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Maryland Senate Bill SB913

Maryland 2023 Regular Session

Maryland Senate Bill SB913 Compare Versions

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33 EXPLANATION: CAPITALS INDICATE MAT TER ADDED TO EXISTIN G LAW.
44 [Brackets] indicate matter deleted from existing law.
5- Underlining indicates amendments to bill.
6- Strike out indicates matter stricken from the bill by amendment or deleted from the law by
7-amendment.
85 *sb0913*
96
107 SENATE BILL 913
118 F5, O4 EMERGENCY BILL 3lr3024
129 CF HB 770
1310 By: Senator Guzzone
1411 Introduced and read first time: February 15, 2023
1512 Assigned to: Rules
16-Re–referred to: Education, Energy, and the Environment, February 24, 2023
17-Committee Report: Favorable with amendments
18-Senate action: Adopted
19-Read second time: March 7, 2023
2013
21-CHAPTER ______
14+A BILL ENTITLED
2215
2316 AN ACT concerning 1
2417
2518 Publicly Funded Full–Day Prekindergarten Program – Tier I Child – Alteration 2
2619 of Definition 3
27-Education – Community Eligibility Provision Schools and Prekindergarten 4
28-Enrollment and Funding – Alterations 5
2920
30-FOR the purpose of altering the definition of a “Tier I child” who may be enrolled beginning 6
31-in a certain school year to a full–day prekindergarten program, to include children 7
32-with a disability, children who are homeless youths, and children who are from 8
33-homes in which English is not the primary spoken language; exempting certain 9
34-schools from the requirement to collect a certain eligibility form if the school is in a 10
35-local school system in which all schools participate in the community eligibility 11
36-provision; altering the definition of “prekindergarten enrollment”, beginning in a 12
37-certain school year, to include certain Tier II children for certain funding purposes; 13
38-altering the categories of certain Tier II children who are given priority for the 14
39-expansion of prekindergarten slots; altering the categories of children who may be 15
40-enrolled in a full–day prekindergarten program beginning in a certain school year; 16
41-and generally relating to publicly funded full–day prekindergarten community 17
42-eligibility provision schools and prekindergarten enrollment and funding. 18
21+FOR the purpose of altering the definition of a “Tier I child” who may be enrolled beginning 4
22+in a certain school year to a full–day prekindergarten program, to include children 5
23+with a disability, children who are homeless youths, and children who are from 6
24+homes in which English is not the primary spoken language; and generally relating 7
25+to publicly funded full–day prekindergarten. 8
4326
44-BY repealing and reenacting, without amendments, 19
45- Article – Education 20
46-Section 5–229(a) 5–229(b) through (d), 7–1A–01(a), 7–1A–03, and 7–1A–08 21
47- Annotated Code of Maryland 22
48- (2022 Replacement Volume) 23 2 SENATE BILL 913
27+BY repealing and reenacting, without amendments, 9
28+ Article – Education 10
29+Section 5–229(a) through (d), 7–1A–01(a), 7–1A–03, and 7–1A–08 11
30+ Annotated Code of Maryland 12
31+ (2022 Replacement Volume) 13
32+
33+BY repealing and reenacting, with amendments, 14
34+ Article – Education 15
35+Section 7–1A–01(i), 7–1A–04(a), and 7–1A–06 16
36+ Annotated Code of Maryland 17
37+ (2022 Replacement Volume) 18
38+
39+ SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 19
40+That the Laws of Maryland read as follows: 20
41+
42+Article – Education 21
43+
44+5–229. 22
45+
46+ (a) (1) In this section the following words have the meanings indicated. 23
47+ 2 SENATE BILL 913
48+
49+
50+ (2) “County program amount” means, for each county, the product of the 1
51+per pupil amount and the prekindergarten enrollment. 2
52+
53+ (3) “Family share” means the amount calculated under subsection (e) of 3
54+this section rounded to the nearest whole dollar. 4
55+
56+ (4) “Local share” means, for each county, the result of the county program 5
57+amount minus the State share rounded to the nearest whole dollar. 6
58+
59+ (5) “Per pupil amount” means: 7
60+
61+ (i) In fiscal year 2023, $10,094; 8
62+
63+ (ii) In fiscal year 2024, $11,594; 9
64+
65+ (iii) In fiscal year 2025, $13,003; 10
66+
67+ (iv) In fiscal year 2026, $14,473; 11
68+
69+ (v) In fiscal year 2027, $15,598; 12
