SF 3226

as introduced - 85th Legislature (2007 - 2008) Posted on 12/15/2009 12:00am

A bill for an act
relating to education; establishing an Office of Early Learning; creating school
readiness assessments; reducing the basic sliding fee waiting list; appropriating
money; proposing coding for new law in Minnesota Statutes, chapter 4.

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

Section 1.

new text begin [4.046] OFFICE OF EARLY LEARNING.
new text end

new text begin (a) An Office of Early Learning is established to coordinate high quality
prekindergarten and child care programs. The governor must appoint an executive director
who is a recognized expert in the field of early childhood care and education and who will
facilitate communication and coordinate prekindergarten and child care programs under
the administration of the Departments of Education and Human Services.
new text end

new text begin (b) The executive director of the Office of Early Learning must coordinate
Departments of Education and Human Services staff efforts to:
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new text begin (1) consolidate and coordinate resources and public funding streams for early
education and child care, and ensure the accountability and coordinated development of
all early education and child care services to children from birth to age five;
new text end

new text begin (2) work with the Departments of Education and Human Services and Minnesota
Early Learning Foundation (MELF) to create common standards for quality early
childhood programming and rules for teacher training and certification;
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new text begin (3) create a seamless transition from early childhood programs to kindergarten;
new text end

new text begin (4) encourage family choice by ensuring a mixed system of high quality public and
private programs, with local points of entry, staffed by well-qualified professionals;
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new text begin (5) assure parents a decisive role in the planning, operation, and evaluation of
programs that aid families in the care of children;
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new text begin (6) provide consumer education and accessibility to early education and child care
resources;
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new text begin (7) advance the quality of early education and child care programs in order to
support the healthy development of children and preparation for their success in school;
new text end

new text begin (8) develop a seamless service delivery system of early education and child care
programs administered by local, state, and federal agencies, with local points of entry;
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new text begin (9) develop and manage an effective data collection system to support the necessary
functions of a coordinated system of early education and child care in order to enable
accurate evaluation of its impact;
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new text begin (10) respect and be sensitive to family values and cultural heritage; and
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new text begin (11) establish the administrative framework for and promote the development of
early education and child care services in order to provide that such services, staffed
by well-qualified professionals, are available in every community for all families that
express a need for them.
new text end

new text begin (c) The Office of Early Learning must report to the legislative committees with
jurisdiction over the early childhood education and child care programs by February 1 of
each year on the status of the work required under paragraph (b) and any statutory changes
necessary to improve quality and increase access.
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Sec. 2. new text begin SCHOOL READINESS ASSESSMENTS AND KINDERGARTEN
TRANSITION STRATEGIES.
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new text begin Subdivision 1. new text end

new text begin Establishment. new text end

new text begin In order to increase the capacity of school districts to
improve the performance of children at risk for not being fully prepared for kindergarten,
school readiness assessment and kindergarten transition strategy grants are established.
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new text begin Subd. 2. new text end

new text begin Technical assistance. new text end

new text begin (a) The commissioner of education must provide
resources and technical assistance to enable a participating school district to offer
comprehensive and developmentally appropriate assessments to entering kindergartners
or, where applicable, children in prekindergarten programs and to develop and implement
kindergarten transition strategies.
new text end

new text begin (b) The assessment tool must be research-based and must assist with identifying risk
and informing instructional improvement. A participating school district must coordinate
with community and school-based early childhood programs.
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new text begin (c) An effective kindergarten transition strategy may include:
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new text begin (1) transition plans for children entering kindergarten;
new text end

new text begin (2) a transition planning team composed of representatives from early care and
education providers, elementary school staff including kindergarten teachers, parents,
and community members;
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new text begin (3) information and education for parents, program providers, and educators on:
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new text begin (i) comprehensive child development;
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new text begin (ii) the skills and knowledge incoming kindergartners should demonstrate; and
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new text begin (iii) related community resources;
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new text begin (4) building community awareness about the importance of children's school
readiness; and
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new text begin (5) fostering collaboration among child care, Head Start, early childhood family
education, school readiness, family, friends and neighbors, and other early childhood
programs and elementary school providers.
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new text begin Subd. 3. new text end

new text begin Application. new text end

new text begin A school district must submit its application to the
commissioner in the form and manner required by the commissioner. The commissioner
must select school districts to receive grants giving priority to districts with high poverty
rates. To the extent practical, the selected districts must be located throughout the state.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 4. new text end

new text begin Annual report. new text end

new text begin A school district that receives a grant must submit an
annual report to the commissioner in the form and manner required by the commissioner.
The report must include a description of the assessment tool, process, and results.
new text end

Sec. 3. new text begin APPROPRIATION.
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new text begin Subdivision 1. new text end

new text begin Child care assistance basic sliding fee waiting list. new text end

new text begin $....... is
appropriated from the general fund in fiscal year 2009 to the commissioner of human
services to reduce the basic sliding fee waiting list under Minnesota Statutes, section
119B.03, subdivision 2. This appropriation is in addition to the appropriation under Laws
2007, chapter 147, article 19, section 3, subdivision 4, paragraph (d), and is added to
the base.
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new text begin Subd. 2. new text end

new text begin School readiness and kindergarten transition strategies. new text end

new text begin $....... is
appropriated from the general fund in fiscal year 2009 to the commissioner of education
for school readiness and kindergarten transition strategies. Of this amount, $....... is for
program administration. This appropriation must be added to the base budget.
new text end