HF 1568

as introduced - 92nd Legislature (2021 - 2022) Posted on 03/09/2021 12:32pm

A bill for an act
relating to early childhood education; modifying the kindergarten readiness
assessment; requiring a report; appropriating money; amending Minnesota Statutes
2020, section 124D.162.

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

Section 1.

Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 124D.162, is amended to read:

124D.162 KINDERGARTEN READINESS ASSESSMENT.

Subdivision 1.

Implementation.

(a) The commissioner of education may must implement
a kindergarten readiness assessment representative of incoming kindergartners. to:

(1) identify preparedness of a child for success in school;

(2) inform instructional decision making;

(3) improve understanding of connections between kindergarten readiness and later
academic achievement; and

(4) produce data that can assist in evaluation of the effectiveness of early childhood
programs.

(b) The commissioner must provide districts and charter schools with a process for
measuring the kindergarten readiness of incoming kindergartners on a comparable basis.
The commissioner must approve one or more measurement tools for district and charter
school use.

Subd. 2.

Assessment development.

The measurement tools used for assessment must
be based on the Department of Education Kindergarten Readiness Assessment at kindergarten
entrance study research-based, developmentally appropriate, valid and reliable, and aligned
to the state early childhood indicators of progress and kindergarten academic standards.

Subd. 3.

Reporting.

Beginning in the 2022-2023 school year, every district and charter
school must use the commissioner-provided process. Every district and charter school must
annually report kindergarten readiness results under this section to the department in the
form and manner determined by the commissioner concurrent with the district's and charter
school's world's best workforce report under section 120B.11. The commissioner must
publicly report kindergarten readiness results as part of the performance reports required
under section 120B.36 and consistent with section 120B.35, subdivision 3, paragraph (a),
clause (2).

Subd. 4.

Longitudinal data system.

Beginning with data reported on incoming
kindergartners in the 2022-2023 school year, the commissioner must integrate kindergarten
readiness data under this section into statewide longitudinal educational data systems.

Sec. 2. APPROPRIATION; KINDERGARTEN READINESS ASSESSMENT.

(a) The sums in this section are appropriated from the general fund to the commissioner
of education for the kindergarten readiness assessment under Minnesota Statutes, section
124D.162, for the fiscal years designated.

	$	2,693,000	.....	2022
	$	2,000,000	.....	2023

(b) The base for each of fiscal years 2024 and 2025 is $2,000,000.