70+
71+ (vi) In fiscal year 2028, $16,811; 13
72+
73+ (vii) In fiscal year 2029, $18,118; 14
74+
75+ (viii) In fiscal year 2030, $19,526; and 15
76+
77+ (ix) In subsequent fiscal years, the per pupil amount for the prior 16
78+fiscal year increased by the inflation adjustment rounded to the nearest whole dollar. 17
79+
80+ (6) “Prekindergarten enrollment” means: 18
81+
82+ (i) Beginning in fiscal year 2023, the number of Tier I children 19
83+enrolled with an eligible prekindergarten provider; and 20
84+
85+ (ii) Beginning in fiscal year 2025, the number of Tier I and Tier II 21
86+children enrolled with an eligible prekindergarten provider. 22
87+
88+ (7) “State share” means, for each county, rounded to the nearest whole 23
89+dollar, the following calculations multiplied by 0.5: 24
90+
91+ (i) Multiply the per pupil amount by the county’s prekindergarten 25
92+enrollment; 26
93+
94+ (ii) Divide the result calculated under item (i) of this paragraph by 27
95+the ratio, rounded to seven decimal places, of local wealth per pupil to statewide wealth per 28
96+pupil; and 29 SENATE BILL 913 3
4997
5098
5199
52-BY repealing and reenacting, with amendments, 1
53- Article – Education 2
54-Section 5–222(c), 5–229(a), 7–1A–01(i), 7–1A–04(a), and 7–1A–06 3
55- Annotated Code of Maryland 4
56- (2022 Replacement Volume) 5
100+ (iii) Multiply the result calculated under item (ii) of this paragraph 1
101+by the result, rounded to seven decimal places, that results from dividing the total program 2
102+amount by the sum of all of the results calculated under item (ii) of this paragraph for all 3
103+counties. 4
57104
58- SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 6
59-That the Laws of Maryland read as follows: 7
105+ (8) “Tier I child” has the meaning stated in § 7–1A–01 of this article. 5
60106
61-Article – Education 8
107+ (9) “Tier II child” has the meaning stated in § 7–1A–01 of this article. 6
62108
63-5–222. 9
109+ (10) “Tier III child” has the meaning stated in § 7–1A–01 of this article. 7
64110
65- (c) (1) THIS SUBSECTION DOES NOT APPLY TO SCHOOLS IN A LOCAL 10
66-SCHOOL SYSTEM THAT O PTED INTO THE UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF 11
67-AGRICULTURE COMMUNITY ELIGIBILITY PROVISIO NS FOR ALL SCHOOLS I N THE 12
68-LOCAL SCHOOL SYSTEM . 13
111+ (11) “Total program amount” means the product of the per pupil amount and 8
112+the statewide prekindergarten enrollment. 9
69113
70- (2) By school year 2022–2023, the State alternative income eligibility form 14
71-shall be collected by each school that is participating in the United States Department of 15
72-Agriculture community eligibility provision and may be collected by all other schools. 16
114+ (b) To be eligible for public funding, a prekindergarten provider shall comply with 10
115+Title 7, Subtitle 1A of this article. 11
73116
74- [(2)] (3) The State alternative income eligibility form shall be developed 17
75-by the Department and shall include a statement indicating that the income information 18
76-requested on the form is used to determine local and State funding for education. 19
117+ (c) (1) (i) As calculated under subsection (d) of this section, there is a State 12
118+share and local share of the per pupil amount for Tier I children. 13
77119
78-5–229. 20
120+ (ii) There is no family share for Tier I children. 14
79121
80- (a) (1) In this section the following words have the meanings indicated. 21
122+ (2) As calculated under subsection (e) of this section and beginning in fiscal 15
123+year 2025, there is a State share, local share, and family share of the per pupil amount for 16
124+Tier II children. 17
81125
82- (2) “County program amount” means, for each county, the product of the 22
83-per pupil amount and the prekindergarten enrollment. 23
126+ (3) Tier III children are not eligible for funding under this section. 18
84127
85- (3) “Family share” means the amount calculated under subsection (e) of 24
86-this section rounded to the nearest whole dollar. 25
128+ (d) (1) For public providers, each fiscal year: 19
87129
88- (4) “Local share” means, for each county, the result of the county program 26
89-amount minus the State share rounded to the nearest whole dollar. 27
130+ (i) The State shall distribute the State share to each county board; 20
131+and 21
90132
