S.B. 78 Summary

• Establishes the Executive Office on Early Learning (EOEL) as the administrative authority for all state-funded and private partnership-funded prekindergarten programs in public schools, excluding special education and Title I-funded programs which remain under the Department of Education.

• Transfers existing prekindergarten programs from the Department of Education and 18 charter school classrooms (previously federally funded) to EOEL, requiring EOEL to partner with schools through memoranda of agreement or understanding.

• Requires the Department of Education to adhere to EOEL quality standards for Title I-funded prekindergarten classrooms and to collaborate with EOEL on curriculum, instruction, assessment, family engagement, and teacher professional development.

• Expands EOEL's public prekindergarten program by adding 10 new classrooms on department school campuses, with maximum enrollment of 20 children per classroom prioritizing at-risk and underserved children.

• Appropriates approximately $16.7 million over fiscal years 2019-2020 and 2020-2021 for operational costs, positions, facility retrofitting, and professional development support for the expanded program.