This bill modifies the statewide preschool program in Iowa by expanding eligibility to include five-year-old children who reach the age of five on or after June 1 but on or before September 15 of the school year. The current eligibility criteria, which only included four-year-old children, are amended to allow for this additional age group. The bill also stipulates that a child enrolled as a four-year-old may re-enroll as a five-year-old, but priority for enrollment will be given to four-year-olds if space is limited. Furthermore, if a five-year-old child has previously been counted for state funding purposes, they will not be counted again.

In addition to expanding eligibility, the bill updates various references in the law from "four-year-old children" to "young children" or "eligible five-year-old children." This change is reflected in multiple sections of the Code, including those related to compulsory attendance and funding eligibility. The bill is set to take effect for school budget years beginning on or after July 1, 2027.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 256C.1, 256C.3, 299.1A, 256C.4, 298A.2