1.1 	A bill for an act
1.2 	relating to early childhood; establishing an early childhood apprenticeship program; 
1.3 	appropriating money for an apprenticeship program, an early childhood workforce 
1.4 	compensation task force, early childhood workforce development scholarships, 
1.5 	and for grants to postsecondary institutions to improve early childhood program 
1.6 	curricula; requiring reports;proposing coding for new law in Minnesota Statutes, 
1.7 	chapter 119B.
1.8 	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

1.9 	Section 1. [119B.252] EARLY CHILDHOOD APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAM.
1.10 		Subdivision 1.Establishment. The commissioner of human services shall establish an 
1.11 	apprenticeship program to provide paid opportunities for early childhood workers to learn 
1.12 	from and consult with professionals in the early childhood field.
1.13 		Subd. 2.Definitions. (a) For purposes of this section, the following terms have the 
1.14 	definitions given.
1.15 	(b) "Early childhood program" means a licensed child care center, a licensed family or 
1.16 	group family child care home, a public prekindergarten program, or a certified, 
1.17 	license-exempt child care center.
1.18 	(c) "Mentor" means an individual currently employed for a minimum of 30 hours a week 
1.19 	in an early childhood program who meets the qualifications of teacher under Minnesota 
1.20 	Rules, part 9503.0032.
1.21 		Subd. 3.Eligibility for an apprenticeship. To be eligible for an apprenticeship under 
1.22 	this section, an applicant must be:
1.23 	(1) at least 18 years old and have a high school diploma or equivalent;
2.1 	(2) enrolled in a course of study toward an associate's degree in early childhood;
2.2 	(3) currently employed for a minimum of 30 hours per week in an early childhood 
2.3 	program with a mentor on site; and
2.4 	(4) the recipient of a TEACH scholarship, under section 119B.251.
2.5 		Subd. 4.Grants to apprentices. An apprentice may receive up to $10,000 for 
2.6 	participation in the program under this section, provided the apprentice complies with the 
2.7 	following program requirements:
2.8 	(1) participate in monthly meetings with a mentor;
2.9 	(2) meet early childhood competencies identified in Minnesota's Knowledge and 
2.10 	Competency Framework for early childhood professionals, as observed by a mentor; and
2.11 	(3) continue to pursue a course of study toward an associate's degree in early childhood.
2.12 		Subd. 5.Stipends for mentors. A mentor shall receive $4,000 for each apprentice 
2.13 	mentored under this section, provided the mentor complies with the following requirements:
2.14 	(1) meet at least monthly with each apprentice;
2.15 	(2) observe each apprentice at least once each school term; and
2.16 	(3) complete eight weeks of mentor training and additional training on observation. The 
2.17 	training shall be free of charge to mentors.
2.18 		Subd. 6.Stipends for early childhood programs. (a) An early childhood program shall 
2.19 	receive $5,000 for the first apprentice and $2,500 for each additional apprentice hosted 
2.20 	under this section, provided the early childhood program complies with the following 
2.21 	requirements:
2.22 	(1) sponsor each apprentice's TEACH scholarship under section 119B.251;
2.23 	(2) provide each apprentice at least three hours a week of paid release time for 
2.24 	coursework;
2.25 	(3) allow mentors to do on-site observations of apprentices; and
2.26 	(4) agree to increase each apprentice's wages according to a wage scale determined by 
2.27 	the commissioner.
2.28 	(b) An early childhood program may not host more than three apprentices at one site in 
2.29 	a 12-month period.

3.1 	Sec. 2. RECOGNIZING COMPARABLE COMPETENCIES TO ACHIEVE 
3.2 	COMPARABLE COMPENSATION TASK FORCE.
 3.3 		Subdivision 1.Establishment. The Recognizing Comparable Competencies to Achieve 
3.4 	Comparable Compensation Task Force is established to develop methods for incorporating 
3.5 	competencies and experiences, as well as educational attainment, into a compensation model 
3.6 	for the early childhood workforce.
3.7 		Subd. 2.Membership. (a) The task force shall consist of the following members, 
3.8 	appointed by the governor:
3.9 	(1) two individuals who are directors of a licensed child care center, one from greater 
3.10 	Minnesota and one from the seven-county metropolitan area;
3.11 	(2) two individuals who are license holders of family child care programs, one from 
3.12 	greater Minnesota and one from the seven-county metropolitan area;
3.13 	(3) three individuals who are early childhood educators, one who works in a licensed 
3.14 	child care center, one who works in a public-school-based early childhood program, and 
3.15 	one who works in a Head Start program or a community education program;
3.16 	(4) one representative of a federally recognized Tribe who has expertise in the early care 
3.17 	and education system;
3.18 	(5) one representative from the Children's Cabinet;
3.19 	(6) two parents of children under five years of age, one parent whose child attends a 
3.20 	private early care and education program and one parent whose child attends a public 
3.21 	program. One parent under this clause must be from greater Minnesota, and the other parent 
3.22 	must be from the seven-county metropolitan area; and
3.23 	(7) four individuals who have expertise in early childhood workforce issues.
3.24 	(b) The governor must select a chair or cochairs for the task force from among the 
3.25 	members. The first task force meeting must be convened by the chair or cochairs and held 
3.26 	no later than September 1, 2023. Thereafter, the chair or cochairs shall convene the task 
3.27 	force at least monthly and may convene other meetings as necessary. The chair or cochairs 
3.28 	shall convene meetings in a manner to allow for access from diverse geographic locations 
3.29 	in Minnesota.
3.30 	(c) Compensation of task force members, filling of task force vacancies, and removal 
3.31 	of task force members are governed by Minnesota Statutes, section 15.059.
4.1 		Subd. 3.Duties. (a) The task force must develop a compensation framework for the 
4.2 	early childhood workforce that incorporates competencies and experiences, as well as 
4.3 	educational attainment.
4.4 	(b) In developing the compensation framework required under this subdivision, the task 
4.5 	force must:
4.6 	(1) identify competencies and experiences to incorporate into the framework, including 
4.7 	but not limited to multilingualism and previous work experience in a direct care setting; 
4.8 	and
4.9 	(2) propose mechanisms for including the compensation framework in the state's early 
4.10 	childhood programs and services.
4.11 		Subd. 4.Administration. (a) The commissioner of management and budget shall provide 
4.12 	staff and administrative services for the task force.
4.13 	(b) The task force expires upon submission of the final report required under subdivision 
4.14 	5.
4.15 	(c) The task force is subject to Minnesota Statutes, chapter 13D.
4.16 		Subd. 5.Required reports. By December 1, 2024, the task force must submit its 
4.17 	preliminary findings to the governor and the chairs and ranking minority members of the 
4.18 	legislative committees with jurisdiction over early childhood programs. By January 15, 
4.19 	2025, the task force must submit the compensation framework and proposed mechanisms 
4.20 	for incorporating the framework into the state's early childhood programs and services to 
4.21 	the governor and the chairs and ranking minority members of the legislative committees 
4.22 	with jurisdiction over early childhood programs.

4.23 	Sec. 3. APPROPRIATIONS; EARLY CHILDHOOD APPRENTICESHIP 
4.24 	PROGRAM.
 4.25 	$....... in fiscal year 2024 and $....... in fiscal year 2025 are appropriated from the general 
4.26 	fund to the commissioner of human services for the early childhood apprenticeship program 
4.27 	under Minnesota Statutes, section 119B.252.

4.28 	Sec. 4. APPROPRIATION; EARLY CHILDHOOD CURRICULUM GRANTS.
 4.29 	(a) $250,000 in fiscal year 2024 and $250,000 in fiscal year 2025 are appropriated from 
4.30 	the general fund to the commissioner of the Office of Higher Education for competitive 
4.31 	grants to Minnesota postsecondary institutions. The grants must be used to improve the 
5.1 	curricula of the recipient institution's early childhood education programs by incorporating 
5.2 	or conforming to the Minnesota knowledge and competency frameworks for early child 
5.3 	professionals. This is a onetime appropriation.
5.4 	(b) By December 1, 2024, and again by December 1, 2025, the commissioner must 
5.5 	submit a report to the chairs and ranking minority members of the legislative committees 
5.6 	with jurisdiction over early childhood education through grade 12 and higher education 
5.7 	finance and policy about grants awarded under this section. The report must include the 
5.8 	following information for the previous fiscal year:
5.9 	(1) the number of grant applications received;
5.10 	(2) the criteria applied by the commissioner for evaluating applications;
5.11 	(3) the number of grants awarded, the grant recipients, and amounts;
5.12 	(4) early childhood education curricular reforms proposed by each recipient institution;
5.13 	(5) grant outcomes for each recipient institution;
5.14 	(6) an evaluation of the grant program, its successes and challenges, and recommendations 
5.15 	to the legislature regarding the program; and
5.16 	(7) other information identified by the commissioner as outcome indicators.
5.17 	(c) The commissioner may use no more than three percent of the amount transferred 
5.18 	under this section to administer the grant program.

5.19 	Sec. 5. APPROPRIATION; RECOGNIZING COMPARABLE COMPETENCIES 
5.20 	TO ACHIEVE COMPARABLE COMPENSATION TASK FORCE.
 5.21 	$....... in fiscal year 2024 and $....... in fiscal year 2025 are appropriated from the general 
5.22 	fund to the commissioner of human services for the Recognizing Comparable Competencies 
5.23 	to Achieve Comparable Compensation Task Force.

5.24 	Sec. 6. APPROPRIATION; WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT SCHOLARSHIPS.
 5.25 	$500,000 in fiscal year 2024 and $500,000 in fiscal year 2025 are appropriated from the 
5.26 	general fund to the Board of Trustees of the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities for 
5.27 	workforce development scholarships under Minnesota Statutes, section 136F.38. The amounts 
5.28 	appropriated in this section must be dedicated exclusively to students enrolled in early 
5.29 	childhood programs and are in addition to any amounts directed to students enrolled in early 
5.30 	childhood programs from other appropriations for the workforce development scholarship 
5.31 	program.