HF 3464

as introduced - 85th Legislature (2007 - 2008) Posted on 12/15/2009 12:00am

A bill for an act
relating to education; providing funding for universal preschool for four-year-old
students; amending Minnesota Statutes 2007 Supplement, 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.165] 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) 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 preschool program.
new text end

new text begin (b) A child who is between birth to age three is eligible to participate in the program
as funding allows.
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 preschool under subdivision
1 may enroll in any qualifying child care or preschool 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, child care, or
preschool program that meets the following qualifications may provide preschool services
and enroll eligible children:
new text end

new text begin (1) programs must have a total class size of no more than 18 students and a child to
adult ratio of nine to one;
new text end

new text begin (2) programs must meet a minimum of two and one-half hours per day, four days
per week;
new text end

new text begin (3) curriculum and learning standards must be aligned between the preschool
programs and kindergartens;
new text end

new text begin (4) programs must employ necessary qualified teachers, by 2012 50 percent of the
teachers employed by a program to teach preschool must be licensed in early childhood
education or be rated a three or four by the Quality Rating System;
new text end

new text begin (5) programs must have a strong accountability system with documented learning
standards, and must be highly rated by the Quality Rating System;
new text end

new text begin (6) each child must be assessed at program entrance and again at program exit;
new text end

new text begin (7) programs must offer comprehensive family services including developmental,
behavioral, and health screening;
new text end

new text begin (8) programs must offer compensatory services in language, literacy, and
mathematical thinking in a developmentally appropriate manner; and
new text end

new text begin (9) 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 include preschool programs operated by
school districts, private preschool programs, Head Start programs, and child care programs
with an educational component.
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 contract with qualifying programs
to provide preschool services for eligible children. At least ....... percent of preschool
students must be served by nondistrict operated programs. A district may establish a new
program where no existing reasonably accessible program meets the requirements in
subdivision 3. Districts must submit a copy of each contract to the commissioner. The
payment from the school district for a child enrolled for the full year must not exceed the
basic general education formula allowance for that year.
new text end

new text begin (b) ....... percent of the total appropriation for the universal preschool program must
be set aside to serve children ages birth to three. The payment from the school district
for a child enrolled for the full year must not exceed the basic general education formula
allowance for that year.
new text end

new text begin (c) 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 EFFECTIVE DATE. new text end

new text begin This section is effective for revenue for fiscal year 2009.
new text end

Sec. 2.

Minnesota Statutes 2007 Supplement, 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 individual education plan is counted as the ratio of the
number of hours of assessment and education service to 825 times 1.25 with a minimum
average daily membership of 0.28, but not more than 1.25 pupil units.

(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 1.25.

(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 individual education program
plan to 875, but not more than one.

(d) A kindergarten pupil who is not included in paragraph (c) is counted as .612
pupil units.

(e) A pupil who is in any of grades 1 to 3 is counted as 1.115 pupil units for fiscal
year 2000 and thereafter.

(f) A pupil who is any of grades 4 to 6 is counted as 1.06 pupil units for fiscal
year 1995 and thereafter.

(g) A pupil who is in any of grades 7 to 12 is counted as 1.3 pupil units.

(h) A pupil who is in the postsecondary enrollment options program is counted
as 1.3 pupil units.

new text begin (i) A pupil who is at least four years of age as of September 1 and not included in
paragraphs (a) through (h) 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 2009.
new text end