SF 1853

as introduced - 84th Legislature (2005 - 2006) Posted on 12/15/2009 12:00am

A bill for an act
relating to education; providing for early childhood
family support; modifying developmental screening
provisions; modifying school readiness provisions;
appropriating money for school readiness, early
childhood family education aid, health and
developmental screening aid, and Head Start; amending
Minnesota Statutes 2004, sections 121A.17, subdivision
1; 121A.19; 124D.15, subdivisions 1, 3, 5, 10, 12, by
adding subdivisions; 124D.16, subdivisions 2, 3;
repealing Minnesota Statutes 2004, sections 124D.15,
subdivisions 2, 4, 6, 7, 8, 9, 11, 13; 124D.16,
subdivisions 1, 4.

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

Section 1.

Minnesota Statutes 2004, section 121A.17,
subdivision 1, is amended to read:

Subdivision 1.

Early childhood developmental screening.

Every school board must provide for a mandatory program of early
childhood developmental screening for children once before
school entrance, targeting children who are between deleted text begin 3-1/2 deleted text end new text begin three
new text end and four years old. This screening program must be established
either by one board, by two or more boards acting in
cooperation, by service cooperatives, by early childhood family
education programs, or by other existing programs. This
screening examination is a mandatory requirement for a student
to continue attending kindergarten or first grade in a public
school. A child need not submit to developmental screening
provided by a board if the child's health records indicate to
the board that the child has received comparable developmental
screening from a public or private health care organization or
individual health care provider. new text begin A student identification
number, as defined by the commissioner of education, shall be
assigned at the time of early childhood developmental screening
or at the time of the provision of health records indicating a
comparable screening. Each school district must provide the
essential data in accordance with section 125B.07, subdivision
6, to the Department of Education. new text end Districts are encouraged to
reduce the costs of preschool developmental screening programs
by utilizing volunteers in implementing the program.

Sec. 2.

Minnesota Statutes 2004, section 121A.19, is
amended to read:

121A.19 DEVELOPMENTAL SCREENING AID.

Each school year, the state must pay a district deleted text begin $40 deleted text end new text begin $50 new text end for
each new text begin three-year-old new text end child screened new text begin ; $40 for each four-year-old
child screened; and $30 for each five-year-old child screened
prior to kindergarten new text end according to the requirements of section
121A.17. If this amount of aid is insufficient, the district
may permanently transfer from the general fund an amount that,
when added to the aid, is sufficient.

Sec. 3.

Minnesota Statutes 2004, section 124D.15,
subdivision 1, is amended to read:

Subdivision 1.

Establishment; purpose.

A district or a
group of districts may establish a school readiness program
for deleted text begin eligible deleted text end children new text begin age three to kindergarten entrance new text end . The
purpose of a school readiness program is to deleted text begin provide all eligible
children adequate opportunities to participate in child
development programs that enable the children to enter school
with the necessary skills and behavior and family stability and
support to progress and flourish deleted text end new text begin prepare children to enter
kindergarten new text end .

Sec. 4.

Minnesota Statutes 2004, section 124D.15,
subdivision 3, is amended to read:

Subd. 3.

Program deleted text begin eligibility deleted text end new text begin requirements new text end .

A school
readiness program must deleted text begin include the following deleted text end :

(1) deleted text begin a comprehensive plan to anticipate and meet the needs
of participating families by coordinating existing social
services programs and by fostering collaboration among agencies
or other community-based organizations and programs that provide
a full range of flexible, family-focused services to families
with young children deleted text end new text begin Conduct a child development assessment on
each child to guide intentional curriculum planning and promote
kindergarten readiness. This assessment must be conducted on
each child at entrance into the program and once prior to exit
of the program and be maintained as part of a child's cumulative
record new text end ;

(2) deleted text begin a development and learning component to help children
develop appropriate social, cognitive, and physical skills, and
emotional well-being deleted text end new text begin adopt and implement department early
learning standards new text end ;

