SF 2540
1st Engrossment - 94th Legislature (2025 - 2026)
Posted on 03/10/2026 08:27 a.m.
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A bill for an act
relating to education finance; creating the Minnesota Young Readers Club pilot
program for literacy support; requiring a report; appropriating money.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:
Section 1. new text begin MINNESOTA YOUNG READERS CLUB PROGRAM FOR LITERACY
SUPPORT.
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new text begin Subdivision 1. new text end
new text begin Program established; grantee. new text end
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(a) The Minnesota Young Readers Club
program is established to provide culturally and linguistically appropriate books and literacy
materials to prekindergarten and kindergarten students who are reading below grade level.
The program supports early literacy development by building home libraries in alignment
with the Read Well by Third Grade initiative and the Read Act.
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(b) The commissioner must award one grant to a community-based nonprofit organization
with physical locations in the seven-county metropolitan area, that provides child care and
youth services, and has broad partnerships with local schools and other nonprofits to
administer the program. The grant recipient may partner with similar community-based
nonprofit organizations that are located outside the seven-county metropolitan area.
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new text begin Subd. 2. new text end
new text begin Student eligibility criteria. new text end
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The Minnesota Young Readers Club program is
designed to improve reading proficiency and engagement for prekindergarten and
kindergarten students identified as reading below grade level. A student is eligible to
participate in the program if:
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(1) the student is enrolled in either prekindergarten or kindergarten and is identified
through universal screening as not meeting grade-level literacy benchmarks; or
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(2) the student is enrolled in either prekindergarten or kindergarten and has received a
recommendation to participate in the program from a teacher, reading specialist, or
intervention team member.
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new text begin Subd. 3. new text end
new text begin Student participation and enrollment strategy. new text end
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(a) The Minnesota Young
Readers Club program is available to all students eligible under subdivision 2. Schools are
encouraged to implement the following strategies to ensure that the program is effectively
integrated as a supportive tool within existing literacy interventions:
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(1) a teacher may recommend and refer students and families to the Minnesota Young
Readers Club program as an additional resource to support at-home reading, alongside other
critical interventions;
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(2) a counselor or reading specialist may include information about the program to
families during parent meetings or at other times, framing the Minnesota Young Readers
Club program as a supplementary tool for building a home library and enhancing literacy
support; and
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(3) a student's school may include program enrollment information with progress reports
or literacy assessments, offering parents an opportunity to enroll their children in the program
for additional home-based literacy support.
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(b) School literacy teams may present the Minnesota Young Readers Club program as
one of several tools available to support literacy development for students reading below
grade level.
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(c) The grant recipient must include in their grant application a plan for providing
engagement, promotion, and outreach to eligible families to raise awareness of the program,
emphasizing the value of building a home library to support literacy development.
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new text begin Subd. 4. new text end
new text begin Book selection. new text end
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In consultation with the Department of Education, the grant
recipient must ensure that the books selected for distribution:
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(1) align to reading levels;
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(2) are selected to match the reading levels of striving readers, ensuring that students
receive materials that are accessible and engaging while promoting gradual literacy
improvement; and
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(3) reflect the cultural diversity of Minnesota's student population and are age-appropriate,
promoting both engagement and inclusivity.
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new text begin Subd. 5. new text end
new text begin Monthly book distribution and family support. new text end
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(a) The grant recipient must
ensure that the books are distributed in an efficient and timely manner, whether by direct
mail or through delivery at the student's school or at community locations operated in
partnership with the grant recipient. The grant recipient must purchase books and literacy
materials and ensure that they are mailed directly to a student's home or delivered directly
to a student at school at least once per month throughout the school year. Each delivery of
materials must consist of at least one culturally relevant and age-appropriate book aligned
to the reading levels of the student. The delivery method must minimize delays and ensure
consistency in delivery of the books to students.
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(b) Family support materials must accompany each mailing and must offer guidance on
creating and using home libraries effectively. To the extent practicable, the family support
materials must be culturally adapted and translated into the home languages of the family
and must include tips on shared reading practices and storytelling. The Minnesota Young
Readers Club program must emphasize culturally responsive family engagement and must
offer practical resources to support children's literacy through the use of home libraries.
Materials must be accessible and designed to reflect the cultural and linguistic backgrounds
of participating families.
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new text begin Subd. 6. new text end
new text begin Program evaluation metrics; reporting. new text end
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(a) The grant recipient must collect
and analyze data on program participation, family engagement, and student reading outcomes.
The evaluation metrics must include at least the following:
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(1) the frequency and quality of reading activities at home;
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(2) the impact of culturally relevant books on student interest in reading;
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(3) feedback from families and educators on the program's effectiveness;
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(4) demographic information on the number of students and families served by the
program;
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(5) data on family engagement and home library usage; and
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(6) the reported impact on literacy development.
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(b) The grant recipient must prepare and submit an annual report to the chairs and ranking
minority members of the legislative committees with jurisdiction over education in
accordance with Minnesota Statutes, section 3.195. The report must summarize the
information required in paragraph (a) and make recommendations for future improvements
or expansion of the Minnesota Young Readers Club program.
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new text begin Subd. 7. new text end
new text begin Public-private partnerships and community engagement. new text end
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(a) The grant
recipient may form strategic partnerships with private entities, local businesses, libraries,
and literacy organizations to support the Minnesota Young Readers Club program and
strengthen community and business alliances.
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(b) The Department of Education and the grant recipient may work with schools to
promote and host community literacy events that celebrate literacy, engage families, and
promote cultural diversity.
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(c) The Department of Education and the grant recipient may provide supplementary
resources and support to enrich the program and strengthen home literacy environments.
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Sec. 2. new text begin APPROPRIATIONS; MINNESOTA YOUNG READERS CLUB PILOT
PROGRAM.
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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 sum indicated in this section is
appropriated from the general fund to the Department of Education in the fiscal year
designated.
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new text begin Subd. 2. new text end
new text begin Minnesota Young Readers Club pilot program. new text end
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(a) For a grant to an eligible
organization to implement the Minnesota Young Readers Club program:
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|
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$ new text end |
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....... new text end |
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..... new text end |
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2027 new text end |
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(b) The grant recipient must use the money for activities related to the Minnesota Young
Readers Club program.
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(c) Notwithstanding Minnesota Statutes, section 16B.98, subdivision 14, up to $....... of
the appropriation is available for grant administration.
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(d) This appropriation is available until June 30, 2028.
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(e) This is a onetime appropriation.
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