CERTIFICATION OF ENROLLMENT

SUBSTITUTE SENATE BILL 5089

66TH LEGISLATURE

2019 REGULAR SESSION

SUBSTITUTE SENATE BILL 5089

AS AMENDED BY THE HOUSE

BySenate Ways & Means (originally sponsored by Senators Wellman, Darneille, Palumbo, Wilson, C., Kuderer, and Saldaña)

AN ACT Relating to increasing early learning access for children ages three and older; amending RCW 43.216.512 and 43.216.512; and providing contingent effective dates.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:

Sec. 1. RCW 43.216.512 and 2018 c 155 s 2 are each amended to read as follows:

(1) The department shall adopt rules that allow the inclusion of children in the early childhood education and assistance program whose family income is above one hundred ten percent of the federal poverty level if the number of such children equals not more than twenty-five percent of total statewide enrollment.

(2) ((Children included in the early childhood education and assistance program under this section must be homeless or impacted by specific developmental or environmental risk factors that are linked by research to school performance. "Homeless" means without a fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime residence as set forth in the federal McKinney-Vento homeless assistance act, P.L. 100–77, July 22, 1987, 101 Stat. 482, and runaway and homeless youth act, P.L. 93–415, Title III, September 7, 1974, 88 Stat. 1129.))The department shall adopt rules that allow a child to enroll in the early childhood education and assistance program, as space is available, when the child is not eligible under RCW 43.216.505 and the child turns three years old at any time during the school year when the child:

(3) Children included in the early childhood education and assistance program under this section are not to be considered eligible children as defined in RCW 43.216.505 and are not considered to be part of the state-funded entitlement required in RCW 43.216.556.

Sec. 2. RCW 43.216.512 and 2018 c 155 s 2 are each amended to read as follows:

(1) The department shall adopt rules that allow the ((inclusion))enrollment of children in the early childhood education and assistance program, as space is available if the number of such children equals not more than twenty-five percent of total statewide enrollment, whose family income is:

(a) Above one hundred ten percent but less than or equal to one hundred thirty percent of the federal poverty level ((if the number of such children equals not more than twenty-five)); or

(b) Above one hundred thirty percent but less than or equal to two hundred percent of ((total statewide enrollment))the federal poverty level if the child meets at least one of the risk factor criterion described in subsection (2) of this section.

(2) Children ((included))enrolled in the early childhood education and assistance program ((under))pursuant to subsection (1)(b) of this section must be ((homeless or impacted by specific developmental or environmental))prioritized for available funded slots according to a prioritization system adopted in rule by the department that considers risk factors that ((are linked by research to school performance. "Homeless" means without a fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime residence as set forth in the federal McKinney-Vento homeless assistance act, P.L. 100–77, July 22, 1987, 101 Stat. 482, and runaway and homeless youth act, P.L. 93–415, Title III, September 7, 1974, 88 Stat. 1129))have a disproportionate effect on kindergarten readiness and school performance, including:

(j) Other risk factors determined by the department to be linked by research to school performance.

(3) The department shall adopt rules that allow a child to enroll in the early childhood education and assistance program, as space is available, when the child is not eligible under RCW 43.216.505 and the child turns three years old at any time during the school year when the child:

(4) Children ((included))enrolled in the early childhood education and assistance program under this section are not ((to be)) considered eligible children as defined in RCW 43.216.505 and are not considered to be part of the state-funded entitlement required in RCW 43.216.556.

(2) Section 1 of this act takes effect only if section 2 of this act does not take effect by the effective date of this section.

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