Bill > S240

This bill aims to establish a High Quality Pre-Kindergarten Education grant program to support the implementation of high-quality pre-kindergarten programs for children between the ages of 2 years and 9 months and the age of eligibility for kindergarten in the district where they reside. The grants will be used to invest in a high-quality, mixed-delivery early education system to reduce the achievement gap and improve third-grade reading scores. Eligible grantees include individual school districts and collaborations of multiple school districts in a region, with a requirement to partner with licensed community-based early learning programs. The bill outlines various requirements for grant applicants, such as a tracking system, child-to-instructor ratio, family engagement strategies, teacher qualifications, and program components. Grants will be awarded based on readiness (having an approved plan for preschool expansion) and need (percentage of high-need students in the district). The bill also requires the establishment of local governing councils and ongoing evaluations of the implemented programs.

Education

https://malegislature.gov/Bills/190/S240