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Regular Session, 2014
SENATE BILL NO. 50
BY SENATOR NEVERS
EARLY CHILDHOOD ED. Provides for universal access to the LA 4 Early Childhood
Education Program. (gov sig)
AN ACT1
To amend and reenact R.S. 17:24.10(A), (B), (I)(1)(a)(i) and (J) and to repeal R.S.2
17:24.10(E)(2) and (F), relative to early childhood education; to require local school3
systems to provide access to all eligible students to the Cecil J. Picard LA 4 Early4
Childhood Program; to provide for collaborative agreements with nonschool system5
providers; to provide relative to funding; and to provide for related matters. Be it6
enacted by the Legislature of Louisiana:7
Section 1. R.S. 17:24.10(A), (B), (I)(1)(a)(i) and (J) are hereby amended and8
reenacted to read as follows:9
ยง24.10. The Cecil J. Picard LA 4 Early Childhood Program; early childhood10
development and enrichment activity classes; establishment;11
eligibility; requirements; funding; study12
A.(1) The state Department of Education shall allocate funding, out of13
monies appropriated for such purpose, to each city, parish, other local public school14
system, or charter school that applies for such funding and uses the funding solely15
for the purpose of providing a program for early childhood development and16
enrichment activity classes in compliance with the requirements of this Section,17 SB NO. 50
SLS 14RS-253 ORIGINAL
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Coding: Words which are struck through are deletions from existing law;
words in boldface type and underscored are additions.
which shall be named "The Cecil J. Picard LA 4 Early Childhood Program" and shall1
be referred to in this Section as "the program". Such classes shall be referred to in2
this Section as "LA 4 classes".3
(2) The legislature shall annually appropriate sufficient monies to fully4
fund the cost of providing access to LA 4 classes to every child eligible to5
participate in the program.6
B.(1)(a) Beginning with the 2014-2015 school year, LA 4 classes shall be7
made available to every child in the school system's jurisdiction who will be eligible8
to enter public school kindergarten pursuant to R.S. 17:151.3 in the following year,9
who meets the requirements of law for immunization documentation required for10
regular school enrollment, and who is consistently and regularly in attendance for the11
early childhood education program portion of the day.12
(b) Each school system shall determine whether it will provide LA 413
classes through the public schools under its jurisdiction or through14
collaborative agreements with non-school system providers of early childhood15
education that meet the definition of a "child care facility" as provided in R.S.16
47:6102(2) and has attained the minimum quality rating required to be eligible17
to participate in the program as established by the state board.18
(2)(a) LA 4 classes shall be provided at no cost, except for the applicable19
lunch cost, to the child or his family for any eligible child who is eligible to receive20
free or reduced price meals pursuant to the federal child nutrition program as21
documented by a completed application for such meals whether or not such meals22
are sought every eligible child.23
(b) Prior to the beginning of the 2013-2014 school year, any other eligible24
child may be charged a tuition for all or part of the LA 4 class, in an amount not to25
exceed that necessary for the system to provide the LA 4 class to the child and, in26
any case, no more than the average amount expended per pupil on those children27
from whom no tuition may be required, excluding any amount attributable to the28
provision of classroom space and utility costs. Such tuition may be scaled and29 SB NO. 50
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imposed according to a student's family income in compliance with a rule of the1
State Board of Elementary and Secondary Education, referred to in this Section as2
the "state board".3
(c) Subject to the appropriation of funds for this purpose and for the 2009-4
2010 school year, LA 4 classes shall be provided at no cost, except for the applicable5
lunch cost, to the child or his family for any eligible child whose family income is6
classified at or below three hundred percent of the poverty level based on the United7
States federal poverty guidelines published annually by the United States Department8
of Health and Human Services.9
(d) Subject to the appropriation of funds for this purpose and for the 2010-10
2011 school year, LA 4 classes shall be provided at no cost, except for the applicable11
lunch cost, to the child or his family for any eligible child whose family income is12
classified at or below three hundred fifty percent of the poverty level based on the13
United States federal poverty guidelines published annually by the United States14
Department of Health and Human Services.15
(e) Subject to the appropriation of funds for this purpose and for the 2011-16
2012 school year, LA 4 classes shall be provided at no cost, except for the applicable17
lunch cost, to the child or his family for any eligible child whose family income is18
classified at or below four hundred percent of the poverty level based on the United19
States federal poverty guidelines published annually by the United States Department20
of Health and Human Services.21
(f) Subject to the appropriation of funds for this purpose and for the 2012-22
2013 school year, LA 4 classes shall be provided at no cost, except for the applicable23
lunch cost, to the child or his family for any eligible child whose family income is24
classified at or below four hundred fifty percent of the poverty level based on the25
United States federal poverty guidelines published annually by the United States26
Department of Health and Human Services.27
(g) Subject to the appropriation of funds for this purpose and beginning with28
the 2013-2014 school year and continuing thereafter, LA 4 classes shall be provided29 SB NO. 50
