1.1 	A bill for an act
1.2 	relating to early childhood; providing for supplemental funding for early childhood 
1.3 	programs; appropriating money;amending Minnesota Statutes 2020, sections 
1.4 	119A.52; 120A.20, subdivision 1; 120A.41; 121A.17, subdivision 3; 121A.19; 
1.5 	124D.13, subdivisions 2, 3; 124D.141, subdivision 2; 124D.151, as amended; 
1.6 	124D.165, subdivisions 2, 3; Minnesota Statutes 2021 Supplement, sections 
1.7 	126C.05, subdivisions 1, 3; 126C.10, subdivision 2d; 245.4889, subdivision 1; 
1.8 	Laws 2021, First Special Session chapter 13, article 9, section 4, subdivisions 3, 
1.9 	5, 6; proposing coding for new law in Minnesota Statutes, chapter 122A.
1.10 	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

1.11 	Section 1. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 119A.52, is amended to read:
1.12 	119A.52 DISTRIBUTION OF APPROPRIATION.
1.13 	(a) The commissioner of education must distribute money appropriated for that purpose 
1.14 	to federally designated Head Start programs to expand services and to serve additional 
1.15 	low-income children~~. Migrant and Indian reservation programs must be initially allocated~~ 
1.16 	~~money based on the programs' share of federal funds.~~, which may include costs associated 
1.17 	with program operations, infrastructure, or reconfiguration to serve children from birth to 
1.18 	age five in center-based services. The distribution must occur in the following order: (1) 
1.19 	10.72 percent of the total Head Start appropriation must be allocated to federally designated 
1.20 	Tribal Head Start programs; (2) the Tribal Head Start portion of the appropriation must be 
1.21 	allocated to Tribal Head Start programs based on the programs' share of federal funds; and 
1.22 	(3) migrant programs must then be initially allocated funding based on the programs' share 
1.23 	of federal funds. The remaining money must be initially allocated to the remaining local 
1.24 	agencies based equally on the agencies' share of federal funds and on the proportion of 
1.25 	eligible children in the agencies' service area who are not currently being served. A Head 
2.1 	Start program must be funded at a per child rate equal to its contracted, federally funded 
2.2 	base level at the start of the fiscal year. For all agencies without a federal Early Head Start 
2.3 	rate, the state average federal cost per child for Early Head Start applies. In allocating funds 
2.4 	under this paragraph, the commissioner of education must assure that each Head Start 
2.5 	program in existence in 1993 is allocated no less funding in any fiscal year than was allocated 
2.6 	to that program in fiscal year 1993. Before paying money to the programs, the commissioner 
2.7 	must notify each program of its initial allocation and how the money must be used. Each 
2.8 	program must present a plan under section 119A.535. For any program that cannot utilize 
2.9 	its full allocation at the beginning of the fiscal year, the commissioner must reduce the 
2.10 	allocation proportionately. Money available after the initial allocations are reduced must 
2.11 	be redistributed to eligible programs.
2.12 	(b) The commissioner must develop procedures to make payments to programs based 
2.13 	upon the number of children reported to be enrolled during the required time period of 
2.14 	program operations. Enrollment is defined by federal Head Start regulations. The procedures 
2.15 	must include a reporting schedule, corrective action plan requirements, and financial 
2.16 	consequences to be imposed on programs that do not meet full enrollment after the period 
2.17 	of corrective action. Programs reporting chronic underenrollment, as defined by the 
2.18 	commissioner, will have their subsequent program year allocation reduced proportionately. 
2.19 	Funds made available by prorating payments and allocations to programs with reported 
2.20 	underenrollment will be made available to the extent funds exist to fully enrolled Head Start 
2.21 	programs through a form and manner prescribed by the department.
2.22 	(c) Programs with approved innovative initiatives that target services to high-risk 
2.23 	populations, including homeless families and families living in homeless shelters and 
2.24 	transitional housing, are exempt from the procedures in paragraph (b). This exemption does 
2.25 	not apply to entire programs. The exemption applies only to approved innovative initiatives 
2.26 	that target services to high-risk populations, including homeless families and families living 
2.27 	in homeless shelters, transitional housing, and permanent supportive housing.

2.28 	Sec. 2. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 120A.20, subdivision 1, is amended to read:
2.29 		Subdivision 1.Age limitations; pupils. (a) All schools supported in whole or in part 
2.30 	by state funds are public schools. Admission to a public school is free to any person who: 
2.31 	(1) resides within the district that operates the school; (2) is under 21 years of age or who 
2.32 	meets the requirements of paragraph (c); and (3) satisfies the minimum age requirements 
2.33 	imposed by this section. Notwithstanding the provisions of any law to the contrary, the 
3.1 	conduct of all students under 21 years of age attending a public secondary school is governed 
3.2 	by a single set of reasonable rules and regulations promulgated by the school board.
3.3 	(b) A person shall not be admitted to a public school: (1) as a public prekindergarten 
3.4 	pupil, unless the pupil is at least four years of age as of September 1 of the calendar year 
3.5 	in which the school year for which the pupil seeks admission commences; (2) as a 
3.6 	kindergarten pupil, unless the pupil is at least five years of age on September 1 of the calendar 
3.7 	year in which the school year for which the pupil seeks admission commences; or (2) as a 
3.8 	1st grade student, unless the pupil is at least six years of age on September 1 of the calendar 
3.9 	year in which the school year for which the pupil seeks admission commences or has 
3.10 	completed kindergarten; except that any school board may establish a policy for admission 
3.11 	of selected pupils at an earlier age under section 124D.02.
3.12 	(c) A pupil who becomes age 21 after enrollment is eligible for continued free public 
3.13 	school enrollment until at least one of the following occurs: (1) the first September 1 after 
3.14 	the pupil's 21st birthday; (2) the pupil's completion of the graduation requirements; (3) the 
3.15 	pupil's withdrawal with no subsequent enrollment within 21 calendar days; or (4) the end 
3.16 	of the school year.

3.17 	Sec. 3. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 120A.41, is amended to read:
3.18 	120A.41 LENGTH OF SCHOOL YEAR; HOURS OF INSTRUCTION.
3.19 	(a) A school board's annual school calendar must include at least 425 hours of instruction 
3.20 	for a kindergarten student without a disability, 935 hours of instruction for a student in 
3.21 	grades 1 through 6, and 1,020 hours of instruction for a student in grades 7 through 12, not 
3.22 	including summer school. The school calendar for a public prekindergarten student without 
3.23 	a disability and a student in an all-day kindergarten must include at least 850 hours of 
3.24 	instruction for the school year. ~~The school calendar for a prekindergarten student under~~ 
3.25 	~~section 124D.151, if offered by the district, must include at least 350 hours of instruction~~ 
3.26 	~~for the school year.~~ A school board's annual calendar must include at least 165 days of 
3.27 	instruction for a student in grades 1 through 11 unless a four-day week schedule has been 
3.28 	approved by the commissioner under section 124D.126.
3.29 	(b) A school board's annual school calendar may include plans for up to five days of 
3.30 	instruction provided through online instruction due to inclement weather. The inclement 
3.31 	weather plans must be developed according to section 120A.414.

4.1 	Sec. 4. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 121A.17, subdivision 3, is amended to read:
4.2 		Subd. 3.Screening program. (a) A screening program must include at least the following 
4.3 	components: developmental assessments, which may include parent report developmental 
4.4 	screening instruments if the parent or child is unable to complete the screening in person 
4.5 	due to an immunocompromised status or other health concern; hearing and vision screening 
4.6 	or referral~~,~~; immunization review and referral~~,~~; the child's height and weight~~,~~; the date of 
4.7 	the child's most recent comprehensive vision examination, if any~~,~~; identification of risk 
4.8 	factors that may influence learning~~,~~; an interview with the parent about the child~~,~~; and 
4.9 	referral for assessment, diagnosis, and treatment when potential needs are identified. The 
4.10 	district and the person performing or supervising the screening must provide a parent or 
4.11 	guardian with clear written notice that the parent or guardian may decline to answer questions 
4.12 	or provide information about family circumstances that might affect development and 
4.13 	identification of risk factors that may influence learning. The notice must state "Early 
4.14 	childhood developmental screening helps a school district identify children who may benefit 
4.15 	from district and community resources available to help in their development. Early childhood 
4.16 	developmental screening includes a vision screening that helps detect potential eye problems 
4.17 	but is not a substitute for a comprehensive eye exam." The notice must clearly state that 
4.18 	declining to answer questions or provide information does not prevent the child from being 
4.19 	enrolled in kindergarten or first grade if all other screening components are met. If a parent 
4.20 	or guardian is not able to read and comprehend the written notice, the district and the person 
4.21 	performing or supervising the screening must convey the information in another manner. 
4.22 	The notice must also inform the parent or guardian that a child need not submit to the district 
4.23 	screening program if the child's health records indicate to the school that the child has 
4.24 	received comparable developmental screening performed within the preceding 365 days by 
4.25 	a public or private health care organization or individual health care provider. The notice 
4.26 	must be given to a parent or guardian at the time the district initially provides information 
4.27 	to the parent or guardian about screening and must be given again at the screening location.
4.28 	(b) All screening components shall be consistent with the standards of the state 
4.29 	commissioner of health for early developmental screening programs. A developmental 
4.30 	screening program must not provide laboratory tests or a physical examination to any child. 
4.31 	The district must request from the public or private health care organization or the individual 
4.32 	health care provider the results of any laboratory test or physical examination within the 12 
4.33 	months preceding a child's scheduled screening. For the purposes of this section, 
4.34 	"comprehensive vision examination" means a vision examination performed by an optometrist 
4.35 	or ophthalmologist.
5.1 	(c) If a child is without health coverage, the school district must refer the child to an 
5.2 	appropriate health care provider.
5.3 	(d) A board may offer additional components such as nutritional, physical and dental 
5.4 	assessments, review of family circumstances that might affect development, blood pressure, 
5.5 	laboratory tests, and health history.
5.6 	(e) If a statement signed by the child's parent or guardian is submitted to the administrator 
5.7 	or other person having general control and supervision of the school that the child has not 
5.8 	been screened because of conscientiously held beliefs of the parent or guardian, the screening 
5.9 	is not required.

