HB 2448-S2 - DIGEST
(DIGEST OF PROPOSED 2ND SUBSTITUTE)

Establishes the high-quality early learning act.

Requires the Washington preschool program to be implemented, beginning with the 2014-2015 school year, to provide voluntary preschool opportunities for children three and four years of age.

Declares that, as the Washington preschool program is implemented, it is the intent that additional enrollment slots will be funded for the Washington preschool program and that existing enrollment slots in the early childhood education and assistance program will be transferred over time to the Washington preschool program.

Requires funding for the Washington preschool program to be appropriated to the department of early learning.

Requires the early learning advisory council to: (1) Establish a subcommittee to guide the development and implementation of the Washington preschool program; and

(2) Establish a preschool readiness subcommittee, which shall be cochaired by the department of early learning and the nongovernmental private-public partnership.

Requires the state institute for public policy to conduct an outcome evaluation of the Washington preschool program.

Requires the department of early learning, the office of the superintendent of public instruction, and the education data center to provide the institute with the necessary data to conduct the evaluation.