This bill establishes a new Kindergarten Literacy Readiness Program in New Hampshire aimed at enhancing early childhood literacy and increasing kindergarten readiness for children aged 4 and 5 who are not yet enrolled in kindergarten. The program will utilize a combination of home-based and center-based educational technology, along with family engagement, to develop essential school readiness skills in reading, math, and science. The New Hampshire Department of Education will oversee the program, which will be supported by an educational technology provider that offers individualized software instruction and conducts randomized controlled trials to ensure program efficacy.

Additionally, the bill mandates that the New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services notify families participating in the Financial Assistance to Needy Families Program (FANF) or the Women, Infants & Children Nutrition Program (WIC) about the availability of the Kindergarten Literacy Readiness Program. The bill appropriates $1 to the Department of Education for the program, although it is estimated that the actual cost to operate the program would be around $600,000 annually. The Department of Health and Human Services anticipates costs of approximately $63,500 in FY 2026 and $25,500 in subsequent years for notification and related activities. The act is set to take effect on July 1, 2025.