Bill > HB0006

This bill amends Tennessee's early childhood education law to allow local education agencies (LEAs) to enroll children of LEA employees in voluntary pre-kindergarten programs under specific conditions. If an LEA's pre-kindergarten classroom does not fill to maximum capacity with at-risk children during initial enrollment, the LEA may enroll children who are either local residents meeting certain age and developmental criteria or children of LEA employees who are four years old by August 15. The bill specifically permits LEAs to charge tuition and fees to parents of LEA employees' children enrolled in these programs, with the caveat that the charges cannot exceed the actual cost of the child's enrollment and attendance. The legislation also clarifies that these tuition charges are an exception to existing regulations about free pre-kindergarten programs. Important terms in the bill include references to the Tennessee Early Intervention System (TEIS), the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, and eligibility standards for free or reduced-price lunch programs, which are used to determine children's potential eligibility for pre-kindergarten enrollment.