FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

May 7, 2008

Contact: Rep. Emma Rous, (603) 271-3334

Rep. Linda Foster, (603) 271-3371

NEW HAMPSHIRE HOUSE VOTES FOR

KINDERGARTEN AID BILL

CONCORD – The New Hampshire House voted today for legislation that will help districts pay for the start-up costs for adding public kindergarten. Senate Bill 530 now goes back to the Senate for concurrence.

Last year the legislature voted to require school districts to offer kindergarten as part of an adequate education. 

“Senate Bill 530 offers flexibility, options, and incentives to the 12 communities – the only school districts in the country -- that currently do not provide public kindergarten,” said Rep. Linda Foster (D-Mont Vernon), Deputy Speaker of the House. “Without this legislation, districts must offer public kindergarten by September 2008 without the tools to ensure a smooth transition, or state assistance to comply with the law.”

The bill extends the existing construction grant that covers 75 percent of the actual cost of constructing kindergarten facilities.  It also allows a construction grant that covers 100 percent of the actual cost of a basic code compliant kindergarten facility. 

School districts that displace pupils from existing classroom space in order to provide kindergarten programs are eligible for these grants to cover the costs incurred in constructing or renovating new classroom space for the displaced pupils.  Transition grants are also available to cover 100 percent of the cost of leasing and set up of temporary classrooms.  All of these grants include the cost of furniture, fixtures, and equipment for the kindergarten program. 

The bill also allows districts to contract with another public school or private entity to provide kindergarten, provided that the private kindergarten program meets or exceeds state standards.  Parents will not have to pay an extra cost, and neither will the state – the district will receive the same amount of money that a district with regular public kindergarten would receive. The school district will handle contracts with private kindergartens. This contracting option has a sunset period of four years.

“This legislation will allow the 12 school districts not yet offering public kindergarten time to make sound local decisions that insure the permanent opportunity for a public kindergarten education for every New Hampshire 5-year old,” said Rep. Emma Rous (D-Durham), Chair of the House Education Committee and a sponsor of the SB530.

Senate Bill 530 was based on the recommendations made by the Joint Legislative Oversight Committee on Costing an Adequate Education.