Bill > H5199

This bill establishes comprehensive guidelines for expanding and improving public prekindergarten education in Rhode Island, with the goal of ensuring high-quality early learning opportunities for children ages three and four. The legislation directs the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education to develop robust quality standards for prekindergarten programs, drawing from national research-based guidelines. These standards will cover critical areas such as teacher qualifications, class sizes, learning approaches, curriculum, support for students with special needs and English language learners, and professional development. The bill requires that by 2025, at least 70% of three and four-year-old children in Rhode Island will be enrolled in high-quality prekindergarten programs through a mixed delivery system including Head Start, public schools, licensed child care centers, and family child care providers. Notably, the bill mandates competitive wages for prekindergarten teachers comparable to kindergarten teachers and requires that 30% of new state funding for prekindergarten expansion be dedicated to supporting early learning programs for infants and toddlers. The legislation also aims to address workforce development challenges by establishing pathways for early childhood educators to gain advanced qualifications and remove barriers to entering the field, ultimately seeking to improve school readiness and long-term educational outcomes for children.