HF 2381

as introduced - 88th Legislature (2013 - 2014) Posted on 03/17/2014 03:36pm

A bill for an act
relating to education; clarifying early learning scholarships; amending Minnesota
Statutes 2013 Supplement, section 124D.165.

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

Section 1.

Minnesota Statutes 2013 Supplement, section 124D.165, is amended to read:

124D.165 EARLY LEARNING SCHOLARSHIPS.

Subdivision 1.

Establishment; purpose.

There is established new text begin within the Office of
Early Learning new text end an early learning scholarships program deleted text begin in order deleted text end to increase access to
high-quality early childhood programs for children ages three to five.

Subd. 2.

Family eligibility.

(a) For a family to receive an early childhood education
scholarship, parents or guardians must meet the following eligibility requirements:

(1) have a child three or four years of age on September 1 of the current year, who
has not yet started kindergarten; and

(2) have income equal to or less than 185 percent of federal poverty level income
in the current calendar year, or be able to document their child's current participation in
the free and reduced-price lunch program or child and adult care food program, National
School Lunch Act, United States Code, title 42, sections 1751 and 1766; Head Start under
the federal Improving Head Start for School Readiness Act of 2007; Minnesota family
investment program under chapter 256J; child care assistance programs under chapter
119B; the supplemental nutrition assistance program; or placement in foster care under
section 260C.212.

(b) Notwithstanding the other provisions of this section, a parent under age 21 who
is pursuing a high school or general education equivalency diploma is eligible for an early
learning scholarship if the parent has a child age zero to five years old and meets the
income eligibility guidelines in this subdivision.

(c) Any siblings between the ages zero to five years old of a child who has been
awarded a scholarship under this section must be awarded a scholarship upon request,
provided the sibling attends the same program.

(d) A child who has received a scholarship under this section must continue to receive
a scholarship each year until that child is eligible for kindergarten under section 120A.20.

(e) Early learning scholarships may not be counted as earned income for the
purposes of medical assistance under chapter 256B, MinnesotaCare under chapter 256L,
Minnesota family investment program under chapter 256J, child care assistance programs
under chapter 119B, or Head Start under the federal Improving Head Start for School
Readiness Act of 2007.

new text begin (f) Early learning scholarships are not subject to withholdings for dues or fees under
chapter 179A.
new text end

Subd. 3.

Administration.

(a) The deleted text begin commissioner deleted text end new text begin director new text end shall establish application
timelines and determine the schedule for awarding scholarships that meets operational
needs of eligible families and programs. The deleted text begin commissioner deleted text end new text begin director new text end may prioritize
applications on factors including family income, geographic location, and whether the
child's family is on a waiting list for a publicly funded program providing early education
or child care services.

(b) deleted text begin Scholarships may be awarded up to $5,000 for each eligible child per year. deleted text end new text begin The
director annually must establish average scholarship amounts based on current available
market surveys of child care provider prices or other useful information. Average
scholarship amounts must be proportionate across regions or counties and the director
may adjust individual scholarship amounts to account for other assistance programs
available to a child or the child's family. The director may increase by up to 15 percent
the scholarship amount for children enrolled in a three-star Parent Aware rated program
and may increase by up to 20 percent the scholarship amount for children enrolled in
a four-star Parent Aware rated program so long as any increase added to the average
scholarship amount does not exceed the actual program rate or tuition.
new text end

(c) A four-star rated program that has children eligible for a scholarship enrolled in
or on a waiting list for a program beginning in July, August, or September may notify the
deleted text begin commissioner deleted text end new text begin director new text end , in the form and manner prescribed by the deleted text begin commissioner deleted text end new text begin director new text end ,
each year of the program's desire to enhance program services or to serve more children
than current funding provides. The deleted text begin commissioner deleted text end new text begin director new text end may designate a predetermined
number of scholarship slots for that program and notify the program of that number.

(d) A scholarship is awarded for a 12-month period. If the scholarship recipient has
not been accepted and subsequently enrolled in a rated program within ten months of the
awarding of the scholarship, the scholarship cancels and the recipient must reapply in
order to be eligible for another scholarship. A child may not be awarded more than one
scholarship in a 12-month period.

(e) A child who receives a scholarship who has not completed development
screening under sections 121A.16 to 121A.19 must complete that screening within 90
days of first attending an eligible program.

Subd. 4.

Early childhood program eligibility.

(a) In order to be eligible to accept
an early childhood education scholarship, a program must:

(1) participate in the quality rating and improvement system under section
124D.142; and

(2) deleted text begin beginning deleted text end new text begin before new text end July 1, 2016, deleted text begin have a three- or four-star rating deleted text end new text begin satisfy the director
of its ongoing commitment to participate new text end in the quality rating and improvement system.

(b) new text begin After July 1, 2016, the director may determine that a program not participating in
the quality rating and improvement system is eligible to participate if:
new text end

new text begin (1) the program provider cites a hardship or special circumstance to indicate why
the program is not yet rated; or
new text end

new text begin (2) the director determines through a separate evaluation or review that the program
is eligible to participate.
new text end

new text begin (c) new text end Any program accepting scholarships must use the revenue to supplement and not
supplant federal funding.

Subd. 5.

Report required.

The deleted text begin commissioner deleted text end new text begin director new text end shall contract with an
independent contractor to evaluate the early learning scholarship program. The evaluation
must include recommendations regarding the appropriate scholarship amount, efficiency,
and effectiveness of the administration, and impact on kindergarten readiness.

new text begin EFFECTIVE DATE. new text end

new text begin This section is effective for fiscal year 2015 and later.
new text end