NEW YORK STATE ASSEMBLY MEMORANDUM IN SUPPORT OF LEGISLATION submitted in accordance with Assembly Rule III, Sec 1(f)
BILL NUMBER: A8692B
SPONSOR: Zebrowski TITLE OF BILL:
An act to amend the education law, in relation to full day kindergarten
PURPOSE OF THE BILL:
This bill expands the full day kindergarten conversion aid to a five
year transition program.
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:
Section one of the bill amends section 3602 of the education law as it
relates to expanded full day kindergarten conversion aid. The enhanced
incentive will provide school districts that have half day or no kinder-
garten programs in the 2015-16 school year with funding over a five year
period to transition to full day. The aid would be equal to the current
conversion aid in the first year, 80% of the aid in year two, 60% of the
aid in year three, 40% of the aid in year four and 20% of the aid in
year five.
Section two of the bill relates to the effective date.
JUSTIFICATION:
There are only a handful of school districts in New York that have half
day kindergarten programs. This legislation would assist those school
districts in transitioning to full day kindergarten by expanding the
current incentive aid program to be spread out over five years. This
bill will help New York move closer to providing full day kindergarten
to all students in the State regardless of where they live.
PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
New Bill.
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS FOR STATE:
It is estimated that the legislation will cost $37 million if all eligi-
ble school districts utilized the transition aid which includes the
estimated $12 million under the current conversion formula.
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect immediately.
