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| 4 | 4 | | |
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| 5 | 5 | | 2025 -- H 5596 |
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| 6 | 6 | | ======== |
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| 7 | 7 | | LC001966 |
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| 8 | 8 | | ======== |
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| 9 | 9 | | S T A T E O F R H O D E I S L A N D |
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| 10 | 10 | | IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY |
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| 11 | 11 | | JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2025 |
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| 12 | 12 | | ____________ |
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| 13 | 13 | | |
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| 14 | 14 | | A N A C T |
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| 15 | 15 | | RELATING TO EDUCATION -- RHODE ISLAND PREKINDERGARTEN EDUC ATION |
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| 16 | 16 | | ACT |
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| 17 | 17 | | Introduced By: Representatives Shallcross Smith, Ackerman, Fellela, Perez, Baginski, |
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| 18 | 18 | | Place, and Fogarty |
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| 19 | 19 | | Date Introduced: February 26, 2025 |
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| 20 | 20 | | Referred To: House Education |
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| 21 | 21 | | |
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| 22 | 22 | | |
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| 23 | 23 | | It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows: |
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| 24 | 24 | | SECTION 1. Chapter 16-87 of the General Laws entitled "Rhode Island Prekindergarten 1 |
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| 25 | 25 | | Education Act" is hereby amended by adding thereto the following section: 2 |
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| 26 | 26 | | 16-87-8. Prekindergarten seat finder. 3 |
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| 27 | 27 | | (a) Purpose. The purpose of this section is to establish a statewide prekindergarten seat 4 |
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| 28 | 28 | | finder to support families in accessing high-quality early childhood education programs for three 5 |
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| 29 | 29 | | (3) and four (4) year old children. This system will provide real-time availability, eligibility 6 |
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| 30 | 30 | | screening, and application support for families seeking licensed early learning providers. 7 |
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| 31 | 31 | | (b) Establishment of a prekindergarten finder platform development. 8 |
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| 32 | 32 | | (1) The department of elementary and secondary education shall procure or develop and 9 |
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| 33 | 33 | | maintain a statewide digital prekindergarten seat finder platform to help families locate and secure 10 |
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| 34 | 34 | | Pre-K program placements. 11 |
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| 35 | 35 | | (2) Functionality. The finder shall include the following: 12 |
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| 36 | 36 | | (i) Provide real-time availability of licensed early learning programs serving three (3) and 13 |
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| 37 | 37 | | four (4) year old children; 14 |
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| 38 | 38 | | (ii) Include a searchable directory of providers with filters for location, hours, quality 15 |
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| 39 | 39 | | ratings, tuition, language, tour availability, parent ratings, and subsidy eligibility; 16 |
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| 40 | 40 | | (iii) Offer an eligibility screener for state and federally funded Pre-K programs; including 17 |
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| 41 | 41 | | Head Start, state preschool, and mixed-delivery models; 18 |
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| 42 | 42 | | |
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| 43 | 43 | | |
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| 44 | 44 | | LC001966 - Page 2 of 3 |
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| 45 | 45 | | (iv) Enable families to apply directly for programs or join waitlists through a centralized 1 |
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| 46 | 46 | | intake system; and 2 |
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| 47 | 47 | | (v) Ensure accessibility for non-English speaking families and those with disabilities. 3 |
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| 48 | 48 | | (c) Provider participation and data requirements. 4 |
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| 49 | 49 | | (1) All licensed Pre-K providers, including state-funded, private, and nonprofit programs, 5 |
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| 50 | 50 | | must participate in the finder platform. 6 |
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| 51 | 51 | | (2) Providers must update availability at least weekly and report key program details, 7 |
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| 52 | 52 | | including: 8 |
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| 53 | 53 | | (i) Enrollment openings by age group; 9 |
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| 54 | 54 | | (ii) Tuition rates and subsidy acceptance; 10 |
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| 55 | 55 | | (iii) Program quality indicators (QRIS ratings, national accreditation status); 11 |
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| 56 | 56 | | (iv) Special services offered including, but not limited to, dual-language, inclusive 12 |
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| 57 | 57 | | education, and extended care; 13 |
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| 58 | 58 | | (v) Parental ratings; and 14 |
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| 59 | 59 | | (vi) Tour availability. 15 |
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| 60 | 60 | | (3) The state shall integrate the finder with the subsidy eligibility system to facilitate 16 |
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| 61 | 61 | | streamlined enrollment for families using childcare assistance or Pre-K grants. 17 |
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| 62 | 62 | | (d) Parental support and outreach. The department shall conduct outreach campaigns to 18 |
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| 63 | 63 | | ensure families, particularly those in underserved communities, are aware of and can access the 19 |
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| 64 | 64 | | finder. 20 |
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| 65 | 65 | | (e) Implementation. The finder shall be fully operational within twelve (12) months of 21 |
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| 66 | 66 | | enactment. The department shall report annually to the speaker of the house and senate president 22 |
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| 67 | 67 | | on usage rates, enrollment trends, and provider participation. 23 |
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| 68 | 68 | | SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage. 24 |
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| 69 | 69 | | ======== |
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| 70 | 70 | | LC001966 |
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| 71 | 71 | | ======== |
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| 72 | 72 | | |
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| 73 | 73 | | |
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| 74 | 74 | | LC001966 - Page 3 of 3 |
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| 75 | 75 | | EXPLANATION |
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| 76 | 76 | | BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL |
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| 77 | 77 | | OF |
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| 78 | 78 | | A N A C T |
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| 79 | 79 | | RELATING TO EDUCATION -- RHODE ISLAND PREKINDERGARTEN EDUCAT ION |
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| 80 | 80 | | ACT |
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| 81 | 81 | | *** |
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| 82 | 82 | | This act would establish a prekindergarten seat finder to support families in accessing high 1 |
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| 83 | 83 | | quality early childhood education programs for three (3) and four (4) year old children. 2 |
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| 84 | 84 | | This act would take effect upon passage. 3 |
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| 85 | 85 | | ======== |
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| 86 | 86 | | LC001966 |
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| 87 | 87 | | ======== |
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