HF 2610

1st Division Engrossment - 91st Legislature (2019 - 2020) Posted on 03/29/2019 02:35pm

A bill for an act
relating to early education finance; modifying early childhood education programs;
providing funding for early childhood education programs; requiring reports;
amending Minnesota Statutes 2018, sections 121A.45, subdivision 2; 124D.151,
subdivisions 2, 4, 5, 6; 124D.165, subdivisions 2, 3, 4, by adding a subdivision;
126C.05, subdivision 1; 245C.12; Laws 2017, First Special Session chapter 5,
article 8, section 8; proposing coding for new law in Minnesota Statutes, chapters
122A; 245C.

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

Section 1.

Minnesota Statutes 2018, section 121A.45, subdivision 2, is amended to read:

Subd. 2.

Grounds for dismissal.

new text begin A school district must not dismiss a child participating
or enrolled in a prekindergarten program. A school district may dismiss new text end a pupil deleted text begin may be
dismissed on any of the following grounds deleted text end new text begin in kindergarten through grade 12 for new text end :

deleted text begin (a) deleted text end new text begin (1) new text end willful violation of any reasonable school board regulation. Such regulation must
be clear and definite to provide notice to pupils that they must conform their conduct to its
requirements;

deleted text begin (b) deleted text end new text begin (2) new text end willful conduct that significantly disrupts the rights of others to an education, or
the ability of school personnel to perform their duties, or school sponsored extracurricular
activities; or

deleted text begin (c) deleted text end new text begin (3) new text end willful conduct that endangers the pupil or other pupils, or surrounding persons,
including school district employees, or property of the school.

new text begin EFFECTIVE DATE. new text end

new text begin This section is effective for the 2019-2020 school year and later.
new text end

Sec. 2.

new text begin [122A.261] PREKINDERGARTEN, SCHOOL READINESS, PRESCHOOL,
AND EARLY EDUCATION PROGRAMS; LICENSURE REQUIREMENTS.
new text end

new text begin Subdivision 1. new text end

new text begin Licensure requirement. new text end

new text begin A school district or charter school that operates
a preschool, school readiness, school readiness plus, prekindergarten, or other similar early
education program must employ a qualified teacher, as defined in section 122A.16, to
provide instruction in such a program.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 2. new text end

new text begin Exemption from licensure. new text end

new text begin A person employed by a school district or charter
school as a teacher in an early education program during the 2018-2019 school year, who
does not have a Minnesota teaching license issued in accordance with chapter 122A, is
exempt from the teacher licensure requirement until July 1, 2024, or until the teacher obtains
a Minnesota teaching license, whichever occurs first. Notwithstanding the licensure
exemption under this subdivision, a person employed as a teacher in a school district or
charter school based early education program is a teacher, as defined in section 179A.03,
subdivision 18.
new text end

Sec. 3.

Minnesota Statutes 2018, section 124D.151, subdivision 2, is amended to read:

Subd. 2.

Program requirements.

(a) A voluntary prekindergarten program provider
must:

(1) provide instruction through play-based learning to foster children's social and
emotional development, cognitive development, physical and motor development, and
language and literacy skills, including the native language and literacy skills of English
learners, to the extent practicable;

(2) measure each child's cognitive and social skills using a formative measure aligned
to the state's early learning standards when the child enters and again before the child leaves
the program, screening and progress monitoring measures, and deleted text begin others deleted text end new text begin other age-appropriate
versions new text end from the state-approved menu of kindergarten entry profile measures;

(3) provide comprehensive program content including the implementation of curriculum,
assessment, and instructional strategies aligned with the state early learning standards, and
kindergarten through grade 3 academic standards;

(4) provide instructional content and activities that are of sufficient length and intensity
to address learning needs including offering a program with at least 350 hours of instruction
per school year for a prekindergarten student;

(5) provide voluntary prekindergarten instructional staff salaries comparable to the
salaries of local kindergarten through grade 12 instructional staff;

(6) coordinate appropriate kindergarten transition with families, community-based
prekindergarten programs, and school district kindergarten programs;

