HLS 14RS-1244 ORIGINAL
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are additions.
Regular Session, 2014
HOUSE BILL NO. 954
BY REPRESENTATIVES LEGER AND CARTER AND SENATORS APPEL , LAFLEUR,
AND WALSWORTH
EDUCATION/PRE-K: Provides relative to the Cecil J. Picard LA 4 Early Childhood
Program
AN ACT1
To enact R.S. 17:407.26 and to repeal R.S. 17:24.10, relative to early childhood education;2
to provide relative to the Cecil J. Picard LA 4 Early Childhood Program; to provide3
relative to funding; to provide relative to eligibility criteria; to provide relative to the4
cost of participation; to provide for a unified registration and enrollment system; to5
provide for the role of the program in the Early Childhood Care and Education6
Network; to provide relative to rules and regulations; and to provide for related7
matters.8
Be it enacted by the Legislature of Louisiana:9
Section 1. R.S. 17:407.26 is hereby enacted to read as follows:10
ยง407.26. The Cecil J. Picard LA 4 Early Childhood Program; inclusion in Early11
Childhood Care and Education Network12
A.(1) The Cecil J. Picard LA 4 Early Childhood Program shall serve as the13
state's unified strategy for administering all publicly funded early childhood14
programs for four-year-olds through the Early Childhood Care and Education15
Network. Such programs shall comply with all rules and regulations promulgated16
by the State Board of Elementary and Secondary Education, referred to in this17
Section as the "state board", for participation in the network pursuant to R.S.18
17:407.24.19 HLS 14RS-1244 ORIGINAL
HB NO. 954
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(2) Pursuant to state board rule, and in accordance with R.S. 17:407.23(C),1
the state Department of Education, referred to in this Section as the "department",2
shall support the establishment of a seamless early childhood educational system that3
is coordinated and integrated across all programs, regardless of public funding4
source, by allocating public funds available for early childhood programs for four-5
year-olds to eligible early learning centers that apply for such funding and use the6
funding solely for the purpose of providing early childhood programs. Such7
programs shall be referred to in this Part as "LA 4 programs". 8
B.(1) Subject to the availability of funds, LA 4 programs shall be available9
to every eligible child. To be eligible for LA 4 programs, a child shall meet all of10
the following criteria:11
(a) He is four years old or eligible to enroll in kindergarten in the following12
school year pursuant to R.S. 17:151.3.13
(b) He meets the requirements of R.S. 17:170 relative to immunization14
documentation required for regular school enrollment.15
(c) He applies to an early childhood program.16
(2) LA 4 programs shall be made available through a unified registration and17
enrollment system administered by or on behalf of the state Department of18
Education. "At risk" children, as defined in state board rules and regulations, shall19
be given preference for such registration and enrollment.20
C. The cost of LA 4 programs shall be as follows:21
(1) For children who are "at risk", LA 4 programs shall be provided at no22
cost, except for any applicable lunch cost and the cost of before and after care. There23
may be a cost for any early childhood program funded through the Child Care24
Assistance Program, subject to state board rules and regulations.25
(2) For children who are not "at risk", tuition may be charged on a sliding26
scale in an amount not to exceed that necessary for the early learning center to27
provide the program.28 HLS 14RS-1244 ORIGINAL
HB NO. 954
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(3) For all children, both "at risk" and not "at risk", each early learning center1
offering LA 4 programs may charge a fee for the cost of meals and the cost of before2
and after care, subject to state board rules and regulations.3
D. Beginning with LA 4 program applications for the 2015-2016 school4
year:5
(1) The department shall annually determine the demand for LA 4 programs.6
(2) The state board shall consider such demand, the availability of public7
funds to support such programs, and the eligibility of early learning centers to8
receive public funds for early childhood programs pursuant to R.S. 17:407.23, and9
annually determine the following:10
(a) The cost of funding all LA 4 program applicants who both meet the11
eligibility requirements provided in Paragraph (1) of Subsection B of this Section12
and who are determined to be "at-risk".13
(b) The method for equitably distributing available funds to eligible early14
learning centers, including those operated as part of public elementary school15
programs.16
Section 2. R.S. 17:24.10 is hereby repealed in its entirety.17
DIGEST
The digest printed below was prepared by House Legislative Services. It constitutes no part
of the legislative instrument. The keyword, one-liner, abstract, and digest do not constitute
part of the law or proof or indicia of legislative intent. [R.S. 1:13(B) and 24:177(E)]
Leger HB No. 954
Abstract: Provides relative to the Cecil J. Picard LA 4 Early Childhood Program, including
provisions pertaining to funding, eligibility, cost, and the program's role in the Early
Childhood Care and Education Network.