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at no cost, except for the applicable lunch cost, to every eligible child, without regard1
to income level.2
* * *3
I.(1)(a)(i) Except as provided in Item (ii) of this Subparagraph, out of funds4
appropriated for such purposes from whatever source, the state Department of5
Education shall provide an amount of funding based upon the per pupil amount6
defined in this Subsection multiplied by the estimated number of students for the7
year who will be eligible to receive free or reduced price meals, or to attend LA 48
classes at no cost, other than the applicable lunch cost, as calculated in accordance9
with the provisions of Paragraph (B)(2) of this Section for whom early childhood10
development classes are being provided by the system for the first time as a result11
of the system's participation in the program enter public school kindergarten12
pursuant to R.S. 17:151.3 in the following year. The per pupil amount in any year13
shall be based upon the total amount of money actually expended by all participating14
systems as authorized by this Section for LA 4 classes, excluding the cost of15
providing classroom space and utilities, divided by the number of students actually16
participating in accordance with the amount of money appropriated for the purpose17
of this Section and the minimum amount necessary to provide a high quality program18
as required in this Section. Funding for the enrichment activities provided during the19
before and after school session time shall be provided only for the number of eligible20
students actually participating in those activities.21
* * *22
J. Annually after the first year of participation and provided the state23
department finds that the program continues to meet the requirements of this Section,24
a participating school system or partial school system may renew its participation by25
notifying the state department of its intention to do so in compliance with a26
procedure for such notice established by rule of the state board. Such renewals shall27
be funded in preference to any application. Failure to renew shall place any prior28
participant in the same position as any other applicant in any future year. A school29 SB NO. 50
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system that is participating on a partial basis may renew each participating segment;1
however, any additional segment for which participation is sought shall be2
considered as an initial application.3
Section 2. R.S.17:24.10(E)(2) and (F) are hereby repealed.4
Section 3. This Act shall become effective upon signature by the governor or, if not5
signed by the governor, upon expiration of the time for bills to become law without signature6
by the governor, as provided by Article III, Section 18 of the Constitution of Louisiana. If7
vetoed by the governor and subsequently approved by the legislature, this Act shall become8
effective on the day following such approval.9
The original instrument and the following digest, which constitutes no part
of the legislative instrument, were prepared by Jeanne C. Johnston.
DIGEST
Present law provides for early childhood development and enrichment activity classes (The
Cecil J. Picard LA 4 Early Childhood Program, commonly known as LA 4) for four-year-old
children in public school systems and charter schools.
Present law provides that LA 4 classes shall be made available to every eligible child who
meets certain specified requirements. Provides that such classes shall be provided at no cost,
except applicable lunch costs, for any eligible child who is eligible to receive free or reduced
price meals. Further provides that any other eligible child may be charged tuition for such
classes scaled and imposed according to a student's family income.
Present law provides for universal access to LA 4 classes to be phased in over a five-year
period, beginning with the 2008-2009 school year, based upon family income in relation to
the federal poverty level. Full implementation of universal access for all eligible children,
regardless of income level, was to be achieved by the 2013-2014 school year, provided
funding was made available for such purpose.
Proposed law deletes provisions in present law relative to income requirements and that
provide for phased in universal access over time, subject to availability of funding, and
instead provides that beginning with the 2014-2015 school year, LA 4 classes shall be
provided at no cost, except for the applicable lunch cost, to every eligible child, without
regard to income level.
Proposed law provides that each school system shall determine whether it will provide LA
4 classes through the public schools under its jurisdiction or through a collaborative
agreement with non-school system providers who meet state daycare licensing standards and
meet the minimum quality rating prescribed by BESE.
Proposed law provides that the legislature shall annually appropriate sufficient monies to
fully fund the cost of providing universal access to LA 4 classes for every eligible child.
Present law requires the Dept. of Education to provide funding for LA 4 classes based upon
the per pupil amount multiplied by the estimated number of students each year eligible to
receive free or reduced lunch. SB NO. 50
SLS 14RS-253 ORIGINAL
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Coding: Words which are struck through are deletions from existing law;
words in boldface type and underscored are additions.
Proposed law deletes this provision and instead requires the Dept. of Education to provide
funding for LA 4 classes based upon the per pupil amount multiplied by the estimated
number of students each year eligible to enter public school kindergarten the following year.
Present law allows school systems to participate in the LA 4 program on a partial basis.
Proposed law deletes these provisions.
Effective upon signature of the governor or lapse of time for gubernatorial action.
(Amends R.S. 17:24.10(A), (B), (I)(1)(a)(i) and (J); repeals R.S.17:24.10(E)(2) and (F))