(7) involve parents in program planning and transition planning by implementing parent
engagement strategies that include culturally and linguistically responsive activities in
prekindergarten through third grade that are aligned with early childhood family education
under section 124D.13;

(8) coordinate with relevant community-based services, including health and social
service agencies, to ensure children have access to comprehensive services;

(9) coordinate with all relevant school district programs and services including early
childhood special education, homeless students, and English learners;

(10) ensure staff-to-child ratios of one-to-ten and a maximum group size of 20 children;

(11) provide high-quality coordinated professional development, training, and coaching
for both school district and community-based early learning providers that is informed by
a measure of adult-child interactions and enables teachers to be highly knowledgeable in
early childhood curriculum content, assessment, native and English language development
programs, and instruction; and

(12) implement strategies that support the alignment of professional development,
instruction, assessments, and prekindergarten through grade 3 curricula.

(b) A voluntary prekindergarten program must have teachers knowledgeable in early
childhood curriculum content, assessment, native and English language programs, and
instruction.

(c) Districts and charter schools must include their strategy for implementing and
measuring the impact of their voluntary prekindergarten program under section 120B.11
and provide results in their world's best workforce annual summary to the commissioner of
education.

Sec. 4.

Minnesota Statutes 2018, section 124D.151, subdivision 4, is amended to read:

Subd. 4.

Eligibility.

A child who is four years of age as of September 1 in the calendar
year in which the school year commences is eligible to participate in a voluntary
prekindergarten program free of charge. new text begin An eligible four-year-old child served in a
mixed-delivery system by a child care center, family child care program licensed under
section 245A.03, or community-based organization may be charged a fee as long as the
mixed-delivery partner was not awarded a seat for that child. new text end Each eligible child must
complete a health and developmental screening within 90 days of program enrollment under
sections 121A.16 to 121A.19, and provide documentation of required immunizations under
section 121A.15.

Sec. 5.

Minnesota Statutes 2018, section 124D.151, subdivision 5, is amended to read:

Subd. 5.

Application process; priority for high poverty schools.

(a) deleted text begin To qualify for
program approval for fiscal year 2017, a district or charter school must submit an application
to the commissioner by July 1, 2016. deleted text end To qualify for program approval deleted text begin for fiscal year 2018
and later deleted text end , a district or charter school must submit an application to the commissioner by
January 30 of the fiscal year prior to the fiscal year in which the program will be
implemented. The application must include:

(1) a description of the proposed program, including the number of hours per week the
program will be offered at each school site or mixed-delivery location;

(2) an estimate of the number of eligible children to be served in the program at each
school site or mixed-delivery location; and

(3) a statement of assurances signed by the superintendent or charter school director that
the proposed program meets the requirements of subdivision 2.

(b) The commissioner must review all applications submitted deleted text begin for fiscal year 2017 by
August 1, 2016, and must review all applications submitted for fiscal year 2018 and later deleted text end
by March 1 of the fiscal year in which the applications are received and determine whether
each application meets the requirements of paragraph (a).

(c) The commissioner must divide all applications for new or expanded voluntary
prekindergarten programs under this section meeting the requirements of paragraph (a) and
school readiness plus programs into deleted text begin four deleted text end new text begin five new text end groups as follows: the Minneapolis deleted text begin and deleted text end new text begin school
district; the new text end St. Paul school deleted text begin districts deleted text end new text begin district new text end ; other school districts located in the metropolitan
equity region as defined in section 126C.10, subdivision 28; school districts located in the
rural equity region as defined in section 126C.10, subdivision 28; and charter schools.
Within each group, the applications must be ordered by rank using a sliding scale based on
the following criteria:

(1) concentration of kindergarten students eligible for free or reduced-price lunches by
school site on October 1 of the previous school year. A school site may contract to partner
with a community-based provider or Head Start under subdivision 3 or establish an early
childhood center and use the concentration of kindergarten students eligible for free or
reduced-price meals from a specific school site as long as those eligible children are
prioritized and guaranteed services at the mixed-delivery site or early education center. For
school district programs to be operated at locations that do not have free and reduced-price
lunch concentration data for kindergarten programs for October 1 of the previous school
year, including mixed-delivery programs, the school district average concentration of
kindergarten students eligible for free or reduced-price lunches must be used for the rank
ordering;

