Education-early childhood programs.

WORKING DRAFT
2014
STATE OF
WYOMING
14LSO-0044

HOUSE BILL
NO.

HB0026

Education-
early childhood programs.

Sponsored by:
Joint Education Interim Committee

A BILL

for

AN ACT relating to
early childhood education and development programs;
requiring
the director of the department of education
to coordinate state early childhood education programs and accordingly
granting authority and
imposing responsibilities
;

providing
resources

to supplement local and private funds for the development and extension of early childhood education programs;
establishing a grant program for high quality programs provided by school districts and
nonprofit
service providers;

specifying conditions for
resource assistance and grants
; imposing reporting requirements;

granting rulemaking authority;
providing appropriation
s
;
and providing for an effective date.

Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Wyoming:

Section 1.

W.S. 21
‑
2
‑
202(
a) by creating a new paragraph (xxxv) is amended to read:

21
‑
2
‑
202.

Duties of the director.

(a)

In addition to any other duties assig
ned by law, the director shall:

(xxxv)

Coordinate early childhood education programs provided by
the department of education, the department of family services, the department of health and the department of workforce services,
including programs targeting educationally disadvantaged children, and provide support
to
local governments, political subdivisions
,
nonprofit organizations
and private entities in developing and expanding early childhood education programs providing education and care for children
in preparation for
successful learning in the public education system.

Section
2
.

(a)

In addition to reporting requirements imposed under sections 3 and 4 of this act, the director shall
report to the joint education interim committee by not later than December 1, 2015
, on the following
:

(
i
)

Development of a long-term state
strategic
plan
endorsed by the state board of education and each participating state agency which provides for
the
development of broad

based dissemination and use of early
learning
foundations, implementation of professional training in these foundations at the local level, assessment and progress reporting of statewide implementation of early learning foundations and identification of statewide long-term goals and objectives;

(ii)

Agreement between the department of education, the department of family services, the department of health and the department of workforce services on the contribution
and support
of each agency to
the development and achievement of the long-term state strategic plan
established
pursuant to paragraph (
i
) of this subsection
supporting systems for local program
development
, improvement

and sustenance
;

(iii)

Through collaboration and consultation with school districts, local early childhood education and
care program
provider
s and the statewide education longitudinal data system, link child outcome and program assessment data to inform policy making for continuous improvement.

(b)

For purposes of carrying out this section and administering sections 3 and 4 of this act, an amount not to exceed
five percent
(5%) of the total amount appropriated under sections 3 and 4 of this act shall be available to the director for the period commencing on the effective date of this act and ending June 30, 201
7
.

Section 3.

(a)

Except for administrative expenditures as authorized by section 5(a) of this act, f
or the period commencing July 1, 2014, and ending June 30, 201
7
,
and subject to limitations specified within this section
,

five hundred thousand dollars ($500,000.00) is appropriated from the ge
neral fund to the department of
education

for supplementing
not supplanting
amounts available locally and otherwise for collaborative work between
local governments
and

political subdivisions
,
state agencies
, nonprofit organizations

and
community stakeholders

in
developing and
extending
a comprehensive early childhood
education and
development
system
within respective jurisdiction
s
.

Comprehensive
early childhood education and development systems

shall
encompass multiple domains
which
focus on critical
components

necessary for childhood well-being and success in kindergarten and beyond.

(b)

The d
irector
,

in consultation with the department of education, department of family services, department of health, department of workforce services and the Wyoming early childhood state advisory council, and
subject to the purposes, expenditure criteria,
evaluation
, accountability and reporting requirements
established pursuant to section 2 of this act
, shall expend the amount appropriated by subsection (a) of this section
together with any funds received from private sources, to:

(
i
)

Identify
local governments
,
political subdivisions
or nonprofits
within the state in which there is
a documented need supported by
strong
local leadership to develop stakeholder communication including parents and families, physical and mental health providers, early care and education professionals, kindergarten through grade twelve (12) education profession
a
ls and the broader local
community, including its services, support systems, businesses, churches and individuals, to engage in a collaboration with state agencies, to undertake strategic planning and action focused on improvement of the well-being of its children and families;

