JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – State Rep. Randy D. Dunn, D-Kansas City, has filed legislation to establish the Missouri Early Childhood Education Act.
House Bill 2571 would authorize, but not require, school districts to offer half-day or full-day early childhood programs for 4- and 5-year-old children. A district that offers such a program could, at its discretion, accept students from district that don’t.
“Everyone agrees kids with access to quality early childhood education are better positioned to succeed in kindergarten and beyond,” Dunn said. “Encouraging more schools to offer these programs will allow us to build a stronger foundation for public education in Missouri.”
Under the bill, schools could count students enrolled in early childhood programs toward their average daily attendance numbers, a key factor in determining how much state money a district is entitled to under Missouri’s public school funding distribution law.
