This amendment provides $5.0 million each year from the general fund to support mixed-delivery pre-kindergarten pilot programs for at least 500 at-risk three- and four-year olds. These slots do not require a local match. The amendment also requires pilot program applications to address how each pilot will transition to a level of state support similar to the state support provided for VPI slots. This amendment also ensures that children served by the pilot programs will be assigned student identification numbers to evaluate and compare outcomes. A corresponding amendment in Item 145 relocates this initiative to Item 144.