HB 669-FN-A-LOCAL – AS AMENDED BY THE HOUSE
06Mar2007… 0383h
2007 SESSION
04/01
HOUSE BILL 669-FN-A-LOCAL
AN ACT relative to kindergarten aid and kindergarten construction aid.
SPONSORS: Rep. C. Christensen, Hills 19; Rep. Wells, Rock 8; Rep. Hinkle, Hills 19; Rep. Batula, Hills 19; Rep. Emerton, Hills 7; Sen. Letourneau, Dist 19
This bill provides grants of $1,200 per kindergarten pupil and removes the repeal date on the kindergarten construction aid program.
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Explanation: Matter added to current law appears in bold italics.
Matter removed from current law appears [in brackets and struckthrough.]
Matter which is either (a) all new or (b) repealed and reenacted appears in regular type.
06Mar2007… 0383h
07-0779
04/01
STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE
In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand Seven
AN ACT relative to kindergarten aid and kindergarten construction aid.
Be it Enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court convened:
1 School Money; Kindergarten Aid. RSA 198:48-a is repealed and reenacted to read as follows:
198:48-a Kindergarten Aid.
I. There is established a kindergarten aid program through which the department of education shall annually pay to local school districts the sum of $1,200 per eligible kindergarten pupil who resides in the district and attends a public kindergarten in those districts that provide and maintain a public kindergarten program. These funds shall also be provided to districts that contract with other established public kindergarten programs for the education of their resident kindergarten pupils or have an approved alternative kindergarten program established in accordance with this section.
II. For purposes of this section, to “provide and maintain a public kindergarten program” means:
(a) To operate a kindergarten program within an approved public school maintained by the local school district; or
(b) To pay tuition on behalf of resident pupils to a kindergarten program in an approved public school operated by another district in this state or, when distance or transportation make it necessary, in another state.
III.(a) In addition to any other requirements established in this section, in order to be eligible for annual kindergarten aid payments, a kindergarten program provided by a school district, shall be:
(1) Offered immediately preceding the other elementary grades.
(2) Designed primarily for 5-year-olds.
(3) Available at district expense to all kindergarten-aged children who reside in the district.
(4) A charter school kindergarten program shall qualify a pupil’s resident district to receive kindergarten aid for such pupil, provided that the district meets the eligibility criteria established in this section.
IV. The department of education shall administer the kindergarten aid program and shall be responsible for:
(a) Providing educational services, including technical assistance and training, to school districts in establishing and maintaining effective kindergarten programs.
(b) Assisting districts in the development of plans, including plans for alternative kindergarten programs, for making public kindergarten available to resident pupils.
(c) Developing and maintaining a list of recommended furnishings and equipment for kindergarten classrooms.
(d) Determining the number of eligible kindergarten pupils who reside in a district by collecting kindergarten enrollment data on October 1 of each school year.
(e) Calculating a district’s annual kindergarten aid entitlement by multiplying the amount of the per-pupil kindergarten aid payment times the number of eligible kindergarten pupils who reside in a district and who are actually enrolled in a public kindergarten or alternative kindergarten program.
(f) Distributing kindergarten aid payments to eligible districts on or before January 1 of each state fiscal year.
V. If in any state fiscal year the amount appropriated for kindergarten aid in accordance with this section is insufficient, the payment due on January 1 shall be prorated proportionally based on entitlements among the school districts eligible for aid payments. The department of education shall request a supplemental appropriation sufficient to pay each district’s full entitlement. If such additional funds are appropriated, the department of education shall promptly pay the remaining balance due each eligible school district.
VI. A school district that does not operate a kindergarten program within an approved public school maintained by the local district or currently does not contract with another established public kindergarten program for the education of its resident kindergarten pupils, may submit to the department of education for approval by the commissioner of the department of education a local plan for an alternative kindergarten program based upon contractual arrangements with one or more nonpublic, non-sectarian school or facility.
VII. An alternative kindergarten program and the facilities in which it is provided shall satisfy the same criteria established for public kindergarten programs in the New Hampshire minimum standards for the approval of schools.
VIII. A local plan for an alternative kindergarten program shall be submitted to the department of education at times established by the commissioner of education. The local plan shall be approved by the school board and the voters of the district after its submission to the department of education.
IX. A local plan shall contain, at a minimum, the following information:
(a) An explanation of why it is unfeasible to operate a kindergarten program within an approved public school maintained by the local district, or to contract with another established public kindergarten program for the education of its resident kindergarten pupils.
(b) A description and cost analysis of the alternative kindergarten program.
(c) An explanation of how the program meets the eligibility criteria established in RSA 198:15-m, I.
(d) A list of the nonpublic, non-sectarian schools or facilities to be utilized.
(e) Evidence that the alternative kindergarten program and the facilities in which it is provided satisfy the same criteria established for public kindergarten programs in the New Hampshire minimum standards for the approval of schools.