(2) presence or absence of a three- or four-star Parent Aware rated program within the
school district or close proximity of the district. School sites with the highest concentration
of kindergarten students eligible for free or reduced-price lunches that do not have a three-
or four-star Parent Aware program within the district or close proximity of the district shall
receive the highest priority, and school sites with the lowest concentration of kindergarten
students eligible for free or reduced-price lunches that have a three- or four-star Parent
Aware rated program within the district or close proximity of the district shall receive the
lowest priority; and

(3) whether the district has implemented a deleted text begin mixed delivery deleted text end new text begin mixed-delivery new text end system.

(d) new text begin If the participation limit under subdivision 6 is higher than the participation limit for
the previous year, new text end the limit on participation for the programs as specified in subdivision 6
must initially be allocated among the deleted text begin four deleted text end new text begin five new text end groups based on each group's percentage
share of the statewide kindergarten enrollment on October 1 of the previous school year. new text begin If
the participation limit is the same as the participation limit for the previous year, the
participation limit must initially be allocated among the five groups based on each group's
participation limit for the previous school year. new text end Within each group, the participation limit
deleted text begin for fiscal years 2018 and 2019 deleted text end must first be allocated to school sites approved for aid in the
previous year to ensure that those sites are funded for the same number of participants as
approved for the previous year. The remainder of the participation limit for each group must
be allocated among school sites in priority order until that region's share of the participation
limit is reached. If the participation limit is not reached for all groups, the remaining amount
must be allocated to the highest priority school sites, as designated under this section, not
funded in the initial allocation on a statewide basis. deleted text begin For fiscal year 2020 and later, the
participation limit must first be allocated to school sites approved for aid in fiscal year 2017,
and then to school sites approved for aid in fiscal year 2018 based on the statewide rankings
under paragraph (c).
deleted text end

(e) Once a school site or a deleted text begin mixed delivery deleted text end new text begin mixed-delivery new text end site under subdivision 3 is
approved for aid under this subdivision, it shall remain eligible for aid if it continues to
meet program requirements, regardless of changes in the concentration of students eligible
for free or reduced-price lunches.

(f) If the total number of participants approved based on applications submitted under
paragraph (a) is less than the participation limit under subdivision 6, the commissioner must
notify all school districts and charter schools of the amount that remains available within
30 days of the initial application deadline under paragraph (a), and complete a second round
of allocations based on applications received within 60 days of the initial application deadline.

(g) Procedures for approving applications submitted under paragraph (f) shall be the
same as specified in paragraphs (a) to (d), except that the allocations shall be made to the
highest priority school sites not funded in the initial allocation on a statewide basis.

new text begin EFFECTIVE DATE. new text end

new text begin This section is effective for applications for fiscal year 2020 and
later.
new text end

Sec. 6.

Minnesota Statutes 2018, section 124D.151, subdivision 6, is amended to read:

Subd. 6.

Participation limits.

(a) Notwithstanding section 126C.05, subdivision 1,
paragraph (d), the pupil units for a voluntary prekindergarten program for an eligible school
district or charter school must not exceed 60 percent of the kindergarten pupil units for that
school district or charter school under section 126C.05, subdivision 1, paragraph (e).

(b) In reviewing applications under subdivision 5, deleted text begin the commissioner must limit the
estimated state aid entitlement approved under this section to $27,092,000 for fiscal year
2017. If the actual state aid entitlement based on final data exceeds the limit in any year,
the aid of the participating districts must be prorated so as not to exceed the limit.
deleted text end

( deleted text begin c) The commissioner must limit the total number of funded participants in the voluntary
prekindergarten program under this section to not more than 3,160.
deleted text end

deleted text begin (d) Notwithstanding paragraph (c), deleted text end the commissioner must limit the total number of
participants in the voluntary prekindergarten and school readiness plus programs new text begin under
Laws 2017, First Special Session chapter 5, article 8, section 9 new text end to not more than deleted text begin 6,160
participants for fiscal year 2018 and deleted text end 7,160 participants deleted text begin for deleted text end new text begin per new text end fiscal year deleted text begin 2019 deleted text end .

new text begin EFFECTIVE DATE. new text end

new text begin This section is effective for revenue for fiscal year 2020 and later.
new text end

Sec. 7.