(ii)

Encourage collaborative work toward a system of services and support that:

(A)

Honors the fact that families are a child's first and most important teacher;

(B)

Recognizes
the role
of
families and communities in assisting children to become ready for school success;

(C)

Serves as a resource within the community, not a replacement or supplement to successful and necessary programs and services which may exist;

(D)

Identifies a shared definition or understanding for school readiness that assists individuals with taking ownership of respective roles in p
re
paring children for lifetime success;

(E)

Provides a seamless transition between early childhood education and development and
k
indergarten through grade twelve (12) education programs;

(F)

Engages and supports parents and families;

(G)

Focuses on early literacy; and

(H)

Creates dynamic connections across a system to share information and resources.

Section
4
.

(a)

Except for administrative expenditures authorized under section 5(a) of this act, i
n addition to section 3 of this act and for the period commencing July 1, 2014, and ending June 30, 2017, one million dollars ($1,000,000.00) is appropriated from the general fund to the department of education for a grant program available to school districts or other nonprofit
service providers for developing, enhancing
and
sustaining high quality early childhood education programs, including programs targeting
educationally disadvantaged children.

Program grants shall be available
under this section
for supplementing
not supplanting

amounts available locally and otherwise
subject to the purposes, expenditure criteria,
evaluation
, accountability and reporting requirements established
by the director
pursuant to section 2 of this act in consultation with the department of education, department of family services, department
of
health
,
department of workforce services and the Wyoming early childhood state advisory council, including:

(
i
)

Initiation or completion of a community needs assessment and strategic plan for the creation of early childhood education services and supports;

(ii)

Identification of local resources and services for prekindergarten children and an evaluation of local programs and support services;

(iii)

Coordination and expansion of infrastructure to support high-quality early childhood education programs;

(iv)

Collaboration
with classroom teachers, parents, community, volunteer and social service agencies and organizations;

(v)

Development of program components focusing on early childhood literacy;

(vi)

Professional
development and training.

(b)

A process for grant administration under this section shall be established by rule and regulation of the director, promulgated in sufficient time to enable awarding of grants to applicant school districts and
nonprofit
service providers during school year 2014
‑
2015. Notice of the grant program together with necessary application forms and program information shall be provided to school districts and existing
nonprofit
service providers operating in the state
not later than
May 1, 2014. Evaluation of applications shall be based upon criteria specified in subsection (a) of this section and no district or
nonprofit
service provider shall be awarded more than one (1) grant under this section.
In determining g
rant amounts
consideration shall be given to
the following:

(
i
)

The number of children estimated to participate or currently participating in the program;

(ii)

The total program costs;

(iii)

The total amounts available locally or otherwise for the program for which the grant is to supplement;

(iv)

A
maximum award amount of one hundred fifty thousand dollars ($150,000.00).

(c)

Each grant recipient shall report to the director on the expenditure of grant amounts awarded under this section, including the number of children served by the early childhood education program and support services, the impact of the award on total program delivery
,
the ability of the community to address early childhood education needs through use of the grant award
and other criteria established under section 2 of this act
.

Section 5.

(a)

Notwithstanding sections 3(a) and 4(a) of this act, up to five percent (5%) of th
e
general fund appropriation for assistance and grants under sections 3 and 4 of this act, as authorized under section 2 of this act, may be appropriated on the effective date of this act.

(b)

On before
December
1, 2014, and each
Decemb
er 1 thereafter through
December
1, 2017, t
he director shall
report expenditures of amounts appropriated under section 3 of this act, together
with
a compilation of reports collected under section 4(c) of this act, to the joint education and the joint labor, health and social services interim committees. The director shall recommend any modification to the supplemental assistance and grant programs funded under this act, together with any future funding sources.

Section
6
.

T
his act is effective immediately upon completion of all acts necessary for a bill to become law as provided by Article 4, Section 8 of the Wyoming Constitution.

(END)

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HB0026