§24.7.  Extended kindergarten; pilot project

A.(1)  During the 2005-2006 school year, the Department of Education shall provide for the establishment of at least one class of extended kindergarten, known as "Kindergarten Plus" in each of the eight regional service districts established pursuant to Chapter 34 of this Title.  Such classes shall be established cooperatively with a city, parish, or other local school board, hereafter referred to as a "local board" or "local system".

(2)  The department shall invite each local school board to submit a proposal for the establishment of such a class in one of its schools.  The proposal shall provide for the participation of students who are eligible to attend kindergarten in the local school system and who are documented as eligible to participate in the federal free and reduced cost lunch program.  Further, the proposal shall detail the plans for the participation of teachers, the plan for facility, and the plan for establishing and providing the evaluation of effectiveness provided in Subsection C of this Section.

(3)  The department shall consider and evaluate each proposal and recommend for approval by the State Board of Elementary and Secondary Education one class in each regional service district.  Should a large number of qualified proposals be submitted from one regional service district, the participating class shall be selected by random drawing from among all qualified proposals in the same district.

B.  Kindergarten Plus shall provide for participating students to receive full day kindergarten beginning two months prior to the other kindergarten classes in the local system.  Kindergarten Plus classes shall be continued through the 2007-2008 school year and may be continued thereafter as provided in Subsection D of this Section.

C.  The state Department of Education, with the approval of the State Board of Elementary and Secondary Education shall establish rubrics of evaluation for use in every participating school which shall be designed to provide clear and usable information regarding the effect the additional two months of kindergarten has on the students' academic achievement and overall school success when compared to similar students who enroll in the regularly provided kindergarten classes extended through their primary grades.

D.(1)  Based on an analysis of the evaluations of the effect of Kindergarten Plus classes, beginning in the 2008-2009 school year, the state department may expand the number of schools participating in the pilot, continue the pilot limited to eight schools, or discontinue the Kindergarten Plus classes.

(2)  A report on the progress, evaluations, the analysis of the evaluations, and the determination of the department regarding the expansion, continuation, or discontinuation of Kindergarten Plus shall be provided to the Senate Committee on Education and the House Committee on Education annually.

E.  Implementation of the provisions of this Section shall be subject to the appropriation of funds for this purpose.

Acts 2004, No. 632, §1.