HF 319

as introduced - 87th Legislature (2011 - 2012) Posted on 02/02/2011 09:09am

A bill for an act
relating to early childhood education; authorizing a unique identification number
to be assigned to all Minnesota children at the time of birth; allowing parents to
opt out; proposing coding for new law in Minnesota Statutes, chapter 119A.

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

Section 1.

new text begin [119A.06] EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION; STUDENT
IDENTIFICATION NUMBERS.
new text end

new text begin Subdivision 1. new text end

new text begin Policy and purpose. new text end

new text begin The purpose of this section is to provide data
about the effectiveness of Minnesota's early learning programs, by collecting and analyzing
data on early learners in a manner that protects student and family confidentiality.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 2. new text end

new text begin Student identification number; assignment. new text end

new text begin Except as provided in
subdivision 3, the commissioner of education shall assign a student identification number
to each child born in Minnesota within ten days after a record of birth has been filed.
The commissioners of education and health shall work together in order to assign these
identification numbers within the specified time.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 3. new text end

new text begin Opt out. new text end

new text begin The commissioner of education shall provide information about
the assignment of a student identification number and the possible uses of the student
identification number to the child's parent or guardian prior to the assignment of the
number. A parent or guardian may choose to opt out of the assignment of a student
identification number to their child before the number is assigned. At any subsequent time
prior to the enrollment of the child in a public school, the parent or guardian may notify
the commissioner of education in writing of the parent or guardian's intent to cancel the
use of the student identification number, and within 60 days, the commissioner must
remove that child's student identification number.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 4. new text end

new text begin Data collection. new text end

new text begin An early childhood education program or a child care
program must request from each child's parent or guardian the child's student identification
number at the time of the child's enrollment in the program. The commissioner shall
collect from early childhood education and child care programs data including, but not
limited to, demographic, socioeconomic, participation, and assessment information related
to program participants.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 5. new text end

new text begin Data use. new text end

new text begin Data on individuals collected at the time of birth, through an
early childhood education assessment or screening, and the student identification numbers
assigned to individuals are private, as defined by section 13.02, subdivision 12, except
that the commissioner may share a student identification number of a child enrolled in
an early childhood education or child care program with that program if the program
requests the number of an enrollee from the commissioner. Individual and summary
data must be reported to the commissioner of education by the commissioner of health
once a record of birth has been filed and by any early childhood education or child
care program serving children from birth to kindergarten enrollment for the purposes
of developing early childhood educational programs to meet the individual needs of
children and assessing program quality. Private early childhood education and child care
programs must provide individual and summary data to the commissioner upon request.
The commissioner of health and any early childhood education or child care program
required to collect data under this section may share the data with the commissioner of
education for the purposes described in this subdivision. No data on an individual shall
be disclosed to the commissioners of education or health without the consent of that
individual's parent or guardian.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 6. new text end

new text begin Data confidentiality. new text end

new text begin Early childhood education and child care programs
must treat the student identification numbers in a confidential manner and must not
disclose those numbers except as authorized under this section. An early childhood
education program or a child care provider is liable for damages resulting from or
improper release of a student identification number under this section.
new text end

new text begin EFFECTIVE DATE. new text end

new text begin This section is effective August 1, 2011.
new text end