Texas 2025 - 89th Regular

Texas House Bill HB358 Compare Versions

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

Old	New	Differences
1	1	89R333 CXP-D
2	2	By: Bucy H.B. No. 358
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6	6
7	7	A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
8	8	AN ACT
9	9	relating to providing free full-day prekindergarten for certain
10	10	children.
11	11	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
12	12	SECTION 1. Sections 29.153(a-1), (b), (c), (d), and (f),
13	13	Education Code, are amended to read as follows:
14	14	(a-1) A district shall offer prekindergarten classes to any
15	15	child [if the district identifies 15 or more children] who is [are
16	16	eligible under Subsection (b) and are] at least four years of age.
17	17	A school district may offer prekindergarten classes if the district
18	18	identifies 15 or more [eligible] children who are eligible under
19	19	Subsection (b)(1) [at least three years of age]. A district may not
20	20	charge tuition for a prekindergarten class offered under this
21	21	section.
22	22	(b) A child is eligible for enrollment in a prekindergarten
23	23	class under this section if the child is:
24	24	(1) at least three years of age and:
25	25	(A) [(1)] is unable to speak and comprehend the
26	26	English language;
27	27	(B) [(2)] is educationally disadvantaged;
28	28	(C) [(3)] is homeless, regardless of the
29	29	residence of the child, of either parent of the child, or of the
30	30	child's guardian or other person having lawful control of the
31	31	child;
32	32	(D) [(4)] is the child of an active duty member
33	33	of the armed forces of the United States, including the state
34	34	military forces or a reserve component of the armed forces, who is
35	35	ordered to active duty by proper authority;
36	36	(E) [(5)] is the child of a member of the armed
37	37	forces of the United States, including the state military forces or
38	38	a reserve component of the armed forces, who was injured or killed
39	39	while serving on active duty;
40	40	(F) [(6)] is or ever has been in:
41	41	(i) [(A)] the conservatorship of the
42	42	Department of Family and Protective Services following an adversary
43	43	hearing held as provided by Section 262.201, Family Code; or
44	44	(ii) [(B)] foster care in another state or
45	45	territory, if the child resides in this state; or
46	46	(G) [(7)] is the child of a person eligible for
47	47	the Star of Texas Award as:
48	48	(i) [(A)] a peace officer under Section
49	49	3106.002, Government Code;
50	50	(ii) [(B)] a firefighter under Section
51	51	3106.003, Government Code; or
52	52	(iii) [(C)] an emergency medical first
53	53	responder under Section 3106.004, Government Code; or
54	54	(2) at least four years of age.
55	55	(c) A prekindergarten class under this section [may be
56	56	operated on a half-day basis for children under four years of age
57	57	and] shall be operated on a full-day basis [for children who are at
58	58	least four years of age]. A district is not required to provide
59	59	transportation for a prekindergarten class, but transportation, if
60	60	provided, is included for funding purposes as part of the regular
61	61	transportation system.
62	62	(d) Subject to Subsections (d-1) and (d-2), on application
63	63	of a district, the commissioner shall exempt a district from the
64	64	application of all or any part of this section, including all or any
65	65	part of Subchapter E-1 for a prekindergarten class described by
66	66	Subsection (c-1), if the commissioner determines that[:
67	67	[(1)] the district would be required to construct
68	68	classroom facilities in order to provide prekindergarten classes[;
69	69	or
70	70	[(2) implementing any part of this section would
71	71	result in fewer eligible children being enrolled in a
72	72	prekindergarten class under this section].
73	73	(f) A child who is eligible for enrollment in a
74	74	prekindergarten class under Subsection (b)(1)(D) or (E) [(b)(4) or
75	75	(5)] remains eligible for enrollment if the child's parent leaves
76	76	the armed forces, or is no longer on active duty, after the child
77	77	begins a prekindergarten class.
78	78	SECTION 2. Section 29.1531(a), Education Code, is amended
79	79	to read as follows:
80	80	(a) A school district may offer on a tuition basis or use
81	81	district funds to provide[:
82	82	[(1) an additional half-day of prekindergarten
83	83	classes to children who are eligible for classes under Section
84	84	29.153 and are under four years of age; and
85	85	[(2)] half-day and full-day prekindergarten classes
86	86	to children not eligible for classes under Section 29.153.
87	87	SECTION 3. Section 29.1532(c), Education Code, is amended
88	88	to read as follows:
89	89	(c) A school district that offers prekindergarten classes
90	90	shall include the following information in the district's Public
91	91	Education Information Management System (PEIMS) report:
92	92	(1) demographic information, as determined by the
93	93	commissioner, on students enrolled in district and campus
94	94	prekindergarten classes, including the number of students who are
95	95	eligible for classes under Sections 29.153(b)(1) and (f) [Section
96	96	29.153];
97	97	(2) the numbers of half-day and full-day
98	98	prekindergarten classes offered by the district and campus;
99	99	(3) the number of half-day prekindergarten classes for
100	100	which the district has received an exemption from full-day
101	101	operation under Section 29.153(d);
102	102	(4) the sources of funding for the prekindergarten
103	103	classes;
104	104	(5) the class size and ratio of instructional staff to
105	105	students for each prekindergarten program class offered by the
106	106	district and campus;
107	107	(6) if the district elects to administer an assessment
108	108	instrument under Section 29.169 to students enrolled in district
109	109	and campus prekindergarten program classes, a description and the
110	110	results of each type of assessment instrument; and
111	111	(7) curricula used in the district's prekindergarten
112	112	program classes.
113	113	SECTION 4. This Act applies beginning with the 2025-2026
114	114	school year.
115	115	SECTION 5. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives
116	116	a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as
117	117	provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this
118	118	Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this
119	119	Act takes effect September 1, 2025.