HF 1604

as introduced - 90th Legislature (2017 - 2018) Posted on 03/06/2017 05:07pm

A bill for an act
relating to early childhood education; modifying the quality rating and improvement
system; amending Minnesota Statutes 2016, section 124D.142.

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

Section 1.

Minnesota Statutes 2016, section 124D.142, is amended to read:

124D.142 QUALITY RATING AND IMPROVEMENT SYSTEM.

new text begin Subdivision 1. new text end

new text begin Quality rating and improvement system framework. new text end

(a) There is
established a quality rating and improvement system (QRIS) framework to ensure that
Minnesota's children have access to high-quality early learning and care programs in a range
of settings so that they are fully ready for kindergarten by 2020. Creation of a standards-based
voluntary quality rating and improvement system includes:

(1) quality opportunities in order to improve the educational outcomes of children so
that they are ready for school. The framework shall be based on the Minnesota quality rating
system rating tool and a common set of child outcome and program standards and informed
by evaluation results;

(2) a tool to increase the number of publicly funded and regulated early learning and
care services in both public and private market programs that are high quality. If a program
or provider chooses to participate, the program or provider will be rated and may receive
public funding associated with the rating. The state shall develop a plan to link future early
learning and care state funding to the framework in a manner that complies with federal
requirements; and

(3) tracking progress toward statewide access to high-quality early learning and care
programs, progress toward the number of low-income children whose parents can access
quality programs, and progress toward increasing the number of children who are fully
prepared to enter kindergarten.

(b) In planning a statewide quality rating and improvement system framework in
paragraph (a), the state shall use evaluation results of the Minnesota quality rating system
rating tool in use in fiscal year 2008 to recommend:

(1) a framework of a common set of child outcome and program standards for a voluntary
statewide quality rating and improvement system;

(2) a plan to link future funding to the framework described in paragraph (a), clause (2);
and

(3) a plan for how the state will realign existing state and federal administrative resources
to implement the voluntary quality rating and improvement system framework. The state
shall provide the recommendation in this paragraph to the early childhood education finance
committees of the legislature by March 15, 2011.

(c) Prior to the creation of a statewide quality rating and improvement system in paragraph
(a), the state shall employ the Minnesota quality rating system rating tool in use in fiscal
year 2008 in the original Minnesota Early Learning Foundation pilot areas and additional
pilot areas supported by private or public funds with its modification as a result of the
evaluation results of the pilot project.

new text begin Subd. 2. new text end

new text begin Accredited programs. new text end

new text begin An early learning and care program that has an
accreditation that qualifies the program for a provider rate differential under section 119B.13,
subdivision 3a, must receive the highest quality rating available in the quality rating and
improvement system.
new text end