SF 901

as introduced - 87th Legislature (2011 - 2012) Posted on 02/23/2012 09:27am

A bill for an act
relating to education; providing for coordination of early childhood services and
programs to achieve full kindergarten readiness for all Minnesota children by
2020; proposing coding for new law in Minnesota Statutes, chapter 119A.

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

Section 1.

new text begin [119A.035] COORDINATION OF EARLY CHILDHOOD SERVICES
AND PROGRAMS.
new text end

new text begin (a) The commissioner, through an assistant commissioner designated by the
commissioner and in consultation with the Children's Cabinet under section 4.045, must
ensure that early childhood services and programs provided or administered by state
agencies achieve the desired outcomes under this section in an efficient and effective
manner that avoids duplication and maximizes use of available funds, with the goal of
having all children entering kindergarten fully ready by 2020, consistent with sections
124D.141 and 124D.142. The commissioner must work to develop a comprehensive
framework for delivering early childhood care and education premised on accountability
for measurable and sustained progress, sustained and coordinated policy and funding
leadership, and a strong and coordinated network of services and programs to support
parents in their role as their children's primary educator. The outcomes under this section,
among other outcomes, must include:
new text end

new text begin (1) aligning state budget allocations and nonstate and nonpublic funds with programs
and services needed to have all children entering kindergarten fully ready by 2020;
new text end

new text begin (2) establishing an annual statewide report card as an accountability framework
to assess provider effectiveness and report progress on meeting the goal of having all
children entering kindergarten fully ready by 2020, and to inform decisions about short-
and long-term funding, new initiatives, regulations, and training; and
new text end

new text begin (3) expanding a quality rating and improvement system statewide.
new text end

new text begin (b) Upon request of the commissioner, in consultation with the commissioner
of human services and the commissioner of health, and approval of the governor, the
commissioner of administration, consistent with paragraph (a), must:
new text end

new text begin (1) issue reorganization orders under authority of section 16B.37, subdivision 1,
transferring functions among the Departments of Education, Human Services, Health, and
other agencies, as necessary to improve efficiency and avoid duplication in administering
early childhood programs; and
new text end

new text begin (2) direct an agency or an agency employee to do work for another agency,
under authority of section 16B.37, subdivisions 2 and 3, for the purpose of improving
administration of early childhood services and programs.
new text end

new text begin (c) The commissioner, under this section, may transfer responsibility and funding for
a federally funded program to another agency unless federal law requires the program to
be administered by a particular agency, in which case such a transfer is prohibited.
new text end

new text begin (d) The commissioner, in consultation with the commissioners of human services
and health and other affected agency directors, on an as-needed basis, must make
recommendations to the chairs and ranking minority members of legislative committees
with jurisdiction over education, human services, and health policy and finance for
statutory changes needed to improve state agency administration of early childhood
programs, consistent with paragraph (a).
new text end

new text begin EFFECTIVE DATE. new text end

new text begin This section is effective the day following final enactment.
new text end