1.1 	A bill for an act
1.2 	relating to education finance; creating the Minnesota Young Readers Club program 
1.3 	for literacy support; appropriating money to implement the program and contract 
1.4 	for reading materials provided to eligible students; requiring a report; appropriating 
1.5 	money;proposing coding for new law in Minnesota Statutes, chapter 124D.
1.6 	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

1.7 	Section 1. [124D.982] MINNESOTA YOUNG READERS CLUB PROGRAM FOR 
1.8 	LITERACY SUPPORT.
1.9 		Subdivision 1.Findings; purpose; program established. (a) The Minnesota legislature 
1.10 	finds that research demonstrates that access to diverse and engaging home libraries 
1.11 	significantly improves students' reading proficiency and engagement.
1.12 	(b) The Minnesota Young Readers Club program is established to provide culturally 
1.13 	and linguistically appropriate books and literacy materials to prekindergarten through grade 
1.14 	5 students who are reading below grade level. The program supports early literacy 
1.15 	development by building home libraries in alignment with the Read Well by Third Grade 
1.16 	initiative and the Read Act.
1.17 		Subd. 2.Student eligibility criteria. The Minnesota Young Readers Club program is 
1.18 	designed to improve reading proficiency and engagement for prekindergarten through grade 
1.19 	5 students identified as reading below grade level. A student is eligible to participate in the 
1.20 	program if:
1.21 	(1) the student is enrolled in any grade from prekindergarten through grade 3 and is 
1.22 	identified through universal screening as not meeting grade-level literacy benchmarks;
2.1 	(2) the student is enrolled in grade 4 or 5 and scored below proficiency in reading on 
2.2 	the most recent state reading assessment taken by the student; or
2.3 	(3) the student is enrolled in any grade from prekindergarten through grade 5 and has 
2.4 	received a recommendation to participate in the program from a teacher, reading specialist, 
2.5 	or intervention team member.
2.6 		Subd. 3.Student participation and enrollment strategy. (a) The Minnesota Young 
2.7 	Readers Club program is available to all eligible students reading below grade level. The 
2.8 	Department of Education must encourage schools to implement the following strategies to 
2.9 	ensure that the program is effectively integrated as a supportive tool within existing literacy 
2.10 	interventions:
2.11 	(1) a teacher may recommend and refer students and families to the Minnesota Young 
2.12 	Readers Club program as an additional resource to support at-home reading, alongside other 
2.13 	critical interventions;
2.14 	(2) a counselor or reading specialist may include information about the program to 
2.15 	families during parent meetings or at other times, framing the Minnesota Young Readers 
2.16 	Club program as a supplementary tool for building a home library and enhancing literacy 
2.17 	support; and
2.18 	(3) a student's school may include program enrollment information with progress reports 
2.19 	or literacy assessments, offering parents an opportunity to enroll their children in the program 
2.20 	for additional home-based literacy support.
2.21 	(b) The Department of Education must collaborate with school organizations to ensure 
2.22 	that school literacy teams present the Minnesota Young Readers Club program as one of 
2.23 	several tools available to support literacy development for students reading below grade 
2.24 	level.
2.25 		Subd. 4.Book selection, promotion, and distribution partnership. (a) The Department 
2.26 	of Education must enter into a strategic partnership with a qualified organization experienced 
2.27 	in book selection, promotion, and distribution. This partnership must ensure that the books:
2.28 	(1) align to reading levels;
2.29 	(2) are selected to match the reading levels of striving readers, ensuring that students 
2.30 	receive materials that are accessible and engaging while promoting gradual literacy 
2.31 	improvement;
2.32 	(3) reflect the cultural diversity of Minnesota's student population and are age-appropriate, 
2.33 	promoting both engagement and inclusivity; and
3.1 	(4) are distributed in an efficient and timely manner, whether by direct mail or through 
3.2 	delivery at the student's school. Books must be delivered to the student at school or mailed 
3.3 	directly to a student's home at least once a month. The delivery method must minimize 
3.4 	delays and ensure consistency in delivery of the books to students.
