The bill amends the Rhode Island Prekindergarten Education Act, specifically Section 16-87-3, to transition from planning a pilot prekindergarten program to maintaining a state prekindergarten program that serves children ages three and four. The amendments include the deletion of language related to the pilot phase and the insertion of requirements for the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education to maintain high-quality standards, quantify resources, and analyze the program's impact annually. Additionally, the bill introduces a new section, 16-87-3.1, which establishes a lottery system for enrollment in the state prekindergarten program, defining terms such as "participating in the state prekindergarten program," "preferred program," "siblings," and "students who are economically disadvantaged." The lottery will consider a family's preferred program, siblings already enrolled, and the economic demographics of the municipality.

Furthermore, the bill adds Section 16-87-3.2, which allows prekindergarten programs in participating municipalities to accept students from outside their municipality starting July 1, 2024, provided there are open slots, the student is eligible, and is selected by the lottery. This section ensures that accepting out-of-municipality students will not result in a loss of state or local education aid and prohibits exclusion of students with siblings already enrolled in the program based on residency. The Department of Elementary and Secondary Education is tasked with promulgating rules and regulations for the operation of the lottery and enrollment in state-funded prekindergarten seats. The act will take effect upon passage.

Statutes affected:
2519  SUB A: 16-87-3
2519: 16-87-3