|
|
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
|
|
AN ACT
|
|
relating to providing notification to parents of eligible children |
|
of the availability of prekindergarten programs. |
|
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
|
SECTION 1. Subchapter E, Chapter 29, Education Code, is |
|
amended by adding Section 29.1534 to read as follows: |
|
Sec. 29.1534. NOTIFICATION OF PREKINDERGARTEN PROGRAMS. |
|
(a) In this section, "prekindergarten program" includes |
|
prekindergarten programs provided by a private entity through a |
|
partnership with the school district. |
|
(b) The agency shall develop joint strategies with other |
|
state agencies regarding methods to increase community awareness of |
|
prekindergarten programs through programs that provide information |
|
relating to public assistance programs. |
|
(c) The agency may develop outreach materials for use by |
|
school districts to increase community awareness of |
|
prekindergarten programs. |
|
(d) Each school district shall report annually to the agency |
|
the strategies implemented by the school district to increase |
|
community awareness of prekindergarten programs offered by the |
|
district. The district shall report the information on a form |
|
prescribed by the commissioner. A report required by this |
|
subsection may be combined, at the discretion of the commissioner, |
|
with another report that the district submits to the agency. |
|
(e) Not later than the 90th day after the date the agency |
|
receives a report from a school district as required by Subsection |
|
(d), the agency shall post the report on the agency's Internet |
|
website. |
|
(f) Not later than April 1, 2010, the agency shall conduct a |
|
study to identify effective methods to communicate to the parent of |
|
an eligible child the availability of prekindergarten programs. |
|
The study must include research on providing information regarding |
|
prekindergarten programs through public, private, and nonprofit |
|
institutions that provide assistance and support to families with |
|
children eligible for prekindergarten programs. Not later than May |
|
1, 2010, the agency shall make recommendations to school districts |
|
based on the study regarding the most effective methods to increase |
|
communication regarding the availability of prekindergarten |
|
programs. This subsection expires June 1, 2010. |
|
(g) Not later than December 1, 2010, the agency shall |
|
prepare and deliver to the lieutenant governor, the speaker of the |
|
house of representatives, and the presiding officer of each |
|
legislative standing committee with primary jurisdiction over |
|
primary and secondary education a report detailing strategies |
|
developed under Subsection (b) to increase community awareness of |
|
prekindergarten programs. This subsection expires January 1, 2011. |
|
SECTION 2. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives |
|
a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as |
|
provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this |
|
Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this |
|
Act takes effect September 1, 2009. |