VIRTUAL EARLY CHILDHOOD FAMILY ENGAGEMENT PILOT PROGRAM

[Rev. 6/29/2024 7:32:50 PM--2023]

EARLY CHILDHOOD FAMILY ENGAGEMENT

Chapter 485, Statutes of Nevada 2023

AN ACT relating to education; creating the Virtual Early Childhood Family Engagement Pilot Program in the Department of Health and Human Services; making an appropriation; and providing other matters properly relating thereto.

[Approved: June 15, 2023]

(Leadlines for sections have been supplied by the Legislative Counsel of the State of Nevada)

The People of the State of Nevada, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:

Section 1. Definitions. [Effective through September 30, 2025.] As used in sections 1 to 7, inclusive, of this act, unless the context otherwise requires, the words and terms defined in sections 2 and 3 of this act have the meaning ascribed to them in those sections.

(Ch. 485, Stats. 2023 p. 2981)

Sec. 2. “Department” defined. [Effective through September 30, 2025.] “Department” means the Department of Health and Human Services.

(Ch. 485, Stats. 2023 p. 2981)

Sec. 3. “Program” defined. [Effective through September 30, 2025.] “Program” means the Virtual Early Childhood Family Engagement Pilot Program created by section 4 of this act.

(Ch. 485, Stats. 2023 p. 2981)

Sec. 4. Creation and purposes of Program. [Effective through September 30, 2025.]

1. The Virtual Early Childhood Family Engagement Pilot Program is hereby created within the Department.

2. The purposes of the Program are to:

(a) Provide training and coaching to empower parents and guardians of young children in the education of their child; and

(b) Increase the readiness of children for kindergarten in every geographic area of this State.

(Ch. 485, Stats. 2023 p. 2981)

Sec. 5. Administration of Program: Request for proposals; review of proposals and selection of organization. [Effective through September 30, 2025.]

1. The Department shall issue a request for proposals from organizations that are recognized as exempt under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code, 26 U.S.C. § 501(c)(3), to administer the Program.

2. The Department shall review the proposals submitted to the Department pursuant to subsection 1 and select to administer the Program an organization that has a record of success conducting virtual early childhood family engagement programs, as demonstrated through independent, valid and reliable evaluations.

(Ch. 485, Stats. 2023 p. 2982)

Sec. 6. Duties of organization selected to administer Program; requirements of Program. [Effective through September 30, 2025.]

1. The organization selected to administer the Program pursuant to section 5 of this act shall:

(a) Create a plan to recruit parents, guardians and foster parents of children described in paragraph (a) of subsection 2 who are from diverse backgrounds and all geographic areas of the State to participate in the Program;

(b) Provide the programming described in paragraph (b) of subsection 2 to such children and their parents, guardians or foster parents in their residences through a computer or similar device;

(c) Provide for the installation of a computer or Internet service if the residence of the child or parent, guardian or foster parent lacks such a device or service;

(d) Effectively engage the parents, guardians and foster parents who participate in the Program to empower them in the education of their children; and

(e) At least twice during each school year that a child participates in the Program, and upon request of the parent, guardian or foster parent of a child who is participating in the Program, provide such parents, guardians or foster parents information in electronic form or in writing concerning relevant services and resources provided by the State and relevant political subdivisions of this State, including, without limitation:

(1) Any program that provides:

(I) Rental and housing assistance; or

(II) Subsidies for child care;

(2) The Kinship Guardianship Assistance Program established and administered by the Department pursuant to NRS 432B.622;

(3) Preschools that provide in-person instruction;

(4) Registration for kindergarten;

(5) Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program;

(6) Temporary Assistance for Needy Families, as defined in NRS 422A.080;

(7) Supplemental Nutrition Assistance, as defined in NRS 422A.072;

(8) Early intervention services, as defined in NRS 427A.8715; and

(9) Programs for workforce development.

2. The Program must:

(a) Serve children who will be eligible to enter kindergarten for the next school year, including, without limitation, children:

(1) Whose household has an income which is not more than 200 percent of the federally designated level signifying poverty;

(2) Who are in the foster care system; or

(3) Who reside in rural areas of this State.

(b) Utilize a developmentally appropriate, adaptive curriculum in reading, mathematics and science for the Program that:

(1) Is aligned to the Head Start Early Learning Outcomes Framework: Ages Birth to Five published by the Office of Head Start of the Administration for Children and Families of the United States Department of Health and Human Services and any standards of content and performance established for prekindergarten pursuant to NRS 389.520;

(2) Is aligned to the WIDA Early Language Development Standards prescribed by WIDA;

(3) Is certified as a Certified Autism Resource by the International Board of Credentialing and Continuing Education Standards; and

(4) Is endorsed by the Council of Administrators of Special Education.

(c) Ensure that the time a child is required by the Program to use a digital screen is less than the maximum amount of time recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics for children who are 4 years of age to use a digital screen.

(Ch. 485, Stats. 2023 p. 2982)

Sec. 7. Reports by organization selected to administer Program; compilation of data by Department and report to Director of Legislative Counsel Bureau. [Effective through September 30, 2025.]

1. On or before July 30, 2024, and July 30, 2025, the organization selected to administer the Program pursuant to section 5 of this act shall submit a report to the Department which includes, without limitation:

(a) The number of children enrolled in the Program during the immediately preceding school year, in total and in each county of this State;

(b) The number and percentage of children described in paragraph (a) who meet each criterion identified in paragraph (a) of subsection 2 of section 6 of this act;

(1) Race;

(2) Ethnicity;

(3) Disability status;

(4) Household income;

(5) County of residence; and

(6) Language spoken at home;

(d) Quantitative data and, to the extent any is available, qualitative data that demonstrates the effectiveness of the Program at improving the abilities of a child in reading, writing and mathematics and the readiness of the children participating in the Program for kindergarten, including, without limitation:

(1) Data concerning the educational development of the children participating in the Program;

(2) The number of children who completed the Program and who are ready for kindergarten; and

(3) Data concerning the level of satisfaction that parents, guardians and foster parents have concerning the Program; and

(e) Any additional information determined by the Department to be necessary to evaluate the Program.

2. On or before September 30, 2024, and September 30, 2025, the Department shall compile a report of the data reported pursuant to subsection 1 and submit the report to the Director of the Legislative Counsel Bureau for transmittal to:

(a) In 2024, the next regular session of the Legislature; and

(b) In 2025, the Joint Interim Standing Committee on Education and the Joint Interim Standing Committee on Health and Human Services.

(Ch. 485, Stats. 2023 p. 2983)