House Bill 6 amends Tennessee Code Annotated, specifically Section 49-6-104, to modify the enrollment criteria for local education agencies (LEAs) regarding their voluntary pre-kindergarten programs. The bill allows LEAs to enroll children who are not classified as at-risk if the number of at-risk children does not meet the maximum class size. The new criteria include children who are four years old by August 15, children who are three years old and have been in the Tennessee Early Intervention System or identified as educationally at-risk, and children from families that qualify for free or reduced-price lunch. Additionally, it permits the enrollment of children who reside outside the LEA's geographic area if they are children of LEA employees.

Furthermore, the bill introduces a provision that allows LEAs to charge tuition and fees for children enrolled under the new criteria, with the amount not exceeding the LEA's costs associated with the child's enrollment and attendance. This change is reflected in the addition of a new subsection (f) to Section 49-6-104 and an amendment to Section 49-6-107(d) to reference this new provision. The act is set to take effect upon becoming law, emphasizing the importance of early childhood education and accessibility for families within the state.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 49-6-104, 49-6-107(d), 49-6-107