1.1 	A bill for an act
1.2 	relating to education; clarifying the notice requirements for and the screening 
1.3 	components of the early childhood health and developmental screening; 
1.4 	amending Minnesota Statutes 2004, section 121A.17, subdivision 3; Minnesota 
1.5 	Statutes 2005 Supplement, section 121A.17, subdivision 5.
1.6 	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

1.7 	Section 1. Minnesota Statutes 2004, section 121A.17, subdivision 3, is amended to 
1.8 	read:
1.9 		Subd. 3.Screening program. (a) A screening program must include at least the 
1.10 	following components: developmental assessments, hearing and vision screening or 
1.11 	referral, immunization review and referral, the child's height and weight, identification 
1.12 	of risk factors that may influence learning, an interview with the parent about the ~~child~~
1.13 	child's academic skills and learning history, and referral for assessment, diagnosis, and 
1.14 	treatment when potential needs are identified. A psychological evaluation is not a 
1.15 	screening program component and a psychologist must not serve as a screening program 
1.16 	provider or supervisor. The district and the person performing or supervising the screening 
1.17 	must provide a parent or guardian with clear written notice that the parent or guardian 
1.18 	may decline to answer questions or provide information about family circumstances that 
1.19 	might affect development and identification of risk factors that may influence learning. 
1.20 	The notice must clearly state that declining to answer questions or provide information 
1.21 	does not prevent the child from being enrolled in kindergarten or first grade if all other 
1.22 	screening components are met. If a parent or guardian is not able to read and comprehend 
1.23 	the written notice, the district and the person performing or supervising the screening 
1.24 	must convey the information in another manner. The notice must also inform the parent 
1.25 	or guardian that a child need not submit to the district screening program if the child's 
2.1 	health records indicate to the school that the child has received comparable developmental 
2.2 	screening performed within the preceding 365 days by a public or private health care 
2.3 	organization or individual health care provider. The notice must be given to a parent or 
2.4 	guardian at the time the district initially provides information to the parent or guardian 
2.5 	about screening and must be given again at the screening location.
2.6 	(b) All screening components shall be consistent with the standards of the state 
2.7 	commissioner of health for early developmental screening programs. A developmental 
2.8 	screening program must not provide laboratory tests or a physical examination to any 
2.9 	child. The district must request from the public or private health care organization or the 
2.10 	individual health care provider the results of any laboratory test or physical examination 
2.11 	within the 12 months preceding a child's scheduled screening.
2.12 	(c) If a child is without health coverage, the school district must refer the child to an 
2.13 	appropriate health care provider.
2.14 	(d) A board may offer additional components such as nutritional, physical and 
2.15 	dental assessments, review of family circumstances that might affect development, blood 
2.16 	pressure, laboratory tests, and health history.
2.17 	(e) If a statement signed by the child's parent or guardian is submitted to the 
2.18 	administrator or other person having general control and supervision of the school that 
2.19 	the child has not been screened because of conscientiously held beliefs of the parent 
2.20 	or guardian, the screening is not required.

2.21 	EFFECTIVE DATE. This section is effective the day following final enactment. 

2.22 	Sec. 2. Minnesota Statutes 2005 Supplement, section 121A.17, subdivision 5, is 
2.23 	amended to read:
2.24 		Subd. 5.Developmental screening program information. (a) The board must 
2.25 	inform each resident family with a child eligible to participate in the developmental 
2.26 	screening program about the availability of the program and the state's requirement that 
2.27 	a child receive a developmental screening or provide health records indicating that the 
2.28 	child received a comparable developmental screening from a public or private health care 
2.29 	organization or individual health care provider not later than 30 days after the first day of 
2.30 	attending kindergarten in a public school. 
2.31 	(b) A school district must inform all resident families with eligible children under 
2.32 	age seven that their children may receive a developmental screening conducted either by 
2.33 	the school district or by a public or private health care organization or individual health 
2.34 	care provider. The district first must provide information about the child's ability to satisfy 
2.35 	the developmental screening requirement by receiving a comparable developmental 
3.1 	screening from a public or private health care organization or individual health care 
3.2 	provider at the time the district initially informs each resident family about the program 
3.3 	and the state's requirement that a child receive a developmental screening. 

3.4 	EFFECTIVE DATE. This section is effective the day following final enactment.