Minnesota Statutes 2018, section 124D.165, subdivision 2, is amended to read:

Subd. 2.

Family eligibility.

(a) For a family to receive an early learning scholarship,
parents or guardians must meet the following eligibility requirements:

(1) have an eligible child; and

(2) have income equal to or less than 185 percent of federal poverty level income in the
current calendar year, or be able to document their child's current participation in the free
and reduced-price lunch program or Child and Adult Care Food Program, National School
Lunch Act, United States Code, title 42, sections 1751 and 1766; the Food Distribution
Program on Indian Reservations, Food and Nutrition Act, United States Code, title 7, sections
2011-2036; Head Start under the federal Improving Head Start for School Readiness Act
of 2007; Minnesota family investment program under chapter 256J; child care assistance
programs under chapter 119B; the supplemental nutrition assistance program; or placement
in foster care under section 260C.212. new text begin Parents or guardians are not required to provide
income verification under this clause if the child is an eligible child under paragraph (b),
clause (4) or (5).
new text end

(b) An "eligible child" means a child who has not yet enrolled in kindergarten and is:

(1) deleted text begin at least deleted text end new text begin from birth to age new text end three deleted text begin but not yet five years of age deleted text end on September 1 of the
current school year;

(2) a sibling from birth to age deleted text begin five deleted text end new text begin four new text end of a child who has been awarded a scholarship
under this section provided the sibling attends the same program as long as funds are
available;

(3) the child of a parent under age 21 who is pursuing a high school degree or a course
of study for a high school equivalency test; deleted text begin or
deleted text end

deleted text begin (4) homeless, in foster care, or in need of child protective services.
deleted text end

new text begin (4) a child in need of protective services or in foster care; or
new text end

new text begin (5) designated as homeless under the federal McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance
Act, United States Code, title 42, section 11434a.
new text end

(c) A child who has received a scholarship under this section must continue to receive
a scholarship each year until that child is eligible for kindergarten under section 120A.20
and as long as funds are available. new text begin This paragraph applies notwithstanding the age
requirements under paragraph (b).
new text end

(d) Early learning scholarships may not be counted as earned income for the purposes
of medical assistance under chapter 256B, MinnesotaCare under chapter 256L, Minnesota
family investment program under chapter 256J, child care assistance programs under chapter
119B, or Head Start under the federal Improving Head Start for School Readiness Act of
2007.

(e) A child from an adjoining state whose family resides at a Minnesota address as
assigned by the United States Postal Service, who has received developmental screening
under sections 121A.16 to 121A.19, who intends to enroll in a Minnesota school district,
and whose family meets the criteria of paragraph (a) is eligible for an early learning
scholarship under this section.

Sec. 8.

Minnesota Statutes 2018, section 124D.165, subdivision 3, is amended to read:

Subd. 3.

Administration.

(a) The commissioner shall establish application timelines
and determine the schedule for awarding scholarships that meets operational needs of eligible
families and programs. The commissioner must give highest priority to applications from
children who:

(1) have a parent under age 21 who is pursuing a high school diploma or a course of
study for a high school equivalency test;

(2) are in foster care or otherwise in need of protection or services; or

(3) have experienced homelessness in the last 24 months, as defined under the federal
McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act, United States Code, title 42, section 11434a.

The commissioner may prioritize applications on additional factors including family
income, geographic location, and whether the child's family is on a waiting list for a publicly
funded program providing early education or child care services.

(b) The commissioner shall establish a target for the average scholarship amount per
child based on the results of the rate survey conducted under section 119B.02.

