A bill for an act relating to early childhood education and care, including by modifying provisions related to the statewide preschool program, the child development coordinating council, programs for at-risk children, the responsibilities of the department of education, the early childhood Iowa initiative, and the state child care assistance program, and establishing the child care continuum partnership grants pilot program within the department of health and human services.

HF 623 proposes changes to Iowa's early childhood education and care programs. It significantly modifies the statewide preschool program by allowing community-based providers to directly participate and receive state funding, independent of school district partnerships. The bill establishes new requirements for these directly participating community providers, including standards for instruction, data collection, and professional development. It also clarifies how state preschool foundation aid will be allocated and used, specifying it cannot fund facility construction. Additionally, the bill establishes a new child care continuum partnership grants pilot program within the Department of Health and Human Services and modifies other early childhood initiatives.