HF 874

as introduced - 93rd Legislature (2023 - 2024) Posted on 02/06/2023 06:54pm

A bill for an act
relating to early childhood; modifying how the Head Start appropriation may be
used and distributed; appropriating money; amending Minnesota Statutes 2022,
section 119A.52.

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

Section 1.

Minnesota Statutes 2022, section 119A.52, is amended to read:

119A.52 DISTRIBUTION OF APPROPRIATION.

(a) The commissioner of education must distribute money appropriated for that purpose
to federally designated Head Start programs to expand services and to serve additional
low-income children deleted text begin . Migrant and Indian reservation programs must be initially allocated
money deleted text end new text begin , which may include costs associated with program operations, infrastructure, or
reconfiguration to serve children from birth to age five in center-based services. The
distribution must occur in the following order: (1) 10.72 percent of the total Head Start
appropriation must be allocated to federally designated Tribal Head Start programs; (2) the
Tribal Head Start portion of the appropriation must be allocated to Tribal Head Start programs
based on the programs' share of federal funds; and (3) migrant programs must be initially
allocated funding new text end based on the programs' share of federal funds. The remaining money must
be initially allocated to the remaining local agencies based equally on the agencies' share
of federal funds and on the proportion of eligible children in the agencies' service area who
are not currently being served. A Head Start program must be funded at a per child rate
equal to its contracted, federally funded base level at the start of the fiscal year. For all
agencies without a federal Early Head Start rate, the state average federal cost per child for
Early Head Start applies. In allocating funds under this paragraph, the commissioner of
education must assure that each Head Start program in existence in 1993 is allocated no
less funding in any fiscal year than was allocated to that program in fiscal year 1993. Before
paying money to the programs, the commissioner must notify each program of its initial
allocation and how the money must be used. Each program must present a plan under section
119A.535. For any program that cannot utilize its full allocation at the beginning of the
fiscal year, the commissioner must reduce the allocation proportionately. Money available
after the initial allocations are reduced must be redistributed to eligible programs.

(b) The commissioner must develop procedures to make payments to programs based
upon the number of children reported to be enrolled during the required time period of
program operations. Enrollment is defined by federal Head Start regulations. The procedures
must include a reporting schedule, corrective action plan requirements, and financial
consequences to be imposed on programs that do not meet full enrollment after the period
of corrective action. Programs reporting chronic underenrollment, as defined by the
commissioner, will have their subsequent program year allocation reduced proportionately.
Funds made available by prorating payments and allocations to programs with reported
underenrollment will be made available to the extent funds exist to fully enrolled Head Start
programs through a form and manner prescribed by the department.

(c) Programs with approved innovative initiatives that target services to high-risk
populations, including homeless families and families living in homeless shelters and
transitional housing, are exempt from the procedures in paragraph (b). This exemption does
not apply to entire programs. The exemption applies only to approved innovative initiatives
that target services to high-risk populations, including homeless families and families living
in homeless shelters, transitional housing, and permanent supportive housing.

Sec. 2. new text begin APPROPRIATIONS; HEAD START PROGRAM.
new text end

new text begin Subdivision 1. new text end

new text begin Department of Education. new text end

new text begin The sums indicated in this section are
appropriated from the general fund to the Department of Education in the fiscal years
designated.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 2. new text end

new text begin Head Start program. new text end

new text begin For Head Start programs under Minnesota Statutes,
section 119A.52:
new text end

	new text begin $ new text end	new text begin 35,100,000 new text end	new text begin ..... new text end	new text begin 2024 new text end
	new text begin $ new text end	new text begin 35,100,000 new text end	new text begin ..... new text end	new text begin 2025 new text end