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HB0223 • 2023

Wyoming preschool provider grants.

AN ACT relating to education; modifying the expenditure of revenues generated by the Wyoming education trust fund; establishing a grant program for preschool providers as specified; defining terms; specifying requirements; providing rulemaking authority; eliminating the innovative program grant program; transferring funds; making conforming amendments; repealing provisions; and providing for an effective date.

Children Education
Did Not Pass

The latest official action shows that this bill did not move forward in that session.

Sponsor
Representative Sommers
Last action
2023-02-06
Official status
inactive
Effective date
3/1/2023

Plain English Breakdown

The bill did not pass and was not considered by the Committee of the Whole on February 6, 2023.

Wyoming Preschool Provider Grants

The bill proposes to establish a grant program for preschool providers serving economically disadvantaged and at-risk students using funds from the Wyoming education trust fund.

What This Bill Does

  • Modifies how money from the Wyoming education trust fund is spent.
  • Creates a new grant program for preschool providers serving economically disadvantaged and at-risk children.
  • Defines key terms like 'at-risk student' and 'economically disadvantaged student'.
  • Sets rules for applying for grants, including deadlines and required information.
  • Limits each grant to $50,000 per year and requires the money be used only as intended.

Who It Names or Affects

  • Preschool providers in Wyoming who serve economically disadvantaged and at-risk children.
  • The Department of Education which will manage the grants.
  • Economically disadvantaged students who are at risk for academic failure.

Terms To Know

At-risk student
A student likely to struggle academically or miss school when they start elementary grades.
Economically disadvantaged student
A student who qualifies for free or reduced-price lunches under the federal lunch program.

Limits and Unknowns

  • The bill did not pass and was not considered by the Committee of the Whole.
  • It is unclear how many preschool providers will apply for grants.
  • Fifty million dollars ($50,000,000.00) from another fund were to be transferred to support these grants, but this did not happen.

Bill History

  1. 2023-02-06 House

    H COW:H Did not consider for COW

  2. 2023-02-03 House

    H Placed on General File

  3. 2023-02-03 House

    H02 - Appropriations:Recommend Do Pass 7-0-0-0-0

  4. 2023-02-02 House

    H COW:Rerefer to H02 - Appropriations

  5. 2023-02-01 House

    H Placed on General File

  6. 2023-02-01 House

    H04 - Education:Recommend Do Pass 8-1-0-0-0

  7. 2023-01-25 House

    H Introduced and Referred to H04 - Education

  8. 2023-01-24 House

    H Received for Introduction

  9. 2023-01-23 LSO

    Bill Number Assigned

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
23LSO-0626
2023
STATE OF WYOMING
23LSO-0626
Numbered
2.0

HOUSE BILL NO. HB0223

Wyoming preschool provider grants.

Sponsored by: Representative(s) Sommers, Berger and Larsen, L and Senator(s) Barlow, Rothfuss and Schuler

A BILL

for

AN ACT relating to education; modifying the expenditure of revenues generated by the Wyoming education trust fund; establishing a grant program for preschool providers as specified; defining terms; specifying requirements; providing rulemaking authority; eliminating the innovative program grant program; transferring funds; making conforming amendments; repealing provisions; and providing for an effective date.

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

Section 1
.

W.S. 21
‑
22
‑
102(a)(i) and by creating new subsections (b) through (f) is amended to read:

21
‑
22
‑
102.

Disposition of trust fund investment earnings; grant program for preschool providers; application; criteria; limitations.

(a)

Revenues deposited into the separate

account established under W.S. 21
‑
22
‑
101(b) shall be distributed by the state treasurer as follows:

(i)

To the department of education for distribution
in accordance with W.S. 21
‑
22
‑
106 and 21
‑
22
‑
107 to Wyoming school districts for programs benefiting school districts
to preschool providers to provide preschool programs for economically disadvantaged students who are at
‑
risk
.

(b)

As used in this section:

(i)

"At
‑
risk student" means any student who shows a probability for academic failure or nonattendance when he reaches the early grades of public school;

(ii)

"Economically disadvantaged student" means a student who has qualified or would qualify for free or reduced priced lunches under the federal national school lunch program;

(iii)

"Preschool provider" means any school district, preschool developmental disability program, private nonprofit organization or private for
‑
profit organization eligible to receive funds under the federal temporary assistance for needy families (TANF) program.

(c)

A preschool provider that serves economically disadvantaged students who are at
‑
risk may apply to the department of education for grants to provide state financial assistance under this section for:

(i)

Salaries, wages and benefits for teachers paid by the preschool provider, directly attributable to teaching economically disadvantaged students who are at
‑
risk;

(ii)

Expenses for accounting, tax preparation and financial audits associated with operation of the preschool provider;

(iii)

Insurance premiums for liability insurance, including general liability insurance, for the operation of the preschool provider and automobiles utilized for operation of the preschool provider;

(iv)

Building or facility lease or rental expenses, utilities and initial expenses associated with the operation of the preschool provider;

(v)

Costs for trainings or activities for parents or guardians to help increase their capacity to facilitate the development of cognitive, language, social
‑
emotional, adaptive or motor skills to promote learning readiness of their children and promote effective parenting. Costs may include training materials, food, facility or building rental or lease expenses and supplies; and

(vi)

Office supplies, textbooks, assessments, curriculum and other learning materials to enhance early childhood literacy, math and other domains to ensure early childhood readiness.

(d)

A grant awarded under this section shall be for a period of one (1) year and shall not exceed fifty thousand dollars ($50,000.00) per year. Applications for a grant under this section shall be submitted on a form and in a manner specified by rule of the department of education, shall be filed with the department on or before May 15 and shall at a minimum include:

(i)

A proposal documenting the preschool provider's financial need for financial assistance for the expenses contained in subsection (b) of this section;

(ii)

The purpose, plan and timeline for expenditure of grant amounts;

(iii)

Other necessary information required by the department.

(e)

The department of education shall annually distribute grant funds to selected preschool providers on or before October 1. In no event shall grants awarded exceed funds available for this purpose within the separate account. Grants received under this section shall only be used for the purposes for which the grant is awarded and shall not be expended for any other program, activity or purpose.

(f)

The department of education shall promulgate rules necessary to carry out this section.

Section 2
.

W.S. 21
‑
22
‑
101(c), 21
‑
22
‑
106 and 21
‑
22
‑
107 are repealed.

Section 3.

On July 1, 2023, the state auditor shall transfer fifty million dollars ($50,000,000.00) from the public school foundation program account to the Wyoming education trust fund.

Section 4.

This act is effective July 1, 2023
.

(END)

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HB0223