702 KAR 3:250.

Preschool grant allocations.

 

      RELATES TO: KRS

156.160, 157.226, 157.3175

      STATUTORY

AUTHORITY: KRS 156.070, 156.160, 157.226, 157.3175

      NECESSITY,

FUNCTION, AND CONFORMITY: KRS 156.160 authorizes the State Board for Elementary

and Secondary Education to adopt administrative regulations establishing

standards which school districts shall meet in student, program, service and

operational performance; KRS 157.226 authorizes preschool programs and related

services for handicapped children who are three (3) or four (4) years of age or

who may become age five (5) after October 1 of the current year and authorizes

the State Board for Elementary and Secondary Education to promulgate

administrative regulations regarding the use of funds; and KRS 157.3175

authorizes preschool education programs for four (4) year old children who are

at risk of educational failure and authorizes the State Board for Elementary

and Secondary Education to establish a grant allocation system. This

administrative regulation is necessary to implement those state board duties.

 

      Section 1.

Preschool Programs. For the purposes of this administrative regulation, the

term "preschool programs" refers to the two (2) educational programs

established in the KRS 157.226 and 157.3175 for children below primary school

age; the preschool program for handicapped children and the preschool education

program for four (4) year old children.

 

      Section 2.

Funding Eligibility. (1) Children eligible to be counted for funding purposes

for the preschool program for four (4) year old children shall include only

those children who are at risk of educational failure and who meet the criteria

set forth in 704 KAR 3:410, Section 1(1).

      (2) Children

eligible to be counted for funding purposes for the preschool program for

handicapped children shall include only those children who meet the criteria

set forth in 707 KAR 1:150, Section 1(2).

      (3) A child who

meets the eligibility criteria under both subsections (1) and (2) of this

section shall be included in only one (1) of these two (2) groups for purposes

of generating funds under these preschool programs.

      (4) Eligible

children who are enrolled by parent choice in other preschool programs

providing nonsupplemental educational services through state or federal funds

at no cost to parents shall not be included in the count of eligible children

used to generate funds under these preschool programs.

 

      Section 3.

Enrollment Data. (1) Funds for districts shall be allotted based on the number

of eligible children as defined in Section 2 of this administrative regulation

who are enrolled in the district's preschool programs on December 1 of the

previous year. Program funding shall be adjusted proportionately when the

enrollment on December 1 of the current year is more than five (5) percent

above or below the number of children served on December 1 of the previous

year.

      (2) If there are

available funds after districts have been allotted funds to serve all eligible

enrolled children through the state funds appropriated, then the remaining

funds may be prorated to those districts that transport eligible children who

are enrolled in Head Start, up to the amount per child allowed for

transportation in Section 5 of this administrative regulation.

 

      Section 4. Use

of Funds. (1) Appropriations to the local school district for the preschool

programs shall be separate and apart from all other funds appropriated to the

local school district.

      (2) Use of the

funds appropriated for the preschool programs shall be limited to activities

for the implementation of these programs, pursuant to 704 KAR 3:410, 707 KAR

1:150, and the district's application for the preschool programs.

 

      Section 5.

Formula. (1) The Department of Education shall annually recommend a preschool

allocation formula to the State Board for Elementary and Secondary Education

for review and approval. The allocation formula shall specify the amount of

funds to be allocated for each eligible child.

      (2) If the state

funds appropriated are not sufficient, the funding formula shall be adjusted

proportionately. (18 Ky.R. 220; Am. 686; eff. 9-6-91; 19 Ky.R. 512; eff.

10-1-92.)