{"data":{"id":"us-ky/krs-199.8998","jurisdiction":"us-ky","citation":"KRS 199.8998","heading":"Definitions for section -- Kentucky Kindergarten Readiness Performance-","body":"Based Child Care Incentive Pilot Program -- Reporting required.\n(1) As used in this section:\n(a) \"Cabinet\" means the Cabinet for Health and Family Services;\n(b) \"Type I child-care center\" means a child-care center licensed by the cabinet to\nregularly provide child care services for:\n1. Four (4) or more children in a nonresidential setting; or\n2. Thirteen (13) or more children in a designated space separate from the\nprimary residence of a licensee;\n(c) \"Type II child -care center\" means a child -care center that is the primary\nresidence of the licensee in which child care is regularly provided for at least\nseven (7) but not more than twelve (12) children, including children relat ed to\nthe licensee; and\n(d) \"University\" means the University of Kentucky.\n(2) By August 1, 2026, the university shall establish and operate the Kentucky\nKindergarten Readiness Performance -Based Child Care Incentive Pilot Program,\nwhich shall operate from August 1, 2027, until July 31, 2029.\n(3) The pilot program shall:\n(a) Determine how to provide performance -based incentives to diverse types of\nearly childhood education providers, child -care providers, and low -income\nparents in order to increase the number of children in the Commonwealth who\nare assessed as kindergarten ready;\n(b) Determine how to best assess applicants and distribute moneys;\n(c) Develop a written plan and implement assessment processes to determine\nkindergarten readiness for children in the Commonwealth. The university\nshall convene a working group to assist in the development of the written plan\nand assessment processes;\n(d) Ensure that participants in the pilot program represent geographically and\nsocioeconomically diverse areas of the Commonwealth;\n(e) Evaluate the impact of performance -based incentives i mplemented through\nthe pilot program using a rigorous design framework that supports causal\ninferences;\n(f) Design, identify, and make available resources for parents to assist them in\npreparing children for kindergarten readiness;\n(g) Determine how to awa rd funds, including but not limited to direct payments\nor refundable tax credits, to licensed Type I and Type II child -care centers;\ncabinet-regulated early childhood education providers, certified child -care\nhomes, and registered providers; and single or married parents who qualify for\nthe child-care subsidy administered by the cabinet pursuant to KRS 199.8994.\nTo be eligible for funds:\n1. A provider or a home shall maintain services for infants and toddlers at\na ratio established by the Division of Child Care within the cabinet;\n2. A provider or a home shall maintain and submit accurate and detailed\nrecords of care for any child; and\n3. A parent shall submit records to verify he or she meets the requirements\nto receive child care subsidy funds under KRS 199.8994;\n(h) Establish a standard for awarding a two thousand dollar ($2,000) one (1) time\naward, including but not limited to direct payments or refundable tax credits,\nper child once a child is designated by the assessment processes as\nkindergarten ready as follows:\n1. A full award to a licensed Type I or Type II child -care center or cabinet-\nregulated early childhood education provider, certified child -care home,\nor registered provider who meets the requirements of paragraph (g) of\nthis subsection if the kindergarten-ready child received full -time\nservices from the center or provider the two (2) years prior to the\nassessment;\n2. A full award to a single or married parent who meets the requirements\nof paragraph (g) of this subsection if the kindergarten -ready child was\ncared for in the home the two (2) years prior to the assessment,\nregardless of the utilization of a babysitter;\n3. A full award to a licensed Type I or Type II child -care center or cabinet-\nregulated early childhood education provider, certifie d child-care home,\nor registered provider who meets the requirements of paragraph (g) of\nthis subsection if the child cannot be properly assessed as a\nkindergarten-ready child because of a formal diagnosis of a disability\nand the child received full -time services from the provider the two (2)\nyears prior to the assessment;\n4. A half award to a licensed Type I or Type II child-care center or cabinet-\nregulated early childhood education provider, certified child -care home,\nor registered provider who meets the requirements of paragraph (g) of\nthis subsection if the kindergarten-ready child received half-day services\nfrom the center and attended public preschool the two (2) years prior to\nthe assessment; and\n5. Split awards may be granted to individuals or provid ers based on who\nprovided full -time services or cared for the child in the two (2) years\nprior to the assessment; and\n(i) Ensure compliance with federal regulations, including but not limited to the\nQuality Rating and Improvement Systems as established und er 45 C.F.R. pt.\n98.\n(4) By June 1, 2027, and by June 1 annually thereafter for the duration of the pilot\nprogram, the university shall annually report on the establishment and operations of\nthe pilot program to the Interim Joint Committee on Families and Children.\n(5) By January 1, 2030, the university shall submit a report to the cabinet and the\nLegislative Research Commission for referral to the Interim Joint Committees on\nFamilies and Children, Education, and Appropriations and Revenue that:\n(a) Details the findings of the pilot program;\n(b) If the pilot program proves successful:\n1. Identifies specific mechanisms for change, including but not limited to\neducational curricula and family practices to best prepare preschool -age\nchildren for kindergarten readiness;\n2. Includes recommendations based on the pilot program's results for\noptimizing performance -based child care incentives in the\nCommonwealth; and\n3. Includes recommendations and potential obstacles for implementing the\nprogram at scale;\n(c) Details the assessment processes used to determine kindergarten readiness;\n(d) Identifies the rates of kindergarten readiness at the end of the pilot program;\nand\n(e) Includes all data generated from the pilot program, which shall be made\navailable for public review and use in accordance with applicable federal,\nstate, and institutional review board policies.","path":["KRS Chapter 199"],"source_url":"https://apps.legislature.ky.gov/law/statutes/statute.aspx?id=56913","current_through":"Includes enactments through the 2026 Regular Session","vintage":"09/05/2026","retrieved_at":"2026-09-05T20:51:55Z","sha256":"5ec19a390eeda8f427dd9045a6d1654e9ad58eb8904ec3cd89963e8b3311611d","source_id":"us-ky","stale":false,"prev":"us-ky/krs-199.8996","next":"us-ky/krs-199.900"},"notice":"GroundRules: Original legal text. Not legal advice."}