(c) A four-star rated program that has children eligible for a scholarship enrolled in or
on a waiting list for a program beginning in July, August, or September may notify the
commissioner, in the form and manner prescribed by the commissioner, each year of the
program's desire to enhance program services or to serve more children than current funding
provides. The commissioner may designate a predetermined number of scholarship slots
for that program and notify the program of that number. deleted text begin For fiscal year 2018 and later, the
statewide amount of funding directly designated by the commissioner must not exceed the
funding directly designated for fiscal year 2017. Beginning July 1, 2016, deleted text end A school district
or Head Start program qualifying under this paragraph may use its established registration
process to enroll scholarship recipients and may verify a scholarship recipient's family
income in the same manner as for other program participants.

(d) A scholarship is awarded for a 12-month period. If the scholarship recipient has not
been accepted and subsequently enrolled in a rated program within ten months of the
awarding of the scholarship, the scholarship cancels and the recipient must reapply in order
to be eligible for another scholarship. A child may not be awarded more than one scholarship
in a 12-month period.

(e) A child new text begin over the age of three new text end who receives a scholarship deleted text begin who deleted text end new text begin and new text end has not completed
development screening under sections 121A.16 to 121A.19 must complete that screening
within 90 days of first attending an eligible program. new text begin A child who receives a scholarship
before the age of three must complete the developmental screening no later than 90 days
after the child's third birthday.
new text end

(f) For fiscal year 2017 and later, a school district or Head Start program enrolling
scholarship recipients under paragraph (c) may apply to the commissioner, in the form and
manner prescribed by the commissioner, for direct payment of state aid. Upon receipt of
the application, the commissioner must pay each program directly for each approved
scholarship recipient enrolled under paragraph (c) according to the metered payment system
or another schedule established by the commissioner.

Sec. 9.

Minnesota Statutes 2018, section 124D.165, subdivision 4, is amended to read:

Subd. 4.

Early childhood program eligibility.

(a) In order to be eligible to accept an
early learning scholarship, a program must:

(1) participate in the quality rating and improvement system under section 124D.142;
and

(2) beginning July 1, 2020, have a three- or four-star rating in the quality rating and
improvement system.

(b) Any program accepting scholarships must use the revenue to supplement and not
supplant federal funding.

deleted text begin (c) Notwithstanding paragraph (a), all Minnesota early learning foundation scholarship
program pilot sites are eligible to accept an early learning scholarship under this section.
deleted text end

Sec. 10.

Minnesota Statutes 2018, section 124D.165, is amended by adding a subdivision
to read:

new text begin Subd. 6. new text end

new text begin Early learning scholarship account. new text end

new text begin (a) An account is established in the
special revenue fund known as the "early learning scholarship account."
new text end

new text begin (b) Funds appropriated for early learning scholarships under this section must be
transferred to the early learning scholarship account in the special revenue fund.
new text end

new text begin (c) Money in the account is annually appropriated to the commissioner for early learning
scholarships under this section. Money in the account is available until spent. Any returned
funds are available to be regranted.
new text end

new text begin (d) Up to $950,000 annually is available to the commissioner for costs associated with
administering and monitoring early learning scholarships.
new text end

Sec. 11.

Minnesota Statutes 2018, section 126C.05, subdivision 1, is amended to read:

Subdivision 1.

Pupil unit.

Pupil units for each Minnesota resident pupil under the age
of 21 or who meets the requirements of section 120A.20, subdivision 1, paragraph (c), in
average daily membership enrolled in the district of residence, in another district under
sections 123A.05 to 123A.08, 124D.03, 124D.08, or 124D.68; in a charter school under
chapter 124E; or for whom the resident district pays tuition under section 123A.18, 123A.22,
123A.30, 123A.32, 123A.44, 123A.488, 123B.88, subdivision 4, 124D.04, 124D.05, 125A.03
to 125A.24, 125A.51, or 125A.65, shall be counted according to this subdivision.

(a) A prekindergarten pupil with a disability who is enrolled in a program approved by
the commissioner and has an individualized education program is counted as the ratio of
the number of hours of assessment and education service to 825 times 1.0 with a minimum
average daily membership of 0.28, but not more than 1.0 pupil unit.