91- (5) “Per pupil amount” means: 28
133+ (ii) The county board shall distribute to each public provider the 22
134+minimum school funding amount for prekindergarten calculated under § 5–234 of this 23
135+subtitle. 24
92136
93- (i) In fiscal year 2023, $10,094; 29
137+ (2) For private providers, each fiscal year: 25
94138
95- (ii) In fiscal year 2024, $11,594; 30
96- SENATE BILL 913 3
139+ (i) The State shall distribute the State share for private providers 26
140+to the Department; 27
141+
142+ (ii) The county shall distribute the local share for private providers 28
143+to the Department; and 29
144+ 4 SENATE BILL 913
97145
98146
99- (iii) In fiscal year 2025, $13,003; 1
147+ (iii) The Department shall distribute the State and local share to the 1
148+private providers. 2
100149
101- (iv) In fiscal year 2026, $14,473; 2
150+7–1A–01. 3
102151
103- (v) In fiscal year 2027, $15,598; 3
152+ (a) In this subtitle the following words have the meanings indicated. 4
104153
105- (vi) In fiscal year 2028, $16,811; 4
154+ (i) “Tier I child” means a child: 5
106155
107- (vii) In fiscal year 2029, $18,118; 5
156+ (1) Who is 3 or 4 years old; 6
108157
109- (viii) In fiscal year 2030, $19,526; and 6
158+ (2) (I) Whose family income is less than or equal to 300% of the federal 7
159+poverty level; 8
110160
111- (ix) In subsequent fiscal years, the per pupil amount for the prior 7
112-fiscal year increased by the inflation adjustment rounded to the nearest whole dollar. 8
161+ (II) WHO IS A CHILD WITH A DISABILITY; 9
113162
114- (6) “Prekindergarten enrollment” means: 9
163+ (III) WHO IS A HOMELESS YOU TH; OR 10
115164
116- (i) Beginning in fiscal year 2023, the number of Tier I children AND 10
117-TIER II CHILDREN WHO ARE A P RIORITY UNDER § 7–1A–06(D) OF THIS ARTICLE 11
118-enrolled with an eligible prekindergarten provider; and 12
165+ (IV) WHO IS FROM A HOME IN WHICH ENGLISH IS NOT THE 11
166+PRIMARY SPOKEN LANGU AGE; and 12
119167
120- (ii) Beginning in fiscal year 2025, the number of Tier I and Tier II 13
121-children enrolled with an eligible prekindergarten provider. 14
168+ (3) Whose family chooses to enroll the child in full–day prekindergarten. 13
122169
123- (7) “State share” means, for each county, rounded to the nearest whole 15
124-dollar, the following calculations multiplied by 0.5: 16
170+7–1A–03. 14
125171
126- (i) Multiply the per pupil amount by the county’s prekindergarten 17
127-enrollment; 18
172+ (a) Except as provided under subsection (b) of this section, a county board shall 15
173+ensure that: 16
128174
129- (ii) Divide the result calculated under item (i) of this paragraph by 19
130-the ratio, rounded to seven decimal places, of local wealth per pupil to statewide wealth per 20
131-pupil; and 21
175+ (1) Beginning in the 2022–2023 school year, prekindergarten slots 17
176+provided by eligible private providers shall account for at least 30% of the total 18
177+prekindergarten slots provided by eligible prekindergarten providers in each county; 19
132178
133- (iii) Multiply the result calculated under item (ii) of this paragraph 22
134-by the result, rounded to seven decimal places, that results from dividing the total program 23
135-amount by the sum of all of the results calculated under item (ii) of this paragraph for all 24
136-counties. 25
179+ (2) The proportion of eligible private provider prekindergarten slots in each 20
180+county increases by 5 percentage points every school year, until, in the 2026–2027 school 21
181+year, eligible private provider prekindergarten slots account for at least 50% of eligible 22
182+prekindergarten provider prekindergarten slots in each county; and 23
137183
138- (8) “Tier I child” has the meaning stated in § 7–1A–01 of this article. 26
184+ (3) In each year after the 2026–2027 school year, the proportion of eligible 24
185+private provider prekindergarten slots in each county shall continue to constitute at least 25
186+50% of eligible prekindergarten provider prekindergarten slots in each county. 26
139187
140- (9) “Tier II child” has the meaning stated in § 7–1A–01 of this article. 27
188+ (b) (1) The Department shall issue a waiver from the requirements of this 27
189+section to a county board if: 28
141190
142- (10) “Tier III child” has the meaning stated in § 7–1A–01 of this article. 28
143-
