HF 2660

as introduced - 92nd Legislature (2021 - 2022) Posted on 02/07/2022 03:47pm

A bill for an act
relating to education finance; modifying the Head Start appropriation distribution;
appropriating money; amending Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 119A.52; Laws
2021, First Special Session chapter 13, article 9, section 4, subdivision 4.

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

Section 1.

Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 119A.52, is amended to read:

119A.52 DISTRIBUTION OF APPROPRIATION.

(a) The commissioner of education must distribute money appropriated for that purpose
to federally designated Head Start programs to expand services and to serve additional
low-income children. Migrant and Indian reservation programs must be initially allocated
money based on the programs' share of federal funds. The remaining money must be initially
allocated to the remaining local agencies based equally on the agencies' share of federal
funds and on the proportion of eligible children in the agencies' service area who are not
currently being served. A Head Start program must be funded at a per child rate equal to
its contracted, federally funded base level at the start of the fiscal year. For all agencies
without a federal Early Head Start rate, the state average federal cost per child for Early
Head Start applies. In allocating funds under this paragraph, the commissioner of education
must assure that each Head Start program in existence in 1993 is allocated no less funding
in any fiscal year than was allocated to that program in fiscal year 1993. Before paying
money to the programs, the commissioner must notify each program of its initial allocation
and how the money must be used. Each program must present a plan under section 119A.535.
For any program that cannot utilize its full allocation at the beginning of the fiscal year, the
commissioner must reduce the allocation proportionately. Money available after the initial
allocations are reduced must be redistributed to eligible programs.

(b) The commissioner must develop procedures to make payments to programs based
upon the number of children reported to be enrolled during the required time period of
program operations. Enrollment is defined by federal Head Start regulations. The procedures
must include a reporting schedule, corrective action plan requirements, and financial
consequences to be imposed on programs that do not meet full enrollment after the period
of corrective action. Programs reporting chronic underenrollment, as defined by the
commissioner, will have their subsequent program year allocation reduced proportionately.
Funds made available by prorating payments and allocations to programs with reported
underenrollment will be made available to the extent funds exist to fully enrolled Head Start
programs through a form and manner prescribed by the department.

(c) Programs with approved innovative initiatives that target services to high-risk
populations, including homeless families and families living in homeless shelters and
transitional housing, are exempt from the procedures in paragraph (b). This exemption does
not apply to entire programs. The exemption applies only to approved innovative initiatives
that target services to high-risk populations, including homeless families and families living
in homeless shelters, transitional housing, and permanent supportive housing.

new text begin (d) In a manner prescribed by the commissioner of education, in consultation with the
department's Tribal liaison, 10.72 percent of the total Head Start appropriation must be
distributed to federally designated Tribal Head Start programs.
new text end

new text begin EFFECTIVE DATE. new text end

new text begin This section is effective for revenue for fiscal year 2023 and later.
new text end

Sec. 2.

Laws 2021, First Special Session chapter 13, article 9, section 4, subdivision 4, is
amended to read:

Subd. 4.

Head Start program.

For Head Start programs under Minnesota Statutes,
section 119A.52:

	$	25,100,000	.....	2022
	$	deleted text begin 25,100,000 deleted text end new text begin 30,100,000 new text end	.....	2023

new text begin The base for fiscal year 2024 and later is $30,100,000.
new text end