(3) deleted text begin health referral services to address children's medical,
dental, mental health, and nutritional needs deleted text end new text begin demonstrate use of
comprehensive curriculum based on early childhood research and
professional practice that prepares children for kindergarten new text end ;

(4) deleted text begin a nutrition component to meet children's daily
nutritional needs deleted text end new text begin arrange for early childhood screening and
appropriate referral new text end ;

(5) deleted text begin parents' involvement in meeting children's educational,
health, social service, and other needs deleted text end new text begin involve parents in
program planning and decision making new text end ;

(6) deleted text begin community outreach to ensure participation by families
who represent the racial, cultural, and economic diversity of
the community; deleted text end new text begin coordinate with relevant community-based
services; and
new text end

(7) deleted text begin community-based staff and program resources, including
interpreters, that reflect the racial and ethnic characteristics
of the children participating in the program; and
deleted text end

deleted text begin (8) a literacy component to ensure that the literacy needs
of parents are addressed through referral to and cooperation
deleted text end new text begin cooperate new text end with adult basic education programs and other adult
literacy programs.

Sec. 5.

Minnesota Statutes 2004, section 124D.15, is
amended by adding a subdivision to read:

new text begin Subd. 3a. new text end

new text begin Application and reporting requirements. new text end

new text begin (a) A
school readiness program must submit a biennial plan to the
commissioner for approval to receive aid under section 124D.16.
The plan must document that the program will meet the program
requirements under subdivision 3. A school district shall
submit the biennial plan by April 1 to the commissioner on a
form prescribed by the commissioner. One-half of the districts
shall first submit the plan by April 1, 2006, and one-half of
the districts by April 1, 2007.
new text end

new text begin (b) Programs receiving school readiness funds must submit
an annual report to the department.
new text end

Sec. 6.

Minnesota Statutes 2004, section 124D.15,
subdivision 5, is amended to read:

Subd. 5.

Services with new or existing providers.

A
district deleted text begin is encouraged to deleted text end new text begin may new text end contract with a deleted text begin public deleted text end new text begin charter
school new text end or deleted text begin nonprofit deleted text end new text begin community-based new text end organization to provide
eligible children developmentally appropriate services that meet
the program requirements in subdivision 3. In the alternative,
a district may pay tuition or fees to place an eligible child in
an existing program. A district may establish a new program
where no existing, reasonably accessible program meets the
program requirements in subdivision 3. new text begin A copy of each contract
must be submitted to the commissioner with the biennial plan.
new text end Services may be provided in a site-based program or in the home
of the child or a combination of both. The district may not
restrict participation to district residents.

Sec. 7.

Minnesota Statutes 2004, section 124D.15,
subdivision 10, is amended to read:

Subd. 10.

Supervision.

A program provided by a board
must be supervised by a licensed early childhood teacher, a
certified early childhood educator, or a licensed parent
educator. deleted text begin A program provided according to a contract between a
district and a nonprofit organization or another private
organization must be supervised and staffed according to the
terms of the contract.
deleted text end

Sec. 8.

Minnesota Statutes 2004, section 124D.15,
subdivision 12, is amended to read:

Subd. 12.

Program fees.

A district deleted text begin may deleted text end new text begin must new text end adopt a
sliding fee schedule based on a family's income but must waive a
fee for a participant unable to pay. deleted text begin The fees charged must be
designed to enable eligible children of all socioeconomic levels
to participate in the program.
deleted text end

Sec. 9.

Minnesota Statutes 2004, section 124D.15, is
amended by adding a subdivision to read:

new text begin Subd. 14. new text end

new text begin Assistance. new text end

new text begin The department must provide
assistance to districts with programs described in this section.
new text end

Sec. 10.

Minnesota Statutes 2004, section 124D.16,
subdivision 2, is amended to read:

Subd. 2.

Amount of aid.

