This bill directs the Department of Education to study placing child care facilities in public schools and to develop and establish pilot programs based on the study in 8 school administrative units no later than the first day of the 2026-2027 school year. The pilot programs must be designed to continue for 6 years. The pilot programs will be designed to serve infants, toddlers and preschool-aged children of public school staff and employees. The department must develop the pilot programs to serve several purposes, including, but not limited to, the following: providing safe child care for staff and the community, providing child care and child development courses to students and reducing the shortage of early childhood educators and caregivers. Through the study, the department must also evaluate several potential characteristics of a program developed under this provision, including, but not limited to: providing child care
43 services to the children of students and community members as space allows after the
44 children of school staff members have been served; child care facility staffing; hours of
45 operation; fees for participation; potential discounts and acceptance of vouchers; and the
46 development of an early childhood education and child development curriculum for 11th
47 and 12th grade students, including a certificate awarded at graduation after 2 years of study. Beginning in 2026, the department is required over the 6-year duration of the pilot programs to make 3 reports to the joint standing committee of the Legislature having jurisdiction over education matters. The reports must be submitted by the dates specified in the bill and must include the findings of the initial study and the progress of the pilot programs, including any recommendations for legislation. The joint standing committee is authorized to report out legislation with respect to each of these reports.