5.10 	Sec. 5. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 121A.19, is amended to read:
5.11 	121A.19 DEVELOPMENTAL SCREENING AID.
5.12 	Each school year, the state must pay a district for each child or student screened by the 
5.13 	district according to the requirements of section 121A.17. The amount of state aid for each 
5.14 	child or student screened shall be: (1) ~~$75~~ $98 for a child screened at age three; (2) ~~$50~~ $65
5.15 	for a child screened at age four; (3) ~~$40~~ $52 for a child screened at age five or six prior to 
5.16 	kindergarten; and (4) ~~$30~~ $39 for a student screened within 30 days after first enrolling in 
5.17 	a public school kindergarten if the student has not previously been screened according to 
5.18 	the requirements of section 121A.17. If this amount of aid is insufficient, the district may 
5.19 	permanently transfer from the general fund an amount that, when added to the aid, is 
5.20 	sufficient. Developmental screening aid shall not be paid for any student who is screened 
5.21 	more than 30 days after the first day of attendance at a public school kindergarten, except 
5.22 	if a student transfers to another public school kindergarten within 30 days after first enrolling 
5.23 	in a Minnesota public school kindergarten program. In this case, if the student has not been 
5.24 	screened, the district to which the student transfers may receive developmental screening 
5.25 	aid for screening that student when the screening is performed within 30 days of the transfer 
5.26 	date.

5.27 	Sec. 6. [122A.731] GRANTS FOR GROW YOUR OWN EARLY CHILDHOOD 
5.28 	EDUCATOR PROGRAMS.
5.29 		Subdivision 1.Establishment. The commissioner of education must award grants for 
5.30 	Grow Your Own Early Childhood Educator programs established under this section in order 
5.31 	to develop an early childhood education workforce that more closely reflects the state's 
5.32 	increasingly diverse student population and to ensure all students have equitable access to 
5.33 	high-quality early educators.
6.1 		Subd. 2.Grow Your Own Early Childhood Educator programs. (a) Minnesota 
6.2 	licensed family child care or licensed center-based child care programs, school district or 
6.3 	charter school early learning programs, Head Start programs, institutes of higher education, 
6.4 	and other community partnership non-government organizations may apply for a grant to 
6.5 	host, build, or expand an early childhood educator preparation program that leads to an 
6.6 	individual earning the credential or degree needed to enter or advance in the early childhood 
6.7 	education workforce. Examples include programs that help interested individuals earn the 
6.8 	Child Development Associate credential, an associate's degree in child development, or a 
6.9 	bachelor's degree in early childhood studies or early childhood licensures. Programs must 
6.10 	prioritize candidates that represent the demographics of the populations served. The grant 
6.11 	recipient must use at least 80 percent of grant funds for student stipends and tuition 
6.12 	scholarships.
6.13 	(b) Programs providing financial support to interested individuals may require a 
6.14 	commitment from the individuals awarded, as determined by the program, to teach in the 
6.15 	program or school for a reasonable amount of time that does not exceed one year.
6.16 		Subd. 3.Grant procedure. Eligible programs must apply for a grant under this section 
6.17 	in the form and manner specified by the commissioner. To the extent that there are sufficient 
6.18 	applications, the commissioner must, to the extent practicable, award an equal number of 
6.19 	grants between applicants in greater Minnesota and those in the seven-county metropolitan 
6.20 	area.
6.21 		Subd. 4.Grow Your Own Early Childhood Educator program account. (a) The 
6.22 	Grow Your Own Early Childhood Educator program account is established in the special 
6.23 	revenue fund.
6.24 	(b) Funds appropriated for the Grow Your Own Early Childhood Educator program 
6.25 	under this section must be transferred to the Grow Your Own Early Childhood Educator 
6.26 	program account in the special revenue fund.
6.27 	(c) Money in the account is annually appropriated to the commissioner for the Grow 
6.28 	Your Own Early Childhood Educator program under this section. Any returned funds are 
6.29 	available to be regranted. Grant recipients may apply to use grant money over a period of 
6.30 	up to 60 months
6.31 	(d) Up to $300,000 annually is appropriated to the commissioner for costs associated 
6.32 	with administering and monitoring the program under this section.
6.33 		Subd. 5.Report. Grant recipients must annually report to the commissioner in the form 
6.34 	and manner determined by the commissioner on their activities under this section, including 
7.1 	the number of educators being supported through grant funds, the number of educators 
7.2 	obtaining credentials by type, a comparison of the beginning level of education and ending 
7.3 	level of education of individual participants, and an assessment of program effectiveness, 
7.4 	including participant feedback, areas for improvement, and where applicable, employment 
7.5 	changes and current employment status, after completing preparation programs. The 
7.6 	commissioner must publish a public report that summarizes the activities and outcomes of 
7.7 	grant recipients and what was done to promote sharing of effective practices among grant 
7.8 	recipients and potential grant applicants.

7.9 	Sec. 7. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 124D.13, subdivision 2, is amended to read:
7.10 		Subd. 2.Program requirements. (a) Early childhood family education programs are 
7.11 	programs for children in the period of life from birth to kindergarten, for the parents and 
7.12 	other relatives of these children, for adults who provide child care, and for expectant parents. 
7.13 	To the extent that funds are insufficient to provide programs for all children, early childhood 
7.14 	family education programs should emphasize programming for a child from birth to age 
7.15 	three and encourage parents and other relatives to involve four- and five-year-old children 
7.16 	in school readiness programs, and other public and nonpublic early learning programs. A 
7.17 	district may not limit participation to school district residents. Early childhood family 
7.18 	education programs must provide:
7.19 	(1) programs to educate parents ~~and~~, other relatives, and caregivers about the physical, 
7.20 	cognitive, social, and emotional development of children and to enhance the skills of parents 
7.21 	and other relatives in providing for their children's learning and development;
7.22 	(2) structured learning activities requiring interaction between children and their parents 
7.23 	~~or~~, other relatives, and caregivers;
7.24 	(3) structured learning activities for children that promote children's development and 
7.25 	positive interaction with peers, which are held while parents ~~or~~, other relatives, and caregivers
7.26 	attend parent education classes;
7.27 	(4) information on related community resources;
7.28 	(5) information, materials, and activities that support the safety of children, including 
7.29 	prevention of child abuse and neglect;
7.30 	(6) a community needs assessment that identifies new and underserved populations, 
7.31 	identifies child and family risk factors, particularly those that impact children's learning and 
7.32 	development, and assesses family and parenting education needs in the community;
8.1 	(7) programming and services that are tailored to the needs of families and parents 
8.2 	prioritized in the community needs assessment; and
8.3 	(8) information about and, if needed, assist in making arrangements for an early childhood 
8.4 	health and developmental screening under sections 121A.16 and 121A.17, when the child 
8.5 	nears the third birthday.
8.6 	Early childhood family education programs should prioritize programming and services 
8.7 	for families and parents identified in the community needs assessment, particularly those 
8.8 	families and parents with children with the most risk factors birth to age three.
8.9 	Early childhood family education programs are encouraged to provide parents of English 
8.10 	learners with translated oral and written information to monitor the program's impact on 
8.11 	their children's English language development, to know whether their children are progressing 
8.12 	in developing their English and native language proficiency, and to actively engage with 
8.13 	and support their children in developing their English and native language proficiency.
8.14 	The programs must include learning experiences for children, parents, ~~and~~ other relatives, 
8.15 	and caregivers that promote children's early literacy and, where practicable, their native 
8.16 	language skills and activities for children that require substantial involvement of the children's 
8.17 	parents or other relatives. The program may provide parenting education programming or 
8.18 	services to anyone identified in the community needs assessment. Providers must review 
8.19 	the program periodically to assure the instruction and materials are not racially, culturally, 
8.20 	or sexually biased. The programs must encourage parents to be aware of practices that may 
8.21 	affect equitable development of children.
8.22 	(b) For the purposes of this section, "relative" or "relatives" means noncustodial 
8.23 	grandparents or other persons related to a child by blood, marriage, adoption, or foster 
8.24 	placement, excluding parents.

