SB58 - Revises provisions governing grants for certain prekindergarten programs. (BDR 34-272)

S.B. 58 - *SB58* SENATE BILL NO. 58–COMMITTEE ON FINANCE (ON BEHALF OF THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION) PREFILED NOVEMBER 20, 2024 ____________ Referred to Committee on Finance SUMMARY—Revises provisions governing grants for certain prekindergarten programs. (BDR 34-272) FISCAL NOTE: Effect on Local Government: No. Effect on the State: No. ~ EXPLANATION – Matter in bolded italics is new; matter between brackets [omitted material] is material to be omitted. AN ACT relating to education; revising provisions governing the children who must be served by a prekindergarten program supported by certain grants from the Department of Education; establishing the method for determining the amount awarded for such grants; and providing other matters properly relating thereto. Legislative Counsel’s Digest: Existing law establishes a program, known as Nevada Ready! State Pre K, that 1 requires the Department of Education, to the extent money is available, to award 2 grants of money to school districts, sponsors of charter schools and nonprofit 3 organizations to support prekindergarten programs that meet certain standards. 4 Under existing law, a prekindergarten program that is supported by such a grant is 5 required to satisfy certain requirements concerning the children it serves. (NRS 6 387.652) This bill increases the maximum household income level of the children 7 that must be served by a prekindergarten program supported by such a grant. This 8 bill additionally authorizes a prekindergarten program to qualify to be supported by 9 such a grant by serving children who have a household income below that level or 10 who, regardless of household income level, have: (1) an individualized education 11 program; or (2) a documented need for behavioral, social or emotional supports. 12 Finally, this bill provides that the amount of such a grant is determined by 13 multiplying certain adjusted base per pupil funding amounts by the number of 14 children served by the prekindergarten program. 15 – 2 – - *SB58* THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEVADA, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEMBLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS: Section 1. NRS 387.652 is hereby amended to read as follows: 1 387.652 1. The Department shall, to the extent money is 2 available, award grants of money to school districts, sponsors of 3 charter schools and nonprofit organizations to support 4 prekindergarten programs. Each prekindergarten program supported 5 by a grant awarded pursuant to this section must: 6 (a) Employ at least one teacher per classroom who has a 7 bachelor’s degree or higher in early childhood education and 8 compensate those teachers with pay and benefits similar to those 9 provided to licensed teachers by the school district in which the 10 prekindergarten program is located; 11 (b) Serve children who are 4 years of age at the beginning of the 12 school year and [whose] : 13 (1) Whose household has a household income which is not 14 more than [200] 250 percent of the federally designated level 15 signifying poverty; 16 (2) Who have an individualized education program; or 17 (3) Who have a documented need for behavioral, social or 18 emotional supports; 19 (c) Provide instruction in prekindergarten for at least 25 hours 20 each week for the entire school year; 21 (d) Utilize a comprehensive curriculum for prekindergarten that 22 is aligned to any standards of content and performance established 23 for prekindergarten pursuant to NRS 389.520; 24 (e) Maintain the size of each class at not more than 20 pupils 25 and a ratio of not more than 10 pupils for each adult with 26 supervision in the classroom; 27 (f) Participate in any evaluation of the program or the pupils 28 who participate in the program that is prescribed by the regulations 29 adopted pursuant to NRS 387.656; 30 (g) Effectively engage the parents or guardians of pupils and 31 participate in any evaluation of such engagement that is required by 32 the regulations adopted pursuant to NRS 387.656; 33 (h) Serve pupils with disabilities at a rate that is not less than the 34 percentage of pupils in this State or in the United States, whichever 35 is greater, who are 4 years of age at the beginning of the school year 36 who receive services funded pursuant to 20 U.S.C. § 1419; 37 (i) Ensure that the percentage of pupils with disabilities in each 38 class is less than 49 percent of the total number of pupils; 39 (j) Provide appropriate individualized accommodations and 40 supports for pupils with disabilities; 41 – 3 – - *SB58* (k) Provide the comprehensive services prescribed pursuant to 1 NRS 387.656; and 2 (l) Meet the minimum standards of performance prescribed 3 pursuant to NRS 387.656. 4 2. If a school district, sponsor of a charter school or 5 nonprofit organization is awarded a grant of money pursuant to 6 this section, the Department shall determine the amount of the 7 grant by: 8 (a) For a school district or charter school, multiplying the 9 adjusted base per pupil funding amount established for that school 10 district or charter school for that school year by the number of 11 children served by the applicable prekindergarten program; or 12 (b) For a nonprofit organization, multiplying the adjusted base 13 per pupil funding amount established for a charter school in the 14 county in which the prekindergarten program provided by a 15 nonprofit organization is located by the number of children served 16 by the applicable prekindergarten program. 17 3. The board of trustees of a school district, the sponsor of a 18 charter school or a nonprofit organization that wishes to receive a 19 grant of money pursuant to this section must submit an application 20 to the Department. The application must include, without limitation: 21 (a) A detailed description of the manner in which the board of 22 trustees, sponsor of a charter school or nonprofit organization 23 proposes to: 24 (1) Ensure that the prekindergarten program supported by the 25 grant meets the requirements of subsection 1; and 26 (2) Use the grant of money; and 27 (b) Any other information required by the Department. 28 4. As used in this section, “individualized education 29 program” has the meaning ascribed to it in 20 U.S.C. § 30 1414(d)(1)(A). 31 Sec. 2. This act becomes effective on July 1, 2025. 32 H