Bill Text: TX HB190 | 2025-2026 | 89th Legislature | Introduced
Bill Title: Relating to a grant program to provide free or reduced-tuition prekindergarten classes to certain children.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)
Status: (Introduced) 2024-11-12 - Filed [HB190 Detail]
Download: Texas-2025-HB190-Introduced.html
| 89R1888 CXP-D | ||
| By: Lopez of Bexar | H.B. No. 190 | |
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| relating to a grant program to provide free or reduced-tuition | ||
| prekindergarten classes to certain children. | ||
| BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: | ||
| SECTION 1. Subchapter E, Chapter 29, Education Code, is | ||
| amended by adding Section 29.1535 to read as follows: | ||
| Sec. 29.1535. FREE AND REDUCED-TUITION PREKINDERGARTEN | ||
| GRANT PROGRAM. (a) From money appropriated or otherwise available | ||
| for the purpose, the commissioner, in collaboration with the Pre-K | ||
| 4 SA early childhood initiative, shall establish and administer a | ||
| grant program to support school districts, open-enrollment charter | ||
| schools, and private schools in providing free or reduced-tuition | ||
| prekindergarten classes to eligible children. | ||
| (b) A school district, open-enrollment charter school, or | ||
| private school shall use money received under the grant program to | ||
| provide free or reduced-tuition prekindergarten classes to | ||
| eligible children. | ||
| (c) A child is eligible to enroll in a prekindergarten class | ||
| described by Subsection (b) if the child is at least three years of | ||
| age. | ||
| (d) To the extent consistent with state and federal law, a | ||
| prekindergarten class provided using money received under the grant | ||
| program must be operated in accordance with any curriculum and | ||
| teaching methods implemented by the Pre-K 4 SA early childhood | ||
| initiative. | ||
| (e) Not later than September 1 of each year, the | ||
| commissioner shall prepare and submit to the legislature a report | ||
| on the grant program under this section. The report must include: | ||
| (1) an evaluation of the academic and developmental | ||
| achievements of students enrolled in a prekindergarten class using | ||
| money received under the grant program; and | ||
| (2) any recommendations for legislative or other | ||
| action. | ||
| (f) The commissioner shall adopt rules as necessary to | ||
| establish and administer the grant program under this section. | ||
| (g) The grant program is abolished and this section expires | ||
| January 1, 2031. | ||
| SECTION 2. Not later than September 1, 2026, the | ||
| commissioner of education shall submit the initial report required | ||
| by Section 29.1535, Education Code, as added by this Act. | ||
| SECTION 3. This Act applies beginning with the 2025-2026 | ||
| school year. | ||
| SECTION 4. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives | ||
| a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as | ||
| provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this | ||
| Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this | ||
| Act takes effect September 1, 2025. | ||
