1.1 	A bill for an act
1.2 	relating to human services; authorizing Head Start school readiness service 
1.3 	agreements;proposing coding for new law in Minnesota Statutes, chapter 119B.
1.4 	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

1.5 	Section 1. [119B.233] HEAD START SCHOOL READINESS SERVICE 
1.6 	AGREEMENTS.
1.7 		Subdivision 1.Overview. (a) Effective July 1, 2009, the commissioner may 
1.8 	authorize payments up to the weekly maximum for like-care arrangements when Head 
1.9 	Start providers who are deemed by the commissioner to meet the requirements of a Head 
1.10 	Start school readiness service agreement (SRSA) provider and perform services that 
1.11 	support school readiness for children and economic stability for parents.
1.12 	(b) A provider may be paid at a weekly rate under section 119B.13 if:
1.13 	(1) the provider has entered into a Head Start SRSA under this section with the 
1.14 	commissioner;
1.15 	(2) a family using that provider receives child care assistance under any provision in 
1.16 	chapter 119B except section 119B.035; and 
1.17 	(3) the family using that provider meets the criteria in this section.
1.18 		Subd. 2.Provider eligibility. (a) To be considered for a Head Start SRSA, a 
1.19 	provider shall apply to the commissioner. To be eligible to apply for a Head Start SRSA, a 
1.20 	provider shall:
1.21 	(1) be eligible for child care assistance payments under chapter 119B;
1.22 	(2) provide full-time, full-year child care services; and
1.23 	(3) meet Head Start performance standards for the entire service day.
2.1 	(b) An eligible provider who would like to enter into a Head Start SRSA with the 
2.2 	commissioner shall submit a Head Start SRSA application. To determine whether to enter 
2.3 	into a Head Start SRSA with a provider, the commissioner shall evaluate the following 
2.4 	factors:
2.5 	(1) the provider's plan to serve families who are homeless or living in transitional 
2.6 	housing and other at-risk or special needs children; and 
2.7 	(2) other related factors determined by the commissioner.
2.8 		Subd. 3.Family and child eligibility. (a) A family eligible to choose a Head 
2.9 	Start SRSA provider for the child shall:
2.10 	(1) be eligible to receive child care assistance under any provision in chapter 119B 
2.11 	except section 119B.035;
2.12 	(2) be in an authorized activity for an average of at least 35 hours per week when 
2.13 	initial eligibility is determined. A family is allowed 90 days to achieve this 35-hours 
2.14 	per-week threshold; and
2.15 	(3) include a child who has not yet entered kindergarten.
2.16 	(b) A family who is determined to be eligible to choose a Head Start SRSA provider 
2.17 	remains eligible to receive services under this paragraph from a Head Start SRSA provider 
2.18 	when the following conditions exist:
2.19 	(1) the child attends child care with the Head Start SRSA provider a minimum of 
2.20 	25 hours per week, on average;
2.21 	(2) the family has a child who has not yet entered kindergarten;
2.22 	(3) the family maintains eligibility under chapter 119B except section 119B.035; and
2.23 	(4) the child is living with a family who is either homeless or in transitional and 
2.24 	permanent supportive housing.
2.25 	(c) After initial eligibility has been determined, a decrease in the family's authorized 
2.26 	activities to an average of less than 35 hours per week does not result in ineligibility for 
2.27 	Head Start SRSA services.
2.28 	(d) A family that moves between counties but continues to use the same Head Start 
2.29 	SRSA provider shall continue to be authorized to receive SRSA services.
2.30 		Subd. 4.Requirements of providers. A Head Start SRSA must meet Head Start 
2.31 	performance standards for the full service day. A provider who enters into a Head Start 
2.32 	SRSA shall comply with the assessment, evaluation, and reporting requirements in the 
2.33 	Head Start SRSA.
2.34 		Subd. 5.Relationship to current law. (a) The following provisions in chapter 119B 
2.35 	must be waived or modified for families receiving services under this section.
3.1 	(b) Only care for a child who has not yet entered kindergarten and who meets 
3.2 	eligibility requirements in subdivision 3 may be paid at the maximum rate under this 
3.3 	section. The provider's charge for service provided through a Head Start SRSA may not 
3.4 	exceed the rate that the provider charges a private-pay family for like-care arrangements.
3.5 	(c) A family or child care provider may not be assessed an overpayment for care 
3.6 	provided through a Head Start SRSA unless:
3.7 	(1) there was an error in the amount of care authorized for the family; or
3.8 	(2) the family or provider did not timely report a change as required under law.
3.9 	(d) Care provided through a Head Start SRSA is authorized on a weekly basis.
3.10 	(e) Notwithstanding section 119B.09, subdivision 6, the maximum amount of child 
3.11 	care assistance that may be authorized for a child receiving care through an SRSA in a 
3.12 	two-week period is 160 hours per child.
3.13 	(f) Absent day payment limits under section 119B.13, subdivision 7, do not apply to 
3.14 	children for care paid through a Head Start SRSA provided the family remains eligible 
3.15 	under subdivision 3.
3.16 		Subd. 6.Establishment of service agreements. (a) The commissioner shall 
3.17 	approve Head Start SRSAs for eligible providers. Entering into a service agreement does 
3.18 	not guarantee that a provider will receive payment at the Head Start SRSA standard for all 
3.19 	families receiving child care assistance.
3.20 	(b) Nothing in this section shall be construed to limit parent choice as defined in 
3.21 	section 119B.09, subdivision 5.