Iowa Admin. Code r. 281-98.13

Current through Register Vol. 47, No. 10, November 13, 2024

Rule 281-98.13 - Statewide voluntary four-year-old preschool program

The statewide voluntary four-year-old preschool program is a program for a specific category of students. Funding for the program is for the purpose of providing a high-quality early learning environment for four-year-old children whose families choose to access such programs.

(1)Appropriate uses of categorical funding. Foundation aid funding provided for the program may be used by approved local programs and community providers for any purpose designated by the board of directors of the school district to meet standards for high-quality preschool instruction and for purposes that directly or indirectly benefit students enrolled in the approved local program. These purposes include the following:

a. Functions of instruction, including instructional equipment and supplies and material and equipment designed to develop students' large and small motor skills.

b. Functions of student support services, including translation services.

c. Functions of staff support services, including professional development for preschool teachers.

d. Up to 5 percent of the allocation can be used for actual documented costs of program administration, outreach activities, and rent for facilities not owned by the school district.

e. Food and beverages used by enrolled students.

f. Safety equipment.

g. Playground equipment and repair costs.

h. Costs of transportation involving children participating in the approved program. The costs of transporting other children associated with the preschool program or transporting as provided in Iowa Code section 256C.3(3)"h" may be prorated by the school district.

i. Other direct costs that enhance the approved local program, including contracting with community providers for such services.

j. Costs of attendance for a child who is younger or older than four years old and is enrolled in the program may be paid from these funds, or from another school district account or fund from which preschool program expenditures are authorized by law, if space and funding are available; however, the child will not be counted for statewide voluntary preschool program funding purposes.

(2)Pass-through funding to community-based providers. The school district will pass through to a community-based provider for each eligible pupil enrolled in the district's approved local program not less than 95 percent of the per-pupil amount.

a. The community-based provider may use up to 10 percent of the 95 percent portion for documented allowable administrative and operational costs of providing the district's approved local program. The costs of outreach activities, rent for facilities not owned by the school district, and transportation for children participating in the preschool program are also permissive costs allowed as part of the 10 percent under this paragraph.

b. Any portion of the 95 percent not documented as expended for direct instruction or administrative and operational costs as allowed by this rule will be refunded to the district annually on or before July 1.

c. Any portion refunded to the district will be added to the total amount available for the district's approved local program for the subsequent school year, excluding the portion of such unexpended and unobligated funding that the school district authorizes to be transferred to the district's flexibility account described in rule 281-98.27 (257,298A).

(3)Inappropriate uses of categorical funding. Inappropriate uses of the statewide voluntary four-year-old preschool program funding include indirect costs or use charges, capital expenditures other than equipment, facility acquisition not expressly allowed by the Iowa Code, construction, debt service, operational or maintenance costs or administrative costs that supplant or that exceed 5 percent, or any other expenditures not directly related to providing the statewide voluntary four-year-old preschool program or that supplant existing public funding for preschool programming.

(4)Flexibility account. All or a portion of the amount remaining unexpended and unobligated at the end of a budget year beginning on or after July 1, 2017, may be transferred for deposit into the flexibility account established under Iowa Code section 298A.2 and described in rule 281-98.27(257,298A), provided the board of directors of the school district has determined all statutory requirements for the use of such funding have been met.

In order to transfer funds to the flexibility account, the district must have provided preschool programming during the fiscal year for which funding remained unexpended and unobligated to all eligible students for whom a timely application for enrollment was submitted.

Iowa Admin. Code r. 281-98.13

ARC 8054B, lAB 8/26/09, effective 9/30/09

Amended by IAB April 15, 2015/Volume XXXVII, Number 21, effective 5/20/2015

Amended by IAB December 9, 2015/Volume XXXVIII, Number 12, effective 1/13/2016

Amended by IAB February 14, 2018/Volume XL, Number 17, effective 3/21/2018

Adopted by IAB April 17, 2024/Volume XLVI, Number 21, effective 5/22/2024