The bill amends the Rhode Island Prekindergarten Education Act to enhance early childhood education by establishing guidelines for the implementation and expansion of high-quality prekindergarten programs for all children ages three and four. It emphasizes the importance of early childhood education in developing social and cognitive skills, which are crucial for school success. The bill includes provisions to sustain and expand access to high-quality early care and education programs for infants and toddlers under three years of age. Additionally, it mandates that the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education work with the Department of Human Services to expand the T.E.A.C.H. Early Childhood Program, aiming to increase the number of qualified early childhood educators.

Furthermore, the bill introduces specific quality standards for prekindergarten programs, which will be defined by the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education. These standards will cover various aspects such as teacher qualifications, class size, learning time, and support for special needs students. The legislation also ensures competitive wages and benefits for prekindergarten and Head Start teachers and allocates a 30% set-aside of new state funding for the expansion of prekindergarten programs to support high-quality child care for infants and toddlers. The act will take effect upon passage.