By: Villarreal H.B. No. 3110
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to a kindergarten-plus pilot project for certain children.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
Article I. Definitions.
(1) The "commissioner" means the Texas Education
Commissioner.
(2) The "agency" means the Texas Education Agency.
(3) "Economically disadvantaged" means:
(A) Students from a family with an annual income
at or below the official poverty line; or,
(B) Students eligible for Temporary Assistance
for Needy Families or other public assistance; or,
(C) Students who received a Pell Grant or
comparable state program of need-based financial assistance; or,
(D) Students eligible for programs assisted
under Title II of the Job Training Partnership Act; or,
(E) Students eligible for Benefits under the Food
Stamp Act of 1977.
Article II. Kindergarten-Plus Program Pilot Project.
Subchapter E, Chapter 29, Education Code, is amended by adding
Section 29.162 to read as follows:
SECTION 1. Duties of the Commissioner of Education.
(a) The commissioner shall:
(1) Establish a three-year study that extends
approved full-day kindergarten programs by 40 instructional days
for certain students in eligible school districts;
(2) Award grants to eligible school districts
from funds appropriated for the purpose;
(3) Adopt rules necessary to administer this
section, including campus application requirements, procedures for
evaluating applications for grants;
(4) Provide standards and a curriculum for the
Kindergarten-Plus program;
(5) Establish district reporting and evaluation
requirements.
SECTION II. Eligible Districts.
(a) This act applies to districts which reported to
the agency more than 50,000 students enrolled in 2007-2008, and,
(b) Who reported more than 80 percent of the student
population as economically disadvantaged or eligible for free or
reduced lunch in 2007-2009.
(c) A district may use funds received under this
subsection only for the purpose of the district's Kindergarten-Plus
program.
(d) A school district Kindergarten-Plus program must,
at a minimum, consist of:
(1) twenty additional instruction days for an
eligible child during the summer before the child will begin
kindergarten; and,
(2) twenty additional instruction days for an
eligible child during the summer after the child completes
kindergarten.
(3) a curriculum based on improving numeracy,
literacy and social skills in students.
(e) A school district receiving funds under this
section shall:
(1) Demonstrate that its Kindergarten-Plus
program will meet all state standards and employ only qualified
teachers and other staff.
(2) Compensate teachers at the same rate and
under the same terms for Kindergarten-Plus as teachers are paid for
regular full-day kindergarten programs.
(3) A teacher who teaches a Kindergarten-Plus
program is entitled to two additional professional development days
each school year.
(4) Employ a sufficient number of teachers as
provided by Section 25.112 of this section.
(5) Notify the population in the district whose
children are eligible for enrollment in Kindergarten-Plus of the
availability of the class. The system must include public notices
issued in English and Spanish.
SECTION III. Student eligibility.
(a) A child is eligible to participate in a school
district's Kindergarten-Plus program if the:
(1) Child's parent or guardian has applied for
the child to participate in the kindergarten-plus program in the
time and manner required by the district and the district has
accepted the child's application;
(2) Child qualified for a pre-kindergarten
program under Section 29.153 of this section prior to reaching
school eligibility under Section 25.001 of this section; or,
(3) Child is entitled to attend school in the
district under Section 25.001 of the Education Code; and the child
is:
(A) Unable to speak and comprehend the
English language; or,
(B) Educationally disadvantaged as
established under 42 U.S.C.S. Section 1751 et seq.; or,
(C) Homeless, as defined by 42 U.S.C
Section 11302 regardless of the residence of the child, of either
parent of the child, or of the child's guardian or other person
having lawful control of the child.
(b) A child enrolled in Kindergarten-Plus remains
eligible for the duration of the program, regardless of financial
status.
SECTION 2. As soon as practicable after the effective date
of this Act, the commissioner shall adopt rules relating to the
kindergarten-plus program provided for by Section 29.1511,
Education Code, as added by this Act.
SECTION 3. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives
a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as
provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this
Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this
Act takes effect September 1, 2009.