Present law provides for the Cecil J. Picard LA 4 Early Childhood Program. Proposed law
retains such program but revises certain provisions relative to the program, as follows:
Funding
Present law requires DOE to allocate funding, out of monies appropriated for such purpose,
to each public school system or charter school that applies for such funding and uses it solely
for the purpose of providing a program for early childhood development and enrichment
activity classes (LA 4 classes). HLS 14RS-1244 ORIGINAL
HB NO. 954
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are additions.
Proposed law deletes present law and instead requires DOE to allocate public funds available
for early childhood programs for four-year-olds to eligible early learning centers that apply
for such funding and use it solely for the purpose of providing early childhood programs (LA
4 programs).
Present law requires BESE, through DOE, to collaborate with the Dept. of Children and
Family Services and the Dept. of Health and Hospitals 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. Proposed law retains present law
and adds a requirement that DOE support such establishment by allocating funds as provided
above in proposed law.
Program specifications
Present law provides for specific criteria for LA 4 educational programs, enrichment
activities, teachers, student-teacher ratios, classroom space and facilities, classroom and
instructional materials, meals and snacks, and provision of family support services.
Proposed law deletes present law.
Eligibility
Present law provides that LA 4 classes shall be provided to every child in a school system's
jurisdiction who meets the following criteria:
(1)Is eligible to enter kindergarten the following year.
(2)Meets the requirements of present law for immunization documentation required for
regular school enrollment.
(3)Is consistently and regularly in attendance for the early childhood education program
portion of the day.
Proposed law retains the immunization requirement and otherwise deletes present law and
instead provides, subject to the availability of funds, that LA 4 programs shall be available
to each child who meets the immunization requirement and these eligibility criteria:
(1)Applies to an early childhood program.
(2)Is four years old or eligible to enroll in kindergarten in the following school year.
Proposed law additionally requires that LA 4 programs be made available through a unified
registration and enrollment system administered by or on behalf of DOE for every child who
meets such eligibility criteria and for whom funding is available. Grants registration and
enrollment preference to "at risk" children (as defined by BESE).
Cost
Present law provides that LA 4 classes are to be provided at no cost to children eligible for
free and reduced lunch, except for lunch costs. Provides that other children may be charged
tuition in an amount not to exceed that necessary for the school system to provide the LA
4 class and that such tuition may be charged on a sliding scale according to his family's
income.
Proposed law deletes present law and instead provides that the cost of LA 4 programs for
shall be as follows: HLS 14RS-1244 ORIGINAL
HB NO. 954
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(1)For "at risk" children: no cost, except for any applicable lunch cost and the cost of
before and after care. Authorizes a cost for any early childhood programs funded
through the Child Care Assistance Program, subject to BESE rules.
(2)For children who are not "at risk": tuition may be charged on a sliding scale in an
amount not to exceed that necessary for the early learning center to provide the LA
4 program.
(3)For all children, both "at risk" and not "at risk", authorizes each early learning center
offering LA 4 programs to charge a fee for the cost of meals and the cost of before
and after care, subject to BESE rules.
Present law provides for a phased-in implementation of a plan to have provided for universal
access to LA 4 classes at no cost other than applicable lunch costs by the 2013-14 school
year (if funding had been available). Proposed law deletes present law.
Early Childhood Care and Education Network
Proposed law adds that the Cecil J. Picard LA 4 Early Childhood Program serve as the state's
unified strategy for administering all publicly funded early childhood programs for four-
year-olds through the Early Childhood Care and Education Network (created in present law)
and requires early childhood programs to comply with all BESE rules for participation in
such network.
Requirements for DOE and BESE relative to future LA 4 program applications
Proposed law provides for the following, beginning with LA 4 program applications for the
2015-16 school year:
(1)Requires DOE to annually determine the demand for LA 4 programs.
(2)Requires BESE to consider such demand, the availability of public funds to support
such programs, and the eligibility of early learning centers to receive public funds
for early childhood programs and to annually determine the following:
(a)The cost of funding all eligible LA 4 program applicants who are considered
"at-risk" as defined by BESE.
(b)The method for equitably distributing available funds to eligible early
learning centers, including those operated as part of public elementary school
programs.
(Adds R.S. 17:407.26; Repeals R.S. 17:24.10)