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24LSO-0587
2024
STATE OF WYOMING
24LSO-0587
Numbered
2.0
HOUSE BILL NO. HB0213
Wyoming preschool provider grants.
Sponsored by: Representative(s) Storer, Allred, Berger, Byron and Sommers and Senator(s) Rothfuss
A BILL
for
AN ACT relating to education; creating a grant program for preschool providers as specified; creating an endowment fund and an expenditure account; defining terms; specifying eligibility requirements; providing rulemaking authority; transferring funds; making conforming amendments; and providing for an effective date.
Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Wyoming:
Section 1
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W.S. 21
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901 through 21
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2
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903 are created to read:
ARTICLE 9
WYOMING PRESCHOOL EDUCATION ACCOUNT
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2
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901.
Definitions.
(a)
As used in this article:
(i)
"At
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risk student" means any student who shows a probability for academic failure or nonattendance as determined by the department of education 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
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profit organization eligible to receive funds under the federal temporary assistance for needy families (TANF) program.
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2
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902.
Wyoming preschool education endowment fund and expenditure account created.
(a)
The Wyoming preschool education endowment fund is created to consist of those funds appropriated or designated to the fund by law or by gift from whatever source. Monies deposited into the fund are intended to be inviolate and constitute a permanent or perpetual trust fund which shall be invested by the state treasurer as authorized by law and in the manner to obtain the highest net return possible consistent with preservation of the corpus. Any earnings from investment of the corpus of the fund shall be credited by the state treasurer to the Wyoming preschool education expenditure account created by subsection (b) of this section.
(b)
The Wyoming preschool education expenditure account is created to consist of all earnings from the Wyoming preschool education endowment fund created by subsection (a) of this section and other such funds appropriated by the legislature to the expenditure account. Monies within the expenditure account are continuously appropriated to the state treasurer for distribution by the department of education to eligible preschool providers under this article.
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903.
Wyoming preschool education grants.
(a)
A preschool provider that serves economically disadvantaged students who are at
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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
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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
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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.
(b)
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 (a) of this section;
(ii)
The purpose, plan and timeline for expenditure of grant amounts;
(iii)
Other necessary information required by the department.
(c)
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 Wyoming preschool education expenditure account created by W.S. 21
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902(b). 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.
(d)
The department of education shall promulgate rules necessary to carry out this section.
Section 2.
The department of education shall adopt rules and take other actions necessary to enable application by preschool providers not later than May 15, 2025, with award not later than October 1, 2025, for the first grants to be made available under this act.
Section 3.
On July 1, 2024, the state auditor shall transfer fifty million dollars ($50,000,000.00) from the public school foundation program account to Wyoming preschool education endowment fund created by W.S. 21
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902(a).
Section 4.
This act is effective July 1, 2024.
(END)
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HB0213