HF 46

as introduced - 89th Legislature (2015 - 2016) Posted on 01/12/2015 03:30pm

A bill for an act
relating to education; providing funding for universal all-day preschool for
four-year-old students; amending Minnesota Statutes 2014, section 126C.05,
subdivision 1; proposing coding for new law in Minnesota Statutes, chapter 124D.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

Section 1.

new text begin [124D.167] UNIVERSAL PRESCHOOL FOR FOUR-YEAR-OLD
STUDENTS.
new text end

new text begin Subdivision 1. new text end

new text begin Child eligibility. new text end

new text begin A child who is at least four years old on September
1 of that year and not yet enrolled in kindergarten is eligible to participate in Minnesota's
universal all-day preschool program. The child may choose a program offered under this
section or apply for an early learning scholarship under section 124D.165.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 2. new text end

new text begin Revenue. new text end

new text begin A child who is eligible for universal all-day preschool under
subdivision 1 who does not receive an early learning scholarship may enroll in a school
district's program.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 3. new text end

new text begin Qualifying preschool program. new text end

new text begin (a) A school district program that meets
the following qualifications may provide preschool services and enroll eligible children
under this section:
new text end

new text begin (1) curriculum and learning standards must be aligned between the preschool
programs and kindergartens;
new text end

new text begin (2) programs must employ licensed early childhood education teachers by January
1, 2017;
new text end

new text begin (3) each child must be assessed at program entrance and again at program exit;
new text end

new text begin (4) programs must offer comprehensive family services including developmental,
behavioral, and health screening;
new text end

new text begin (5) programs must offer compensatory services in language, literacy, and
mathematical thinking in a developmentally appropriate manner; and
new text end

new text begin (6) programs must develop collaborative partnerships with school-based early
childhood programs, kindergarten teachers and other school officials, Head Start programs,
and community-based child care programs.
new text end

new text begin (b) Qualified preschool programs may lease space in order to establish a universal
all-day preschool program.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 4. new text end

new text begin Payment. new text end

new text begin (a) A school district may provide preschool services for eligible
children. A district may establish a new program where no existing reasonably accessible
program meets the requirements in subdivision 3.
new text end

new text begin (b) A qualified program that offers additional services including home visits, parent
supports, social services, and health referrals for the most at-risk children may receive a
bonus in the amount of ten percent of the per-child payment rate for each child served.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 5. new text end

new text begin Participation. new text end

new text begin A school district under this section may also participate in
the early learning scholarship program under section 124D.165.
new text end

new text begin EFFECTIVE DATE. new text end

new text begin This section is effective for revenue for fiscal year 2016
and later.
new text end

Sec. 2.

Minnesota Statutes 2014, section 126C.05, subdivision 1, is amended to read:

Subdivision 1.

Pupil unit.

Pupil units for each Minnesota resident pupil under the
age of 21 or who meets the requirements of section 120A.20, subdivision 1, paragraph (c),
in average daily membership enrolled in the district of residence, in another district under
sections 123A.05 to 123A.08, 124D.03, 124D.08, or 124D.68; in a charter school under
section 124D.10; or for whom the resident district pays tuition under section 123A.18,
123A.22, 123A.30, 123A.32, 123A.44, 123A.488, 123B.88, subdivision 4, 124D.04,
124D.05, 125A.03 to 125A.24, 125A.51, or 125A.65, shall be counted according to this
subdivision.

(a) A prekindergarten pupil with a disability who is enrolled in a program approved
by the commissioner and has an individualized education program is counted as the ratio
of the number of hours of assessment and education service to 825 times 1.0 with a
minimum average daily membership of 0.28, but not more than 1.0 pupil unit.

(b) A prekindergarten pupil who is assessed but determined not to be disabled is
counted as the ratio of the number of hours of assessment service to 825 times 1.0.

(c) A kindergarten pupil with a disability who is enrolled in a program approved
by the commissioner is counted as the ratio of the number of hours of assessment and
education services required in the fiscal year by the pupil's individualized education
program to 875, but not more than one.

(d) A kindergarten pupil who is not included in paragraph (c) is counted as 1.0 pupil
unit if the pupil is enrolled in a free all-day, every day kindergarten program available to
all kindergarten pupils at the pupil's school that meets the minimum hours requirement in
section 120A.41, or is counted as .55 pupil unit, if the pupil is not enrolled in a free all-day,
every day kindergarten program available to all kindergarten pupils at the pupil's school.

(e) A pupil who is in any of grades 1 to 6 is counted as 1.0 pupil unit.

(f) A pupil who is in any of grades 7 to 12 is counted as 1.2 pupil units.

(g) A pupil who is in the postsecondary enrollment options program is counted
as 1.2 pupil units.

new text begin (h) A pupil who is at least four years of age as of September 1, and not included
in paragraphs (a) to (g), is counted as 1.0 pupil units for purposes of section 126C.10,
subdivision 2, only.
new text end

new text begin EFFECTIVE DATE. new text end

new text begin This section is effective for revenue for fiscal year 2016
and later.
new text end