HB 1131 -- Missouri Preschool Plus Grant Program

Sponsor:  Holsman

This bill establishes the Missouri Preschool Plus Grant Program,
administered by the Department of Elementary and Secondary
Education in collaboration with the Coordinating Board for Early
Childhood, to serve up to 1,250 students with high-quality early
childhood educational services beginning in the 2010-2011 school
year.  Grants will be awarded for three years and are renewable.
Grantees may be unaccredited school districts or nonsectarian
community-based organizations within those districts.  If a
district becomes provisionally accredited or accredited, it may
complete its existing grant and apply for one renewal for three
more years.  At least half of the placements offered by the
program must be through nonsectarian community-based
organizations.  Admission preference for children of active duty
military members is required.

The program must comply with the standards for early childhood
education in Section 161.213, RSMo.  Public school grantees are
required to employ teachers with a bachelor's degree, but
nonsectarian community-based organizations may employ a teacher
with at least an associate's degree if the teacher can
demonstrate that he or she is in the process of obtaining a
bachelor's degree within five years.  The department must develop
standards for teacher-student ratios, classroom size, teacher
training requirements, and curriculum.

A sliding fee scale may be charged based on a family's income,
but the services will be free to children whose family income is
less than 130% of the federal poverty guidelines.  School
districts must collect data on the children, both in the short-
term and through their completion of high school, for program
evaluation.  Programs must coordinate with the nearest Parents as
Teachers site to ensure a continuum of care.

The program will be funded through an appropriation of at least
$5 million to the newly created Missouri Preschool Plus Grant
Program Fund.  No gaming commission funds may be used.

The provisions of the bill will expire six years from the
effective date.

Missouri House of Representatives
95th General Assembly, 1st Regular Session
Last Updated November 17, 2009 at 9:26 am