What's happening
This bill updates state education law to provide a five-year transition aid schedule for school districts converting to full-day kindergarten.
Why it matters
Provides a clear, multi-year funding path for districts switching to full-day kindergarten. , reducing financial uncertainty and helping schools plan staffing, facilities, and curriculum changes with greater confidence.
Spreads out state aid over five years, with gradually decreasing payments. , which helps districts adjust their budgets and avoid sudden financial shocks that could disrupt other programs or require local tax increases.
Includes provisions for waivers in cases of significant economic hardship. , offering flexibility for districts that encounter unexpected challenges, but limits waivers to being granted only once, encouraging careful planning.
The updated eligibility criteria and transition schedule may incentivize more districts to adopt full-day kindergarten. , potentially increasing access for young children to early education opportunities across the state.
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Who cares
Headline styles
Expand Full-Day Kindergarten
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
Senator · Senate District 38
1 Co-sponsor
History
- Referred to education
- Referred to education
Full text
2 pagesUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
3517
2019-2020 Regular Sessions
IN SENATE
February 8, 2019
Introduced by Sen. CARLUCCI -- read twice and ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Education
AN ACT to amend the education law, in relation to full day kindergarten
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. Subdivision 9 of section 3602 of the education law, as amended by section 9 of part A of chapter 57 of the laws of 2013 and paragraph c as added by section 12 of part CCC of chapter 59 of the laws of 2018, is amended to read as follows:
9. Aid for conversion to full day kindergarten. School districts may make available full day kindergarten programs for all children wishing to attend such programs.
a. For aid payable in the [two thousand seven--two thousand eight] two thousand nineteen--two thousand twenty school year and thereafter, school districts which provided any half-day kindergarten programs or had no kindergarten programs in the [nineteen hundred ninety-six--ninety-seven] two thousand eighteen--two thousand nineteen school year [and in the base year], and which have not received an apportionment pursuant to this paragraph in any prior school year, shall be eligible for five year transition aid. The aid in the first year of full day kindergarten transition is equal to the product of the district's selected foundation aid calculated pursuant to subdivision four of this section multiplied by the positive difference resulting when the full day kindergarten enrollment of children attending programs in the district in the base year is subtracted from such enrollment in the current year. The remaining transition aid shall be apportioned as follows:
i. Aid in year two shall equal eighty percent of the aid received by the district in year one.
ii. Aid in year three shall equal sixty percent of the aid received by the district in year one.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD06249-01-9
S. 3517 2
iii. Aid in year four shall equal forty percent of the aid received by the district in year one.
iv. Aid in year five shall equal twenty percent of the aid received by the district in year one.
b. Notwithstanding the provisions of paragraph a of this subdivision, school districts that have received an apportionment pursuant to this subdivision in a prior school year shall be eligible for an apportionment where the department grants a waiver upon cause satisfactory to the department, including but not limited to, satisfactory demonstration of significant economic hardship that would impact the school district's ability to provide full day kindergarten for all children wishing to attend such programs. No school district may be granted such a waiver more than once.
c. Notwithstanding the provisions of paragraph a of this subdivision, school districts receiving an apportionment pursuant to paragraph a of this subdivision in the two thousand eighteen--two thousand nineteen or two thousand nineteen--two thousand twenty school year shall be eligible for (A) an apportionment in the following school year equal to the product of sixty-five percent multiplied by the aid received by the district pursuant to paragraph a of this subdivision in the prior school year, and (B) an apportionment in the school year after the following year equal to the product of thirty-five percent multiplied by the aid received by the district pursuant to paragraph a of this subdivision in the year preceding the prior year.
§ 2. This act shall take effect immediately.
Reflowed for reading: line numbers and page breaks removed. Cite the official text.
Sponsor's memo
Title of bill
An act to amend the education law, in relation to full day kindergarten
Purpose of the bill
This bill expands the full day kindergarten conversion aid to a five year transition program.
Summary of provisions
Section one of the bill amends section 3602 of the education law as it relates to expanded full day kindergarten conversion aid. The enhanced incentive will provide school districts that have half day or no kinder- garten programs in the 2016-17 school year with funding over a five year period to transition to full day. The aid would be equal to the current conversion aid in the first year, 80% of the aid in year two, 60% of the aid in year three, 40% of the aid in year four and 20% of the aid in year five.
Section two of the bill relates to the effective date.
Justification
There are only a handful of school districts in New York that have half day kindergarten programs. This legislation would assist those school districts in transitioning to full day kindergarten by expanding the current incentive aid program to be spread out over five years. This bill will help New York move closer to providing full day kindergarten to all students in the State regardless of where they live.
Prior legislative history
2017-18: S700-b/A1625-b - VETO NO. 263 of 2018
Fiscal implications for state
It is estimated that the legislation will cost an estimated $25 million if all eligible school districts utilized the transition aid which includes the estimated $8 million under the current conversion formula.
Effective date
This act shall take effect immediately.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.