SF 1616

as introduced - 89th Legislature (2015 - 2016) Posted on 03/12/2015 09:05am

A bill for an act
relating to early childhood education; modifying certain early learning scholarship
provisions; amending Minnesota Statutes 2014, section 124D.165, subdivision 3.

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

Section 1.

Minnesota Statutes 2014, 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 may prioritize applications on
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) For fiscal years 2014 and 2015 only, scholarships may not exceed $5,000 per year
for each eligible child. For fiscal year 2016 and later, 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. deleted text begin The commissioner may designate a predetermined number of
scholarship slots for that program and notify the program of that number. deleted text end Beginning July
1, 2016, 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 deleted text begin ten deleted text end new text begin three new text end 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 who receives a scholarship who 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.

(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.

new text begin EFFECTIVE DATE. new text end

new text begin This section is effective for fiscal year 2016 and later.
new text end