8.25 	Sec. 8. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 124D.13, subdivision 3, is amended to read:
8.26 		Subd. 3.Substantial parental involvement. The requirement of substantial parental 
8.27 	~~or~~, other relative, or caregiver involvement in subdivision 2 means that:
8.28 	~~(a)~~ (1) parents ~~or~~, other relatives, or caregivers must be physically present much of the 
8.29 	time in classes with their children or be in concurrent classes;
8.30 	~~(b)~~ (2) parenting education or family education must be an integral part of every early 
8.31 	childhood family education program;
9.1 	~~(c)~~ (3) early childhood family education appropriations must not be used for traditional 
9.2 	day care or nursery school, or similar programs; and
9.3 	~~(d)~~ (4) the form of parent involvement common to kindergarten, elementary school, or 
9.4 	early childhood special education programs such as parent conferences, newsletters, and 
9.5 	notes to parents do not qualify a program under subdivision 2.

9.6 	Sec. 9. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 124D.141, subdivision 2, is amended to read:
9.7 		Subd. 2.Additional duties. The following duties are added to those assigned to the 
9.8 	council under federal law:
9.9 	(1) make recommendations on the most efficient and effective way to leverage state and 
9.10 	federal funding streams for early childhood and child care programs;
9.11 	~~(2) make recommendations on how to coordinate or colocate early childhood and child~~ 
9.12 	~~care programs in one state Office of Early Learning. The council shall establish a task force~~ 
9.13 	~~to develop these recommendations. The task force shall include two nonexecutive branch~~ 
9.14 	~~or nonlegislative branch representatives from the council; six representatives from the early~~ 
9.15 	~~childhood caucus; two representatives each from the Departments of Education, Human~~ 
9.16 	~~Services, and Health; one representative each from a local public health agency, a local~~ 
9.17 	~~county human services agency, and a school district; and two representatives from the~~ 
9.18 	~~private nonprofit organizations that support early childhood programs in Minnesota. In~~ 
9.19 	~~developing recommendations in coordination with existing efforts of the council, the task~~ 
9.20 	~~force shall consider how to:~~
9.21 	~~(i) consolidate and coordinate resources and public funding streams for early childhood~~ 
9.22 	~~education and child care, and ensure the accountability and coordinated development of all~~ 
9.23 	~~early childhood education and child care services to children from birth to kindergarten~~ 
9.24 	~~entrance;~~
9.25 	~~(ii) create a seamless transition from early childhood programs to kindergarten;~~
9.26 	~~(iii) encourage family choice by ensuring a mixed system of high-quality public and~~ 
9.27 	~~private programs, with local points of entry, staffed by well-qualified professionals;~~
9.28 	~~(iv) ensure parents a decisive role in the planning, operation, and evaluation of programs~~ 
9.29 	~~that aid families in the care of children;~~
9.30 	~~(v) provide consumer education and accessibility to early childhood education and child~~ 
9.31 	~~care resources;~~
10.1 	~~(vi) advance the quality of early childhood education and child care programs in order~~ 
10.2 	~~to support the healthy development of children and preparation for their success in school;~~
10.3 	~~(vii) develop a seamless service delivery system with local points of entry for early~~ 
10.4 	~~childhood education and child care programs administered by local, state, and federal~~ 
10.5 	~~agencies;~~
10.6 	~~(viii) ensure effective collaboration between state and local child welfare programs and~~ 
10.7 	~~early childhood mental health programs and the Office of Early Learning;~~
10.8 	~~(ix) develop and manage an effective data collection system to support the necessary~~ 
10.9 	~~functions of a coordinated system of early childhood education and child care in order to~~ 
10.10 	~~enable accurate evaluation of its impact;~~
10.11 	~~(x) respect and be sensitive to family values and cultural heritage; and~~
10.12 	~~(xi) establish the administrative framework for and promote the development of early~~ 
10.13 	~~childhood education and child care services in order to provide that these services, staffed~~ 
10.14 	~~by well-qualified professionals, are available in every community for all families that express~~ 
10.15 	~~a need for them.~~
10.16 	~~In addition, the task force must consider the following responsibilities for transfer to the~~ 
10.17 	~~Office of Early Learning:~~
10.18 	~~(A) responsibilities of the commissioner of education for early childhood education~~ 
10.19 	~~programs and financing under sections 119A.50 to 119A.535, 121A.16 to 121A.19, and~~ 
10.20 	~~124D.129 to 124D.2211;~~
10.21 	~~(B) responsibilities of the commissioner of human services for child care assistance,~~ 
10.22 	~~child care development, and early childhood learning and child protection facilities programs~~ 
10.23 	~~and financing under chapter 119B and section 256E.37; and~~
10.24 	~~(C) responsibilities of the commissioner of health for family home visiting programs~~ 
10.25 	~~and financing under section 145A.17.~~
10.26 	~~Any costs incurred by the council in making these recommendations must be paid from~~ 
10.27 	~~private funds. If no private funds are received, the council must not proceed in making these~~ 
10.28 	~~recommendations. The council must report its recommendations to the governor and the~~ 
10.29 	~~legislature by January 15, 2011;~~
10.30 	~~(3)~~ (2) review program evaluations regarding high-quality early childhood programs;
10.31 	~~(4)~~ (3) make recommendations to the governor and legislature, including proposed 
10.32 	legislation on how to most effectively create a high-quality early childhood system in 
11.1 	Minnesota in order to improve the educational outcomes of children so that all children are 
11.2 	school-ready ~~by 2020~~; and
11.3 	~~(5) make recommendations to the governor and the legislature by March 1, 2011, on the~~ 
11.4 	~~creation and implementation of a statewide school readiness report card to monitor progress~~ 
11.5 	~~toward the goal of having all children ready for kindergarten by the year 2020. The~~ 
11.6 	~~recommendations shall include what should be measured including both children and system~~ 
11.7 	~~indicators, what benchmarks should be established to measure state progress toward the~~ 
11.8 	~~goal, and how frequently the report card should be published. In making their~~ 
11.9 	~~recommendations, the council shall consider the indicators and strategies for Minnesota's~~ 
11.10 	~~early childhood system report, the Minnesota school readiness study, developmental~~ 
11.11 	~~assessment at kindergarten entrance, and the work of the council's accountability committee.~~ 
11.12 	~~Any costs incurred by the council in making these recommendations must be paid from~~ 
11.13 	~~private funds. If no private funds are received, the council must not proceed in making these~~ 
11.14 	~~recommendations; and~~
11.15 	~~(6) make recommendations to the governor and the legislature on how to screen earlier~~ 
11.16 	~~and comprehensively assess children for school readiness in order to provide increased early~~ 
11.17 	~~interventions and increase the number of children ready for kindergarten. In formulating~~ 
11.18 	~~their recommendations, the council shall consider (i) ways to interface with parents of~~ 
11.19 	~~children who are not participating in early childhood education or care programs, (ii) ways~~ 
11.20 	~~to interface with family child care providers, child care centers, and school-based early~~ 
11.21 	~~childhood and Head Start programs, (iii) if there are age-appropriate and culturally sensitive~~ 
11.22 	~~screening and assessment tools for three-, four-, and five-year-olds, (iv) the role of the~~ 
11.23 	~~medical community in screening, (v) incentives for parents to have children screened at an~~ 
11.24 	~~earlier age, (vi) incentives for early education and care providers to comprehensively assess~~ 
11.25 	~~children in order to improve instructional practice, (vii) how to phase in increases in screening~~ 
11.26 	~~and assessment over time, (viii) how the screening and assessment data will be collected~~ 
11.27 	~~and used and who will have access to the data, (ix) how to monitor progress toward the goal~~ 
11.28 	~~of having 50 percent of three-year-old children screened and 50 percent of entering~~ 
11.29 	~~kindergarteners assessed for school readiness by 2015 and 100 percent of three-year-old~~ 
11.30 	~~children screened and entering kindergarteners assessed for school readiness by 2020, and~~ 
11.31 	~~(x) costs to meet these benchmarks. The council shall consider the screening instruments~~ 
11.32 	~~and comprehensive assessment tools used in Minnesota early childhood education and care~~ 
11.33 	~~programs and kindergarten. The council may survey early childhood education and care~~ 
11.34 	~~programs in the state to determine the screening and assessment tools being used or rely on~~ 
11.35 	~~previously collected survey data, if available. For purposes of this subdivision, "school~~ 
12.1 	~~readiness" is defined as the child's skills, knowledge, and behaviors at kindergarten entrance~~ 
12.2 	~~in these areas of child development: social; self-regulation; cognitive, including language,~~ 
12.3 	~~literacy, and mathematical thinking; and physical. For purposes of this subdivision,~~ 
12.4 	~~"screening" is defined as the activities used to identify a child who may need further~~ 
12.5 	~~evaluation to determine delay in development or disability. For purposes of this subdivision,~~ 
12.6 	~~"assessment" is defined as the activities used to determine a child's level of performance in~~ 
12.7 	~~order to promote the child's learning and development. Work on this duty will begin in~~ 
12.8 	~~fiscal year 2012. Any costs incurred by the council in making these recommendations must~~ 
12.9 	~~be paid from private funds. If no private funds are received, the council must not proceed~~ 
12.10 	~~in making these recommendations. The council must report its recommendations to the~~ 
12.11 	~~governor and legislature by January 15, 2013, with an interim report on February 15, 2011.~~
12.12 	(4) review and provide input on the recommendations and implementation timelines 
12.13 	developed by the Great Start For All Minnesota Children Task Force as defined in Laws 
12.14 	2021, First Special Session chapter 7, article 14, section 18, subdivision 2.

