Texas 2021 - 87th Regular

Texas Senate Bill SB37 Compare Versions

Only one version of the bill is available at this time.

Old	New	Differences
1	1	87R1724 CAE-D
2	2	By: Zaffirini S.B. No. 37
3	3
4	4
5	5	A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
6	6	AN ACT
7	7	relating to providing free full-day prekindergarten for certain
8	8	children.
9	9	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
10	10	SECTION 1. Sections 29.153(a-1), (b), (c), (d), and (f),
11	11	Education Code, are amended to read as follows:
12	12	(a-1) A district shall offer prekindergarten classes to any
13	13	child [if the district identifies 15 or more children] who is [are
14	14	eligible under Subsection (b) and are] at least four years of age.
15	15	A school district may offer prekindergarten classes if the district
16	16	identifies 15 or more [eligible] children who are eligible under
17	17	Subsection (b)(1) [at least three years of age]. A district may not
18	18	charge tuition for a prekindergarten class offered under this
19	19	section.
20	20	(b) A child is eligible for enrollment in a prekindergarten
21	21	class under this section if the child is:
22	22	(1) at least three years of age and:
23	23	(A) [(1)] is unable to speak and comprehend the
24	24	English language;
25	25	(B) [(2)] is educationally disadvantaged;
26	26	(C) [(3)] is homeless, regardless of the
27	27	residence of the child, of either parent of the child, or of the
28	28	child's guardian or other person having lawful control of the
29	29	child;
30	30	(D) [(4)] is the child of an active duty member
31	31	of the armed forces of the United States, including the state
32	32	military forces or a reserve component of the armed forces, who is
33	33	ordered to active duty by proper authority;
34	34	(E) [(5)] is the child of a member of the armed
35	35	forces of the United States, including the state military forces or
36	36	a reserve component of the armed forces, who was injured or killed
37	37	while serving on active duty;
38	38	(F) [(6)] is or ever has been in the
39	39	conservatorship of the Department of Family and Protective Services
40	40	following an adversary hearing held as provided by Section 262.201,
41	41	Family Code; or
42	42	(G) [(7)] is the child of a person eligible for
43	43	the Star of Texas Award as:
44	44	(i) [(A)] a peace officer under Section
45	45	3106.002, Government Code;
46	46	(ii) [(B)] a firefighter under Section
47	47	3106.003, Government Code; or
48	48	(iii) [(C)] an emergency medical first
49	49	responder under Section 3106.004, Government Code; or
50	50	(2) at least four years of age.
51	51	(c) A prekindergarten class under this section [may be
52	52	operated on a half-day basis for children under four years of age
53	53	and] shall be operated on a full-day basis [for children who are at
54	54	least four years of age]. A district is not required to provide
55	55	transportation for a prekindergarten class, but transportation, if
56	56	provided, is included for funding purposes as part of the regular
57	57	transportation system.
58	58	(d) Subject to Subsections (d-1) and (d-2), on application
59	59	of a district, the commissioner shall exempt a district from the
60	60	application of all or any part of this section, including all or any
61	61	part of Subchapter E-1 for a prekindergarten class described by
62	62	Subsection (c-1), if the commissioner determines that[:
63	63	[(1)] the district would be required to construct
64	64	classroom facilities in order to provide prekindergarten classes[;
65	65	or
66	66	[(2) implementing any part of this section would
67	67	result in fewer eligible children being enrolled in a
68	68	prekindergarten class under this section].
69	69	(f) A child who is eligible for enrollment in a
70	70	prekindergarten class under Subsection (b)(1)(D) or (E) [(b)(4) or
71	71	(5)] remains eligible for enrollment if the child's parent leaves
72	72	the armed forces, or is no longer on active duty, after the child
73	73	begins a prekindergarten class.
74	74	SECTION 2. Section 29.1531(a), Education Code, is amended
75	75	to read as follows:
76	76	(a) A school district may offer on a tuition basis or use
77	77	district funds to provide[:
78	78	[(1) an additional half-day of prekindergarten
79	79	classes to children who are eligible for classes under Section
80	80	29.153 and are under four years of age; and
81	81	[(2)] half-day and full-day prekindergarten classes
82	82	to children not eligible for classes under Section 29.153.
83	83	SECTION 3. Section 29.1532(c), Education Code, is amended
84	84	to read as follows:
85	85	(c) A school district that offers prekindergarten classes
86	86	shall include the following information in the district's Public
87	87	Education Information Management System (PEIMS) report:
88	88	(1) demographic information, as determined by the
89	89	commissioner, on students enrolled in district and campus
90	90	prekindergarten classes, including the number of students who are
91	91	eligible for classes under Section 29.153(b)(1) and (f) [29.153];
92	92	(2) the numbers of half-day and full-day
93	93	prekindergarten classes offered by the district and campus;
94	94	(3) the number of half-day prekindergarten classes for
95	95	which the district has received an exemption from full-day
96	96	operation under Section 29.153(d);
97	97	(4) the sources of funding for the prekindergarten
98	98	classes;
99	99	(5) the class size and ratio of instructional staff to
100	100	students for each prekindergarten program class offered by the
101	101	district and campus;
102	102	(6) if the district elects to administer an assessment
103	103	instrument under Section 29.169 to students enrolled in district
104	104	and campus prekindergarten program classes, a description and the
105	105	results of each type of assessment instrument; and
106	106	(7) curricula used in the district's prekindergarten
107	107	program classes.
108	108	SECTION 4. This Act applies beginning with the 2021-2022
109	109	school year.
110	110	SECTION 5. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives
111	111	a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as
112	112	provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this
113	113	Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this
114	114	Act takes effect September 1, 2021.