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Prepared by Jeanne Johnston.
Leger HB No. 954
(KEYWORD, SUMMARY, AND DIGEST as amended by Senate committee
amendments)
EDUCATION/PRE-K. Provides relative to the Cecil J. Picard LA 4 Early Childhood
Program
DIGEST
Present law provides for the Cecil J. Picard LA 4 Early Childhood Program. Proposed law
retains certain provisions relative to the program and revises or eliminates other provisions,
as follows:
Funding
Present law requires the state Dept. of Education (DOE) to allocate funding to each public
school system or charter school that applies for funding and uses it solely for the purpose of
providing a program for early childhood development and enrichment activity classes (LA
4 classes). Proposed law deletes the reference to charter schools and required BESE to assess
all funding streams in order to facilitate diverse delivery and fulfill demand to the greatest
extent possible.
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 the LA 4 program shall be available
to each child who meets these eligibility criteria:
(1)Applies to the LA 4 program.
(2)Is four years old or eligible to enroll in kindergarten in the following school year.
Cost
Present law requires that LA 4 classes be provided at no cost, except for the applicable lunch
cost, to the child or his family for any eligible child who is eligible to receive free or reduced
price meals pursuant to the federal child nutrition program as documented by a completed
application for such meals whether or not such meals are sought.
Proposed law repeals present law and provides that the cost of the LA 4 program shall be as
follows:
(1)For at risk children: no cost, except for any applicable lunch cost and the cost of
before and after care.
(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 program. Page 2 of 6
Prepared by Jeanne Johnston.
(3)For all children, both at risk and not at risk, authorizes each public school system
offering the LA 4 program to charge a fee for the cost of meals and the cost of before
and after care, subject to BESE rules.
Program specifications
(1)Present law requires a full day program of at least 10 hours per day for each day that
the school system's regular school program is in session and requires both a program
of early childhood education during the period of the day that school is normally in
session and a program of high quality enrichment activities before and after school.
Proposed law deletes present law and requires such hours as the regular school day
is in session for the early childhood education program.
(2)Present law requires a program of developmentally appropriate early childhood
education with content meeting standards required for accreditation of a high quality
early childhood education program as determined by DOE.
Proposed law retains present law but provides that BESE rather than DOE shall
determine these standards.
(3)Present law requires adequate and appropriate space and facilities.
Proposed law retains present law.
Present law further requires, if early childhood education or enrichment activities are
provided at a site not operated by the school system, adequate and appropriate space
and facilities that meet the same requirements as those for licensure as a Class A day
care shall be provided.
Proposed law deletes present law.
Present law requires the following:
(1)A student to lead teacher ratio of no more than 20:1 and a student to adult staff
member ratio of no more than 10:1.
(2)Classroom and instructional supplies consistent with the standards for accreditation
of a high quality early childhood education program.
(3)A "lead teacher" who meets certain specific requirements relative to certification or
educational credentials.
Proposed law retains present law in (1) through (3) above.
Present law further requires the following:
(1)Transportation for every student to ensure presence of the child for the early
childhood education portion of the LA 4 class. Provides that other transportation
may be provided.
(2)Appropriate meals and snacks for every student.
(3)Provision for services which support students and families consistent with the needs
of the community, which may include health care, employment counseling, literacy
services, tutoring, or parental training.
Proposed law repeals these requirements.
Collaboration Page 3 of 6
Prepared by Jeanne Johnston.
Present law authorizes each participating school system to work collaboratively with other
publicly funded and Type III licensed providers of early childhood education that serve
children residing within the system's jurisdiction of the system, including Head Start and
other federal programs, in providing the LA 4 program. Provides that collaboration may
include agreements to share resources if such agreements are documented, no regulation of
any provider is compromised or violated, and a clear demarcation of responsibility as to
costs, employee supervision, and program administration is maintained. Proposed law
retains present law.
Present law requires each participating school system to use at least 10% of the total increase
in LA 4 funding received each year in excess of the amount received during the 2008-09
school year to provide the early childhood education program component of LA 4 classes
through collaborative agreements with certain nonschool system providers of early childhood
education. Provides relative to waiving this requirement under certain conditions.
Proposed law essentially retains present law but provides that beginning with the 2015-2016
school year, each participating school system shall use a percentage of the total increase in
funding received in excess of the amount received in the previous school year as follows:
(1)For a school year in which the per pupil allocation for the LA 4 program is less than
five thousand dollars per child, each participating school system shall use at least five
percent of the total increase in funding over the previous school year to provide LA
4 classes through collaborative agreements with nonschool system providers.
(2)For a school year in which the per pupil allocation for the LA 4 program is five
thousand dollars per child or more, each participating school system shall use at least
ten percent of the total increase in funding over the previous school year to provide
LA 4 classes through collaborative agreements with nonschool system providers.
Present law requires that such providers meet the following criteria:
(1) Serve children residing within the school system's geographic boundaries.
(2)Meet the present law definition of a child care facility, which is any entity that the
state administrator of the Child Care Development Fund determines is eligible to
participate in the quality rating system, has applied to the Dept. of Children and
Family Services for evaluation under the system, and is participating in the system.
(3)Have attained the minimum quality rating as established by BESE required to be
eligible to participate in the program.