(a) A district is eligible to
receive school readiness aid new text begin for eligible prekindergarten pupils
enrolled in a school readiness program under section 124D.15 new text end if
the deleted text begin program deleted text end new text begin biennial new text end plan required by deleted text begin subdivision 1 deleted text end new text begin section
124D.15, subdivision 3a, new text end has been approved by the commissioner.

(b) For fiscal year 2002 and thereafter, a district must
receive school readiness aid equal to:

(1) the number of deleted text begin eligible deleted text end four-year-old children in the
district on October 1 for the previous school year times the
ratio of 50 percent of the total school readiness aid for that
year to the total number of deleted text begin eligible deleted text end four-year-old children
reported to the commissioner for the previous school year; plus

(2) the number of pupils enrolled in the school district
from families eligible for the free or reduced school lunch
program for the deleted text begin second deleted text end previous school year times the ratio of
50 percent of the total school readiness aid for that year to
the total number of pupils in the state from families eligible
for the free or reduced school lunch program for the deleted text begin second
deleted text end previous school year.

Sec. 11.

Minnesota Statutes 2004, section 124D.16,
subdivision 3, is amended to read:

Subd. 3.

Use of aid.

School readiness aid shall be used
only to provide a school readiness program and may be used to
provide transportation. Not more than five percent of deleted text begin the
aid deleted text end new text begin program revenue, as defined in subdivision 5, new text end may be used
for the cost of administering the program. Aid must be used to
supplement and not supplant local, state, and federal funding.
Aid may not be used for instruction and services required under
sections 125A.03 to 125A.24 and 125A.65. Aid may not be used to
purchase land or construct buildings, but may be used to lease
or renovate existing buildings.

Sec. 12. 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.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 2. new text end

new text begin School readiness. new text end

new text begin For revenue for school
readiness programs under Minnesota Statutes, sections 124D.15
and 124D.16:
new text end

new text begin $8,893,000 new text end new text begin ..... new text end new text begin 2006
new text end

new text begin $8,888,000 new text end new text begin ..... new text end new text begin 2007
new text end

new text begin The 2006 appropriation includes $1,638,000 for 2005 and
$7,255,000 for 2006.
new text end

new text begin The 2007 appropriation includes $1,603,000 for 2006 and
$7,285,000 for 2007.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 3. new text end

new text begin Early childhood family education aid. new text end

new text begin For early
childhood family education aid under Minnesota Statutes, section
124D.135:
new text end

new text begin $12,187,000 new text end new text begin ..... new text end new text begin 2006
new text end

new text begin $12,558,000 new text end new text begin ..... new text end new text begin 2007
new text end

new text begin The 2006 appropriation includes $2,150,000 for 2005 and
$10,037,000 for 2006.
new text end

new text begin The 2007 appropriation includes $2,217,000 for 2006 and
$10,341,000 for 2007.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 4. new text end

new text begin Health and developmental screening aid. new text end

new text begin For
health and developmental screening aid under Minnesota Statutes,
sections 121A.17 and 121A.19:
new text end

new text begin $2,984,000 new text end new text begin ..... new text end new text begin 2006
new text end

new text begin $3,413,000 new text end new text begin ..... new text end new text begin 2007
new text end

new text begin The 2006 appropriation includes $481,000 for 2005 and
$2,503,000 for 2006.
new text end

new text begin The 2007 appropriation includes $552,000 for 2006 and
$2,861,000 for 2007.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 5. new text end

new text begin Head start program. new text end

new text begin For Head Start programs
under Minnesota Statutes, section 119A.52:
new text end

new text begin $17,100,000 new text end new text begin ..... new text end new text begin 2006
new text end

new text begin $17,100,000 new text end new text begin ..... new text end new text begin 2007
new text end

Sec. 13. new text begin REPEALER.
new text end

new text begin (a) Minnesota Statutes 2004, sections 124D.15, subdivisions
2, 4, 6, 7, 8, 9, 11, and 13; and 124D.16, subdivision 4, are
repealed.
new text end

new text begin (b) Minnesota Statutes 2004, section 124D.16, subdivision
1, is repealed effective July 1, 2006.
new text end