144- (11) “Total program amount” means the product of the per pupil amount and 29
145-the statewide prekindergarten enrollment. 30 4 SENATE BILL 913
191+ (i) All families in the county who desire to enroll their eligible 29
192+children with eligible prekindergarten providers are able to do so; or 30 SENATE BILL 913 5
146193
147194
148195
149- (b) To be eligible for public funding, a prekindergarten provider shall comply with 1
150-Title 7, Subtitle 1A of this article. 2
196+ (ii) After reasonable cross–jurisdictional or regional efforts, there 1
197+are too few eligible private providers to meet the minimum requirements of this section. 2
151198
152- (c) (1) (i) As calculated under subsection (d) of this section, there is a State 3
153-share and local share of the per pupil amount for Tier I children. 4
199+ (2) The Department may exclude by annual waiver Tier I children who are 3
200+3 years old in a county from the calculation under subsection (a) of this section until the 4
201+2029–2030 school year. 5
154202
155- (ii) There is no family share for Tier I children. 5
203+ (3) The Department may exclude by annual waiver Tier I children who are 6
204+4 years old in a county from the calculation under subsection (a) of this section until the 7
205+2026–2027 school year. 8
156206
157- (2) As calculated under subsection (e) of this section and beginning in fiscal 6
158-year 2025, there is a State share, local share, and family share of the per pupil amount for 7
159-Tier II children. 8
207+ (4) The Department shall establish waiver application procedures to carry 9
208+out the provisions of this subsection. 10
160209
161- (3) Tier III children are not eligible for funding under this section. 9
210+7–1A–04. 11
162211
163- (d) (1) For public providers, each fiscal year: 10
212+ (a) All eligible prekindergarten providers shall include structural elements that 12
213+are evidence–based and nationally recognized as important for ensuring program quality, 13
214+including: 14
164215
165- (i) The State shall distribute the State share to each county board; 11
166-and 12
216+ (1) Beginning in the 2025–2026 school year: 15
167217
168- (ii) The county board shall distribute to each public provider the 13
169-minimum school funding amount for prekindergarten calculated under § 5–234 of this 14
170-subtitle. 15
218+ (i) High staff qualifications, including teachers who, at a minimum, 16
219+hold: 17
171220
172- (2) For private providers, each fiscal year: 16
221+ 1. State certification for teaching in early childhood 18
222+education; or 19
173223
174- (i) The State shall distribute the State share for private providers 17
175-to the Department; 18
224+ 2. A bachelor’s degree in any field and are pursuing 20
225+residency through the Maryland Approved Alternative Preparation Program, which 21
226+includes early childhood coursework, clinical practice, and evidence of pedagogical content 22
227+knowledge; and 23
176228
177- (ii) The county shall distribute the local share for private providers 19
178-to the Department; and 20
229+ (ii) Teaching assistants who have at least: 24
179230
180- (iii) The Department shall distribute the State and local share to the 21
181-private providers. 22
231+ 1. A Child Development Associate (CDA) certificate; or 25
182232
183-7–1A–01. 23
233+ 2. An associate’s degree; 26
184234
185- (a) In this subtitle the following words have the meanings indicated. 24
235+ (2) Professional development for all staff; 27
186236
187- (i) “Tier I child” means a child: 25
237+ (3) A student–to–classroom personnel ratio of no more than 10 to 1 in each 28
238+class; 29
188239
189- (1) Who is 3 or 4 years old; 26
240+ (4) Class sizes of no more than 20 students per classroom; 30
241+ 6 SENATE BILL 913
190242
191- (2) (I) Whose family income is less than or equal to 300% of the federal 27
192-poverty level; OR 28
193243
194- (II) WHO IS A CHILD WITH A DISABILITY; 29 SENATE BILL 913 5
244+ (5) A full–day prekindergarten program; 1
245+
246+ (6) [Inclusion of students with disabilities to ensure access to and full 2
247+participation in all program opportunities; 3
248+
249+ (7)] For at least 1 year before a student’s enrollment in kindergarten, 4
250+learning environments that: 5
251+
252+ (i) Are aligned with State Early Learning and Development 6
253+Standards; 7
254+
255+ (ii) Use evidence–based curricula; and 8
