1.1 	A bill for an act
1.2 	relating to early education; providing for
1.3 	coordination of early care and education programs.
1.4 	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

1.5 	Section 1. COORDINATION OF EARLY CARE AND EDUCATION
1.6 	PROGRAMS.
 1.7 	(a) The commissioners of education, human services, and
1.8 	health shall identify how they will coordinate activities and
1.9 	resources, with input from local communities and tribes,
1.10 	including setting priorities, aligning policies, and leveraging
1.11 	existing resources to achieve the goal for increased school
1.12 	readiness of all Minnesota children.  The commissioners shall
1.13 	report on the progress made, which must include information on:
1.14 	(1) coordinating and disseminating resources and
1.15 	information on school readiness and early care and education,
1.16 	health and nutrition, including child mental health, and family
1.17 	support to:
1.18 	(i) parents and families with children birth to age five
1.19 	through key entry points, such as women, infants, and children
1.20 	(WIC), family home visiting, child welfare, public and private
1.21 	health care providers, and other public programs; and 
1.22 	(ii) early care and education providers, public and private
1.23 	health care providers, foster care providers, temporary care
1.24 	providers, shelters, crisis nurseries, and other facilities
2.1 	providing long-term or temporary care for young children, birth
2.2 	to age five;
2.3 	(2) supporting families, schools, and communities in
2.4 	facilitating the transition of young children into the
2.5 	kindergarten environment;
2.6 	(3) identifying, coordinating, and sharing resources and
2.7 	strategies between departments that address the cultural and
2.8 	linguistic needs of families served;
2.9 	(4) amending the state Medicaid plan to expand the use of
2.10 	the child and teen checkup funding for allowable child
2.11 	development services such as outreach for early childhood
2.12 	screening, and streamlining the process for voluntary
2.13 	certification of school districts as child and teen checkup
2.14 	providers; and 
2.15 	(5) referring children age three to five in the child
2.16 	welfare system to the interagency early intervention system for
2.17 	a developmental screen and referral to services if problems are
2.18 	identified.
2.19 	(b) The commissioners shall report to the legislative
2.20 	committees having jurisdiction over early care and education
2.21 	issues by March 1, 2006.