- (a) At least once every five (5) years, the office, in cooperation with the department of education, shall carry out a longitudinal study of students who participate in the prekindergarten program to determine the achievement levels of those students in kindergarten and later grades.
(b) The longitudinal study must include a comparison of test and assessment results in grade 3 of:
- (1) the eligible children who participated in the prekindergarten program; and
- (2) a control group determined by the office that consists of children who did not participate in the prekindergarten program.
- (c) The office may, after consulting with the state board of education, enter into a contract with one (1) or more persons to carry out the longitudinal study under this section. The office may expend not more than one million dollars ($1,000,000) from the funds appropriated under section 9 of this chapter (repealed) to carry out the longitudinal study.
As added by P.L.202-2014, SEC.2. Amended by P.L.85-2017, SEC.63; P.L.184-2017, SEC.29; P.L.246-2023, SEC.18.