256+
257+ (iii) Use instruction methods that are: 9
258+
259+ 1. Developmentally appropriate; and 10
260+
261+ 2. Culturally and linguistically responsive; 11
262+
263+ [(8)] (7) Individualized accommodations and supports for all students; 12
264+
265+ [(9)] (8) Instructional staff salaries and benefits that are comparable to 13
266+the salaries and benefits of instructional staff employed by the county board of the county 14
267+in which the early learning program is located; 15
268+
269+ [(10)] (9) Program evaluation to ensure continuous program improvement; 16
270+
271+ [(11)] (10) On–site or accessible comprehensive services for students; 17
272+
273+ [(12)] (11) Community partnerships that promote access to comprehensive 18
274+services for families of students; and 19
275+
276+ [(13)] (12) Evidence–based health and safety standards. 20
277+
278+7–1A–06. 21
279+
280+ (a) Beginning in the 2022–2023 school year, Tier I children who are 3 or 4 years 22
281+old may be enrolled in a full–day prekindergarten program under this subtitle. 23
282+
283+ (b) (1) The proportion of enrolled Tier I children who are 3 years old shall 24
284+increase annually until all Tier I children who are 3 years old are enrolled in a full–day 25
285+prekindergarten program. 26
286+
287+ (2) The proportion of enrolled Tier I children who are 4 years old shall 27
288+increase annually so that all Tier I children who are 4 years old shall be enrolled in a 28
289+full–day prekindergarten program. 29 SENATE BILL 913 7
195290
196291
197292
198- (III) WHO IS A HOMELESS YOU TH; OR 1
293+ (c) Beginning in the 2024–2025 school year, Tier II children may be enrolled in a 1
294+full–day prekindergarten program if space is available to encourage socioeconomic diversity 2
295+in prekindergarten classrooms. 3
199296
200- (IV) WHO IS FROM A HOME IN WHICH ENGLISH IS NOT THE 2
201-PRIMARY SPOKEN LANGU AGE; and 3
297+ (d) Priority in expanding prekindergarten slots shall be provided to 3– and 4–year 4
298+olds who are[: 5
202299
203- (3) Whose family chooses to enroll the child in full–day prekindergarten. 4
300+ (1)] Tier I children[; 6
204301
205-7–1A–03. 5
302+ (2) Children with disabilities, regardless of income; 7
206303
207- (a) Except as provided under subsection (b) of this section, a county board shall 6
208-ensure that: 7
304+ (3) Homeless youth; and 8
209305
210- (1) Beginning in the 2022–2023 school year, prekindergarten slots 8
211-provided by eligible private providers shall account for at least 30% of the total 9
212-prekindergarten slots provided by eligible prekindergarten providers in each county; 10
306+ (4) Children from homes in which English is not the primary spoken 9
307+language]. 10
213308
214- (2) The proportion of eligible private provider prekindergarten slots in each 11
215-county increases by 5 percentage points every school year, until, in the 2026–2027 school 12
216-year, eligible private provider prekindergarten slots account for at least 50% of eligible 13
217-prekindergarten provider prekindergarten slots in each county; and 14
309+ (e) The ability of a family to choose the prekindergarten provider in which to 11
310+enroll their child does not supersede local authority to set school attendance boundaries. 12
218311
219- (3) In each year after the 2026–2027 school year, the proportion of eligible 15
220-private provider prekindergarten slots in each county shall continue to constitute at least 16
221-50% of eligible prekindergarten provider prekindergarten slots in each county. 17
312+7–1A–08. 13
222313
223- (b) (1) The Department shall issue a waiver from the requirements of this 18
224-section to a county board if: 19
314+ On or before December 1, 2021, and each December 1 thereafter, each county board 14
315+shall submit the following information, disaggregated by eligible private and eligible public 15
316+providers, to the Department and the Accountability and Implementation Board 16
317+established under Title 5, Subtitle 4 of this article: 17
225318
226- (i) All families in the county who desire to enroll their eligible 20
227-children with eligible prekindergarten providers are able to do so; or 21
319+ (1) The number of eligible prekindergarten providers in the county; 18
228320
229- (ii) After reasonable cross–jurisdictional or regional efforts, there 22