(b) A prekindergarten pupil who is assessed but determined not to be disabled is counted
as the ratio of the number of hours of assessment service to 825 times 1.0.

(c) A kindergarten pupil with a disability who is enrolled in a program approved by the
commissioner is counted as the ratio of the number of hours of assessment and education
services required in the fiscal year by the pupil's individualized education program to 875,
but not more than one.

(d) A prekindergarten pupil who is not included in paragraph (a) or (b) and is enrolled
in an approved voluntary prekindergarten program under section 124D.151 is counted as
the ratio of the number of hours of instruction to 850 times 1.0, but not more than 0.6 pupil
units.

(e) A kindergarten pupil who is not included in paragraph (c) is counted as 1.0 pupil
unit if the pupil is enrolled in a free all-day, every day kindergarten program available to
all kindergarten pupils at the pupil's school that meets the minimum hours requirement in
section 120A.41, or is counted as .55 pupil unit, if the pupil is not enrolled in a free all-day,
every day kindergarten program available to all kindergarten pupils at the pupil's school.

(f) A pupil who is in any of grades 1 to 6 is counted as 1.0 pupil unit.

(g) A pupil who is in any of grades 7 to 12 is counted as 1.2 pupil units.

(h) A pupil who is in the postsecondary enrollment options program is counted as 1.2
pupil units.

(i) deleted text begin For fiscal years 2018 and 2019 only, deleted text end A prekindergarten pupil who:

(1) is not included in paragraph (a), (b), or (d);

(2) is enrolled in a school readiness plus program new text begin under Laws 2017, First Special Session
chapter 5, article 8, section 9 new text end ; and

(3) has one or more of the risk factors specified by the eligibility requirements for a
school readiness plus program,

is counted as the ratio of the number of hours of instruction to 850 times 1.0, but not more
than 0.6 pupil units. A pupil qualifying under this paragraph must be counted in the same
manner as a voluntary prekindergarten student for all general education and other school
funding formulas.

Sec. 12.

Minnesota Statutes 2018, section 245C.12, is amended to read:

245C.12 BACKGROUND STUDY; TRIBAL ORGANIZATIONS.

new text begin Subdivision 1. new text end

new text begin Access to data. new text end

deleted text begin (a) deleted text end For the purposes of background studies completed
by tribal organizations performing licensing activities otherwise required of the commissioner
under this chapter, after obtaining consent from the background study subject, tribal licensing
agencies shall have access to criminal history data in the same manner as county licensing
agencies and private licensing agencies under this chapter.

new text begin Subd. 2. new text end

new text begin Adoptions; child foster care. new text end

deleted text begin (b) deleted text end Tribal organizations may contract with the
commissioner to obtain background study data on individuals under tribal jurisdiction related
to adoptions according to section 245C.34. Tribal organizations may also contract with the
commissioner to obtain background study data on individuals under tribal jurisdiction related
to child foster care according to section 245C.34.

new text begin Subd. 3. new text end

new text begin Nursing facility. new text end

deleted text begin (c) deleted text end For the purposes of background studies completed to
comply with a tribal organization's licensing requirements for individuals affiliated with a
tribally licensed nursing facility, the commissioner shall obtain criminal history data from
the National Criminal Records Repository in accordance with section 245C.32.

new text begin Subd. 4. new text end

new text begin Child care. new text end

new text begin (a) Tribal organizations may contract with the commissioner to:
new text end

new text begin (1) conduct background studies on individuals affiliated with a child care program
sponsored, managed, or licensed by a tribal organization; and
new text end

new text begin (2) obtain background study data on individuals affiliated with a child care program
sponsored, managed, or licensed by a tribal organization.
new text end

new text begin (b) The commissioner must include a national criminal history record check in a
background study conducted under paragraph (a).
new text end

new text begin (c) A tribally affiliated child care program that does not contract with the commissioner
to conduct background studies is exempt from the relevant requirements in this chapter. For
a background study conducted under this subdivision to be transferable to other child care
entities, the study must include all components of studies for a certified license-exempt
child care center under this chapter.
new text end

