HF 260

1st Engrossment - 92nd Legislature (2021 - 2022) Posted on 03/10/2021 12:37pm

A bill for an act
relating to human services; establishing the retaining early educators through
attaining incentives now grant program; modifying certain early educator incentive
programs; requiring reports; appropriating money; amending Minnesota Statutes
2020, section 136A.128, subdivisions 2, 4; proposing coding for new law in
Minnesota Statutes, chapter 119B.

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

Section 1.

[119B.195] RETAINING EARLY EDUCATORS THROUGH ATTAINING
INCENTIVES NOW (REETAIN) GRANT PROGRAM.

Subdivision 1.

Establishment; purpose.

The retaining early educators through attaining
incentives now (REETAIN) grant program is established to provide competitive grants to
incentivize well-trained child care professionals to remain in the workforce. The overall
goal of the REETAIN grant program is to create more consistent care for children over time.

Subd. 2.

Administration.

The commissioner shall administer the REETAIN grant
program through a grant to a nonprofit with the demonstrated ability to manage benefit
programs for child care professionals. Up to ten percent of grant money may be used for
administration of the grant program.

Subd. 3.

Application.

Applicants must apply for the REETAIN grant program using
the forms and according to timelines established by the commissioner.

Subd. 4.

Eligibility.

(a) To be eligible for a grant, an applicant must:

(1) be licensed to provide child care or work for a licensed child care program;

(2) work directly with children at least 30 hours per week;

(3) have worked in the applicant's current position for at least 12 months;

(4) agree to work in the early childhood care and education field for at least 12 months
upon receiving a grant under this section;

(5) have a career lattice step of five or higher;

(6) have a current membership with the Minnesota quality improvement and registry
tool;

(7) not be a current teacher education and compensation helps scholarship recipient; and

(8) meet any other requirements determined by the commissioner.

(b) Grant recipients must sign a contract agreeing to remain in the early childhood care
and education field for 12 months.

Subd. 5.

Grant awards.

Grant awards must be made annually and may be made up to
an amount per recipient determined by the commissioner. Grant recipients may use grant
money for program supplies, training, or personal expenses.

Subd. 6.

Report.

By January 1 each year, the commissioner must report to the legislative
committees with jurisdiction over child care about the number of grants awarded to recipients
and outcomes of the grant program since the last report.

Sec. 2.

Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 136A.128, subdivision 2, is amended to read:

Subd. 2.

Program components.

(a) The nonprofit organization must use the grant for:

(1) tuition scholarships up to $5,000 $10,000 per year for courses leading to the nationally
recognized child development associate credential or college-level courses leading to an
associate's degree or bachelor's degree in early childhood development and school-age care;
and

(2) education incentives of a minimum of $100 $250 to participants in the tuition
scholarship program if they complete a year of working in the early care and education
field.

(b) Applicants for the scholarship must be employed by a licensed early childhood or
child care program and working directly with children, a licensed family child care provider,
employed by a public prekindergarten program, or an employee in a school-age program
exempt from licensing under section 245A.03, subdivision 2, paragraph (a), clause (12).
Lower wage earners must be given priority in awarding the tuition scholarships. Scholarship
recipients must contribute at least ten percent of the total scholarship and must be sponsored
by their employers, who must also contribute ten at least five percent of the total scholarship.
Scholarship recipients who are self-employed must contribute 20 percent of the total
scholarship.

Sec. 3.

Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 136A.128, subdivision 4, is amended to read:

Subd. 4.

Administration.

A nonprofit organization that receives a grant under this
section may use five ten percent of the grant amount to administer the program.

Sec. 4. APPROPRIATION; RETAINING EARLY EDUCATORS THROUGH
ATTAINING INCENTIVES NOW (REETAIN) GRANT PROGRAM.

$250,000 in fiscal year 2022 and $250,000 in fiscal year 2023 are appropriated from the
general fund to the commissioner of human services for purposes of REETAIN grants under
Minnesota Statutes, section 119B.195. This appropriation is in addition to federal funding
and is added to the base.

Sec. 5. APPROPRIATION; TEACH GRANT PROGRAM.

$500,000 in fiscal year 2022 and $500,000 in fiscal year 2023 are appropriated from the
general fund to the commissioner of human services for teacher education and compensation
helps (TEACH) program grants under Minnesota Statutes, section 136A.128.

Sec. 6. REVISOR INSTRUCTION.

The revisor of statutes shall renumber Minnesota Statutes, section 136A.128, as a section
in Minnesota Statutes, chapter 119B. The revisor shall also make necessary cross-reference
changes consistent with the renumbering.