230-are too few eligible private providers to meet the minimum requirements of this section. 23
321+ (2) The number of eligible prekindergarten providers in the county that, in 19
322+the immediately preceding calendar year, expanded to offer prekindergarten programs that 20
323+are open for pupil attendance a minimum of 6.5 hours during each school day; 21
231324
232- (2) The Department may exclude by annual waiver Tier I children who are 24
233-3 years old in a county from the calculation under subsection (a) of this section until the 25
234-2029–2030 school year. 26
325+ (3) The Maryland EXCELS program quality rating level of each eligible 22
326+prekindergarten provider in the county; 23
235327
236- (3) The Department may exclude by annual waiver Tier I children who are 27
237-4 years old in a county from the calculation under subsection (a) of this section until the 28
238-2026–2027 school year. 29
328+ (4) The participation rate of all county 3– and 4–year olds in eligible 24
329+prekindergarten providers established or expanded in accordance with this subtitle, 25
330+disaggregated by age and tier, if applicable; 26
239331
240- (4) The Department shall establish waiver application procedures to carry 30
241-out the provisions of this subsection. 31
332+ (5) The number and proportion of eligible prekindergarten providers in the 27
333+county that are eligible private providers; 28
242334
243-7–1A–04. 32 6 SENATE BILL 913
244-
245-
246-
247- (a) All eligible prekindergarten providers shall include structural elements that 1
248-are evidence–based and nationally recognized as important for ensuring program quality, 2
249-including: 3
250-
251- (1) Beginning in the 2025–2026 school year: 4
252-
253- (i) High staff qualifications, including teachers who, at a minimum, 5
254-hold: 6
255-
256- 1. State certification for teaching in early childhood 7
257-education; or 8
258-
259- 2. A bachelor’s degree in any field and are pursuing 9
260-residency through the Maryland Approved Alternative Preparation Program, which 10
261-includes early childhood coursework, clinical practice, and evidence of pedagogical content 11
262-knowledge; and 12
263-
264- (ii) Teaching assistants who have at least: 13
265-
266- 1. A Child Development Associate (CDA) certificate; or 14
267-
268- 2. An associate’s degree; 15
269-
270- (2) Professional development for all staff; 16
271-
272- (3) A student–to–classroom personnel ratio of no more than 10 to 1 in each 17
273-class; 18
274-
275- (4) Class sizes of no more than 20 students per classroom; 19
276-
277- (5) A full–day prekindergarten program; 20
278-
279- (6) [Inclusion of students with disabilities to ensure access to and full 21
280-participation in all program opportunities; 22
281-
282- (7)] For at least 1 year before a student’s enrollment in kindergarten, 23
283-learning environments that: 24
284-
285- (i) Are aligned with State Early Learning and Development 25
286-Standards; 26
287-
288- (ii) Use evidence–based curricula; and 27
289-
290- (iii) Use instruction methods that are: 28
291-
292- 1. Developmentally appropriate; and 29 SENATE BILL 913 7
293-
294-
295-
296- 2. Culturally and linguistically responsive; 1
297-
298- [(8)] (7) Individualized accommodations and supports for all students; 2
299-
300- [(9)] (8) Instructional staff salaries and benefits that are comparable to 3
301-the salaries and benefits of instructional staff employed by the county board of the county 4
302-in which the early learning program is located; 5
303-
304- [(10)] (9) Program evaluation to ensure continuous program improvement; 6
305-
306- [(11)] (10) On–site or accessible comprehensive services for students; 7
307-
308- [(12)] (11) Community partnerships that promote access to comprehensive 8
309-services for families of students; and 9
310-
311- [(13)] (12) Evidence–based health and safety standards. 10
312-
313-7–1A–06. 11
314-
315- (a) Beginning in the 2022–2023 school year, Tier I children who are 3 or 4 years 12
316-old AND CHILDREN WHO ARE A PRIORITY UNDER SUB SECTION (D) OF THIS SECTION 13
317-may be enrolled in a full–day prekindergarten program under this subtitle. 14
318-
319- (b) (1) The proportion of enrolled Tier I children who are 3 years old shall 15
320-increase annually until all Tier I children who are 3 years old are enrolled in a full–day 16
