1.1 	A bill for an act
1.2 	relating to early childhood education; expanding screening to 
1.3 	include socioemotional developmental screening;amending Minnesota Statutes 
1.4 	2004, section 121A.17, subdivision 3.
1.5 	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

1.6 	Section 1. Minnesota Statutes 2004, section 121A.17, subdivision 3, is amended to 
1.7 	read:
1.8 		Subd. 3.Screening program. (a) A screening program must include at least the 
1.9 	following components: developmental assessments, a socioemotional development 
1.10 	screening, hearing and vision screening or referral, immunization review and referral, 
1.11 	the child's height and weight, identification of risk factors that may influence learning, 
1.12 	screening for autism spectrum disorders, an interview with the parent about the child, and 
1.13 	referral for assessment, diagnosis, and treatment when potential needs are identified.  For 
1.14 	purposes of this section, socioemotional screening means assessing a child's ability, in the 
1.15 	context of family, community, and cultural expectations, to (1) experience, control, and 
1.16 	express emotions; (2) form close and secure interpersonal relationships; and (3) explore 
1.17 	and experience surroundings and learn from them.
1.18 	The district and the person performing or supervising the screening must provide 
1.19 	a parent or guardian with clear written notice that the parent or guardian may decline to 
1.20 	answer questions or provide information about family circumstances that might affect 
1.21 	development and identification of risk factors that may influence learning and that 
1.22 	the socioemotional development part of the early childhood screening is voluntary as 
1.23 	described in paragraph (b). The notice must clearly state that declining to answer questions 
1.24 	or provide information does not prevent the child from being enrolled in kindergarten or 
2.1 	first grade if all other screening components are met. If a parent or guardian is not able 
2.2 	to read and comprehend the written notice, the district and the person performing or 
2.3 	supervising the screening must convey the information in another manner. The notice must 
2.4 	also inform the parent or guardian that a child need not submit to the district screening 
2.5 	program if the child's health records indicate to the school that the child has received 
2.6 	comparable developmental screening performed within the preceding 365 days by a public 
2.7 	or private health care organization or individual health care provider. The notice must be 
2.8 	given to a parent or guardian at the time the district initially provides information to the 
2.9 	parent or guardian about screening and must be given again at the screening location.
2.10 	(b) The socioemotional component of the developmental assessment may be 
2.11 	included in the early childhood developmental screening if the parent or guardian has been 
2.12 	provided with a clear written notice that this component of the screening is voluntary, 
2.13 	and the parent or guardian has signed a document developed and approved by the 
2.14 	commissioner either allowing or declining the socioemotional development component of 
2.15 	the early childhood developmental screening. The socioemotional development screening 
2.16 	component of the early childhood developmental screening shall be conducted with a 
2.17 	screening instrument approved by the commissioner of human services, as the designated 
2.18 	state mental health authority, according to criteria that are updated and issued annually to 
2.19 	ensure that approved screening instruments are valid and useful for this population.
2.20 	(c) All other screening components shall be consistent with the standards of the state 
2.21 	commissioner of health for early developmental screening programs. A developmental 
2.22 	screening program must not provide laboratory tests or a physical examination to any 
2.23 	child. The district must request from the public or private health care organization or the 
2.24 	individual health care provider the results of any laboratory test or physical examination 
2.25 	within the 12 months preceding a child's scheduled screening.
2.26 	(c) (d) If a child is without health coverage, the school district must refer the child to 
2.27 	an appropriate health care provider.
2.28 	(d) (e) A board may offer additional components such as nutritional, physical and 
2.29 	dental assessments, review of family circumstances that might affect development, blood 
2.30 	pressure, laboratory tests, and health history.
2.31 	(e) (f) If a statement signed by the child's parent or guardian is submitted to the 
2.32 	administrator or other person having general control and supervision of the school that 
2.33 	the child has not been screened because of conscientiously held beliefs of the parent 
2.34 	or guardian, the screening is not required.