256C.6 - PHASE-IN -- APPROPRIATIONS. - Iowa Statutes

256C.6 PHASE-IN -- APPROPRIATIONS. 1. Phase-in. For the initial fiscal year in which a school district participates in the preschool program pursuant to an appropriation provided in subsection 2, the department shall apply a modified set of the requirements of the provisions of this chapter relating to preschool program implementation, preschool enrollment reporting, and distribution of funding as necessary to begin the distribution in that fiscal year and additional program implementation in the next fiscal year. 2. Appropriations for initial years. a. There is appropriated from the general fund of the state to the department of education for the designated fiscal years the following amounts, or so much thereof as is necessary, to be used for the initial year preschool foundation aid payments to school districts approved to participate in the preschool program and administrative costs: (1) For the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2008, and ending June 30, 2009, fifteen million dollars. (2) For the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2009, and ending June 30, 2010, fifteen million dollars. (3) For the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2010, and ending June 30, 2011, sixteen million one hundred sixty-two thousand five hundred dollars. b. Notwithstanding section 8.33, moneys appropriated in this subsection that remain unencumbered or unobligated at the close of the fiscal year shall not revert but shall remain available for expenditure for the purposes designated until the close of the succeeding fiscal year. 3. Insufficient funding. For the fiscal years in the period beginning July 1, 2007, and ending June 30, 2011, if the number of requests from school districts for initial participation in the preschool program exceeds the funding made available for the preschool program, the department shall utilize all of the following selection criteria in selecting the school districts that will be approved to participate in the preschool program: a. Priority shall be given to school districts that do not have existing preschool programming within the school district boundaries. b. Priority shall be given to school districts that have a high percentage of children in poverty and such children shall receive first priority for the programs. c. Consideration shall be given to the size of school districts in large, medium, and small categories in order for there to be equitable statewide distribution of preschool program services. d. Consideration shall be given to school districts with established, high-quality, community partnerships for the delivery of preschool programming that are seeking to expand access. 4. Repeal. This section is repealed July 1, 2011.          Section History: Recent Form 2007 Acts, ch 148, §6; 2008 Acts, ch 1181, §70, 71, 74 Referred to in § 256C.5