SF 1345

Introduction - 94th Legislature (2025 - 2026)

Posted on 02/14/2025 10:28 a.m.

A bill for an act
relating to early education; modifying eligibility criteria for the voluntary
prekindergarten program; amending Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 142D.08,
subdivision 4.

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

Section 1.

Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 142D.08, subdivision 4, is amended to read:

Subd. 4.

Eligibility.

(a) An eligible child means a child who:

(1) is four years of age as of September 1 in the calendar year in which the school year
commences; and

(2) meets at least one of the following criteria:

(i) qualifies for free or reduced-priced meals;

(ii) qualifies for the rate at application specified in section 142E.10, subdivision 1,
paragraph (a), clause (2), in the current calendar year;

(iii) is an English language learner as defined by section 124D.59, subdivision 2;

(iv) is American Indian;

(v) has experienced homelessness in the last 24 months, as defined under the federal
McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act, United States Code, title 42, section 1143a;

(vi) was identified as having a potential risk factor that may influence learning through
health and developmental screening under sections 142D.09 to 142D.093;

(vii) is in foster care; is in kinship care, including children receiving Northstar kinship
care assistance under sections 142A.60 to 142A.612; or is in need of child protection services;

(viii) has a parent who is a migrant or seasonal agricultural laborer under section 181.85; new text begin
or
new text end

(ix) has a parent who is incarcerated deleted text begin ; or deleted text end new text begin .
new text end

deleted text begin (x) is defined as at-risk by the school district.
deleted text end

(b) School districts and charter schools must use state funding for eligible children to
the extent it is available. A child may participate in a voluntary prekindergarten program
on a fee-for-service basis if the child does not meet the eligibility criteria in paragraph (a)
or state funding is not available. A school district or charter school must adopt a sliding-fee
schedule based upon family income and must waive a fee for a participant unable to pay.

(c) Each eligible child must complete a health and developmental screening within 90
days of program enrollment under sections 142D.09 to 142D.093, and provide documentation
of required immunizations under section 121A.15.

(d) A child with an individualized education program may not be excluded from
participation in a program under this section if all other eligibility requirements are satisfied
and the individualized education program team determines that with reasonable
accommodations the child can fully participate and make progress toward their goals and
objectives.