1.1 	A bill for an act
1.2 	relating to education; amending early childhood education provisions;amending 
1.3 	Minnesota Statutes 2008, sections 124D.135, subdivision 3; 124D.15, 
1.4 	subdivisions 1, 3, by adding subdivisions; 124D.19, subdivisions 10, 14; 
1.5 	124D.522; 299A.297; proposing coding for new law in Minnesota Statutes, 
1.6 	chapter 124D; repealing Minnesota Statutes 2008, sections 121A.27; 124D.13, 
1.7 	subdivision 13.
1.8 	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

1.9 	Section 1. Minnesota Statutes 2008, section 124D.135, subdivision 3, is amended to 
1.10 	read:
1.11 		Subd. 3.Early childhood family education levy. (a) By September 30 of each 
1.12 	year, the commissioner shall establish a tax rate for early childhood family education 
1.13 	revenue that raises $22,135,000 in each fiscal year. If the amount of the early childhood 
1.14 	family education levy would exceed the early childhood family education revenue, the 
1.15 	early childhood family education levy must equal the early childhood family education 
1.16 	revenue. Beginning with levies for fiscal year 2011, a district may not certify an early 
1.17 	childhood family education levy unless it has met the annual program data reporting and 
1.18 	biennial plan requirements under section 124D.13, subdivision 13.
1.19 	(b) Notwithstanding paragraph (a), for fiscal year 2009 only, the commissioner shall 
1.20 	establish a tax rate for early education revenue that raises $13,565,000.

1.21 	Sec. 2. [124D.145] EARLY LEARNING SYSTEM.
1.22 	The early learning system is defined to be the coherent structure of 
1.23 	research-based curriculum content, instructional practice, program and child assessment, 
1.24 	performance-based child and programmatic standards, professional development, 
2.1 	engagement and outreach, accountability, financing, and governance efforts that contribute 
2.2 	to all aspects of children's development and to prepare all children for kindergarten. This 
2.3 	includes children's readiness for success in meeting Minnesota's kindergarten academic 
2.4 	standards under section 120B.021. The system is delivered through a variety of public and 
2.5 	private child care, preschool, Head Start, and school-based programs and services.

2.6 	Sec. 3. Minnesota Statutes 2008, section 124D.15, subdivision 1, is amended to read:
2.7 		Subdivision 1.Establishment; purpose. A district or a group of districts may 
2.8 	establish a school readiness program for children age three to kindergarten entrance. 
2.9 	The purpose of a school readiness program is to prepare children to enter kindergarten, 
2.10 	especially children most at-risk for being unprepared for kindergarten.

2.11 	Sec. 4. Minnesota Statutes 2008, section 124D.15, subdivision 3, is amended to read:
2.12 		Subd. 3.Program requirements. A school readiness program provider must:
2.13 	(1) assess each child's cognitive skills with a comprehensive child assessment 
2.14 	instrument when the child enters and again before the child leaves the program to inform 
2.15 	program planning and parents and promote kindergarten readiness;
2.16 	(2) provide comprehensive program content and intentional instructional practice 
2.17 	aligned with the state early childhood learning guidelines and kindergarten standards and 
2.18 	based on early childhood research and professional practice that is focused on children's 
2.19 	cognitive, social, emotional, and physical skills and development and prepares children 
2.20 	for the transition to kindergarten, including early literacy skills;
2.21 	(3) coordinate appropriate kindergarten transition with parents and kindergarten 
2.22 	teachers;
2.23 	(3) (4) arrange for early childhood screening and appropriate referral;
2.24 	(4) (5) involve parents in program planning and decision making;
2.25 	(5) (6) coordinate with relevant community-based services; and
2.26 	(6) (7) cooperate with adult basic education programs and other adult literacy 
2.27 	programs.;
2.28 	(8) ensure staff-child ratios of one to ten and maximum group size of 20 children 
2.29 	with the first staff required to be a teacher; and
2.30 	(9) serve children a minimum of 12 hours per week.

2.31 	Sec. 5. Minnesota Statutes 2008, section 124D.15, is amended by adding a subdivision 
2.32 	to read:
3.1 		Subd. 10a.Teachers. A school board must employ necessary qualified teachers 
3.2 	trained in early childhood curriculum content, instruction, and competency as determined 
3.3 	by the commissioner. Areas of competency include early childhood development, child 
3.4 	observation and assessment, and curriculum planning.

3.5 	Sec. 6. Minnesota Statutes 2008, section 124D.15, is amended by adding a subdivision 
3.6 	to read:
3.7 		Subd. 15.Program rating. A district school readiness program receives a rating 
3.8 	of four stars in any publicly funded pilot early childhood quality rating system. Upon 
3.9 	completion of the quality rating system pilot evaluation, the commissioner shall review 
3.10 	the pilot evaluation and findings to determine if they are consistent with a four-star rating 
3.11 	for a district's school readiness program.

