§302D-39 Public early learning and preschool programs; administrative authority. (a) The commission shall have administrative authority over all state-funded early learning programs and private partnership-funded preschool programs in public charter schools except for special education and Title I-funded prekindergarten programs.
(b) The early learning programs in charter schools shall enroll no more than a maximum of twenty children per classroom who are three- or four-years-old on or before July 31 of the school year, as aligned with the department's kindergarten age entry requirements.
(c) Subject to the availability of funding, the commission shall implement an application process for schools to establish an early learning program.
(d) Each early learning program and preschool program shall meet the following requirements:
(e) The commission shall monitor the implementation of the educational experience for children.
(f) The commission shall provide support to incorporate the standards developed pursuant to subsection (d), including support related to teacher-child interactions, early childhood learning environment, individual child assessments, and family engagement.
(g) Teaching staff participating in a program established pursuant to this section shall participate in coaching and mentoring and professional development opportunities offered through the commission; provided that the commission shall cover the associated travel and substitute teacher costs, contingent upon funding availability. The commission may extend this support, excluding travel and substitute teacher costs, to individuals who are not participating in the program to promote alignment between all grade levels, programs, and settings.
(h) School leaders shall attend professional development sessions related to P-3 (preschool to grade three) alignment offered through the commission. The commission shall cover the costs associated with travel and substitute teacher expenditures, contingent upon the availability of funding. The commission may extend this support, excluding travel and substitute teacher costs, to individuals who are not participating in the program to promote alignment between all grade levels, programs, and settings.
(i) The commission shall work with each charter school to develop and annually update a written three-year plan that promotes, within the school and community, alignment of and transitions between learning experiences, and report on the progress made toward the plan by the end of the school year.
(j) The commission shall coordinate with other agencies and programs to facilitate comprehensive services for early learning.
(k) The commission shall promote the development of a cohesive, comprehensive, and sustainable early learning system. The commission shall coordinate with other early learning providers, including those providing the programs and services, to promote alignment between prekindergarten and elementary school programs and to support children and their families in making successful transitions from prekindergarten into kindergarten.
(l) Each early learning program and preschool program may use available classrooms for public preschool programs statewide.
(m) The commission shall adopt rules pursuant to chapter 91 for the purpose of this section.
(n) The commission shall submit a report to the legislature no later than twenty days prior to the convening of each regular session regarding state-funded early learning programs in charter schools. The report shall include, as related to each type of program:
This reported data shall be compiled from the previously state-funded school year. [L 2020, c 46, pt of §3; am L 2021, c 210, §4]