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House Bill (HB) 3 was passed by the 86th Texas Legislature, 2019, and signed into law by Governor Abbott on June 11, 2019. HB 3 impacts districts and open-enrollment charter schools serving prekindergarten through third grade students. The following areas within HB 3 that relate to prekindergarten specifically are:

• Early education allotment
• Full-day high-quality prekindergarten for eligible four-year-olds
• Expanded early education reporting
• Early learning progress monitoring tools
• Exemptions
• Partnerships

Today, the agency released a HB 3 in 30 Pre-K webinar focusing on the bullets above, along with a PowerPoint and related materials.

Overview of Changes to Prekindergarten RequirementsÌý
HB 3 does not change the requirements as to whether a district or charter must offer prekindergarten services from prior law, nor does it change eligibility for prekindergarten funding.Ìý It does, however, require that all prekindergarten offered to eligible four-year-old students be full day, and that the prekindergarten meet the high-quality requirements adopted by the legislature four years ago.Ìý To support these requirements, HB 3 increases funding in general and creates a new early education allotment.

Districts must convert existing half day prekindergarten services for four-year olds to be full day, effective with the start of the new school year.Ìý Recognizing this will create a large number of logistical challenges for some districts given the short amount of time with which to implement this requirement, the legislature created a limited process to obtain an exemption to this requirement, but the process itself requires districts to attempt to engage in partnerships with community-based early learning centers.

The agency has created resources to help districts navigate these new requirements:

Resources to support HB 3 PreK

• HB 3 ECE one-pager
• High-quality prekindergarten components one-pager
• Webinars:
• High-quality prekindergarten components
• Public-private partnerships webinars
• Partnership Guidebook
• Partnership one-pagers:ÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý
• Head Start partnerships
• Early Learning Center partnerships
• Exemption Guidance Document

Full-day Prekindergarten Exemptions (waivers):Ìý
An exemption may be applied through the State Waiver UnitÌýfor up to three years with one renewal. The prekindergarten exemption for full-day prekindergarten will be available in January 2020. This process is detailed further in the webinar and PowerPoint presentation.ÌýÌý

Please note:Ìý the waiver will not be accessible on the 91Èȱ¬ State Waivers web page until toward the end of the 2019 calendar year.Ìý But waivers will be granted as needed to account for the 2019-20 school year.

QuestionsÌý
If you have any questions related to this TAA on prekindergarten improvements under HB 3, please contact the Division of Early Childhood by phone at (512) 936-2546 or email HB3info@tea.texas.gov. We will be compiling answers to frequently asked questions (FAQs) on the /hb3 webpage as well as 91Èȱ¬â€™s Early Childhood Education webpage.

Sincerely,

Jacquie Porter,
State Director of Early Childhood Education