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Committee advances bill to align ABCSS preschool eligibility with ABC program
Summary
Lawmakers voted to move a bill that would give ABCSS slots the same eligibility criteria as the original ABC preschool slots, preserving slot counts but allowing greater flexibility for providers and districts to enroll children with developmental-eligibility factors.
A bill to align eligibility rules for the state’s two major preschool programs—commonly called ABC and ABCSS—advanced from committee after the sponsor said the change costs the state no additional money and does not create new slots.
Supporters said the original ABC program, created in 1991, included several non-income qualifiers for slots (for example, risk factors indicating developmental needs), while ABCSS, created later, used income-only eligibility. The measure would not add new ABC slots but would apply the ABC program’s broader eligibility criteria to ABCSS, enabling districts to use those slots more flexibly for children with developmental or other qualifying factors.
The sponsor said the change is intended to level the playing field between older “gold” slots and newer slots and that the Arkansas Department of Education supports the change. A committee motion to pass carried by voice vote.
Clarifying details provided in testimony: the sponsor said initial ABC slots were set at 3,000 when created; subsequent ABCSS slots were adopted later and were primarily income-based; the sponsor said there is no fiscal impact and that the program allocates about $750,000 overall for performance-based adult/different program (note: separate programs referenced in testimony). The committee voted to pass the bill by voice vote.
