A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION directing the Legislative Research Commission to establish the Kentucky Preschool Program Task Force.
WHEREAS, Kentucky has a poverty rate of 16.9%, more than 5 percentage points higher than the 2018 national average of 11.8%; and
WHEREAS, Kentucky's labor force participation rate of 57.0% in November of 2020 falls far behind the national average of 61.5% in November of 2020 and has been consistently declining for two decades; and
WHEREAS, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has said that child care should cost no more than 7% of a family's income; and
WHEREAS, Kentucky's median household income is $50,247; and
WHEREAS, Kentucky's median annual child care rate of $7,000, as a percentage of the median household income, is more than double what the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services says is affordable, and makes child care unaffordable for most Kentucky families; and
WHEREAS, access to high-quality early childhood education is essential to combat poverty and provide opportunity; and
WHEREAS, there were an estimated 111,748 preschool age children in Kentucky in 2018 but only 21,270 participated in state-funded preschool during the 2018-2019 school year; and
WHEREAS, research shows that important brain development occurs during the preschool years; and
WHEREAS, high-quality preschool has been shown to help children to be "kindergarten ready," but for the 2019-2020 school year, only 51% of kindergarten students arrived "kindergarten ready"; and
WHEREAS, children who participate in high-quality preschool programs are more likely to graduate high school and college and have higher lifetime earnings; and
WHEREAS, access to high-quality preschool programs can benefit families by reducing child care costs and increasing workforce participation rates; and
WHEREAS, the COVID-19 pandemic has and will continue to have an immeasurable impact on children of all ages; and
WHEREAS, the General Assembly believes that the convening of a task force is an appropriate way to evaluate mixed delivery models and funding mechanisms for a high-quality full-day preschool program that provides voluntary access to services for all 3- and 4-year-old children in Kentucky;
NOW, THEREFORE,
Be it resolved by the House of Representatives of the General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Kentucky, the Senate concurring therein:
âSection 1.   The Legislative Research Commission is hereby directed to establish the Kentucky Preschool Program Task Force to:
(1)	Study the existing delivery system, organizational structure, and funding mechanisms of early care and education programs in Kentucky, including but not limited to Early Head Start, Head Start, public preschools, private preschools, child care centers, and family child care homes;
(2)	Study the health and social benefits to children of participating in a high-quality early childhood education program;
(3)	Identify best practices through research of Kentucky's and other states' preschool programs that provide services to 3- and 4-year-old children;
(4)	Develop strategies for interagency coordination to maximize existing resources, including but not limited to federal, state, and local funding;
(5)	Study the availability of staffing, resources, and preparation programs for early childhood educators;
(6)	Analyze the potential return on investment and tax revenue from a positive impact on workforce participation and improved worker productivity;
(7)	Identify best practices for parent education and engagement strategies;
(8)	Analyze the cost of implementation and identify additional potential funding sources; and
(9)	Present written recommendations for legislation that would ensure voluntary access to some form of high-quality full-day preschool program for all 3- and 4- year-old children in Kentucky.
âSection 2.   The Kentucky Preschool Program Task Force shall be composed of the following members, with final membership of the task force being subject to the consideration and approval of the Legislative Research Commission:
(1)	One member of the Senate to be appointed by the President of the Senate, who shall serve as co-chair;
(2)	One member of the House of Representatives to be appointed by the Speaker of the House, who shall serve as co-chair;
(3)	One member of the Senate to be appointed by the Minority Floor Leader of the Senate;
(4)	One member of the House of Representatives to be appointed by the Minority Floor Leader of the House;
(5)	The commissioner of the Kentucky Department of Education or designee;
(6)	The executive director of the Governor's Office of Early Childhood or designee;
(7)	The president of the Kentucky Chamber of Commerce or designee;
(8)	The director of a member facility of the Child Care Advocates of Kentucky to be determined by its board of directors;
(9)	The director of the Division of Child Care, Cabinet for Health and Family Services or designee;
(10)	The executive director of the Kentucky Head Start Association or designee;
(11)	The president of the Prichard Committee for Academic Excellence or designee;
(12)	The president of the Family Resource Youth Services Coalition of Kentucky or designee;
(13)	The president of the United Way of Kentucky or designee;
(14)	The president of the National Center for Families Learning or designee;
(15)	A certified Kentucky elementary school teacher appointed by the Governor;
(16)	An early childhood professor from a Kentucky public research university to be determined by the Governor's Office of Early Childhood;
(17)	The president of the Foundation for a Healthy Kentucky or designee;
(18)	The president of resource and referral agency Community Coordinated Child Care or designee;
(19)	A Kentucky superintendent nominated by the Kentucky Association of School Superintendents;
(20)	The executive director of the Kentucky Youth Advocates or designee;
(21)	A public preschool teacher appointed by the commissioner of the Kentucky Department of Education;
(22)	The president of the Louisville Urban League or designee; and
(23)	The executive director of La Casita Center of Louisville or designee.
âSection 3.   The Kentucky Preschool Program Task Force shall meet at least monthly during the 2021 Interim of the General Assembly. The Kentucky Preschool Program Task Force shall present its findings, recommendations, and proposed legislation to be considered during the 2022 legislative session to the Interim Joint Committee on Education at its regularly scheduled meeting in November 2021.
âSection 4.   Provisions of this Resolution to the contrary notwithstanding, the Legislative Research Commission shall have the authority to alternatively assign the issues identified herein to a statutory committee, an interim joint committee, or a subcommittee thereof and to designate a study completion date.