early childhood education; providers; appropriation

SB1102 - 572R - I Ver

PREFILED��� JAN 07 2026

REFERENCE TITLE:
early childhood education; providers; appropriation

State of Arizona

Senate

Fifty-seventh Legislature

Second Regular Session

2026

SB 1102

Introduced by

Senator
Fernandez

AN
ACT

amending title 15, chapter 2, article 2,
Arizona Revised Statutes, by adding section 15-249.20; appropriating
monies; relating to the department of education.

(TEXT OF BILL BEGINS ON NEXT PAGE)

Be it enacted by the Legislature of the State of Arizona:

Section 1. Title 15, chapter 2, article 2,
Arizona Revised Statutes, is amended by adding section 15-249.20, to read:

START_STATUTE
15-249.20.

Quality early childhood education supplemental assistance grant
program; eligibility; program requirements; definitions

A. The quality early childhood
education supplemental assistance grant program is established in the
department of education to provide early childhood learning services to
children from low-income families.

B. The department of education shall:

1. Establish application procedures
for eligible providers that wish to apply to participate in the grant
program. A provider is eligible to participate in the grant program
if the provider meets all of the following requirements:

(
a
) Is Either:

(
i
) a recipient
or subrecipient of federal grant monies to provide comprehensive child
development services through a program offered under the head start act (p.l.
97-35; 95 stat. 499; 42 united states code sections 9831 through 9852
c
).

(
ii
) A school
district that receives federal monies to provide a preschool program pursuant
to title I of the elementary and secondary education act of 1965 (p.l. 89-10;
79 stat. 27; 20 united states code sections 6313 through 6315).

(
b
) Demonstrates
the need for additional services in the provider's service area.

(
c
) Demonstrates
the ability to expand staff, space or services to serve additional children if
the provider receives additional funding.

2. Award need-based grants beginning
in the 2026-2027 school year that prioritize providers that serve
children from low-income families. the department may establish criteria for
determining priority for need-based grants pursuant to this PARAGRAPH.�
Grant monies awarded and distributed pursuant to this paragraph shall
supplement and not supplant existing state and federal funding for early
childhood learning services.

3. Establish policies and procedures
to implement the grant program that require each participating provider to
provide early childhood learning services that meet or exceed the quality
standards that apply to the comprehensive child development services that are
provided through the head start program or title i preschool program, whichever
applies.� The policies and procedures established pursuant to this paragraph
shall require the provider do all of the following:

(
a
) Coordinate
funding to ensure, to the extent possible based on community demographics,
mixed-income classrooms with at least one teacher and teaching assistant,
or two teachers, for every twenty children.

(
b
)
Use Research-based curriculum and assessment.

(
c
)
Use Developmentally appropriate programs that include learning
experiences relating to language, literacy, social skills, emotional
regulation, math, science, social studies, creative arts and physical
development.

(
d
)
Provide A learning environment that includes:

(
i
) Developmentally
appropriate schedules, lesson plans, indoor learning experiences and outdoor
learning experiences.

(
ii
) teacher-directed
and child-initiated activities.

(
iii
) active
learning activities and quiet learning activities.

(
iv
) Individual,
small group and large group learning activities.

(
v
) Opportunities
for choice, play, exploration and experimentation among a variety of learning,
sensory and motor experiences.

(
e
) Ensure That
At least ten percent of children who receive services that are funded,
including partial funding, by a grant pursuant to this section are children
with a disability.

(
f
) Provide all
services to a child with a disability in the least restrictive environment
possible and ensure that each child with a disability fully participates in all
program activities.

(
g
) Provide any
necessary accommodations for children with a disability to access facilities,
equipment, materials or supplies that are accessible by other children who
receive services from the provider.

(
h
) Complete or
obtain a current developmental screening for each child not later than forty-five
days after the child begins receiving services from the provider.� If
necessary, the provider shall refer the family to the school district that is
responsible for conducting an evaluation pursuant to section 15-766.

(
i
) Offer
opportunities for each child's parents and family members to be involved in the
education services, including establishing a parent council.� A provider may
satisfy the requirements of this subdivision by including parents in an existing
parent council on the same terms as parents whose children receive services
pursuant to a federally funded program.

(
j
) Provide
nutritious meals, movement activities and hearing and vision screening.

(
k
) partner
with members of the community who can support children's mental, dental and
physical health.

(
l
) Secure
ongoing early childhood mental health consultations at least once per month and
provide screening or referrals, or both, for children who need additional
support as necessary.

(
m
) Establish
and implement a system of health and safety practices to ensure that children
are safe at all times and provide sufficient training to employees to ensure
compliance with the system.

(
n
) Provide
orientation training to all new employees who will provide services directly to
children not later than three months after the date of hire.

(
o
) Provide
ongoing training to all employees on health, safety and child care requirements
developed by the program or by federal, state, local and, if applicable, tribal
governments.

(
p
) Ensure that
families have language access to the program and, as applicable, offer dual
language education opportunities that both set the FOUNDATION for biliteracy
and ensure that emergent bilingual children have full access to the curriculum
and instruction.

4. Coordinate with public and private
providers of early childhood learning services, including, if applicable, any
of the following:

(
a
) One or more
regional partnership councils established pursuant to title 8, chapter 13,
article 2.

(
b
) an
association of RECIPIENTs or SUBRECIPIENTs, or both, OF FEDERAL GRANT MONIES TO
PROVIDE COMPREHENSIVE CHILD DEVELOPMENT SERVICES THROUGH A HEAD START PROGRAM.

(
c
) other
agencies involved with early childhood development and health issues.

c. For the purposes of this section:

1. "child with a
disability" has the same meaning prescribed in section 15-761.

2. "Low-income
family" means a family whose gross household income is at or below one
hundred percent of the federal poverty level.
END_STATUTE

Sec. 2.
Appropriation;
department of education; grant program; intent

A. The sum of $175,000,000
is appropriated from the state general fund in fiscal year 2026-2027 to
the department of education for the quality early childhood education
supplemental assistance grant program established by section 15-249.20,
Arizona Revised Statutes, as added by this act.

B. The legislature intends
that the appropriation made in subsection A of this section be considered
ongoing.