12.15 	Sec. 10. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 124D.151, as amended by Laws 2021, First 
12.16 	Special Session chapter 13, article 9, section 1, is amended to read:
12.17 	124D.151 VOLUNTARY PUBLIC PREKINDERGARTEN PROGRAM FOR 
12.18 	ELIGIBLE FOUR-YEAR-OLD CHILDREN.
12.19 		Subdivision 1.Establishment; purpose. A ~~district, a charter school, a group of districts,~~ 
12.20 	~~a group of charter schools, or a group of districts and charter schools~~ school district, charter 
12.21 	school, center-based or family child care provider licensed under section 245A.03, or Head 
12.22 	Start agency licensed under section 245A.03 that meets program requirements under 
12.23 	subdivision 2, may establish a voluntary public prekindergarten program for eligible 
12.24 	four-year-old children. The purpose of a voluntary public prekindergarten program is to 
12.25 	prepare children for success as they enter kindergarten in the following year.
12.26 		Subd. 2.Program requirements. ~~(a)~~ A voluntary public prekindergarten program 
12.27 	provider must:
12.28 	(1) provide instruction through play-based learning to foster children's social and 
12.29 	emotional development, cognitive development, physical and motor development, and 
12.30 	language and literacy skills, including the native language and literacy skills of English 
12.31 	learners, to the extent practicable;
12.32 	(2) ~~measure each child's cognitive and social skills~~ assess each child's progress toward 
12.33 	the state's early learning standards at program entrance and exit using a
13.1 	commissioner-approved formative ~~measure aligned to the state's early learning standards~~ 
13.2 	~~when the child enters and again before the child leaves the program, screening and progress~~ 
13.3 	~~monitoring measures, and other age-appropriate versions from the state-approved menu of~~ 
13.4 	~~kindergarten entry profile measures;~~ age-appropriate assessment that must be submitted to 
13.5 	the department in the form and manner prescribed by the commissioner;
13.6 	(3) provide comprehensive program content aligned with the state early learning 
13.7 	standards, including the implementation of curriculum, assessment, and intentional
13.8 	instructional strategies ~~aligned with the state early learning standards, and kindergarten~~ 
13.9 	~~through grade 3 academic standards~~;
13.10 	(4) provide instructional content and activities that are of sufficient length and intensity 
13.11 	to address learning needs including offering a program with at least ~~350~~ 850 hours of 
13.12 	instruction per school year for a prekindergarten student;
13.13 	(5) provide voluntary public prekindergarten ~~instructional~~ staff salaries ~~comparable~~ and 
13.14 	set salary schedules equivalent to the salaries of ~~local kindergarten through grade 12~~ 
13.15 	~~instructional staff;~~ public school district elementary school staff with similar credentials 
13.16 	and experience for school district and charter public prekindergarten program sites, and to 
13.17 	the extent practicable, for Head Start and licensed center and family child care sites;
13.18 	(6) employ a lead teacher for each voluntary public prekindergarten classroom who has 
13.19 	at least a bachelor's degree in early education or a related field no later than July 1, 2028. 
13.20 	Teachers employed by an eligible provider for at least three of the last five years immediately 
13.21 	preceding July 1, 2022, who meet the necessary content knowledge and teaching skills for 
13.22 	early childhood educators, as demonstrated through measures determined by the state, may 
13.23 	be employed as a lead teacher. "Lead teacher" means an individual with primary 
13.24 	responsibility for the instruction and care of eligible children in a classroom;
13.25 	~~(6)~~ (7) coordinate appropriate kindergarten transition with families~~, community-based~~ 
13.26 	~~prekindergarten programs, and school district kindergarten programs;~~ and all mixed-delivery 
13.27 	partners within the school district;
13.28 	~~(7)~~ (8) involve parents in program ~~planning~~ decision-making and transition planning by 
13.29 	implementing parent engagement strategies that include culturally and linguistically 
13.30 	responsive activities in prekindergarten through third grade that are aligned with early 
13.31 	childhood family education under section 124D.13;
13.32 	~~(8)~~ (9) coordinate with relevant community-based services, including health and social 
13.33 	service agencies, to ensure children have access to comprehensive services;
14.1 	~~(9)~~ (10) coordinate with all relevant school district programs and services including 
14.2 	early childhood special education, homeless students, and English learners;
14.3 	~~(10)~~ (11) ensure staff-to-child ratios of one-to-ten and a maximum group size of 20 
14.4 	children~~;~~ in school-based programs; staff-to-child ratio and group size as required for center 
14.5 	and family child care licensing for center-based and family-based child care sites; and 
14.6 	staff-to-child ratio and group size as determined by Head Start standards for Head Start 
14.7 	sites; and
14.8 	~~(11)~~ (12) provide high-quality coordinated professional development, training, and 
14.9 	coaching for ~~both~~ school district, Head Start, and ~~community-based early learning~~ licensed 
14.10 	center and family-based providers that is informed by a measure of adult-child interactions 
14.11 	and enables teachers to be highly knowledgeable in early childhood curriculum content, 
14.12 	assessment, native and English language development programs, and instruction~~; and~~.
14.13 	~~(12) implement strategies that support the alignment of professional development,~~ 
14.14 	~~instruction, assessments, and prekindergarten through grade 3 curricula.~~
14.15 	~~(b) A voluntary prekindergarten program must have teachers knowledgeable in early~~ 
14.16 	~~childhood curriculum content, assessment, native and English language programs, and~~ 
14.17 	~~instruction.~~
14.18 	~~(c) Districts and charter schools must include their strategy for implementing and~~ 
14.19 	~~measuring the impact of their voluntary prekindergarten program under section 120B.11~~ 
14.20 	~~and provide results in their world's best workforce annual summary to the commissioner of~~ 
14.21 	~~education.~~
14.22 		Subd. 3.Mixed delivery ~~of services~~ program plan. ~~A district or charter school may~~ 
14.23 	~~contract with a charter school, Head Start or child care centers, family child care programs~~ 
14.24 	~~licensed under section 245A.03, or a community-based organization to provide eligible~~ 
14.25 	~~children with developmentally appropriate services that meet the program requirements in~~ 
14.26 	~~subdivision 2. Components of a mixed-delivery plan include strategies for recruitment,~~ 
14.27 	~~contracting, and monitoring of fiscal compliance and program quality.~~ School districts and 
14.28 	charter schools that receive funding for voluntary public prekindergarten programs must 
14.29 	develop and submit a mixed delivery program plan to the Department of Education annually 
14.30 	by July 1, 2023, and every year thereafter, in a manner and format prescribed by the 
14.31 	commissioner. The plan must ensure alignment of all public prekindergarten program 
14.32 	providers within the school district boundary in meeting the program requirements in 
14.33 	subdivision 2 and must include:
15.1 	(1) a description of the process used to convene and get group agreement among all 
15.2 	public prekindergarten program providers within the district boundaries in order to coordinate 
15.3 	efforts regarding the requirements in subdivision 2;
15.4 	(2) a description of the public prekindergarten program providers within the school 
15.5 	district boundaries, including but not limited to the name and location of partners, and the 
15.6 	number of hours and days per week the program will be offered at each program site;
15.7 	(3) an estimate of the number of eligible children to be served in the program at each 
15.8 	school site or mixed-delivery location;
15.9 	(4) a plan for recruitment, outreach, and communication regarding the availability of 
15.10 	public prekindergarten programming within the community;
15.11 	(5) coordination and offering of professional development opportunities, as needed;
15.12 	(6) coordination of the required child assessments, as needed, and continuous quality 
15.13 	improvement efforts to ensure quality instruction;
15.14 	(7) a plan for meeting the needs for any child with an individualized education plan;
15.15 	(8) a plan to get to salaries equivalent to school staff with comparable credentials and 
15.16 	experience;
15.17 	(9) a detailed plan for transitioning children and families to kindergarten; and
15.18 	(10) a statement of assurances signed by the superintendent, charter school director, 
15.19 	Head Start director, and child care program director or owner that the proposed program 
15.20 	meets the requirements of subdivision 2. A statement of assurances must be submitted in 
15.21 	the mixed delivery program plan and must be signed by an individual from each public 
15.22 	prekindergarten program provider with authority to enter into the agreement.
15.23 		Subd. 3a.Funding. (a) School district and charter school voluntary public prekindergarten 
15.24 	providers are funded based on the number of eligible pupils enrolled as authorized under 
15.25 	chapters 124D, 124E, and 126C.
15.26 	(b) Head Start voluntary public prekindergarten providers that are licensed under section 
15.27 	245A.03 that meet the requirements of subdivisions 2 and 3 must receive $11,000 per child 
15.28 	served per year.
15.29 	(c) Licensed center and family child care voluntary public prekindergarten providers 
15.30 	that are licensed under section 245A.03 and meet the requirements of subdivisions 2 and 3 
15.31 	must receive $11,000 per child served per year.
16.1 	(d) The commissioner must establish a process for allocating the seats under paragraphs 
16.2 	(b) and (c) that match community strengths, capacity, and needs. The number of seats per 
