Minnesota Legislature
HF 3738
as introduced - 85th Legislature (2007 - 2008) Posted on 12/15/2009 12:00am
Current Version - as introduced
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A bill for an act
relating to early childhood education; proposing a grant program; appropriating
money.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:
Section 1. new text begin PREKINDERGARTEN THROUGH GRADE 3 PROGRAM GRANTS.
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new text begin Subdivision 1. new text end
new text begin Establishment. new text end
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A multiyear, competitive planning and
implementation grant program is established to develop community-based prekindergarten
through grade 3 programs in public school collaborative settings that promote children's
school readiness and future school success, and assist families by coordinating early
childhood and early elementary initiatives that focus on closing the achievement gap.
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new text begin Subd. 2. new text end
new text begin Program components. new text end
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Grant recipients must at least:
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(1) provide high-quality prekindergarten programming for three and four-year-olds
with appropriate community early care and education partners that:
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(i) where applicable, have an upper level rating based on a child-care quality
improvement and rating system for family child care or center-based care providers;
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(ii) obtain program accreditation under section 119B.13, subdivision 3a;
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(iii) offer programs meeting Head Start performance standards;
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(iv) offer school readiness programs in the public schools;
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(v) offer early childhood special education; or
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(vi) satisfy other quality standards determined by the commissioner of education;
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(2) provide all-day kindergarten that builds on children's prekindergarten
experiences;
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(3) align prekindergarten through grade 3 standards, curriculum, and assessments;
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(4) provide principals and teachers with ongoing professional development,
coaching, and mentoring, and sufficient planning time to implement a learning model;
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(5) require an early childhood professional with a bachelor's degree and relevant
specialized training to supervise early childhood classrooms, obtain training from the
Department of Education and local networks for early care and education providers in
assessing children and using the results to improve classroom practices and enable each
child to make progress, and require participating family child care providers to acquire
an associate's degree within two years of entering an early childhood classroom under
this program;
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(6) coordinate prekindergarten through grade 3 programs through:
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(i) colocation when possible;
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(ii) a designated prekindergarten through grade 3 leadership team composed of
prekindergarten and elementary school teachers and a school administrator authorized
to review and coordinate programs; and
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(iii) review of children's information at a meeting with program providers, on a
need-to-know basis, when a child transfers from prekindergarten to kindergarten;
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(7) implement small class sizes that include a preschool ratio of 17 to two and a
kindergarten through grade 3 ratio of 25 to two;
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(8) provide meaningful transition activities for four-year-old children who are
entering kindergarten in the next school year and their families that include:
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(i) a transition planning team composed of representatives from early care and
education programs, elementary school staff, parents, and community members;
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(ii) a developed plan that strengthens bonds among early care and education program
providers, elementary schools, and families;
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(iii) information and education for parents, program providers, and educators that
encompasses comprehensive child development, math, and literacy;
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(iv) information and education on school readiness, early childhood screening,
nutrition, and other relevant services;
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(v) activities beginning at least one school year before a child enters kindergarten
and occurring periodically at least six times during that school year; and
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(vi) activities that engage parents, children, licensed and unlicensed child-care
providers, public health agencies, local Head Start providers, libraries, and other local
service delivery organizations helping to get children ready for school;
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(9) promote parent involvement from prekindergarten through grade 3 using:
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(i) a parent resource room and parent information and education provided by
licensed parent educators or other community partners;
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(ii) home visiting; and
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(iii) parent meetings and related events;
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(10) provide accountability to parents and communities by evaluating programs
that assess children's progress, and facilitating schools' responsibility to report children's
progress to families, communities, the school district, and the state; and
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(11) provide or make referrals to counselors, nurses, social workers, and nutrition
and other social service providers to ensure that children receive the social and economic
support they need to learn.
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new text begin Subd. 3. new text end
new text begin Eligibility. new text end
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An applicant for a grant must be a school district, tribal school,
or charter school. Seventy percent of grant funds are available to applicants having 50
percent or more of enrolled students eligible for the federal free and reduced lunch
program. The remaining 30 percent of grant funds are available to other applicants.
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new text begin Subd. 4. new text end
new text begin Grant application process. new text end
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To obtain a grant, a school district, tribal
school, or charter school must submit an application to the commissioner of education in
the form and manner the commissioner determines. The application must:
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(1) describe the applicant's demographic characteristics;
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(2) propose a work plan;
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(3) indicate available matching funds; and
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(4) describe the applicant's efforts to collaborate with licensed child care providers
and Head Start programs.
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new text begin Subd. 5. new text end
new text begin Match. new text end
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A grant recipient must provide a 15 percent local match for any
grant money it receives; five percent of the local match may be in-kind contributions. A
grant recipient must use all grants it receives to supplement but not supplant existing
early childhood initiatives in the community.
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new text begin Subd. 6. new text end
new text begin Reviewing applications; awarding grants. new text end
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When reviewing applications,
the commissioner must determine whether an applicant has met all the requirements in
subdivisions 1 to 5. The commissioner may award up to 20 grants. Grant recipients must
be located throughout the state. The amount of the grant shall be based on the number
of children and families expected to participate in the program. Grant recipients must
use their grant money to implement this program and must not use their grant money to
supplant existing early childhood initiatives.
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new text begin Subd. 7. new text end
new text begin Sunset. new text end
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This section sunsets on June 30, 2010.
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new text begin EFFECTIVE DATE. new text end
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This section is effective July 1, 2008.
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Sec. 2. new text begin APPROPRIATION.
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new text begin Subdivision 1. new text end
new text begin Department of Education. new text end
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The sums indicated in this section
are appropriated from the general fund to the Department of Education for the fiscal
year designated.
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new text begin Subd. 2. new text end
new text begin Prekindergarten through grade 3 program grants. new text end
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For prekindergarten
through grade 3 program grants under section 1:
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|
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$ new text end |
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5,000,000 new text end |
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..... new text end |
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2009 new text end |
new text begin EFFECTIVE DATE. new text end
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This section is effective July 1, 2008.
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