Kentucky SB 191: AN ACT relating to veterans.

Bill Text

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AN ACT relating to the Kentucky Kindergarten Readiness Performance-Based 1
Child Care Incentive Pilot Program. 2
WHEREAS, providing performance-based incentives to diverse types of early 3
childhood education and child-care providers leads to the expansion of services across the 4
Commonwealth; and 5
WHEREAS, providing performance-based incentives to low-income parents of 6
children not receiving services from early childhood education and child-care providers, 7
Head Start, or public Pre-K is a way to encourage parents to prepare their children for 8
kindergarten; and 9
WHEREAS, providing performance-based incentives increases the number of 10
children entering school kindergarten ready, which positively impacts future educational 11
attainment; and 12
WHEREAS, providing performance-based incentives encourages early childhood 13
education and child-care providers to provide services for children with special needs; 14
and 15
WHEREAS, providing performance-based incentives would ensure positive growth 16
and improved quality of care for infant and toddler care programs; 17
NOW, THEREFORE, 18
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Kentucky: 19
SECTION 1. A NEW SECTION OF KRS CHAPTER 199 IS CREATED TO 20
READ AS FOLLOWS: 21
(1) As used in this section: 22
(a) "Cabinet" means the Cabinet for Health and Family Services; 23
(b) "Type I child-care center" means a child-care center licensed by the cabinet 24
to regularly provide child care services for: 25
1. Four (4) or more children in a nonresidential setting; or 26
2. Thirteen (13) or more children in a designated space separate from the 27

UNOFFICIAL COPY 26 RS SB 191/GA
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primary residence of a licensee; 1
(c) "Type II child-care center" means a child-care center that is the primary 2
residence of the licensee in which child care is regularly provided for at 3
least seven (7) but not more than twelve (12) children, including children 4
related to the licensee; and 5
(d) "University" means the University of Kentucky. 6
(2) By August 1, 2026, the university shall establish and operate the Kentucky 7
Kindergarten Readiness Performance-Based Child Care Incentive Pilot Program, 8
which shall operate from August 1, 2027, until July 31, 2029. 9
(3) The pilot program shall: 10
(a) Determine how to provide performance-based incentives to diverse types of 11
early childhood education providers, child-care providers, and low-income 12
parents in order to increase the number of children in the Commonwealth 13
who are assessed as kindergarten ready; 14
(b) Determine how to best assess applicants and distribute moneys; 15
(c) Develop a written plan and implement assessment processes to determine 16
kindergarten readiness for children in the Commonwealth. The university 17
shall convene a working group to assist in the development of the written 18
plan and assessment processes; 19
(d) Ensure that participants in the pilot program represent geographically and 20
socioeconomically diverse areas of the Commonwealth; 21
(e) Evaluate the impact of performance-based incentives implemented through 22
the pilot program using a rigorous design framework that supports causal 23
inferences; 24
(f) Design, identify, and make available resources for parents to assist them in 25
preparing children for kindergarten readiness; 26
(g) Determine how to award funds, including but not limited to direct payments 27

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or refundable tax credits, to licensed Type I and Type II child-care centers; 1
cabinet-regulated early childhood education providers, certified child-care 2
homes, and registered providers; and single or married parents who qualify 3
for the child-care subsidy administered by the cabinet pursuant to KRS 4
199.8994. To be eligible for funds: 5
1. A provider or a home shall maintain services for infants and toddlers 6
at a ratio established by the Division of Child Care within the cabinet; 7
2. A provider or a home shall maintain and submit accurate and detailed 8
records of care for any child; and 9
3. A parent shall submit records to verify he or she meets the 10
requirements to receive child care subsidy funds under KRS 199.8994; 11
(h) Establish a standard for awarding a two thousand dollar ($2,000) one (1) 12
time award, including but not limited to direct payments or refundable tax 13
credits, per child once a child is designated by the assessment processes as 14
kindergarten ready as follows: 15
1. A full award to a licensed Type I or Type II child-care center or 16
cabinet-regulated early childhood education provider, certified child-17
care home, or registered provider who meets the requirements of 18
paragraph (g) of this subsection if the kindergarten-ready child 19
received full-time services from the center or