HBA-MPM H.B. 2608 76(R) BILL ANALYSIS Office of House Bill AnalysisH.B. 2608 By: Greenberg Public Education 4/9/1999 Introduced BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Studies show that preschool programs can increase a child's later success in school. Pre-reading programs in particular may help children develop logical thinking, increase curiosity, and strengthen cognitive skills. H.B. 2608 requires the commissioner of education (commissioner) to make grants for pre-reading instruction from appropriate funds in amounts no less than $50,000 or more than $150,000 to eligible entities. This bill further provides that a public school with a prekindergarten program, or another public or private entity providing a preschool instruction program and that meets certain qualifications, is eligible to apply for a grant if at least a certain percentage of children enrolled in the program are low-income students. It also sets forth certain conditions regarding matching funding required by an eligible entity. RULEMAKING AUTHORITY It is the opinion of the Office of House Bill Analysis that this bill does not expressly delegate any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution. SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS SECTION 1. Amends Subchapter E, Chapter 29, Education Code, by adding Section 29.155, as follows: Sec. 29.155. READY TO READ GRANTS. Requires the commissioner of education (commissioner) to make grants as provided by this section in support of pre-reading instruction from funds appropriated for that purpose. (b) Requires the commissioner to establish a competitive grant program for distribution of at least 95 percent of available appropriated funds. Requires grants to be used to provide scientific, research-based, pre-reading instruction to directly improve pre-reading skills and to identify cost-effective models for pre-reading intervention. Requires the commissioner to distribute the grants in amounts no less than $50,000 or more than $150,000 to eligible entities to be used for specific purposes. (c) Provides that a public school operating a prekindergarten program, or another public or private entity providing a preschool instruction program and that meets qualifications prescribed by the commissioner, is eligible to apply for a grant if at least 75 percent of children enrolled in the program are low-income students, as determined by rule of the commissioner. (d) Provides that as a condition to receiving a grant, an applicant must commit public or private funds matching in a percentage set by the commissioner. Requires the commissioner to determine the required percentage of matching funds based on the demonstrated economic capacity of the community served by the program to raise funds to match the grant, as determined by the commissioner. Provides that matching funds must equal at last 30 percent, but no more than 75 percent, of the grant amount. (e) Requires the commissioner to develop and implement performance measures for evaluating the effectiveness of grants under this section. Provides that the measures must correlate to other reading diagnostic assessments used in public schools in kindergarten through the second grade. (f) Authorizes the commissioner to adopt rules as necessary for the administration of this section. (g) Authorizes the commissioner to expend no more than three percent for administration of the grant program in the first fiscal year and no more than one percent in each fiscal year thereafter out of funds appropriated for grants. Authorizes the commissioner to expend no more than two percent in the first fiscal year for evaluation of the program and no more than four percent in each fiscal year thereafter in addition to funds appropriated for grants. SECTION 2. Requires the commissioner, to the extent practicable, to administer the grant program as added by this Act in a manner consistent with other reading programs identified as components of the governor's reading initiative. SECTION 3. Effective date: September 1, 1999. SECTION 4. Emergency clause.