Texas 2023 - 88th Regular

Texas House Bill HB342 Compare Versions

Version 1 (Old)

Version 2 (New)

Old	New	Differences
1	1	88R1707 ANG-D
2	2	By: Bucy H.B. No. 342
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:
39	39	(i) [(A)] the conservatorship of the
40	40	Department of Family and Protective Services following an adversary
41	41	hearing held as provided by Section 262.201, Family Code; or
42	42	(ii) [(B)] foster care in another state or
43	43	territory, if the child resides in this state; or
44	44	(G) [(7)] is the child of a person eligible for
45	45	the Star of Texas Award as:
46	46	(i) [(A)] a peace officer under Section
47	47	3106.002, Government Code;
48	48	(ii) [(B)] a firefighter under Section
49	49	3106.003, Government Code; or
50	50	(iii) [(C)] an emergency medical first
51	51	responder under Section 3106.004, Government Code; or
52	52	(2) at least four years of age.
53	53	(c) A prekindergarten class under this section [may be
54	54	operated on a half-day basis for children under four years of age
55	55	and] shall be operated on a full-day basis [for children who are at
56	56	least four years of age]. A district is not required to provide
57	57	transportation for a prekindergarten class, but transportation, if
58	58	provided, is included for funding purposes as part of the regular
59	59	transportation system.
60	60	(d) Subject to Subsections (d-1) and (d-2), on application
61	61	of a district, the commissioner shall exempt a district from the
62	62	application of all or any part of this section, including all or any
63	63	part of Subchapter E-1 for a prekindergarten class described by
64	64	Subsection (c-1), if the commissioner determines that[:
65	65	[(1)] the district would be required to construct
66	66	classroom facilities in order to provide prekindergarten classes[;
67	67	or
68	68	[(2) implementing any part of this section would
69	69	result in fewer eligible children being enrolled in a
70	70	prekindergarten class under this section].
71	71	(f) A child who is eligible for enrollment in a
72	72	prekindergarten class under Subsection (b)(1)(D) or (E) [(b)(4) or
73	73	(5)] remains eligible for enrollment if the child's parent leaves
74	74	the armed forces, or is no longer on active duty, after the child
75	75	begins a prekindergarten class.
76	76	SECTION 2. Section 29.1531(a), Education Code, is amended
77	77	to read as follows:
78	78	(a) A school district may offer on a tuition basis or use
79	79	district funds to provide[:
80	80	[(1) an additional half-day of prekindergarten
81	81	classes to children who are eligible for classes under Section
82	82	29.153 and are under four years of age; and
83	83	[(2)] half-day and full-day prekindergarten classes
84	84	to children not eligible for classes under Section 29.153.
85	85	SECTION 3. Section 29.1532(c), Education Code, is amended
86	86	to read as follows:
87	87	(c) A school district that offers prekindergarten classes
88	88	shall include the following information in the district's Public
89	89	Education Information Management System (PEIMS) report:
90	90	(1) demographic information, as determined by the
91	91	commissioner, on students enrolled in district and campus
92	92	prekindergarten classes, including the number of students who are
93	93	eligible for classes under Sections 29.153(b)(1) and (f) [Section
94	94	29.153];
95	95	(2) the numbers of half-day and full-day
96	96	prekindergarten classes offered by the district and campus;
97	97	(3) the number of half-day prekindergarten classes for
98	98	which the district has received an exemption from full-day
99	99	operation under Section 29.153(d);
100	100	(4) the sources of funding for the prekindergarten
101	101	classes;
102	102	(5) the class size and ratio of instructional staff to
103	103	students for each prekindergarten program class offered by the
104	104	district and campus;
105	105	(6) if the district elects to administer an assessment
106	106	instrument under Section 29.169 to students enrolled in district
107	107	and campus prekindergarten program classes, a description and the
108	108	results of each type of assessment instrument; and
109	109	(7) curricula used in the district's prekindergarten
110	110	program classes.
111	111	SECTION 4. This Act applies beginning with the 2023-2024
112	112	school year.
113	113	SECTION 5. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives
114	114	a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as
115	115	provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this
116	116	Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this
117	117	Act takes effect September 1, 2023.