(f) Procedures for coordinating and articulating curriculum, instruction, and support services provided under the alternative kindergarten program with curriculum, instruction, and support services provided in the other elementary grades.
(g) An explanation of how students will be transported to and from the schools or facilities to be utilized.
(h) Any other information required by the commissioner.
X. The plan shall be reviewed by the department of education for completeness, feasibility, and compliance with statutory requirements. Upon approval of an alternative kindergarten program by the commissioner of education, the school district shall be eligible for annual kindergarten aid grants under this section.
XI. If an approved alternative kindergarten program utilizes more than one school or facility, the school board or the superintendent or other administrative officer designated by the school board may take into consideration parental preference when assigning students to schools or facilities in accordance with the provisions of RSA 193:14.
XII.(a) An education grant of $1,200 per pupil shall be distributed to school districts, from the education trust fund created in RSA 198:39, for the education of its resident kindergarten pupils enrolled in an approved alternative kindergarten program established under this section.
(b) After pupils enrolled in an approved kindergarten program have been counted in the average daily membership in residence, school districts shall only receive, for each such pupil, an education grant calculated in accordance with RSA 198:41 through RSA 198:42.
XIII. Notwithstanding the provisions of this section, alternative kindergarten programs which were approved and in effect prior to April 29, 1999 may continue to operate and shall continue to receive per pupil education grant amounts in accordance with RSA 198:41 through RSA 198:42.
2 School Money; Kindergarten Construction Aid Program. Amend RSA 198:15-r, I to read as follows:
I. There is established in the department of education a kindergarten construction program. [For the period beginning July 1, 1997, and ending June 30, 2008,] The commissioner of education shall make grants available to eligible districts that [currently] do not operate a public kindergarten program to cover 75 percent of the actual cost of construction of kindergarten facilities, exclusive of site acquisition and core facilities. Grants shall also cover the cost of initial equipment needed to operate a kindergarten program.
3 Effective Date. This act shall take effect 60 days after its passage.
LBAO
07-0779
Amended 04/05/07
HB 669 FISCAL NOTE
AN ACT relative to kindergarten aid and kindergarten construction aid.
FISCAL IMPACT:
The Department of Education states this bill, as amended by the House (Amendment #2007-0383h), may increase state general fund expenditures and local revenue by an indeterminable amount in FY 2008 and each fiscal year thereafter. There will be no fiscal impact on state and county revenue or county and local expenditures.
METHODOLOGY:
The Department of Education states section 1 of this bill establishes a kindergarten aid program to provide school districts $1,200 for each kindergarten student until equitable education aid is based on an average daily membership in residence that includes new kindergarten students. The department states it cannot determine when the 11 school districts without kindergarten will vote to establish kindergarten. For the purpose of this fiscal note, the Department assumes all districts will establish kindergarten in FY 2008, with enrollment beginning in FY 2010. There are five school districts with kindergarten programs eligible for aid under this bill in FY 2008 and FY 2009. Enrollment estimates for FY 2008 are 102% of FY 2006 grade 1 enrollment; the Department assumes enrollment will increase 2% annually.
The Department states it will need an additional Education Consultant position (LG 27) beginning in FY 2008 to implement the requirements contained in this bill. This bill does not establish any new positions or make appropriations for positions or kindergarten grants. The Department estimates the fiscal impact of section 1 of this bill as follows:
FY 2008 FY 2009 FY 2010 FY 2011
Estimated
Kindergarten Pupils 826 844 2,533 2,583
Kindergarten Aid $991,200 $1,012,800 $3,039,600 $3,099,600
Education Consultant
Salary 43,680 45,630 47,678 49,842
Benefits (48.3%) 21,097 22,039 23,028 24,074
Equipment, Travel,
Office Space, etc. 9,928 10,355 10,800 11,264
Total, Personnel 74,705 78,024 81,506 85,180
Grand Total $1,065,905 $1,090,824 $3,121,106 $3,184,780
The Department states section 2 of this bill extends the kindergarten construction program. The Department states it cannot determine the fiscal impact of this section because it does not know how many districts will construct kindergarten classrooms or when construction would occur. The Department states for informational purposes the estimated cost to construct one kindergarten classroom in 2007 is $290,000, with construction inflation expected to average 5% per year for the next five to ten years. Assuming 66 new classrooms would be required to provide kindergarten in all school districts that do not currently offer public kindergarten, the total cost in 2007 would be $19,140,000, with a 75% state share of $14,355,000. The Department states $1,507,779 is available from a prior bond authorization; therefore, the Department estimates $12,847,221 of additional state funding would be required to construct 66 additional classrooms. The Department assumes kindergarten construction will be funded through the sale of state bonds; however, this bill does not authorize the sale of additional bonds.