HB 314 - Mississippi Universal Prekindergarten Program Act of 2019

• Creates a publicly funded, voluntary universal prekindergarten program available to children who are 4 years old by September 1, providing at least 10 hours per week for 35 weeks annually.

• Establishes a statewide tuition rate (with potential regional adjustments) that school districts must pay to prequalified private providers or public schools outside the district if parents choose, or districts may operate their own programs.

• Requires prequalified providers to meet minimum standards including NAEYC accreditation, teacher qualifications per Section 37-21-3, 1:10 teacher-child ratio, research-based curriculum aligned to early learning standards, and at least 540 hours annually for half-day programs or 1,080 hours for full-day programs.

• Designates the State Board of Education and Division of Early Childhood Care and Development to jointly administer the program, promulgate rules, establish prequalification processes, and monitor program quality and outcomes through annual legislative reports.

• Requires school districts to include prekindergarten children in their average daily attendance calculations for budget purposes and allows school boards to limit tuition payments to providers within a defined "prekindergarten region" in consultation with the state agencies.