SF 2606

1st Engrossment - 93rd Legislature (2023 - 2024) Posted on 11/14/2023 09:05am

A bill for an act
relating to early childhood; establishing an early childhood apprenticeship program;
appropriating money for an apprenticeship program, an early childhood workforce
compensation task force, early childhood workforce development scholarships,
and for grants to postsecondary institutions to improve early childhood program
curricula; requiring reports; proposing coding for new law in Minnesota Statutes,
chapter 119B.

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

Section 1.

new text begin [119B.252] EARLY CHILDHOOD REGISTERED APPRENTICESHIP
GRANT PROGRAM.
new text end

new text begin Subdivision 1. new text end

new text begin Establishment. new text end

new text begin The commissioner of human services shall, in coordination
with the commissioner of labor and industry, establish an apprenticeship grant program to
provide employment-based training and mentoring opportunities for early childhood workers.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 2. new text end

new text begin Definitions. new text end

new text begin (a) For purposes of this section, the following terms have the
definitions given.
new text end

new text begin (b) "Apprentice" means an employee participating in an early childhood registered
apprenticeship program.
new text end

new text begin (c) "Early childhood registered apprenticeship program" means an organization registered
with the Department of Labor and Industry under chapter 178, registered with the Office
of Apprenticeship within the United States Department of Labor, or registered with a
recognized state apprenticeship agency under Code of Federal Regulations, title 29, parts
29 and 30, and who is:
new text end

new text begin (1) a licensed child care center under Minnesota Rules, chapter 9503;
new text end

new text begin (2) a licensed family and group family child care provider under Minnesota Rules,
chapter 9502;
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new text begin (3) a public prekindergarten program under section 124D.13, 124D.135, 124D.15 to
124D.16, 125A.01 to 125A.05, or 125A.26 to 125A.48, or Laws 2017, First Special Session
chapter 5, article 8, section 9;
new text end

new text begin (4) a Head Start program under sections 119A.50 to 119A.54; or
new text end

new text begin (5) a certified, license-exempt child care center under chapter 245H.
new text end

new text begin (d) "Mentor" means an early childhood registered apprenticeship program journeyworker
under section 178.011, subdivision 9, and who has a career lattice step of nine or higher.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 3. new text end

new text begin Program components. new text end

new text begin The organization holding the TEACH license with the
Department of Human Services shall distribute the grant and must use the grant for:
new text end

new text begin (1) tuition scholarships for apprentices for courses leading to a higher education degree
in early childhood;
new text end

new text begin (2) stipends for mentors; or
new text end

new text begin (3) stipends for early childhood registered apprenticeship programs.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 4. new text end

new text begin Grants to apprentices. new text end

new text begin An apprentice may receive a higher education
scholarship of up to $10,000 for up to 24 months under this section, provided the apprentice
complies with the following program requirements:
new text end

new text begin (1) enrolls in an early childhood registered apprenticeship program;
new text end

new text begin (2) is a current participant in good standing in the TEACH scholarship program under
section 119B.251;
new text end

new text begin (3) participates in monthly meetings with a mentor;
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new text begin (4) works toward meeting early childhood competencies identified in Minnesota's
Knowledge and Competency Framework for early childhood professionals, as observed by
a mentor; and
new text end

new text begin (5) works toward the attainment of a higher education degree in early childhood.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 5. new text end

new text begin Allowable uses. new text end

new text begin Grant recipients may use grant money for personal expenses.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 6. new text end

new text begin Stipends for mentors. new text end

new text begin A mentor shall receive up to $4,000 for each apprentice
mentored under this section, provided the mentor complies with the requirements in the
apprenticeship program standard and completes eight weeks of mentor training and additional
training on observation. The training shall be free of charge to mentors.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 7. new text end

new text begin Stipends for early childhood registered apprenticeship programs. new text end

new text begin (a) An
early childhood registered apprenticeship program shall receive up to $5,000 for the first
apprentice and up to $2,500 for each additional apprentice employed under this section,
provided the early childhood registered apprenticeship program complies with the
requirements in the apprenticeship program standard and the following requirements:
new text end

new text begin (1) sponsor each apprentice's TEACH scholarship under section 119B.251; and
new text end

new text begin (2) provide each apprentice at least three hours a week of paid release time for
coursework.
new text end

new text begin (b) An early childhood program may not host more than three apprentices at one site in
a 12-month period.
new text end

Sec. 2. new text begin APPROPRIATIONS; EARLY CHILDHOOD REGISTERED
APPRENTICESHIP GRANT PROGRAM.
new text end

new text begin $2,000,000 in fiscal year 2024 and $2,000,000 in fiscal year 2025 are appropriated from
the general fund to the commissioner of human services for the early childhood registered
apprenticeship grant program under Minnesota Statutes, section 119B.252.
new text end

Sec. 3. new text begin APPROPRIATION; EARLY CHILDHOOD CURRICULUM GRANTS.
new text end

new text begin (a) $250,000 in fiscal year 2024 and $250,000 in fiscal year 2025 are appropriated from
the general fund to the commissioner of the Office of Higher Education for competitive
grants to Minnesota postsecondary institutions. The grants must be used to improve the
curricula of the recipient institution's early childhood education programs by incorporating
or conforming to the Minnesota knowledge and competency frameworks for early child
professionals. This is a onetime appropriation.
new text end

new text begin (b) By December 1, 2024, and again by December 1, 2025, the commissioner must
submit a report to the chairs and ranking minority members of the legislative committees
with jurisdiction over early childhood education through grade 12 and higher education
finance and policy about grants awarded under this section. The report must include the
following information for the previous fiscal year:
new text end

new text begin (1) the number of grant applications received;
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new text begin (2) the criteria applied by the commissioner for evaluating applications;
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new text begin (3) the number of grants awarded, the grant recipients, and amounts;
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new text begin (4) early childhood education curricular reforms proposed by each recipient institution;
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new text begin (5) grant outcomes for each recipient institution;
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new text begin (6) an evaluation of the grant program, its successes and challenges, and recommendations
to the legislature regarding the program; and
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new text begin (7) other information identified by the commissioner as outcome indicators.
new text end

new text begin (c) The commissioner may use no more than three percent of the amount transferred
under this section to administer the grant program.
new text end

Sec. 4. new text begin APPROPRIATION; WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT SCHOLARSHIPS.
new text end

new text begin $500,000 in fiscal year 2024 and $500,000 in fiscal year 2025 are appropriated from the
general fund to the Board of Trustees of the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities for
workforce development scholarships under Minnesota Statutes, section 136F.38. The amounts
appropriated in this section must be dedicated exclusively to students enrolled in early
childhood programs and are in addition to any amounts directed to students enrolled in early
childhood programs from other appropriations for the workforce development scholarship
program.
new text end