321-prekindergarten program. 17
322-
323- (2) The proportion of enrolled Tier I children who are 4 years old shall 18
324-increase annually so that all Tier I children who are 4 years old shall be enrolled in a 19
325-full–day prekindergarten program. 20
326-
327- (c) Beginning in the 2024–2025 school year, Tier II children may be enrolled in a 21
328-full–day prekindergarten program if space is available to encourage socioeconomic diversity 22
329-in prekindergarten classrooms. 23
330-
331- (d) Priority in expanding prekindergarten slots shall be provided to 3– and 4–year 24
332-olds who are[: 25
333-
334- (1)] Tier I children[; 26
335-
336- (2) Children with disabilities, regardless of income; OR 27
337-
338- (3) Homeless youth; and 28
335+ (6) A measure of school readiness in accordance with § 7–210 of this title; 29
336+and 30
339337 8 SENATE BILL 913
340338
341339
342- (4) Children from homes in which English is not the primary spoken 1
343-language]. 2
340+ (7) A demonstration that the expansion of prekindergarten programs in 1
341+the county gave priority to: 2
344342
345- (e) The ability of a family to choose the prekindergarten provider in which to 3
346-enroll their child does not supersede local authority to set school attendance boundaries. 4
343+ (i) Children in areas with limited or no access to quality child care, 3
344+regardless of family income; 4
347345
348-7–1A–08. 5
346+ (ii) Tier I children; and 5
349347
350- On or before December 1, 2021, and each December 1 thereafter, each county board 6
351-shall submit the following information, disaggregated by eligible private and eligible public 7
352-providers, to the Department and the Accountability and Implementation Board 8
353-established under Title 5, Subtitle 4 of this article: 9
348+ (iii) Students with disabilities, regardless of family income. 6
354349
355- (1) The number of eligible prekindergarten providers in the county; 10
350+ SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act is an emergency 7
351+measure, is necessary for the immediate preservation of the public health or safety, has 8
352+been passed by a yea and nay vote supported by three–fifths of all the members elected to 9
353+each of the two Houses of the General Assembly, and shall take effect from the date it is 10
354+enacted. 11
356355
357- (2) The number of eligible prekindergarten providers in the county that, in 11
358-the immediately preceding calendar year, expanded to offer prekindergarten programs that 12
359-are open for pupil attendance a minimum of 6.5 hours during each school day; 13
360-
361- (3) The Maryland EXCELS program quality rating level of each eligible 14
362-prekindergarten provider in the county; 15
363-
364- (4) The participation rate of all county 3– and 4–year olds in eligible 16
365-prekindergarten providers established or expanded in accordance with this subtitle, 17
366-disaggregated by age and tier, if applicable; 18
367-
368- (5) The number and proportion of eligible prekindergarten providers in the 19
369-county that are eligible private providers; 20
370-
371- (6) A measure of school readiness in accordance with § 7–210 of this title; 21
372-and 22
373-
374- (7) A demonstration that the expansion of prekindergarten programs in 23
375-the county gave priority to: 24
376-
377- (i) Children in areas with limited or no access to quality child care, 25
378-regardless of family income; 26
379-
380- (ii) Tier I children; and 27
381-
382- (iii) Students with disabilities, regardless of family income. 28
383-
384- SECTION 2. AND BE IT FUR THER ENACTED, That this Act is an emergency 29
385-measure, is necessary for the immediate preservation of the public health or safety, has 30
386-been passed by a yea and nay vote supported by three–fifths of all the members elected to 31
387-each of the two Houses of the General Assembly, and shall take effect from the date it is 32
388-enacted. 33 SENATE BILL 913 9
389-
390-
391-
392-
393-
394-
395-Approved:
396-________________________________________________________________________________
397- Governor.
398-________________________________________________________________________________
399- President of the Senate.
400-________________________________________________________________________________
401- Speaker of the House of Delegates.