Sec. 13.

new text begin [245C.125] BACKGROUND STUDY; HEAD START PROGRAMS.
new text end

new text begin (a) Head Start programs that receive funds under section 119A.52 may contract with
the commissioner to:
new text end

new text begin (1) conduct background studies on individuals affiliated with a Head Start program; and
new text end

new text begin (2) obtain background study data on individuals affiliated with a Head Start program.
new text end

new text begin (b) The commissioner must include a national criminal history record check in a
background study conducted under paragraph (a).
new text end

new text begin (c) A Head Start program site that does not contract with the commissioner, is not
licensed, and is not registered to receive payments under chapter 119B is exempt from the
relevant requirements in this chapter. Nothing in this section supersedes requirements for
background studies in this chapter or chapter 119B or 245H that relate to licensed child care
programs or programs registered to receive payments under chapter 119B. For a background
study conducted under this section to be transferable to other child care entities, the study
must include all components of studies for a certified license-exempt child care center under
this chapter.
new text end

Sec. 14.

Laws 2017, First Special Session chapter 5, article 8, section 8, the effective date,
is amended to read:

EFFECTIVE DATE.

Paragraph (i) of this section deleted text begin expires at the end of fiscal year 2019 deleted text end new text begin
does not expire new text end .

new text begin EFFECTIVE DATE. new text end

new text begin This section is effective the day following final enactment.
new text end

Sec. 15. new text begin LEGISLATIVE REPORT ON EARLY CARE AND EDUCATION
COORDINATION.
new text end

new text begin (a) By February 15, 2020, the commissioners of education and human services must
jointly submit a report on enhancing coordination of the child care assistance programs
under Minnesota Statutes, chapter 119B, and the early learning scholarship program under
Minnesota Statutes, section 124D.165, to the members and staff of the legislative committees
with jurisdiction over early childhood, human services, and education.
new text end

new text begin (b) As part of forming recommendations in the report, the commissioners must consult
with interested stakeholders, including child care providers, families using the programs,
program administrators, school districts, and early care and education advocacy groups.
Stakeholders must be representative of perspectives throughout the state and different racial,
cultural, and ethnic groups.
new text end

new text begin (c) At a minimum, the report must:
new text end

new text begin (1) review and evaluate changes to child care assistance and early learning scholarship
program quality and administration, including eligibility, billing, payment, and child and
family identification;
new text end

new text begin (2) identify challenges and concerns among providers and among recipients of child
care assistance and early learning scholarships;
new text end

new text begin (3) consider the goals outlined in the Department of Human Services' early childhood
systems reform effort;
new text end

new text begin (4) develop recommendations for a consolidated universal application process;
new text end

new text begin (5) analyze layering and duplication of funds; and
new text end

new text begin (6) develop preliminary estimates of costs and uses of funds for identified options and
recommendations.
new text end

new text begin EFFECTIVE DATE. new text end

new text begin This section is effective the day following final enactment.
new text end

Sec. 16. new text begin APPROPRIATIONS.
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 for the fiscal years
designated. For appropriations under this section, any balance in the first year does not
cancel but is available in the second year.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 2. new text end

new text begin Early learning scholarships. new text end

new text begin (a) For the early learning scholarship program
under Minnesota Statutes, section 124D.165:
new text end

	new text begin $ new text end	new text begin 76,709,000 new text end	new text begin ..... new text end	new text begin 2020 new text end
	new text begin $ new text end	new text begin 76,709,000 new text end	new text begin ..... new text end	new text begin 2021 new text end

new text begin (b) This appropriation is subject to the requirements under Minnesota Statutes, section
124D.165, subdivision 6.
new text end

new text begin (c) The base appropriation is $73,434,000 in each year for fiscal year 2022 and after.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 3. new text end

new text begin Metro Deaf Charter School. new text end

new text begin (a) For a grant to a charter school that enrolls
students as provided under Minnesota Statutes, section 124E.11, paragraph (h), to provide
services to additional children with a disability ages birth to five:
new text end

