1.1                          A bill for an act 
  1.2             relating to early childhood education; establishing an 
  1.3             advisory school readiness board to make 
  1.4             recommendations to the governor and the legislature on 
  1.5             developing a coordinated, efficient, and 
  1.6             cost-effective system for delivering early childhood 
  1.7             programs throughout the state; proposing coding for 
  1.8             new law in Minnesota Statutes, chapter 119B. 
  1.9   BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA: 
  1.10     Section 1.  [119B.023] [STATE ADVISORY BOARD ON SCHOOL 
  1.11  READINESS.] 
  1.12     Subdivision 1.  [ESTABLISHMENT.] An 11-member State 
  1.13  Advisory Board on School Readiness is established in the Office 
  1.14  of the Governor to advise the governor and the legislature on 
  1.15  developing a coordinated, efficient, and cost-effective system 
  1.16  for delivering throughout Minnesota early childhood programs 
  1.17  that focus on early care and education, health care, and family 
  1.18  support. 
  1.19     Subd. 2.  [BOARD MEMBERS; TERMS.] (a) The advisory board 
  1.20  includes the following 11 members: 
  1.21     (1) the commissioner of employment and economic development 
  1.22  or the commissioner's designee; 
  1.23     (2) the commissioner of health or the commissioner's 
  1.24  designee; 
  1.25     (3) the commissioner of education or the commissioner's 
  1.26  designee; 
  1.27     (4) five public members appointed by the governor who are 
  2.1   recognized experts in early care and education; and 
  2.2      (5) three public members appointed by the governor who are 
  2.3   community or business leaders.  
  2.4      (b) Members appointed by the governor serve staggered 
  2.5   three-year terms.  Board members must nominate and elect a 
  2.6   chairperson and other officers from among the public members.  
  2.7   Members initially appointed to the board shall assign themselves 
  2.8   by lot to terms of one, two, or three years.  The chairperson 
  2.9   must notify the governor on the assignment of these terms.  The 
  2.10  board shall meet regularly at the times and places the board 
  2.11  determines.  Meetings shall be called by the chair or at the 
  2.12  written request of any three members.  Members' terms, 
  2.13  compensation, removal, and vacancies are governed by section 
  2.14  15.0575.  
  2.15     Subd. 3.  [DUTIES.] (a) The board shall recommend to the 
  2.16  governor and the legislature: 
  2.17     (1) the most effective method to improve the coordination 
  2.18  and delivery of early care and education services that 
  2.19  integrates child care, preschools, and family support services 
  2.20  and programs; 
  2.21     (2) a multiyear plan for effectively and efficiently 
  2.22  coordinating and integrating state services for early care and 
  2.23  education, improving service delivery and standards of care, 
  2.24  avoiding duplication and fragmentation of service, and enhancing 
  2.25  public and private investment; 
  2.26     (3) methods for measuring the quality, quantity, and 
  2.27  effectiveness of early care and education programs throughout 
  2.28  the state; 
  2.29     (4) how to identify and measure school readiness indicators 
  2.30  on a regular basis; 
  2.31     (5) how to track, enhance, integrate, and coordinate 
  2.32  federal, state, and local funds allocated for early care and 
  2.33  education and related family support services; 
  2.34     (6) policy changes to improve children's ability to start 
  2.35  school ready to learn; 
  2.36     (7) how to provide technical assistance to community 
  3.1   efforts that promote school readiness and encourage community 
  3.2   organizations to collaborate in promoting school readiness. 
  3.3      (b) The board shall convene separate policy work groups to 
  3.4   make recommendations for the governor and the legislature on: 
  3.5      (1) financing early childhood programs; 
  3.6      (2) building a coordinated service delivery system based on 
  3.7   an assessment of early childhood systems and available state and 
  3.8   federal funding; 
  3.9      (3) integrating a coordinated, collaborative health care 
  3.10  component, including medical homes, parent education, family 
  3.11  support, behavioral health and early education, into early 
  3.12  childhood programs and avoiding duplication of services; 
  3.13     (4) enhancing the quality and measuring the cost of child 
  3.14  care and preschool programs; and 
  3.15     (5) improving the wages, benefits, and supply of early 
  3.16  childhood professionals. 
  3.17     Subd. 4.  [BOARD EXPIRATION.] The State Advisory Board on 
  3.18  School Readiness expires January 1, 2013. 
  3.19     <b>[EFFECTIVE DATE.]</b> This section is effective the day 
  3.20  following final enactment.