1.1 	A bill for an act
1.2 	relating to early childhood education; modifying school readiness program 
1.3 	requirements; appropriating money;amending Minnesota Statutes 2006, section 
1.4 	124D.15, by adding a subdivision; Minnesota Statutes 2007 Supplement, section 
1.5 	124D.15, subdivision 3.
1.6 	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

1.7 	Section 1. Minnesota Statutes 2007 Supplement, section 124D.15, subdivision 3, 
1.8 	is amended to read:
1.9 		Subd. 3.Program requirements. A school readiness program provider must:
1.10 	(1) assess each child's ~~cognitive~~ kindergarten readiness skills when the child enters 
1.11 	and again before the child leaves the program to inform program planning and promote 
1.12 	kindergarten readiness;
1.13 	(2) ~~provide comprehensive program content based on early childhood research and~~ 
1.14 	~~professional practice that is focused on children's cognitive skills and development and~~ 
1.15 	~~prepares~~align program curriculum and learning standards with kindergarten curriculum 
1.16 	and learning standards to prepare children for the transition to kindergarten~~, including~~ 
1.17 	~~early literacy skills~~;
1.18 	(3) arrange for early childhood screening and appropriate referral;
1.19 	(4) involve parents in program planning and decision making;
1.20 	(5) ~~coordinate with relevant community-based~~provide for comprehensive family 
1.21 	services; ~~and~~
1.22 	(6) have a total class size of no more than 18 students and a child-to-adult ratio 
1.23 	of nine to one;
1.24 	(7) meet a minimum of 2.5 hours per day, four days per week;
1.25 	(8) employ necessary qualified teachers;
2.1 	(9) have a strong accountability system with documented learning standards and be 
2.2 	highly rated by the quality rating system;
2.3 	(10) provide compensatory services in language, literacy, and mathematical thinking 
2.4 	in a developmentally appropriate manner;
2.5 	~~(6)~~ (11) cooperate with adult basic education programs and other adult literacy 
2.6 	programs; and
2.7 	(12) provide children's mental health consultation as needed.

2.8 	EFFECTIVE DATE. This section is effective July 1, 2009.

2.9 	Sec. 2. Minnesota Statutes 2006, section 124D.15, is amended by adding a subdivision 
2.10 	to read:
2.11 		Subd. 3b.Program alignment. Each school district operating a school readiness 
2.12 	program must ensure that the school readiness program curriculum and learning standards 
2.13 	are aligned with kindergarten curriculum and learning standards.

2.14 	EFFECTIVE DATE. This section is effective July 1, 2009.

2.15 	Sec. 3. APPROPRIATION.
 2.16 	$....... is appropriated in fiscal year 2010 from the general fund to the commissioner 
2.17 	of education for the school readiness program under Minnesota Statutes, sections 124D.15 
2.18 	and 124D.16.