SB 39 Summary

• Establishes staff qualification requirements for early childhood educators in state-funded programs, with phased implementation: prior to July 1, 2015, requires at least one classroom staff member with a childhood development credential or relevant degree; from July 1, 2015-2020, requires 50% of classroom staff to hold bachelor's degrees in early childhood education; and from July 1, 2020 forward, requires 100% of classroom staff to hold bachelor's degrees or teaching certification with early childhood endorsement.

• Protects existing employees with bachelor's degrees hired before June 30, 2015, from termination due to the new qualification requirements and allows them to count toward meeting the phased-in standards.

• Authorizes up to $500,000 annually in unexpended school readiness funds to provide up to $5,000 per staff member per year for tuition assistance toward bachelor's or associate's degrees in early childhood education at in-state institutions.

• Maintains grant programs for accredited school readiness programs in priority school districts and towns ranked lowest by wealth, with eligibility determined on a five-year basis and phase-out grants available for districts no longer meeting criteria.

• Requires programs to use funds for early childhood spaces while prohibiting displacement of existing federal, state, or local early childhood education funding.