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Regular Session, 2012 ENROLLED
SENATE BILL NO. 581
BY SENATORS APPEL, ALARIO AND THOMPSON AND REPRESENTATI VES
CARTER AND KLECKLEY
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
PART X-A. LOUISIANA EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION15
§407.21. Short title16
This Part shall be known and may be cited as the "Louisiana Early17
Childhood Education Act".18
§407.22. Legislative findings and intent19
A. The legislature finds and declares that:20
(1) In order to significantly improve outcomes at all levels of the state's21
educational system, it is imperative that standards for, and expectations of, our22
early childhood programs be raised to levels that will promote kindergarten23
readiness and sustain lifelong learning and achievement.24
ACT No. 3 SB NO. 581 ENROLLED
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(2) Publicly-funded early childhood programs should prioritize1
kindergarten readiness and public monies should fund programs that excel at2
achieving high levels of kindergarten readiness, or progression towards3
kindergarten readiness, as applicable for the ages of children served.4
(3) Parents who choose to send their children to publicly-funded early5
childhood programs should have clear and actionable information on the quality6
of the programs available.7
(4) Providers of publicly-funded early childhood programs should be8
held accountable for the public monies they receive, but given the autonomy to9
implement an educational program that promotes and achieves kindergarten10
readiness without undue regulation.11
(5) State entities involved in the oversight or provision of early childhood12
programs should collaborate, set standards of educational achievement for13
young children that align with standards established for children enrolled in14
grades kindergarten through twelve, and hold providers of publicly-funded15
early childhood programs accountable without imposing undue regulation on16
said programs.17
(6) There are high quality early childhood programs in this state that can18
serve as a model for increasing standards of achievement and financial19
efficiency in publicly-funded early childhood programs.20
(7) Publicly-funded early childhood programs receive a significant21
amount of public monies that can and should be maximized in pursuit of high22
quality early childhood programs that achieve high levels of kindergarten23
readiness or progression towards kindergarten readiness, as applicable for the24
ages of children served.25
(8) Tax incentives created for the purpose of promoting high quality26
early childhood programs should be awarded based on kindergarten readiness,27
or progression towards kindergarten readiness, as applicable for the ages of28
children served.29
(9) A fragmented system of standards, funding, and oversight of the30 SB NO. 581 ENROLLED
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state's publicly-funded early childhood programs serves as a barrier to1
providing every child with the high quality services and programs which he2
deserves and to providing parents with the information needed to make an3
informed choice when selecting the programs that best fit the needs of their4
children.5
B. It is the intent of the legislature that a comprehensive and integrated6
delivery system for early childhood care and education be created to ensure that7
every child enters kindergarten healthy and ready to learn.8
§407.23. Early Childhood Care and Education Network; creation;9
components; duties and responsibilities10
A. Not later than July 1, 2013, the State Board of Elementary and11
Secondary Education, hereinafter called the state board, shall create a12
comprehensive and integrated network through which to manage and oversee13
all programs funded through state or federal resources that provide early14
childhood care or educational services.15
B. To facilitate the creation of this network, the state board shall:16
(1) Establish a definition of kindergarten readiness aligned with state17
content standards for elementary and secondary schools.18
(2) Establish performance targets for children under the age of three and19
academic standards for kindergarten readiness for three - and four-year old20
children to be used in publicly-funded early childhood education programs.21
(3) Create a uniform assessment and accountability system for publicly-22
funded early childhood education programs that includes a letter grade23
indicative of student performance.24
(4) Coordinate with the Department of Children and Family Services25
and the Department of Health and Hospitals to align the standards for the26
licensing of child care facilities, including the requirements for participation in27
the Louisiana Quality Start Child Care Rating System, with the standards28
established for early childhood education programs.29
(5) Establish a timeline for the creation and implementation of the early30 SB NO. 581 ENROLLED
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childhood care and education network that shall be fully implemented by the1
beginning of the 2015-2016 school year.2
C.(1) In creating this network, the state board, through the state3
Department of Education, shall work cooperatively and collaboratively with the4
Department of Children and Family Services and the Department of Health and5
Hospitals to establish a seamless early childhood educational system that is6
coordinated and integrated across all programs and related state agencies,7
regardless of public funding source.8
(2)(a) The state Department of Education shall submit the plans and9
recommendations formulated by the impacted agencies to Louisiana's Early10
Childhood Advisory Council, the Child Care Association of Louisiana, and the11
nonpublic school commission appointed by the state board pursuant to R.S.12
17:11 for review and comment.13
(b) Each reviewing entity shall submit its comments and14
recommendations to the state Department of Education, which shall prepare a15
summary report to be submitted to the state board for its consideration not16
later than January 1, 2013.17
(3) By not later than March 1, 2013, the state board shall submit a18
written report to each member of the legislature, the Senate Committee on19
Education secretary, and the House Committee on Education secretary on the20
status of development of the early childhood care and education network. Such21
report shall include but not be limited to any recommendations relative to22
changes in law or administrative policy needed to properly implement the23
network.24
§407.24. Rules25
The State Board of Elementary and Secondary Education shall26
promulgate rules and regulations in accordance with the Administrative27
Procedure Act to implement the provisions of this Part.28
§407.25. Applicability; limitation29
This Part shall not apply to early childhood programs that receive public30 SB NO. 581 ENROLLED
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funds solely for food and nutrition assistance.1
Section 2. This Act shall become effective upon signature by the governor or, if not2
signed by the governor, upon expiration of the time for bills to become law without signature3
by the governor, as provided by Article III, Section 18 of the Constitution of Louisiana. If4
vetoed by the governor and subsequently approved by the legislature, this Act shall become5
effective on the day following such approval.6
PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE
SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
GOVERNOR OF THE STATE OF LOUISIANA
APPROVED: