1.1 	A bill for an act
1.2 	relating to education finance; authorizing charter schools to participate in the 
1.3 	school readiness program; appropriating money;amending Minnesota Statutes 
1.4 	2014, section 124D.15, subdivisions 1, 3a; Minnesota Statutes 2015 Supplement, 
1.5 	section 124D.16, subdivision 2; Laws 2015, First Special Session chapter 3, 
1.6 	article 9, section 8, subdivision 2.
1.7 	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

1.8 	Section 1. Minnesota Statutes 2014, section 124D.15, subdivision 1, is amended to read:
1.9 		Subdivision 1.Establishment; purpose. A district, charter school, or a group of 
1.10 	districts or charter schools may establish a school readiness program for children age 
1.11 	three to kindergarten entrance. The purpose of a school readiness program is to prepare 
1.12 	children to enter kindergarten.

1.13 	Sec. 2. Minnesota Statutes 2014, section 124D.15, subdivision 3a, is amended to read:
1.14 		Subd. 3a.Application and reporting requirements. (a) A school readiness 
1.15 	program provider must submit a biennial plan for approval by the commissioner before 
1.16 	receiving aid under section 124D.16. The plan must describe how the program meets the 
1.17 	program requirements under subdivision 3. A school district by April 1or charter school 
1.18 	must submit the plan for approval by the commissioner in the form and manner and by the 
1.19 	date prescribed by the commissioner. One-half the districts must first submit the plan by 
1.20 	April 1, 2006, and one-half the districts must first submit the plan by April 1, 2007, as 
1.21 	determined by the commissioner.
1.22 	(b) Programs receiving school readiness funds annually must submit a report to 
1.23 	the department.

2.1 	Sec. 3. Minnesota Statutes 2015 Supplement, section 124D.16, subdivision 2, is 
2.2 	amended to read:
2.3 		Subd. 2.Amount of aid. (a) A district or charter school is eligible to receive school 
2.4 	readiness aid for eligible prekindergarten pupils enrolled in a school readiness program 
2.5 	under section 124D.15 if the biennial plan required by section 124D.15, subdivision 3a, 
2.6 	has been approved by the commissioner.
2.7 	(b) A school district and a charter school must receive school readiness aid equal to:
2.8 	(1) the number of four-year-old children in the district on October 1 for the previous 
2.9 	school year times the ratio of 50 percent of the total school readiness aid for that year to 
2.10 	the total number of four-year-old children reported to the commissioner for the previous 
2.11 	school year; plus
2.12 	(2) the number of pupils enrolled in the school district from families eligible for the 
2.13 	free or reduced school lunch program for the previous school year times the ratio of 
2.14 	50 percent of the total school readiness aid for that year to the total number of pupils 
2.15 	in the state from families eligible for the free or reduced school lunch program for the 
2.16 	previous school year.
2.17 	(c) The total school readiness aid entitlement equals $23,558,000 for fiscal year 2016 
2.18 	and $33,683,000$36,683,000 for fiscal year 2017 and later.
2.19 	(d) For purposes of determining the number of four-year-old children for a charter 
2.20 	school under this subdivision, the Department of Education must substitute the fall 
2.21 	enrollment count of kindergarten pupils enrolled in the charter school during the previous 
2.22 	school year.

2.23 	Sec. 4. Laws 2015, First Special Session chapter 3, article 9, section 8, subdivision 2, 
2.24 	is amended to read:
2.25 		Subd. 2.School readiness. For revenue for school readiness programs under 
2.26 	Minnesota Statutes, sections 124D.15 and 124D.16:

2.27		$
	22,420,000
	.....
	2016
	
2.28
2.29		$
	32,670,000
35,370,000
	.....
	2017
	
2.30 	The 2016 appropriation includes $1,217,000 for 2015 and $21,203,000 for 2016.
2.31 	The 2017 appropriation includes $2,355,000 for 2016 and $30,315,000 $33,015,000 
2.32 	for 2017.

2.33 	Sec. 5. SCHOOL READINESS; CHARTER SCHOOL APPROVAL FOR 
2.34 	FISCAL YEAR 2017 ONLY.
 3.1 	For fiscal year 2017 only, a charter school without an approved school readiness 
3.2 	plan under Minnesota Statutes, section 124D.15, qualifies for aid for the entire fiscal year 
3.3 	as long as the charter school's school readiness plan is approved by June 30, 2017.

3.4 	EFFECTIVE DATE. This section is effective the day following final enactment.