16.3 	year is subject to the availability of appropriations.
16.4 	(e) Up to 2.5 percent of amounts appropriated for paragraphs (b) and (c) may be used 
16.5 	for distribution of funds.
16.6 		Subd. 4.Eligibility. ~~A~~ (a) An eligible child means a child who:
16.7 	(1) is four years of age as of September 1 in the calendar year in which the school year 
16.8 	commences ~~is~~; and
16.9 	(2) meets at least one of the following criteria:
16.10 	(i) qualifies for free or reduced-price meals;
16.11 	(ii) is an English language learner as defined by section 124D.59, subdivision 2;
16.12 	(iii) is American Indian;
16.13 	(iv) is experiencing homelessness;
16.14 	(v) has an individualized education plan under section 125A.08;
16.15 	(vi) was identified as having a potential risk factor that may influence learning through 
16.16 	health and developmental screening under sections 121A.16 to 121.19;
16.17 	(vii) is in foster care; kinship care, including children receiving Northstar kinship 
16.18 	assistance under chapter 256N; or is in need of child protection services;
16.19 	(viii) has a parent who is a migrant or seasonal agriculture laborer under section 181.85; 
16.20 	or
16.21 	(ix) has a parent who is incarcerated.
16.22 	(b) An eligible ~~to~~ child is eligible to participate in a voluntary public prekindergarten 
16.23 	program free of charge. ~~An eligible four-year-old child served in a mixed-delivery system~~ 
16.24 	~~by a child care center, family child care program licensed under section 245A.03, or~~ 
16.25 	~~community-based organization~~ Programs may charge a sliding fee for the instructional hours 
16.26 	that exceed 850 during the school year, any hours that provide before or after school child 
16.27 	care during the school year, or any hours that provide child care during the summer. A child 
16.28 	that does not meet the eligibility requirements in paragraph (a), clause (2), may participate 
16.29 	in the same classroom as eligible children and may be charged a sliding fee as long as ~~the~~ 
16.30 	~~mixed-delivery partner~~ state funding was not awarded ~~a seat~~ for that child.
17.1 	(c) Each eligible child must complete a health and developmental screening within 90 
17.2 	days of program enrollment under sections 121A.16 to 121A.19, and provide documentation 
17.3 	of required immunizations under section 121A.15.
17.4 		~~Subd. 5.Application process; priority for high poverty schools.~~ ~~(a) To qualify for~~ 
17.5 	~~program approval for fiscal year 2017, a district or charter school must submit an application~~ 
17.6 	~~to the commissioner by July 1, 2016. To qualify for program approval for fiscal year 2018~~ 
17.7 	~~and later, a district or charter school must submit an application to the commissioner by~~ 
17.8 	~~January 30 of the fiscal year prior to the fiscal year in which the program will be~~ 
17.9 	~~implemented. The application must include:~~
17.10 	~~(1) a description of the proposed program, including the number of hours per week the~~ 
17.11 	~~program will be offered at each school site or mixed-delivery location;~~
17.12 	~~(2) an estimate of the number of eligible children to be served in the program at each~~ 
17.13 	~~school site or mixed-delivery location; and~~
17.14 	~~(3) a statement of assurances signed by the superintendent or charter school director that~~ 
17.15 	~~the proposed program meets the requirements of subdivision 2.~~
17.16 	~~(b) The commissioner must review all applications submitted for fiscal year 2017 by~~ 
17.17 	~~August 1, 2016, and must review all applications submitted for fiscal year 2018 and later~~ 
17.18 	~~by March 1 of the fiscal year in which the applications are received and determine whether~~ 
17.19 	~~each application meets the requirements of paragraph (a).~~
17.20 	~~(c) The commissioner must divide all applications for new or expanded voluntary~~ 
17.21 	~~prekindergarten programs under this section meeting the requirements of paragraph (a) and~~ 
17.22 	~~school readiness plus programs into four groups as follows: the Minneapolis and St. Paul~~ 
17.23 	~~school districts; other school districts located in the metropolitan equity region as defined~~ 
17.24 	~~in section 126C.10, subdivision 28; school districts located in the rural equity region as~~ 
17.25 	~~defined in section 126C.10, subdivision 28; and charter schools. Within each group, the~~ 
17.26 	~~applications must be ordered by rank using a sliding scale based on the following criteria:~~
17.27 	~~(1) concentration of kindergarten students eligible for free or reduced-price lunches by~~ 
17.28 	~~school site on October 1 of the previous school year. A school site may contract to partner~~ 
17.29 	~~with a community-based provider or Head Start under subdivision 3 or establish an early~~ 
17.30 	~~childhood center and use the concentration of kindergarten students eligible for free or~~ 
17.31 	~~reduced-price meals from a specific school site as long as those eligible children are~~ 
17.32 	~~prioritized and guaranteed services at the mixed-delivery site or early education center. For~~ 
17.33 	~~school district programs to be operated at locations that do not have free and reduced-price~~ 
17.34 	~~lunch concentration data for kindergarten programs for October 1 of the previous school~~ 
18.1 	~~year, including mixed-delivery programs, the school district average concentration of~~ 
18.2 	~~kindergarten students eligible for free or reduced-price lunches must be used for the rank~~ 
18.3 	~~ordering;~~
18.4 	~~(2) presence or absence of a three- or four-star Parent Aware rated program within the~~ 
18.5 	~~school district or close proximity of the district. School sites with the highest concentration~~ 
18.6 	~~of kindergarten students eligible for free or reduced-price lunches that do not have a three-~~ 
18.7 	~~or four-star Parent Aware program within the district or close proximity of the district shall~~ 
18.8 	~~receive the highest priority, and school sites with the lowest concentration of kindergarten~~ 
18.9 	~~students eligible for free or reduced-price lunches that have a three- or four-star Parent~~ 
18.10 	~~Aware rated program within the district or close proximity of the district shall receive the~~ 
18.11 	~~lowest priority; and~~
18.12 	~~(3) whether the district has implemented a mixed delivery system.~~
18.13 	~~(d) The limit on participation for the programs as specified in subdivision 6 must initially~~ 
18.14 	~~be allocated among the four groups based on each group's percentage share of the statewide~~ 
18.15 	~~kindergarten enrollment on October 1 of the previous school year. Within each group, the~~ 
18.16 	~~participation limit for fiscal years 2018 and 2019 must first be allocated to school sites~~ 
18.17 	~~approved for aid in the previous year to ensure that those sites are funded for the same~~ 
18.18 	~~number of participants as approved for the previous year. The remainder of the participation~~ 
18.19 	~~limit for each group must be allocated among school sites in priority order until that region's~~ 
18.20 	~~share of the participation limit is reached. If the participation limit is not reached for all~~ 
18.21 	~~groups, the remaining amount must be allocated to the highest priority school sites, as~~ 
18.22 	~~designated under this section, not funded in the initial allocation on a statewide basis. For~~ 
18.23 	~~fiscal year 2020 and later, the participation limit must first be allocated to school sites~~ 
18.24 	~~approved for aid in fiscal year 2017, and then to school sites approved for aid in fiscal year~~ 
18.25 	~~2018 based on the statewide rankings under paragraph (c).~~
18.26 	~~(e) Once a school site or a mixed delivery site under subdivision 3 is approved for aid~~ 
18.27 	~~under this subdivision, it shall remain eligible for aid if it continues to meet program~~ 
18.28 	~~requirements, regardless of changes in the concentration of students eligible for free or~~ 
18.29 	~~reduced-price lunches.~~
18.30 	~~(f) If the total number of participants approved based on applications submitted under~~ 
18.31 	~~paragraph (a) is less than the participation limit under subdivision 6, the commissioner must~~ 
18.32 	~~notify all school districts and charter schools of the amount that remains available within~~ 
18.33 	~~30 days of the initial application deadline under paragraph (a), and complete a second round~~ 
18.34 	~~of allocations based on applications received within 60 days of the initial application deadline.~~
19.1 	~~(g) Procedures for approving applications submitted under paragraph (f) shall be the~~ 
19.2 	~~same as specified in paragraphs (a) to (d), except that the allocations shall be made to the~~ 
19.3 	~~highest priority school sites not funded in the initial allocation on a statewide basis.~~
19.4 		~~Subd. 6.Participation limits.~~ ~~(a) Notwithstanding section 126C.05, subdivision 1,~~ 
19.5 	~~paragraph (d), the pupil units for a voluntary prekindergarten program for an eligible school~~ 
19.6 	~~district or charter school must not exceed 60 percent of the kindergarten pupil units for that~~ 
19.7 	~~school district or charter school under section 126C.05, subdivision 1, paragraph (e).~~
19.8 	~~(b) In reviewing applications under subdivision 5, the commissioner must limit the total~~ 
19.9 	~~number of participants in the voluntary prekindergarten and school readiness plus programs~~ 
19.10 	~~under Laws 2017, First Special Session chapter 5, article 8, section 9, to not more than 7,160~~ 
19.11 	~~participants for fiscal years 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, and 2023, and 3,160 participants for~~ 
19.12 	~~fiscal years 2024 and later.~~
19.13 		Subd. 7.Financial accounting. An eligible school district or charter school must record 
19.14 	expenditures attributable to voluntary public prekindergarten pupils according to guidelines 
19.15 	prepared by the commissioner under section 127A.17. Center-based and family child care 
19.16 	providers and Head Start agencies must record expenditures attributable to voluntary public 
19.17 	prekindergarten pupils according to guidelines developed and approved by the commissioner 
19.18 	of education.

