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2015 SESSION

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HB 2376 Pre-kindergarten Grant Program; established, grants for at-risk four-year-olds.

Introduced by: Mark D. Sickles | all patrons    ...    notes | add to my profiles

SUMMARY AS INTRODUCED:

Pre-kindergarten Grant Program established; grants for at-risk four-year-olds attending certain pre-kindergarten or preschool programs. Creates the Pre-kindergarten Grant Program (the Program) to provide grants for education-related costs incurred by at-risk four-year-olds unserved by Head Start programs (at-risk four-year-olds) attending center-based public or private programs providing a quality pre-kindergarten education. Grants would be paid from the Pre-kindergarten Grant Program Fund (the Fund), which would be administered by the Department of Education (the Department). Each at-risk four-year-old residing in the Commonwealth would be eligible for a grant from the Fund for tuition and education-related fees incurred at certain pre-kindergarten education programs that provide at least half-day services and that operate for the school year. Pre-kindergarten programs eligible under the Program are defined in the bill as (i) early childhood education programs accredited by the National Association for the Education of Young Children, (ii) preschool programs designed for child development and kindergarten preparation that comply with nonpublic school accreditation requirements administered by the Virginia Council for Private Education, (iii) programs participating in Virginia's Quality Rating and Improvement System with a rating of at least three stars under such rating system, and (iv) programs participating in the Virginia Preschool Initiative. Grants would be paid by the Department of Education directly to the pre-kindergarten education program on behalf of the at-risk four-year-old. Funding for the Program would be determined by the general appropriation act. The grant amount would be the same for each at-risk four-year-old attending a full-day pre-kindergarten education program and would be at least $2,500. The grant amount for each at-risk four-year-old attending a half-day pre-kindergarten education program would be 50 percent of the grant amount allocated to an at-risk four-year-old attending a full-day program.


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