3.5 	(b) The Department of Education and its strategic partner must include in their plan 
3.6 	activities providing engagement, promotion, and outreach to eligible families to raise 
3.7 	awareness of the program, emphasizing the value of building a home library to support 
3.8 	literacy development.
3.9 		Subd. 5.Monthly book distribution and family support. Books and literacy materials 
3.10 	must be mailed directly to a student's home or delivered directly to a student at school at 
3.11 	least once per month throughout the school year. Each delivery of materials must consist 
3.12 	of at least one culturally relevant and age-appropriate book aligned to the reading levels of 
3.13 	the student. Family support materials must accompany each mailing and must offer guidance 
3.14 	on creating and utilizing home libraries effectively. To the extent practicable, the family 
3.15 	support materials must be culturally adapted and translated into the home languages of the 
3.16 	family and must include tips on shared reading practices and storytelling.
3.17 		Subd. 6.Family engagement and home literacy support. The Minnesota Young 
3.18 	Readers Club program must emphasize culturally responsive family engagement and must 
3.19 	offer practical resources to support children's literacy through the use of home libraries. 
3.20 	Materials must be accessible and designed to reflect the cultural and linguistic backgrounds 
3.21 	of participating families. The Department of Education must ensure inclusivity and encourage 
3.22 	parents to integrate reading into daily routines in meaningful ways with a goal of fostering 
3.23 	a lasting love of reading and enhancing the home library experience.
3.24 		Subd. 7.Program evaluation metrics; reporting. (a) The Department of Education 
3.25 	must collect and analyze data on program participation, family engagement, and student 
3.26 	reading outcomes. The evaluation metrics must include at least the following:
3.27 	(1) the frequency and quality of reading activities at home;
3.28 	(2) the impact of culturally relevant books on student interest in reading;
3.29 	(3) feedback from families and educators on the program's effectiveness;
3.30 	(4) demographic information on the number of students and families served by the 
3.31 	program;
3.32 	(5) data on family engagement and home library usage; and
3.33 	(6) the reported impact on literacy development.
4.1 	(b) The Department of Education must prepare and submit an annual report to the chairs 
4.2 	and ranking minority members of the legislative committees with jurisdiction over education 
4.3 	in accordance with section 3.195. The report must summarize the information required in 
4.4 	paragraph (a) and make recommendations for future improvements or expansion of the 
4.5 	Minnesota Young Readers Club program.
4.6 		Subd. 8.Public-private partnerships and community engagement. (a) The Department 
4.7 	of Education may form strategic partnerships with private entities, local businesses, libraries, 
4.8 	and literacy organizations to support the Minnesota Young Readers Club program and 
4.9 	strengthen community and business alliances. The partner organization selected in subdivision 
4.10 	4 may assist in these efforts to ensure a cohesive approach to promoting literacy.
4.11 	(b) The Department of Education and its program partner may work with schools to 
4.12 	promote and host community literacy events that celebrate literacy, engage families, and 
4.13 	promote cultural diversity.
4.14 	(c) The Department of Education and its program partner may provide supplementary 
4.15 	resources and support to enrich the program and strengthen home literacy environments.

4.16 	Sec. 2. APPROPRIATIONS; READING SUPPORT.
 4.17 		Subdivision 1.Department of Education. The sums indicated in this section are 
4.18 	appropriated from the general fund to the Department of Education in the fiscal years 
4.19 	designated.
4.20 		Subd. 2.Minnesota Young Readers Club program. (a) For the costs associated with 
4.21 	implementing the Minnesota Young Readers Club program:

4.22		$
	.......
	.....
	2026
	
4.23		$
	.......
	.....
	2027
	
4.24 	(b) The Department of Education may use the money for department activities related 
4.25 	to the Minnesota Young Readers Club program and may contract for services with qualifying 
4.26 	providers of literacy materials according to the requirements of section 1.
4.27 	(c) Any balance in the first year does not cancel but is available in the second year.