19.19 	EFFECTIVE DATE. This section is effective for revenue for fiscal year 2023 and later.

19.20 	Sec. 11. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 124D.165, subdivision 2, is amended to read:
19.21 		Subd. 2.Family eligibility. (a) For a family to receive an early learning scholarship, 
19.22 	parents or guardians must meet the following eligibility requirements:
19.23 	(1) have an eligible child; and
19.24 	(2) (i) have income equal to or less than 185 percent of federal poverty level income in 
19.25 	the current calendar year~~, or~~;
19.26 	(ii) be able to document their child's current participation in the free and reduced-price 
19.27 	~~lunch~~ meal program or Child and Adult Care Food Program, National School Lunch Act, 
19.28 	United States Code, title 42, sections 1751 and 1766; the Food Distribution Program on 
19.29 	Indian Reservations, Food and Nutrition Act, United States Code, title 7, sections 2011-2036; 
19.30 	Head Start under the federal Improving Head Start for School Readiness Act of 2007; 
19.31 	Minnesota family investment program under chapter 256J; child care assistance programs 
19.32 	under chapter 119B; the supplemental nutrition assistance program; or ~~placement~~
20.1 	(iii) have a child referred as in need of child protective services or placed in foster care 
20.2 	under section 260C.212.
20.3 	(b) An "eligible child" means a child who has not yet enrolled in kindergarten and is~~:~~
20.4 	~~(1) at least three but~~ not yet five years of age on September 1 of the current school year~~;~~.
20.5 	~~(2) a sibling from birth to age five of a child who has been awarded a scholarship under~~ 
20.6 	~~this section provided the sibling attends the same program as long as funds are available;~~
20.7 	~~(3) the child of a parent under age 21 who is pursuing a high school degree or a course~~ 
20.8 	~~of study for a high school equivalency test; or~~
20.9 	~~(4) homeless, in foster care, or in need of child protective services.~~
20.10 	(c) A child who has received a scholarship under this section must continue to receive 
20.11 	a scholarship each year until that child is eligible for kindergarten under section 120A.20 
20.12 	and as long as funds are available.
20.13 	(d) Early learning scholarships may not be counted as earned income for the purposes 
20.14 	of medical assistance under chapter 256B, MinnesotaCare under chapter 256L, Minnesota 
20.15 	family investment program under chapter 256J, child care assistance programs under chapter 
20.16 	119B, or Head Start under the federal Improving Head Start for School Readiness Act of 
20.17 	2007.
20.18 	(e) A child from an adjoining state whose family resides at a Minnesota address as 
20.19 	assigned by the United States Postal Service, who has received developmental screening 
20.20 	under sections 121A.16 to 121A.19, who intends to enroll in a Minnesota school district, 
20.21 	and whose family meets the criteria of paragraph (a) is eligible for an early learning 
20.22 	scholarship under this section.

20.23 	Sec. 12. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 124D.165, subdivision 3, is amended to read:
20.24 		Subd. 3.Administration. (a) The commissioner shall establish application timelines 
20.25 	and determine the schedule for awarding scholarships that meets operational needs of eligible 
20.26 	families and programs. The commissioner must give highest priority to applications from 
20.27 	children who:
20.28 	(1) are not yet four years of age;
20.29 	~~(1)~~ (2) have a parent under age 21 who is pursuing a high school diploma or a course of 
20.30 	study for a high school equivalency test;
20.31 	~~(2)~~ (3) are in foster care ~~or otherwise~~;
21.1 	(4) have been referred as in need of child protection ~~or~~ services; ~~or~~
21.2 	(5) have an incarcerated parent; or
21.3 	~~(3)~~ (6) have experienced homelessness in the last 24 months, as defined under the federal 
21.4 	McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act, United States Code, title 42, section 11434a.
21.5 	(b) The commissioner may prioritize applications on additional factors including family 
21.6 	income, geographic location, and whether the child's family is on a waiting list for a publicly 
21.7 	funded program providing early education or child care services.
21.8 	~~(b)~~ (c) The commissioner shall establish a target for the average scholarship amount per 
21.9 	child based on the results of the rate survey conducted under section 119B.02.
21.10 	~~(c) A four-star rated program that has children eligible for a scholarship enrolled in or~~ 
21.11 	~~on a waiting list for a program beginning in July, August, or September may notify the~~ 
21.12 	~~commissioner, in the form and manner prescribed by the commissioner, each year of the~~ 
21.13 	~~program's desire to enhance program services or to serve more children than current funding~~ 
21.14 	~~provides. The commissioner may designate a predetermined number of scholarship slots~~ 
21.15 	~~for that program and notify the program of that number. For fiscal year 2018 and later, the~~ 
21.16 	~~statewide amount of funding directly designated by the commissioner must not exceed the~~ 
21.17 	~~funding directly designated for fiscal year 2017. Beginning July 1, 2016, a school district~~ 
21.18 	~~or Head Start program qualifying under this paragraph may use its established registration~~ 
21.19 	~~process to enroll scholarship recipients and may verify a scholarship recipient's family~~ 
21.20 	~~income in the same manner as for other program participants.~~
21.21 	(d) the commissioner may establish exploratory efforts to increase parent education and 
21.22 	family support services to families receiving early learning scholarships such as including 
21.23 	home visits and parent education services.
21.24 	~~(d)~~ (e) A scholarship is awarded for a 12-month period. If the scholarship recipient has 
21.25 	not been accepted and subsequently enrolled in a rated program within ~~ten~~ three months of 
21.26 	the awarding of the scholarship, the scholarship cancels and the recipient must reapply in 
21.27 	order to be eligible for another scholarship. An extension may be requested if a program is 
21.28 	unavailable for the child within the three-month timeline. A child may not be awarded more 
21.29 	than one scholarship in a 12-month period.
21.30 	~~(e)~~ (f) A child who receives a scholarship who has not completed development screening 
21.31 	under sections 121A.16 to 121A.19 must complete that screening within 90 days of first 
21.32 	attending an eligible program or within 90 days after the child's third birthday if awarded 
21.33 	a scholarship under the age of three.
22.1 	~~(f) For fiscal year 2017 and later, a school district or Head Start program enrolling~~ 
22.2 	~~scholarship recipients under paragraph (c) may apply to the commissioner, in the form and~~ 
22.3 	~~manner prescribed by the commissioner, for direct payment of state aid. Upon receipt of~~ 
22.4 	~~the application, the commissioner must pay each program directly for each approved~~ 
22.5 	~~scholarship recipient enrolled under paragraph (c) according to the metered payment system~~ 
22.6 	~~or another schedule established by the commissioner.~~

22.7 	Sec. 13. Minnesota Statutes 2021 Supplement, section 126C.05, subdivision 1, is amended 
22.8 	to read:
22.9 		Subdivision 1.Pupil unit. Pupil units for each Minnesota resident pupil under the age 
22.10 	of 21 or who meets the requirements of section 120A.20, subdivision 1, paragraph (c), in 
22.11 	average daily membership enrolled in the district of residence, in another district under 
22.12 	sections 123A.05 to 123A.08, 124D.03, 124D.08, or 124D.68; in a charter school under 
22.13 	chapter 124E; or for whom the resident district pays tuition under section 123A.18, 123A.22, 
22.14 	123A.30, 123A.32, 123A.44, 123A.488, 123B.88, subdivision 4, 124D.04, 124D.05, 125A.03 
22.15 	to 125A.24, 125A.51, or 125A.65, shall be counted according to this subdivision.
22.16 	(a) A prekindergarten pupil with a disability who is enrolled in a program approved by 
22.17 	the commissioner and has an individualized education program is counted as the ratio of 
22.18 	the number of hours of assessment and education service to 825 times 1.0 with a minimum 
22.19 	average daily membership of 0.28, but not more than 1.0 pupil unit.
22.20 	(b) A prekindergarten pupil who is assessed but determined not to be disabled is counted 
22.21 	as the ratio of the number of hours of assessment service to 825 times 1.0.
22.22 	~~(c) A kindergarten pupil with a disability who is enrolled in a program approved by the~~ 
22.23 	~~commissioner is counted as the ratio of the number of hours of assessment and education~~ 
22.24 	~~services required in the fiscal year by the pupil's individualized education program to 875,~~ 
22.25 	~~but not more than one.~~
22.26 	~~(d)~~ (c) A prekindergarten pupil who is not included in paragraph (a) or (b) and is enrolled 
22.27 	in ~~an approved~~ a voluntary public prekindergarten program under section 124D.151~~is~~ 
22.28 	~~counted as the ratio of the number of hours of instruction to 850 times 1.0, but not more~~ 
22.29 	~~than 0.6 pupil units~~ that meets the minimum hours required in section 120A.41 is counted 
22.30 	as a 1.0 pupil unit.
22.31 	~~(e)~~ (d) A kindergarten pupil ~~who is not included in paragraph (c)~~ is counted as 1.0 pupil 
22.32 	unit if the pupil is enrolled in a free all-day, every day kindergarten program available to 
22.33 	all kindergarten pupils at the pupil's school that meets the minimum hours requirement in 
23.1 	section 120A.41, or is counted as .55 pupil unit, if the pupil is not enrolled in a free all-day, 
23.2 	every day kindergarten program available to all kindergarten pupils at the pupil's school.
23.3 	~~(f)~~ (e) A pupil who is in any of grades 1 to 6 is counted as 1.0 pupil unit.
23.4 	~~(g)~~ (f) A pupil who is in any of grades 7 to 12 is counted as 1.2 pupil units.
23.5 	~~(h)~~ (g) A pupil who is in the postsecondary enrollment options program is counted as 
23.6 	1.2 pupil units.
23.7 	~~(i) For fiscal years 2018 through 2023, a prekindergarten pupil who:~~
23.8 	~~(1) is not included in paragraph (a), (b), or (d);~~
23.9 	~~(2) is enrolled in a school readiness plus program under Laws 2017, First Special Session~~ 
23.10 	~~chapter 5, article 8, section 9; and~~
23.11 	~~(3) has one or more of the risk factors specified by the eligibility requirements for a~~ 
23.12 	~~school readiness plus program,~~
23.13 	~~is counted as the ratio of the number of hours of instruction to 850 times 1.0, but not more~~ 
23.14 	~~than 0.6 pupil units. A pupil qualifying under this paragraph must be counted in the same~~ 
23.15 	~~manner as a voluntary prekindergarten student for all general education and other school~~ 
23.16 	~~funding formulas.~~

