SF 1691

as introduced - 90th Legislature (2017 - 2018) Posted on 03/03/2017 09:16am

A bill for an act
relating to education; providing for a system redesign of support services for
homeless families; modifying eligibility for early learning scholarships; requiring
a report; appropriating money; amending Minnesota Statutes 2016, section
124D.165, subdivision 2.

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

Section 1.

Minnesota Statutes 2016, section 124D.165, subdivision 2, is amended to read:

Subd. 2.

Family eligibility.

(a) For a family to receive an early learning scholarship,
parents or guardians must meet the following eligibility requirements:

(1) have a child three or four years of age on September 1 of the current school year,
who has not yet started kindergarten; and

(2) have income equal to or less than 185 percent of federal poverty level income in the
current calendar year, or be able to document their child's current participation in the free
and reduced-price lunch program or child and adult care food program, National School
Lunch Act, United States Code, title 42, sections 1751 and 1766; the Food Distribution
Program on Indian Reservations, Food and Nutrition Act, United States Code, title 7, sections
2011-2036; Head Start under the federal Improving Head Start for School Readiness Act
of 2007; Minnesota family investment program under chapter 256J; child care assistance
programs under chapter 119B; the supplemental nutrition assistance program; or placement
in foster care under section 260C.212.

(b) Notwithstanding the other provisions of this section, a parent under age 21 who is
pursuing a high school or general education equivalency diploma is eligible for an early
learning scholarship if the parent has a child age zero to five years old and meets the income
eligibility guidelines in this subdivision.

(c) Any siblings between the ages zero to five years old of a child who has been awarded
a scholarship under this section must be awarded a scholarship upon request, provided the
sibling attends the same program as long as funds are available.

(d) A child who has received a scholarship under this section must continue to receive
a scholarship each year until that child is eligible for kindergarten under section 120A.20
and as long as funds are available.

(e) Early learning scholarships may not be counted as earned income for the purposes
of medical assistance under chapter 256B, MinnesotaCare under chapter 256L, Minnesota
family investment program under chapter 256J, child care assistance programs under chapter
119B, or Head Start under the federal Improving Head Start for School Readiness Act of
2007.

(f) A child from an adjoining state whose family resides at a Minnesota address as
assigned by the United States Postal Service, who has received developmental screening
under sections 121A.16 to 121A.19, who intends to enroll in a Minnesota school district,
and whose family meets the criteria of paragraph (a) is eligible for an early learning
scholarship under this section.

new text begin (g) A child whose family is homeless and meets the criteria in paragraph (a), clause (1),
is eligible for an early learning scholarship under this section.
new text end

Sec. 2. new text begin SYSTEM REDESIGN; HOMELESS CHILDREN SUPPORTS.
new text end

new text begin The Children's Cabinet must create a plan for a cross-agency system that provides support
for homeless families, especially those with a child up to four years of age, to access available
services. The Children's Cabinet shall create the plan in consultation with the Department
of Education, the Department of Human Services, the Department of Health, the Minnesota
Housing Finance Agency, and stakeholders, including counties, school districts, and nonprofit
organizations. The redesigned system must address issues including:
new text end

new text begin (1) implementation methodology that addresses differences in service delivery in rural
versus urban settings;
new text end

new text begin (2) a training pipeline to increase qualified staff for service providers, including staff of
color;
new text end

new text begin (3) statewide entry and intake forms to assess and identify the educational and
developmental needs of the child;
new text end

new text begin (4) a support plan that follows the child even after the child is no longer homeless;
new text end

new text begin (5) a common data system that allows for easier sharing of data and the plan components
for each child between local entities;
new text end

new text begin (6) identifying and supporting a community outreach system;
new text end

new text begin (7) personalizing assistance for a homeless child and the child's family to help the child
and the family navigate systems and resources;
new text end

new text begin (8) transportation options to access services; and
new text end

new text begin (9) methods to ensure that all state-funded programs and services for a homeless child
are adequately staffed with personnel who are trained on the specifics of the program and
receive professional development to handle complex, intergenerational trauma.
new text end

new text begin The Children's Cabinet must report findings and recommendations regarding the plan, along
with draft legislation, to the chairs and ranking minority members of the legislative
committees having jurisdiction over early childhood through grade 12 education, housing,
and human services policy by January 23, 2018.
new text end

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

new text begin For the Children's Cabinet system redesign report to the legislature:
new text end

new text begin $ new text end

new text begin 200,000 new text end

new text begin ..... new text end

new text begin 2018 new text end