6419 intends to provide more flexibility in determining eligibility for ECEAP. Homeless children (McKinney-Vento) are added as an eligible population and the proposed legislation raises the cap for ECEAP providers of above-income children from 10% to 25%. Effective July 1, 2018.
The substitute bill includes the following changes:
• Removes the section that amended the definition of “eligible child” for ECEAP.
• Directs the Department of Children, Youth, and Families (DCYF) to adopt rules that allow the inclusion of children in ECEAP whose family income is above 110 percent of the federal poverty level if the number of such children equals not more than 25 percent of total statewide enrollment.
• Specifies that children who are over income must be homeless or impacted by specific developmental or environmental risk factors that are linked by research to school performance.
• Provides that children included in ECEAP under these provisions are not to be considered eligible children for ECEAP or part of the state funded entitlement.
• Allows for enrollment of these children on a space available basis.