| 1 | 1 | | 89R2204 CXP-D |
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| 2 | 2 | | By: Lopez of Bexar H.B. No. 225 |
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| 3 | 3 | | |
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| 4 | 4 | | |
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| 5 | 5 | | |
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| 6 | 6 | | |
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| 7 | 7 | | A BILL TO BE ENTITLED |
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| 8 | 8 | | AN ACT |
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| 9 | 9 | | relating to a pilot program to provide grants for free or |
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| 10 | 10 | | reduced-tuition prekindergarten classes to certain children. |
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| 11 | 11 | | BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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| 12 | 12 | | SECTION 1. Subchapter E, Chapter 29, Education Code, is |
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| 13 | 13 | | amended by adding Section 29.1535 to read as follows: |
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| 14 | 14 | | Sec. 29.1535. FREE AND REDUCED-TUITION PREKINDERGARTEN |
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| 15 | 15 | | GRANT PILOT PROGRAM. (a) From money appropriated or otherwise |
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| 16 | 16 | | available for the purpose, the commissioner, in collaboration with |
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| 17 | 17 | | the Pre-K 4 SA early childhood initiative, shall establish and |
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| 18 | 18 | | administer a pilot program to provide grants to school districts, |
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| 19 | 19 | | open-enrollment charter schools, and private schools to provide |
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| 20 | 20 | | free or reduced-tuition prekindergarten classes to eligible |
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| 21 | 21 | | children. |
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| 22 | 22 | | (b) A school district, open-enrollment charter school, or |
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| 23 | 23 | | private school shall use money received under the pilot program to |
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| 24 | 24 | | provide free or reduced-tuition prekindergarten classes to |
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| 25 | 25 | | eligible children. |
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| 26 | 26 | | (c) A child is eligible to enroll in a prekindergarten class |
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| 27 | 27 | | described by Subsection (b) if the child: |
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| 28 | 28 | | (1) is at least three years of age; and |
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| 29 | 29 | | (2) resides in the regional boundaries of the Region |
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| 30 | 30 | | 20 education service center. |
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| 31 | 31 | | (d) To the extent consistent with state and federal law, a |
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| 32 | 32 | | prekindergarten class provided using money received under the pilot |
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| 33 | 33 | | program must be operated in accordance with any curriculum and |
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| 34 | 34 | | teaching methods implemented by the Pre-K 4 SA early childhood |
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| 35 | 35 | | initiative. |
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| 36 | 36 | | (e) Not later than September 1 of each year, the |
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| 37 | 37 | | commissioner shall prepare and submit to the legislature a report |
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| 38 | 38 | | on the pilot program under this section. The report must include: |
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| 39 | 39 | | (1) an evaluation of the academic and developmental |
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| 40 | 40 | | achievements of students enrolled in a prekindergarten class using |
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| 41 | 41 | | money received under the pilot program; and |
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| 42 | 42 | | (2) any recommendations for legislative or other |
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| 43 | 43 | | action. |
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| 44 | 44 | | (f) The commissioner shall adopt rules as necessary to |
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| 45 | 45 | | establish and administer the pilot program under this section. |
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| 46 | 46 | | (g) The pilot program is abolished and this section expires |
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| 47 | 47 | | January 1, 2031. |
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| 48 | 48 | | SECTION 2. Not later than September 1, 2026, the |
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| 49 | 49 | | commissioner of education shall submit the initial report required |
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| 50 | 50 | | by Section 29.1535, Education Code, as added by this Act. |
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| 51 | 51 | | SECTION 3. This Act applies beginning with the 2025-2026 |
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| 52 | 52 | | school year. |
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| 53 | 53 | | SECTION 4. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives |
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| 54 | 54 | | a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as |
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| 55 | 55 | | provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this |
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| 56 | 56 | | Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this |
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| 57 | 57 | | Act takes effect September 1, 2025. |
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