Section 12-17.2-7.2-12 - Requirement for longitudinal study(a) At least once every five (5) years, the office, in cooperation with the department of education, shall carry out a longitudinal study of students who participate in the prekindergarten program to determine the achievement levels of those students in kindergarten and later grades.(b) The longitudinal study must include a comparison of test and assessment results in grade 3 of: (1) the eligible children who participated in the prekindergarten program; and(2) a control group determined by the office that consists of children who did not participate in the prekindergarten program.(c) The office may, after consulting with the state board of education, enter into a contract with one (1) or more persons to carry out the longitudinal study under this section. The office may expend not more than one million dollars ($1,000,000) from the funds appropriated under section 9 of this chapter (repealed) to carry out the longitudinal study.Amended by P.L. 246-2023,SEC. 18, eff. 7/1/2023.Amended by P.L. 184-2017,SEC. 29, eff. 7/1/2017.Amended by P.L. 85-2017,SEC. 63, eff. 4/20/2017.Added by P.L. 202-2014, SEC. 2, eff. 7/1/2014.