3.12 	Sec. 7. Minnesota Statutes 2008, section 124D.19, subdivision 10, is amended to read:
3.13 		Subd. 10.Youth service programs. (a) A school board may offer, as part of a 
3.14 	community education program with a youth development program, a youth service 
3.15 	program that provides young people with meaningful opportunities to become involved in 
3.16 	their community, develop individual capabilities, make career connections, seek support 
3.17 	networks and services, become active citizens, and address community needs through 
3.18 	youth service. The board may award up to one credit, or the equivalent, toward graduation 
3.19 	for a pupil who completes the youth service requirements of the district. The community 
3.20 	education advisory council, after considering the results of the commissioner's study 
3.21 	under section 124D.50, subdivision 1, must design the program in cooperation with the 
3.22 	district planning, evaluating and reporting committee and local organizations that train 
3.23 	volunteers or need volunteers' services.  
3.24 	(b) Programs must include:
3.25 	(1) preliminary training for pupil volunteers conducted, when possible, by 
3.26 	organizations experienced in such training;
3.27 	(2) supervision of the pupil volunteers to ensure appropriate placement and adequate 
3.28 	learning opportunity;
3.29 	(3) sufficient opportunity, in a positive setting for human development, for pupil 
3.30 	volunteers to develop general skills in preparation for employment, to enhance self-esteem 
3.31 	and self-worth, and to give genuine service to their community;
3.32 	(4) integration of academic learning with the service experience; and
3.33 	(5) integration of youth community service with elementary and secondary 
3.34 	curriculum.
4.1 	(c) Youth service projects include, but are not limited to, the following:
4.2 	(1) human services for the elderly, including home care and related services;
4.3 	(2) tutoring and mentoring;
4.4 	(3) training for and providing emergency services;
4.5 	(4) services at extended day programs;
4.6 	(5) environmental services; and
4.7 	(6) service-learning programs in which schools, including postsecondary schools, 
4.8 	and employers work together with young people to provide them with meaningful 
4.9 	opportunities for community service and with the academic and technical skills that 
4.10 	employers require.
4.11 	(d) The commissioner shall maintain a list of acceptable projects with a description 
4.12 	of each project. A project that is not on the list must be approved by the commissioner.
4.13 	(e) A youth service project must have a community sponsor that may be a 
4.14 	governmental unit or nonprofit organization. To assure that pupils provide additional 
4.15 	services, each sponsor must assure that pupil services do not displace employees or reduce 
4.16 	the workload of any employee.
4.17 	(f) (e) The commissioner shall assist districts in planning youth service programs, 
4.18 	implementing programs, and developing recommendations for obtaining community 
4.19 	sponsors.

4.20 	Sec. 8. Minnesota Statutes 2008, section 124D.19, subdivision 14, is amended to read:
4.21 		Subd. 14.Community education; annual report. Each district offering a 
4.22 	community education program under this section must annually report to the department 
4.23 	information regarding the cost per participant and cost per contact hour for each 
4.24 	community education program, including youth after-school enrichment programs, that 
4.25 	receives aid or levy. The department must include cost per participant and cost per contact 
4.26 	hour information by program in the community education annual report.

4.27 	Sec. 9. Minnesota Statutes 2008, section 124D.522, is amended to read:
4.28 	124D.522 ADULT BASIC EDUCATION SUPPLEMENTAL SERVICE 
4.29 	GRANTS.
4.30 	(a) The commissioner, in consultation with the policy review task force under 
4.31 	section 124D.521, may make grants to nonprofit organizations to provide services that 
4.32 	are not offered by a district adult basic education program or that are supplemental to 
4.33 	either the statewide adult basic education program, or a district's adult basic education 
4.34 	program. The commissioner may make grants for: staff development for adult basic 
5.1 	education teachers and administrators; training for volunteer tutors; training, services, and 
5.2 	materials for serving disabled students through adult basic education programs; statewide 
5.3 	promotion of adult basic education services and programs; development and dissemination 
5.4 	of instructional and administrative technology for adult basic education programs; 
5.5 	programs which primarily serve communities of color; adult basic education distance 
5.6 	learning projects, including television instruction programs; and other supplemental 
5.7 	services to support the mission of adult basic education and innovative delivery of adult 
5.8 	basic education services.  
5.9 	(b) The commissioner must establish eligibility criteria and grant application 
5.10 	procedures. Grants under this section must support services throughout the state, focus on 
5.11 	educational results for adult learners, and promote outcome-based achievement through 
5.12 	adult basic education programs. Beginning in fiscal year 2002, the commissioner may 
5.13 	make grants under this section from the state total adult basic education aid set aside for 
5.14 	supplemental service grants under section 124D.531. Up to one-fourth of the appropriation 
5.15 	for supplemental service grants must be used for grants for adult basic education programs 
5.16 	to encourage and support innovations in adult basic education instruction and service 
5.17 	delivery. A grant to a single organization cannot exceed $100,000 20 percent of the total 
5.18 	supplemental services aid. Nothing in this section prevents an approved adult basic 
5.19 	education program from using state or federal aid to purchase supplemental services.  

5.20 	Sec. 10. Minnesota Statutes 2008, section 299A.297, is amended to read:
5.21 	299A.297 OTHER DUTIES.
5.22 	The commissioner of public safety, in consultation with the Chemical Abuse and 
5.23 	Violence Prevention Council, shall:
5.24 	(1) provide information and assistance upon request to school preassessment teams 
5.25 	established under section 121A.26and school and community advisory teams established 
5.26 	under section 121A.27;  
5.27 	(2) provide information and assistance upon request to the State Board of Pharmacy 
5.28 	with respect to the board's enforcement of chapter 152;
5.29 	(3) cooperate with and provide information and assistance upon request to the 
5.30 	Alcohol and Other Drug Abuse Section in the Department of Human Services;
5.31 	(4) coordinate the policy of the office with that of the Narcotic Enforcement Unit in 
5.32 	the Bureau of Criminal Apprehension; and
5.33 	(5) coordinate the activities of the regional drug task forces, provide assistance and 
5.34 	information to them upon request, and assist in the formation of task forces in areas of 
5.35 	the state in which no task force operates.

6.1 	Sec. 11.  REPEALER.
 6.2 	Minnesota Statutes 2008, sections 121A.27; and 124D.13, subdivision 13, are 
6.3 	repealed.