Kentucky House Bill HB300

Kentucky 2025 Regular Session

• Introduced: 2/4/25
• Refer: 2/4/25
• Refer: 2/7/25

Caption

AN ACT relating to preschool and kindergarten education.

Summary

HB300 revises Kentucky law governing early childhood and primary education. The bill changes the state preschool program from a half-day model to a free, developmentally appropriate full-day preschool program for eligible three- and four-year-old children who are at risk of educational failure, with eligibility tied to family income or disability status. It also updates funding formulas and district reporting so that preschool aid is based on the number of three-year-olds served, beginning with the 2026-2027 school year, while four-year-olds enrolled in preschool are counted in elementary school attendance for funding purposes. The bill also amends Kentucky’s primary school and compulsory attendance statutes to align kindergarten and preschool entry ages with an August 1 cutoff and to expressly allow eligible four-year-olds to enter preschool. It revises school-day and school-month provisions, clarifies that preschool for four-year-olds is part of the primary school program, and requires districts to track how long students take to complete the primary program. In addition, HB300 makes conforming changes to school finance statutes and charter school funding rules so that preschool enrollment, attendance, and related funding factors are incorporated into district and charter school calculations.

Impact

HB300 would substantially alter KRS 157.3175, 158.031, 158.030, 158.060, 157.320, 157.360, and 160.1596 by expanding preschool access, changing age-based school entry rules, and revising how state education funds are allocated. It would require local school districts to provide full-day preschool to eligible children, update administrative regulations and district proposals, and adjust average daily attendance and funding formulas to account for preschool students and charter school enrollment. The bill would also affect local school districts, Head Start coordination, preschool providers, and public charter schools through new reporting, transportation, and funding-transfer requirements.

Sentiment

Based on the bill text and the absence of recorded committee testimony or votes in the provided materials, the bill appears to be framed as an expansion of early childhood education and school readiness services rather than a punitive or restrictive measure. Its overall direction suggests support for broader access to preschool and alignment of funding with enrollment. Because no discussion transcripts or vote history were provided, there is no documented committee or floor sentiment to characterize beyond the bill’s policy design.

Contention

The main likely points of contention are fiscal and operational. Expanding preschool to a full-day entitlement for eligible children and shifting funding formulas to support that expansion could raise concerns about state and district costs, staffing, facilities, and transportation. Another possible issue is the change from a half-day to full-day model and the move to count three-year-old preschool participation in funding, which may affect how districts prioritize services and coordinate with Head Start and other providers. The charter school provisions may also draw attention because they require proportional transfers of district funds and impose penalties for late payments, which could be controversial for local districts and authorizers.