	new text begin $ new text end	new text begin 100,000 new text end	new text begin ..... new text end	new text begin 2020 new text end
	new text begin $ new text end	new text begin 100,000 new text end	new text begin ..... new text end	new text begin 2021 new text end

new text begin (b) Notwithstanding any other law to the contrary, a charter school that receives a grant
under this subdivision may not bill or seek reimbursement from a resident school district
for any portion of costs for a child served as a result of grant funds.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 4. new text end

new text begin Reach Out and Read Minnesota. new text end

new text begin (a) For a grant to support Reach Out and
Read Minnesota to expand a program that encourages early childhood development through
a network of health care clinics, and for the purchase of culturally and developmentally
appropriate books to sustain and expand the program in partnership with health clinics
statewide:
new text end

	new text begin $ new text end	new text begin 105,000 new text end	new text begin ..... new text end	new text begin 2020 new text end
	new text begin $ new text end	new text begin 100,000 new text end	new text begin ..... new text end	new text begin 2021 new text end

new text begin (b) The grant recipient must implement a program that includes:
new text end

new text begin (1) integrating children's books and parent education into well-child visits;
new text end

new text begin (2) creating literacy-rich environments at clinics, including books for visits outside of
Reach Out and Read Minnesota parameters or for waiting room use or volunteer readers to
model read-aloud techniques for parents where possible;
new text end

new text begin (3) working with public health clinics, federally qualified health centers, tribal sites,
community health centers, and clinics that belong to health care systems, as well as
independent clinics in underserved areas; and
new text end

new text begin (4) training medical professionals on speaking with parents of infants, toddlers, and
preschoolers on the importance of early literacy and numeracy.
new text end

new text begin (c) This is a onetime appropriation.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 5. new text end

new text begin College savings account pilot program. new text end

new text begin (a) For a matching grant to the city
of St. Paul to establish a pilot program that (1) creates a college savings account for every
child born in the city of St. Paul over the time period for which funds are available, and (2)
performs analysis of potential establishment of a statewide program or program duplication
by other cities.
new text end

	new text begin $ new text end	new text begin 250,000 new text end	new text begin ..... new text end	new text begin 2020 new text end
	new text begin $ new text end	new text begin 250,000 new text end	new text begin ..... new text end	new text begin 2021 new text end

new text begin (b) The city must administer the pilot program and partner with a qualified financial
institution to support current and potential pilot program participants and their families. The
city is the owner of an account established under this pilot program, but the beneficiary
must be the individual child.
new text end

new text begin (c) The city must use the grant money to establish and fund the accounts, to provide
incentives to current and potential pilot program participants and their families, and to
provide outreach and education to current and potential pilot program participants and their
families. The city may not use grant funds for the administrative costs of managing and
operating the pilot program.
new text end

new text begin (d) By February 15, 2021, the city must submit a report on the pilot program to the
commissioner of education and to the chairs, ranking minority members, and staff of the
legislative committees with primary jurisdiction over early childhood and education policy
and finance. At a minimum, the report must:
new text end

new text begin (1) provide a detailed review of pilot program design and features, including program
requirements, funding, and outreach and education activities;
new text end

new text begin (2) identify the number of accounts created in the pilot program, including basic
demographic information about account beneficiaries;
new text end

new text begin (3) provide analysis of savings program development throughout the state, which at a
minimum must examine:
new text end

new text begin (i) methods for program replication in other cities; and
new text end

new text begin (ii) options, models, or frameworks for implementation on a statewide basis, including
review of alternative policy approaches; and
new text end

new text begin (4) make recommendations regarding program expansion, if any, based on the analysis
under clause (3).
new text end

new text begin (e) The commissioner of education must provide reasonable technical assistance as
requested by the city for the analysis and recommendations under paragraph (d), clauses
(3) and (4).
new text end

new text begin (f) This is a onetime appropriation. Grant money provided under this subdivision must
be matched with money from nonstate sources. This appropriation is available until December
30, 2022.
new text end