HF 553

as introduced - 87th Legislature (2011 - 2012) Posted on 02/17/2011 10:04am

A bill for an act
relating to education; establishing a pilot project to explore the programmatic
alignment between age 3 and grade 3.

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

Section 1. new text begin PROGRAMMATIC ALIGNMENT BETWEEN AGE 3 AND GRADE
3; PILOT PROJECT.
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new text begin Subdivision 1. new text end

new text begin Establishment; participation. new text end

new text begin (a) A four-year pilot project is
established to explore the programmatic alignment between age 3 and grade 3 and
determine the contribution that teacher quality, class size, parent involvement, and access
to comprehensive services make in ensuring that prekindergarten standards, curriculum,
and teaching methods are aligned with the standards, curriculum, and teaching methods in
the public elementary schools that children attend after leaving a prekindergarten program.
new text end

new text begin (b) To participate in this pilot project, a public elementary school that enrolls
children in kindergarten through grade 3 and whose principal has a demonstrated interest
in children in kindergarten through grade 3 must form a partnership with at least one
local agency that serves at-risk young children and their families and at least one early
childhood education provider that serves young children age 3 and older and also trains
early education providers.
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new text begin (c) A partnership under paragraph (b) interested in participating in this pilot project
must apply to the education commissioner in the form and manner the commissioner
prescribes, consistent with subdivision 2.
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new text begin Subd. 2. new text end

new text begin Participant requirements. new text end

new text begin The commissioner may select up to four
applicants under subdivision 1, paragraph (b), to develop and implement a pilot project to:
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new text begin (1) provide professional development to elementary school administrators in early
childhood education and development;
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new text begin (2) expand providers' knowledge base and capacity to deliver high quality early
childhood education; and
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new text begin (3) collaborate with early childhood education providers, local service providers, and
families with young children to create in the community and school setting a continuum
of high quality early learning opportunities for young children and opportunities for
providers' shared professional development.
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new text begin Subd. 3. new text end

new text begin Pilot project evaluation. new text end

new text begin The education commissioner, in consultation
with qualified and recognized early childhood education experts, must determine the
effectiveness of the pilot project participants for the purpose of:
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new text begin (1) identifying best practices in professional development for elementary school
administrators in early childhood education;
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new text begin (2) reviewing the effective coordination of provider training;
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new text begin (3) disseminating the latest research and findings regarding that training; and
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new text begin (4) demonstrating the alignment or misalignment between prekindergarten early
learning programs and standards and kindergarten through grade 3 academic standards.
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new text begin The commissioner must submit a report of pilot project findings to the education
committees of the legislature by February 1, 2016.
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new text begin EFFECTIVE DATE. new text end

new text begin This section is effective the day following final enactment
and applies to the 2011-2012 through 2014-2015 school years.
new text end