This bill amends the Iowa Code to establish new requirements for the statewide voluntary preschool program (SVPP) regarding minimum instructional hours and funding calculations for students from households with incomes below a specified threshold. Specifically, it allows school districts to choose between maintaining the current minimum of 10 hours of instruction per week for all students or increasing the hours for eligible students whose household income is less than 185 percent of the federal poverty level (FPL). For the 2026-2027 school year, these eligible students must receive a minimum of 15 hours per week, and for the 2027-2028 school year and beyond, the requirement increases to 20 hours per week. Additionally, families of eligible children can opt for either the standard 10 hours or the increased hours based on their income level.

The bill also revises the funding calculations for preschool budget enrollment. Under the new provisions, school districts that opt for the heightened instructional hours will calculate their preschool budget enrollment based on a combination of eligible students receiving the increased hours and those receiving the standard hours. For the 2026-2027 school year, the calculation includes 75 percent of eligible students receiving 15 hours of instruction, while for subsequent years, it will include the actual number of students receiving 20 hours of instruction. This change aims to ensure that funding aligns with the increased instructional requirements for low-income students while maintaining the existing calculations for districts that do not adopt the heightened hours.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 256C.3, 256C.5