23.17 	EFFECTIVE DATE. This section is effective for revenue for fiscal year 2023 and later.

23.18 	Sec. 14. Minnesota Statutes 2021 Supplement, section 126C.05, subdivision 3, is amended 
23.19 	to read:
23.20 		Subd. 3.Compensation revenue pupil units. Compensation revenue pupil units must 
23.21 	be computed according to this subdivision.
23.22 	(a) The compensation revenue concentration percentage for each building in a district 
23.23 	equals the product of 100 times the ratio of:
23.24 	(1) the sum of the number of pupils enrolled in the building eligible to receive free lunch 
23.25 	plus one-half of the pupils eligible to receive reduced priced lunch on October 1 of the 
23.26 	previous fiscal year; to
23.27 	(2) the number of pupils enrolled in the building on October 1 of the previous fiscal 
23.28 	year.
23.29 	(b) The compensation revenue pupil weighting factor for a building equals the lesser of 
23.30 	one or the quotient obtained by dividing the building's compensation revenue concentration 
23.31 	percentage by 80.0.
24.1 	(c) The compensation revenue pupil units for a building equals the product of:
24.2 	(1) the sum of the number of pupils enrolled in the building eligible to receive free lunch 
24.3 	and one-half of the pupils eligible to receive reduced priced lunch on October 1 of the 
24.4 	previous fiscal year; times
24.5 	(2) the compensation revenue pupil weighting factor for the building; times
24.6 	(3) .60.
24.7 	(d) Notwithstanding paragraphs (a) to (c), for voluntary prekindergarten programs under 
24.8 	section 124D.151, charter schools, and contracted alternative programs in the first year of 
24.9 	operation, compensation revenue pupil units shall be computed using data for the current 
24.10 	fiscal year. If the voluntary prekindergarten program, charter school, or contracted alternative 
24.11 	program begins operation after October 1, compensatory revenue pupil units shall be 
24.12 	computed based on pupils enrolled on an alternate date determined by the commissioner, 
24.13 	and the compensation revenue pupil units shall be prorated based on the ratio of the number 
24.14 	of days of student instruction to 170 days.
24.15 	~~(e) Notwithstanding paragraphs (a) to (c), for voluntary prekindergarten seats discontinued~~ 
24.16 	~~in fiscal year 2024 due to the reduction in the participation limit under section 124D.151,~~ 
24.17 	~~subdivision 6, those discontinued seats must not be used to calculate compensation revenue~~ 
24.18 	~~pupil units for fiscal year 2024.~~
24.19 	~~(f)~~ (e) The percentages in this subdivision must be based on the count of individual 
24.20 	pupils and not on a building average or minimum.

24.21 	EFFECTIVE DATE. This section is effective for revenue for fiscal year 2023 and later.

24.22 	Sec. 15. Minnesota Statutes 2021 Supplement, section 126C.10, subdivision 2d, is amended 
24.23 	to read:
24.24 		Subd. 2d.Declining enrollment revenue. (a) A school district's declining enrollment 
24.25 	revenue equals the greater of zero or the product of: (1) 28 percent of the formula allowance 
24.26 	for that year and (2) the difference between the adjusted pupil units for the preceding year 
24.27 	and the adjusted pupil units for the current year.
24.28 	(b) Notwithstanding paragraph (a), for public prekindergarten programs for fiscal year 
24.29 	~~2024~~ 2023 only, prekindergarten pupil units under section 126C.05, subdivision 1, paragraph 
24.30 	~~(d)~~ (c), must be excluded from the calculation of declining enrollment revenue.

24.31 	EFFECTIVE DATE. This section is effective for revenue for fiscal year 2023 and later.

25.1 	Sec. 16. Minnesota Statutes 2021 Supplement, section 245.4889, subdivision 1, is amended 
25.2 	to read:
25.3 		Subdivision 1.Establishment and authority. (a) The commissioner is authorized to 
25.4 	make grants from available appropriations to assist:
25.5 	(1) counties;
25.6 	(2) Indian tribes;
25.7 	(3) children's collaboratives under section 124D.23 or 245.493; ~~or~~
25.8 	(4) mental health service providers~~.~~; or
25.9 	(5) school districts and charter schools.
25.10 	(b) The following services are eligible for grants under this section:
25.11 	(1) services to children with emotional disturbances as defined in section 245.4871, 
25.12 	subdivision 15, and their families;
25.13 	(2) transition services under section 245.4875, subdivision 8, for young adults under 
25.14 	age 21 and their families;
25.15 	(3) respite care services for children with emotional disturbances or severe emotional 
25.16 	disturbances who are at risk of out-of-home placement. A child is not required to have case 
25.17 	management services to receive respite care services;
25.18 	(4) children's mental health crisis services;
25.19 	(5) mental health services for people from cultural and ethnic minorities, including 
25.20 	supervision of clinical trainees who are Black, indigenous, or people of color;
25.21 	(6) children's mental health screening and follow-up diagnostic assessment and treatment;
25.22 	(7) services to promote and develop the capacity of providers to use evidence-based 
25.23 	practices in providing children's mental health services;
25.24 	(8) school-linked mental health services under section 245.4901;
25.25 	(9) building evidence-based mental health intervention capacity for children birth to age 
25.26 	five;
25.27 	(10) suicide prevention and counseling services that use text messaging statewide;
25.28 	(11) mental health first aid training;
26.1 	(12) training for parents, collaborative partners, and mental health providers on the 
26.2 	impact of adverse childhood experiences and trauma and development of an interactive 
26.3 	website to share information and strategies to promote resilience and prevent trauma;
26.4 	(13) transition age services to develop or expand mental health treatment and supports 
26.5 	for adolescents and young adults 26 years of age or younger;
26.6 	(14) early childhood mental health consultation;
26.7 	(15) evidence-based interventions for youth at risk of developing or experiencing a first 
26.8 	episode of psychosis, and a public awareness campaign on the signs and symptoms of 
26.9 	psychosis;
26.10 	(16) psychiatric consultation for primary care practitioners; and
26.11 	(17) providers to begin operations and meet program requirements when establishing a 
26.12 	new children's mental health program. These may be start-up grants.
26.13 	(c) Services under paragraph (b) must be designed to help each child to function and 
26.14 	remain with the child's family in the community and delivered consistent with the child's 
26.15 	treatment plan. Transition services to eligible young adults under this paragraph must be 
26.16 	designed to foster independent living in the community.
26.17 	(d) As a condition of receiving grant funds, a grantee shall obtain all available third-party 
26.18 	reimbursement sources, if applicable.

26.19 	Sec. 17. Laws 2021, First Special Session chapter 13, article 9, section 4, subdivision 3, 
26.20 	is amended to read:
26.21 		Subd. 3.Early learning scholarships. (a) For the early learning scholarship program 
26.22 	under Minnesota Statutes, section 124D.165:

26.23 | | $ | 70,709,000 | ..... | 2022
26.2526.24

$

~~70,709,000~~
122,065,000

.....

2023

26.26 	(b) This appropriation is subject to the requirements under Minnesota Statutes, section 
26.27 	124D.165, subdivision 6.
26.28 	(c) Notwithstanding Minnesota Statutes, section 124D.165, for fiscal year 2023 only, 
26.29 	the commissioner may allocate funds to Head Start and licensed center and family child 
26.30 	care providers as necessary to implement the voluntary public prekindergarten transition 
26.31 	year outlined in section 15, including allocating funds under Minnesota Statutes, section 
26.32 	124D.165, as they existed prior to the date of enactment of this act.
27.1 	(d) The base for fiscal year 2024 is $122,280,000 and the base for fiscal year 2025 is 
27.2 	$120,287,000.

