".
2. Provides that agency plans/recommendations shall be submitted for review
to the Child Care Association of La. (in addition to La.'s Early Childhood
Advisory Council) and moves responsibility for submission of such
plans/recommendations from BESE to DOE.
3. Provides that proposed law shall not apply to early childhood programs that
receive public funds solely for food and nutrition programs.
Summary of Amendments Adopted by Senate
Senate Floor Amendments to engrossed bill.
1. Makes certain technical corrections.
2. Requires agency plans/recommendations be submitted for review to the non-
public school commission appointed by BESE (in addition to La.'s Early
Childhood Advisory Council and Child Care Association of La.).
3. Requires each reviewing entity to submit its comments and recommendations
to DOE and requires DOE to prepare a summary report to BESE.