Establishes the number of unserved prekindergarten pupils in the Westfield central school district at 20 and makes an appropriation therefor

BILL NUMBER:S6559

Title of bill

An act to provide for the apportionment payable to the Westfield central school district for operation of a universal prekindergarten program during 2011-2012 school year and making an appropriation therefor

Purpose

This bill establishes the number of unserved prekindergarten pupils in the Westfield school district at 20 and makes an appropriation therefor.

Summary of provisions

Section 1 of this bill provides that the number of underserved prekindergarten pupils used to compute the apportionment payable to the Westfield central school district for the universal prekindergarten program during the 2011-2012 school year be 20.

Section 2 establishes that the statewide total amount of all grants payable in the 2011-2012 school year pursuant to section 3602-e of the education law not exceed the sum of the maximum amount of such grants authorized by subdivision 10 of section 3602-e plus $71,567.

Section 3 appropriates $62,622 to the education department to carry out the provisions of this bill.

Section 4 provides the effective date.

Justification

While filing an application to receive Universal Pre-Kindergarten (UPK) funding from the New York State Education Department (NYSED), the Westfield Central School District incorrectly reported the number of students eligible for such funding in the 2011-2012 school year. Although twenty students are eligible for UPK funding, the school accidently reported only two pupils.

This bill would allow the NYSED to forgive this error and allow Westfield Central School District to receive the accurate amount of funding for the UPK program in the 2011-2012 school year.

Legislative history

New bill.

Fiscal implications

Minimal to the State.

Effective date

This act shall take effect immediately.