27.3 	Sec. 18. Laws 2021, First Special Session chapter 13, article 9, section 4, subdivision 5, 
27.4 	is amended to read:
27.5 		Subd. 5.Early childhood family education aid. (a) For early childhood family education 
27.6 	aid under Minnesota Statutes, section 124D.135:

27.827.7

$

~~35,003,000~~
34,121,000

.....

2022

27.1027.9

$

~~36,478,000~~
36,676,000

.....

2023

27.11 	(b) The 2022 appropriation includes $3,341,000 for 2021 and ~~$31,662,000~~ $30,780,000
27.12 	for 2022.
27.13 	(c) The 2023 appropriation includes ~~$3,518,000~~ $3,419,000 for 2022 and ~~$32,960,000~~
27.14 	$33,257,000 for 2023.

27.15 	Sec. 19. Laws 2021, First Special Session chapter 13, article 9, section 4, subdivision 6, 
27.16 	is amended to read:
27.17 		Subd. 6.Developmental screening aid. (a) For developmental screening aid under 
27.18 	Minnesota Statutes, sections 121A.17 and 121A.19:

27.2027.19

$

~~3,582,000~~
3,623,000

.....

2022

27.2227.21

$

~~3,476,000~~
4,470,000

.....

2023

27.23 	(b) The 2022 appropriation includes $360,000 for 2021 and ~~$3,222,000~~ $3,263,000 for 
27.24 	2022.
27.25 	(c) The 2023 appropriation includes ~~$357,000~~ $362,000 for 2022 and ~~$3,119,000~~
27.26 	$4,108,000 for 2023.

27.27 	Sec. 20. TRANSITION YEAR IN 2023.
 27.28 	(a) Fiscal year 2023 may serve as a transition year in order to give current voluntary 
27.29 	prekindergarten, school readiness plus, and early learning scholarships pathway II programs 
27.30 	a year to transition to the new voluntary public prekindergarten program for eligible 
27.31 	four-year-old children and to make the necessary adjustments to meet the additional program 
28.1 	requirements and facilitate relationships with all public prekindergarten program providers 
28.2 	within the school district boundaries.
28.3 	(b) For fiscal year 2023 only, school districts operating a voluntary prekindergarten 
28.4 	program under Minnesota Statutes, section 124D.151, or school readiness plus program 
28.5 	under Laws 2017, First Special Session chapter 5, article 8, section 9, may apply to the 
28.6 	department of education to allow the program to continue to operate under the provisions 
28.7 	of Minnesota Statutes, sections 124D.151 and 126C.05, subdivision 1, as they existed prior 
28.8 	to the date of enactment of this act.

28.9 	Sec. 21. APPROPRIATIONS.
 28.10 		Subdivision 1.Department of Education. The sums indicated in this section are 
28.11 	appropriated from the general fund to the Department of Education for the fiscal years 
28.12 	designated.
28.13 		Subd. 2.Mental health services and early childhood social workers. (a) For grants 
28.14 	to fund social workers focused solely on early childhood systems that strengthen early 
28.15 	childhood programs and improve outcomes for participating children and families.

28.16 | | $ | 0 | ..... | 2022
28.17 | | $ | 2,500,000 | ..... | 2023
28.18 	(b) Eligible applicants are school districts and charter schools with early learning 
28.19 	programs that may include but are not limited to Head Start, early Head Start, and early 
28.20 	intervention programs serving children from birth to kindergarten that:
28.21 	(1) implement a family partnership process to support family well-being, family safety, 
28.22 	health, and economic stability;
28.23 	(2) identify family strengths and needs using the Head Start Parent Family and 
28.24 	Community Engagement Framework;
28.25 	(3) offer individualized family partnership services in collaboration with families; and
28.26 	(4) offer support services in collaboration or colocation with mental health practitioners 
28.27 	to provide training, coaching, or skill building to early learning staff and parents.
28.28 	(c) This appropriation is in addition to any other federal funds a grantee receives for this 
28.29 	purpose.
28.30 	(d) Any balance in the first year does not cancel and is available in the second year.
29.1 	(e) Up to five percent of this appropriation may be retained for grant administration 
29.2 	costs.
29.3 		Subd. 3.Voluntary public prekindergarten through mixed delivery. For voluntary 
29.4 	public prekindergarten provided by Head Start and licensed center and family child care 
29.5 	providers under Minnesota Statutes, section 124D.151, subdivision 3a, paragraphs (b) and 
29.6 	(c).

29.7 | | $ | 0 | ..... | 2022
29.8 | | $ | 96,920,000 | ..... | 2023
29.9 		Subd. 4.Infant and early childhood mental health consultation in schools. (a) For 
29.10 	transfer to the commissioner of human services for grants to create an early childhood mental 
29.11 	health system of care in schools under Minnesota Statutes, section 245.4889, subdivision 
29.12 	1, paragraph (a), clause (5).

29.13 | | $ | 0 | ..... | 2022
29.14 | | $ | 3,759,000 | ..... | 2023
29.15 	(b) Of this amount, $3,350,000 is available for grants. Eligible uses include services 
29.16 	under Minnesota Statutes, section 245.4889, subdivision 1, paragraph (b), clause (14).
29.17 	(c) Any balance in the first year does not cancel and is available in the second year.
29.18 		Subd. 5.BOLD literacy. (a) For the Minnesota BOLD statewide literacy plan to increase 
29.19 	the equitable access to effective literacy experiences for all students by ensuring school 
29.20 	leaders and educators are trained in the science of reading; supporting effective 
29.21 	implementation and measurement of instructional practices aligned to state standards through 
29.22 	the multitiered systems of support framework; and utilizing data literacy to inform instruction, 
29.23 	inform educator development, evaluate resource deployment and policy, and employ 
29.24 	intentional family and community engagement strategies.

29.25 | | $ | 0 | ..... | 2022
29.26 | | $ | 5,000,000 | ..... | 2023
29.27 	(b) Of this amount, $1,750,000 is for the Department of Education to establish science 
29.28 	of reading academies to be provided at no cost to educators who work in Minnesota school 
29.29 	districts and charter schools to complete Language Essentials for Teachers of Reading and 
29.30 	Spelling (LETRS) professional development. Educators who have completed LETRS may 
29.31 	have the opportunity to become LETRS facilitators through a train-the-trainer model.
29.32 	(c) Of this amount, $800,000 is to maintain a literacy unit at the Department of Education.
30.1 	(d) Of this amount, $1,200,000 is to expand literacy and dyslexia data collection and 
30.2 	reporting systems at the Department of Education in order to collect and analyze 
30.3 	prekindergarten through grade 3 data including foundational reading skills, dyslexia screening 
30.4 	data, and screening results of multilingual learners.
30.5 	(e) Of this amount, $1,000,000 is for state library services grants to support 
30.6 	evidence-based early literacy practices rooted in the science of reading in school and 
30.7 	community libraries.
30.8 	(f) Of this amount, $250,000 is for a grant to Reach Out and Read.
30.9 	(g) Funds may be used for grant administration costs.
30.10 		Subd. 6.Grow Your Own Early Childhood Educator programs. (a) For grants to 
30.11 	develop, continue, or expand the Grow Your Own Early Childhood Educator program under 
30.12 	Minnesota Statutes, section 122A.731:

30.13 | | $ | 0 | ..... | 2022
30.14 | | $ | 3,860,000 | ..... | 2023
30.15 	(b) This appropriation is subject to the requirements under section 122A.731, subdivision 
30.16 	4.
30.17 	(c) The base is $3,805,000 for fiscal year 2024.
30.18 		Subd. 7.Early childhood family education licensure grant. (a) For a grant to the 
30.19 	University of Minnesota to provide scholarships for prospective teachers enrolled in the 
30.20 	parent and family education licensure program to cover the cost of attendance in the program:

30.21 | | $ | 0 | ..... | 2022
30.22 | | $ | 177,000 | ..... | 2023
30.23 	(b) The commissioner may award additional grants to other postsecondary institutions 
30.24 	with parent and family education licensure programs if funds are available.
30.25 	(c) A grant application must at least include:
30.26 	(1) the in-kind, coordination, and mentorship services to be provided by the postsecondary 
30.27 	institution;
30.28 	(2) the process for identifying and recruiting prospective teachers who represent known 
30.29 	parent and family education teacher licensure shortage areas, both demographic and 
30.30 	geographic;
31.1 	(3) the process for coordinating with school districts to support prospective teachers in 
31.2 	completing a licensure program or working in an early childhood family education program; 
31.3 	and
31.4 	(4) the process for prioritizing and awarding scholarships to students.
31.5 	(d) A grant recipient must report in a form and manner determined by the commissioner 
31.6 	on their activities under this subdivision, including the number of participants; the percentage 
31.7 	of participants who are of color or American Indian; the percentage of participants who 
31.8 	reside in, or will be employed in, school districts located in the rural equity region as defined 
31.9 	in Minnesota Statutes, section 126C.10, subdivision 28; an assessment of program 
31.10 	effectiveness, including participant feedback and areas of improvement; the percentage of 
31.11 	participants continuing to pursue parent and family education licensure; and where applicable, 
31.12 	the number of participants hired in a district as parent and family education teachers after 
31.13 	completing the preparation program.
31.14 	(e) The base for fiscal year 2024 is $177,000. The base for fiscal year 2025 is $0.