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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to a grant program to provide free public school |
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prekindergarten programs to certain children who are eligible for |
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the subsidized child-care program administered by the Texas |
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Workforce Commission. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Subchapter E, Chapter 29, Education Code, is |
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amended by adding Section 29.1537 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 29.1537. PREKINDERGARTEN COMMUNITY-BASED CHILD-CARE |
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PARTNERSHIP GRANT PROGRAM. (a) The commissioner shall establish |
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and administer a grant program to support school districts and |
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open-enrollment charter schools in increasing partnerships with |
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community-based child-care providers to provide prekindergarten |
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classes under Section 29.153. |
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(b) A school district or open-enrollment charter school may |
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apply for a grant under the program in partnership with a |
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community-based child-care provider described by Section |
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29.153(g). |
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(c) A school district or open-enrollment charter school |
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shall use money received under the grant program to fund the |
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enrollment of eligible children in prekindergarten classes |
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provided under Section 29.153 through a partnership between the |
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district or school and a community-based child-care provider |
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described by Section 29.153(g). A child is eligible for enrollment |
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in a prekindergarten class described by this subsection using money |
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received under the grant program if the child is: |
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(1) at least three years of age; and |
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(2) receives subsidized child-care services provided |
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through the child-care services program administered by the Texas |
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Workforce Commission. |
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(d) The commissioner may provide grants under the grant |
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program for the enrollment in each school year of not more than |
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3,500 children in a prekindergarten class described by Subsection |
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(c). |
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(e) The agency shall annually report to the legislature |
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regarding the number of children described by Subsection (c) |
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enrolled in a prekindergarten class. |
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SECTION 2. Section 29.1537, Education Code, as added by |
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this Act, applies beginning with the 2023-2024 school year. |
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SECTION 3. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives |
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a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as |
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provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this |
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Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this |
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Act takes effect September 1, 2023. |