Minnesota Legislature
HF 4583
as introduced - 91st Legislature (2019 - 2020) Posted on 04/28/2020 11:02am
Current Version - as introduced
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A bill for an act
relating to early childhood; governing certain programs and funding for early
childhood education; appropriating money; amending Minnesota Statutes 2018,
section 136A.128, subdivisions 2, 4; proposing coding for new law in Minnesota
Statutes, chapter 119B.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:
Section 1.
new text begin
[119B.195] RETAINING EARLY EDUCATORS THROUGH ATTAINING
INCENTIVES NOW (REETAIN) GRANT PROGRAM.
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new text begin Subdivision 1. new text end
new text begin Establishment; purpose. new text end
new text begin
The retaining early educators through attaining
incentives now (REETAIN) grant program is established to provide competitive grants to
incentivize well-trained child care professionals to stay in the workforce to create more
consistent care for children over time.
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new text begin Subd. 2. new text end
new text begin Administration. new text end
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The commissioner shall administer the REETAIN grant
program through a grant to a nonprofit organization with demonstrated ability to manage
benefit programs for child care professionals. Up to ten percent of grant funds may be used
for administration of the grant program.
new text end
new text begin Subd. 3. new text end
new text begin Application. new text end
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An applicant must apply for the grant program using the forms
and according to the timelines established by the commissioner.
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new text begin Subd. 4. new text end
new text begin Eligibility. new text end
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(a) To be eligible for a grant, an applicant must:
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(1) be licensed to provide child care or work for a licensed child care program;
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(2) work directly with children at least 30 hours per week;
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(3) work in their current position for at least 12 months;
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(4) agree to stay in their current position for at least 12 months upon receiving a grant
under this section;
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(5) have a career lattice step of six or higher;
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(6) have a current membership with the Minnesota quality improvement and registry
tool; and
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(7) meet any other requirements determined by the commissioner.
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(b) Grant recipients must sign a contract agreeing to remain in their current position for
at least 12 months.
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new text begin Subd. 5. new text end
new text begin Grant awards. new text end
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To the extent funding is available, a child care professional's
annual amount for the REETAIN grant must not exceed an amount determined by the
commissioner. A child care professional must apply each year to compete for an award and
may receive up to one award per year. Grant funds may be used for program supplies,
training, or personal expenses.
new text end
new text begin Subd. 6. new text end
new text begin Report. new text end
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Beginning January 1, 2022, and each year thereafter, the commissioner
must report annually to the legislative committees with jurisdiction over child care on the
number of grants awarded and outcomes of the grant program.
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Sec. 2.
Minnesota Statutes 2018, section 136A.128, subdivision 2, is amended to read:
Subd. 2.
Program components.
(a) The nonprofit organization must use the grant for:
(1) tuition scholarships up to deleted text begin $5,000deleted text end new text begin $10,000new text end per year for courses leading to the nationally
recognized child development associate credential or college-level courses leading to an
associate'snew text begin degreenew text end or bachelor's degree in early childhood development and school-age care;
and
(2) education incentives of a minimum of deleted text begin $100deleted text end new text begin $250new text end to participants in the tuition
scholarship program if they complete a year of working in the early care and education
field.
(b) Applicants for the scholarship must be employed by a licensed early childhood or
child care program and working directly with children, a licensed family child care provider,
new text begin employed by a public prekindergarten program, new text end or an employee in a school-age program
exempt from licensing under section 245A.03, subdivision 2, paragraph (a), clause (12).
Lower wage earners must be given priority in awarding the tuition scholarships. Scholarship
recipients must contributenew text begin at leastnew text end ten percent of the total scholarship and must be sponsored
by their employers, who must also contribute deleted text begin tendeleted text end new text begin at least fivenew text end percent of the total scholarship.
Scholarship recipients who are self-employed must contribute 20 percent of the total
scholarship.
Sec. 3.
Minnesota Statutes 2018, section 136A.128, subdivision 4, is amended to read:
Subd. 4.
Administration.
A nonprofit organization that receives a grant under this
section may use deleted text begin fivedeleted text end new text begin tennew text end percent of the grant amount to administer the program.
Sec. 4. new text begin APPROPRIATION; RETAINING EARLY EDUCATORS THROUGH
ATTAINING INCENTIVES NOW (REETAIN) GRANT PROGRAM.
new text end
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$2,500,000 in fiscal year 2021 is appropriated from the general fund to the commissioner
of human services for purposes of REETAIN grants under section 1. This is a onetime
appropriation.
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Sec. 5. new text begin APPROPRIATION; TEACH GRANT PROGRAM.
new text end
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$500,000 in fiscal year 2021 is appropriated from the general fund to the commissioner
of human services for teacher education and compensation helps (TEACH) program grants
under Minnesota Statutes, section 136A.128. This is a onetime appropriation.
new text end
Sec. 6. new text begin REVISOR INSTRUCTION.
new text end
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The revisor of statutes shall renumber Minnesota Statutes, section 136A.128, as a section
in Minnesota Statutes, chapter 119B. The revisor shall also make necessary cross-reference
changes consistent with the renumbering.
new text end