Proposed law retains the criteria in (1) and (3) and revises (2) to instead require that such a
provider meet the proposed law definition of "early learning center", which is any child day
care center, Early Head Start Center, Head Start Center, or stand-alone prekindergarten
program not attached to a school.
Present law requires a nonschool system provider that wishes to participate in LA 4 to
include the following information, at minimum, in its application to the school system:
(1)Verification that it is a provider of early childhood education that meets the definition
of a "child care facility" and has attained the minimum quality rating required to be
eligible to participate in the program as established by BESE.
(2)Documentation that it meets requirements provided by present law and BESE rules
for participation and documentation relative to its organizational, governance, and
operational structure, policies, programs, and practices in place to ensure parental
involvement, personnel policies and employment practices, and rules and regulations
applicable to children, including disciplinary policies and procedures, the adequacy
of its facilities and equipment, the types and amounts of its insurance coverage, and
applicable teacher certification requirements. Page 4 of 6
Prepared by Jeanne Johnston.
Proposed law retains present law except revises (1) above to require the provider to verify
that it meets the proposed law definition of "early learning center".
Requirements for DOE
(1)Present law requires DOE (a) to provide regional coordinators sufficient to provide
each applicant and each participating school system with supportive technical
assistance and (b) to ensure that school systems comply with present law and BESE
rules relative to LA 4.
Proposed law deletes the requirement that DOE provide regional coordinators to
provide supportive technical assistance to each school system and each applicant and
instead requires that DOE provide technical assistance to each school system.
Otherwise retains present law.
(2)Present law requires DOE to develop and implement a system of evaluating the
efficiency and effectiveness of LA 4 in improving both the preparedness of students
for elementary school, especially focused on reading readiness, and a study of the
long-term effects of LA 4 classes on the school success of the participating students.
Proposed law deletes the requirement that the evaluation system focus on the
preparedness of students for elementary school, especially focused on reading
readiness, and otherwise retains present law.
(3)Present law requires DOE to provide professional development for lead teachers and
others whose employment involves direct contact with students. Proposed law
retains present law.
(4)Present law requires DOE to require statistical reporting and other documentation
and reporting as is required for primary grades, including the number of children
participating in LA 4 classes provided by nonschool system providers. Proposed law
repeals present law.
(5)Present law requires DOE to provide early childhood education models and programs
to participating schools. Proposed law repeals present law.
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 the LA 4 program.
(2)Requires BESE to consider such demand, the availability of funds to support the
program, and the eligibility of public school systems to receive funds for the program
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 public
school systems.
(c)The difference in dollar amount between the funding required to meet the
measured funding demand and the funding available in the fiscal year.
(Adds R.S. 17:407.26; Repeals R.S. 17:24.10)
Summary of Amendments Adopted by House Page 5 of 6
Prepared by Jeanne Johnston.
Committee Amendments Proposed by House Committee on Education to the original
bill.
1. Reinstates and retains the following present law provisions repealed in the
original bill:
(a)Authority for school systems to work collaboratively with other
governmentally funded early childhood education providers.
(b)Program specifications with respect to student-teacher ratios, classroom
and instructional supplies, and lead teachers.
2. Reinstates and revises the following present law provisions repealed in the
original bill:
(a)The requirement that DOE allocate funding for a program for early
childhood development and enrichment activity classes.
(b)Provisions relative to school systems' use of 10% of any increase in LA
4 funding to provide for LA 4 through collaborative agreements with
nonschool system providers.
(c)Program specifications with respect to the minimum hours provided per
day, standards, and space and facilities.
(d)Certain requirements for DOE relative to LA 4.
3. Adds to proposed law the following requirements for BESE:
(a)Annually determine the difference in dollar amount between the funding
required to meet the measured funding demand and the funding available
in the fiscal year.
(b)Assess all funding streams in order to facilitate diverse delivery and fulfill
demand to the greatest extent possible.
4. Changes proposed law references from "early learning centers" to "public school
systems" with respect to what entities offer and receive funding for LA 4.
5. Deletes the following proposed law:
(a)Provision that LA 4 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 requirement that such programs comply with BESE rules for network
participation.
(b)Requirement that DOE support the establishment of a seamless early
childhood education system by allocating funds as provided in proposed
law.
(c) Provision authorizing a cost for children participating in early childhood
programs funded through the Child Care Assistance Program, subject to
BESE rules.
House Floor Amendments to the engrossed bill.
1. Reinstates present law provision requiring, in lieu of the proposed law provision
authorizing, school systems to use of 10% of any increase in LA 4 funding to
provide for LA 4 through collaborative agreements with nonschool system
providers. Reinstates present law provisions repealed in the original bill relative Page 6 of 6
Prepared by Jeanne Johnston.
to this requirement being waived under certain circumstances and requirements
nonschool system providers must meet to participate in such agreements.
Summary of Amendments Adopted by Senate
Committee Amendments Proposed by Senate Committee on Education to the
reengrossed bill
1. Specifies that participating school systems may work collaboratively with
publicly funded and Type III licensed early childhood education providers.
2. Provides for differentiated percentages of the amount of increased funding to be
used to provide LA 4 classes through collaborative agreements with nonschool
system providers based on the LA 4 per pupil allocation.
3. Restores present law provisions relative to collaborative agreements and related
qualification, eligibility, and documentation requirements.