Bill Text: IL HB3900 | 2019-2020 | 101st General Assembly | Introduced

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Bill Title: Amends the School Code. Requires each school district maintaining elementary grades to ensure that a developmentally appropriate half-day preschool education program that helps children with their interpersonal and socialization skills is provided for (i) each child in the district who has been identified as a child with a disability in accordance with the federal Individuals with Disabilities Education Act and who is 3 or 4 years of age by August 1 and (ii) each child in the district who is at risk of educational failure and who is 4 years of age by August 1. Provides that all other 4-year-old children shall be served to the extent placements are available. Requires the State Board of Education to adopt rules establishing guidelines for the program and to receive and review proposals from school districts for grants to operate or oversee the operation of programs. Sets forth program proposal and funding requirements. Effective July 1, 2020.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2019-10-17 - Referred to Rules Committee [HB3900 Detail]

Download: Illinois-2019-HB3900-Introduced.html

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101ST GENERAL ASSEMBLY State of Illinois 2019 and 2020 HB3900 Introduced , by Rep. La Shawn K. Ford SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
105 ILCS 5/2-3.71b new
Amends the School Code. Requires each school district maintaining elementary grades to ensure that a developmentally appropriate half-day preschool education program that helps children with their interpersonal and socialization skills is provided for (i) each child in the district who has been identified as a child with a disability in accordance with the federal Individuals with Disabilities Education Act and who is 3 or 4 years of age by August 1 and (ii) each child in the district who is at risk of educational failure and who is 4 years of age by August 1. Provides that all other 4-year-old children shall be served to the extent placements are available. Requires the State Board of Education to adopt rules establishing guidelines for the program and to receive and review proposals from school districts for grants to operate or oversee the operation of programs. Sets forth program proposal and funding requirements. Effective July 1, 2020.
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FISCAL NOTE ACT MAY APPLY STATE MANDATES ACT MAY REQUIRE REIMBURSEMENT
A BILL FOR
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AN ACT concerning education.
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
represented in the General Assembly:
Section 5. The School Code is amended by adding Section
2-3.71b as follows:
(105 ILCS 5/2-3.71b new)
Sec. 2-3.71b. Preschool for children with disabilities and
children at risk of educational failure; grants.
(a) In this Section, "developmentally appropriate" means a
focus on the physical, intellectual, social, and emotional
development of young children.
(b) Each school district maintaining elementary grades
shall ensure that a developmentally appropriate half-day
preschool education program that helps children with their
interpersonal and socialization skills is provided for (i) each
child in the district who has been identified as a child with a
disability in accordance with the federal Individuals with
Disabilities Education Act and who is 3 or 4 years of age by
August 1 and (ii) each child in the district who is at risk of
educational failure and who is 4 years of age by August 1.
Children who are at risk of educational failure shall be
identified based on the National School Lunch Program's
eligibility criteria for a free lunch. All other 4-year-old

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children shall be served to the extent placements are
available. The State Board of Education shall adopt rules
establishing the guidelines for the program. The rules shall
establish eligibility criteria, program guidelines, and
standards for personnel.
(c) In addition to grants administered under Section
2-3.71, the State Board of Education shall receive and review
proposals from school districts for grants to operate or
oversee the operation of developmentally appropriate preschool
education programs under this Section. Districts may submit
proposals for implementing new services, enhancing existing
preschool education services, or contracting for services. In
designing a program, a district shall work with existing
preschool programs to avoid duplication of programs and
services, to avoid supplanting federal funds, and to maximize
Head Start program funds in order to serve as many 4-year-old
children as possible. School districts may develop cooperative
arrangements with other school districts or organizations for
the purposes of this Section.
(d) Each program proposal under this Section shall include,
at a minimum, all of the following:
(1) A description of the process conducted by the
school district to ensure that the parents or guardians of
all eligible participants have been made aware of the
program and of their right to participate.
(2) A description of the planned educational

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programming and related services.
(3) The estimated number of children participating in
the program.
(4) Strategies for involving children with
disabilities.
(5) The estimated ratio of staff to children, with the
maximum being one adult for each 10 children.
(6) The estimated percentage of children participating
in the program who are at risk of educational failure.
(7) Information on the training and qualifications of
program staff and documentation that the staff meet
required standards.
(8) A budget and per-child expenditure estimate.
(9) A plan to facilitate active parental involvement in
the program, including provisions for complementary parent
education, if appropriate.
(10) The facilities and equipment that are appropriate
for young children.
(11) The days of the week and hours of a day during
which the program shall operate.
(12) A plan for coordinating the program with existing
medical and social services, including a child development
and health screening component.
(13) Assurances that participants shall receive
breakfast or lunch.
(14) A program site that meets State and local

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licensure requirements.
(15) A plan for coordinating program philosophy and
activities with the district's elementary school program.
(16) An evaluation component.
(17) Certification from the Head Start program
director that the Head Start program is fully utilized
pursuant to subsection (c).
(e) Funds appropriated by the General Assembly for
preschool education programs under this Section shall be
granted to school districts according to a grant allotment
system approved by the State Board of Education. Appropriations
for the purposes of this Section shall be separate from all
other funds appropriated to the State Board of Education and
shall be administered in accordance with applicable federal and
State statutes and rules. Eligible school districts shall
receive funds based on the average number of preschool children
being served on December 1 and March 1 of the prior school year
who are appropriately identified as (i) 3 or 4 years of age
with disabilities, in which case the child is eligible for a
free and appropriate preschool education and related services,
or (ii) 4 years of age and at risk of educational failure.
(f) Programs funded under this Section shall reflect an
equitable geographic distribution representative of all areas
of this State.
Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect July 1,
2020.