Bill Text: MN HF1058 | 2013-2014 | 88th Legislature | Introduced
NOTE: There are more recent revisions of this legislation. Read Latest Draft
Bill Title: Early learning scholarship program established, access to quality early learning and care expanded, funding provided, and money appropriated.
Spectrum: Moderate Partisan Bill (Democrat 21-3)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2014-03-24 - Author added Simon [HF1058 Detail]
Download: Minnesota-2013-HF1058-Introduced.html
Bill Title: Early learning scholarship program established, access to quality early learning and care expanded, funding provided, and money appropriated.
Spectrum: Moderate Partisan Bill (Democrat 21-3)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2014-03-24 - Author added Simon [HF1058 Detail]
Download: Minnesota-2013-HF1058-Introduced.html
1.2relating to education finance; establishing an early learning scholarship program;
1.3expanding access to quality early learning and care; appropriating money;
1.4proposing coding for new law in Minnesota Statutes, chapter 124D.
1.5BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:
1.6 Section 1. [124D.143] EARLY LEARNING SCHOLARSHIPS.
1.7 Subdivision 1. Early learning scholarships established. The Office of Early
1.8Learning must oversee the early learning scholarship program in consultation with the
1.9Minnesota Departments of Education, Human Services, and Health.
1.10 Subd. 2. Duties. The Office of Early Learning shall administer the early learning
1.11scholarship program, establish participation standards for children and their families,
1.12develop criteria for qualifying providers based on section 124D.142, and contract for
1.13administrative services as necessary with a resource and referral organization under
1.14section 119B.19, or other nonprofit or public entity.
1.15 Subd. 3. Definitions. (a) The terms defined in the subdivision apply to this section.
1.16(b) "Director" means the director of the Office of Early Learning.
1.17(c) "Eligible program" means a Head Start program under section 119A.50, school
1.18readiness program under section 124D.15, or other school district child-based program
1.19designed to provide early education services to children not yet in kindergarten, licensed
1.20center-based child care program under chapter 245A, or licensed family child care
1.21program under chapter 245A or other program providing early learning opportunities.
1.22(d) "Income" has the meaning given in section 119B.011, subdivision 15.
1.23(e) "Parent" means the parent or legal guardian of a child.
2.1(f) "Prospective program" means an eligible program that makes a commitment to
2.2enhance its quality of education and care and demonstrates to the director's satisfaction that
2.3the program is pursuing a program rating. For fiscal years 2016 and later, a prospective
2.4program must cite a hardship or demonstrate a special circumstance as to why the program
2.5is not yet ready to enter the rating process, before the director may grant it eligibility.
2.6(g) "Rated program" means an eligible program that receives one, two, three, or four
2.7stars under the quality rating and improvement system established in section 124D.142.
2.8 Subd. 4. Participant eligibility. The parent of a child who will be at least three
2.9years of age as of September 1 of the year of application, is eligible to apply for an early
2.10learning scholarship if the parent's income is at or below 185 percent of the federal poverty
2.11level. The director of the Office of Early Learning may specify the form and manner of
2.12the application for a scholarship. The director may establish a method to determine family
2.13income but a parent may meet this requirement by documenting their child's identification
2.14through another public funding eligibility process, including the free and reduced-price
2.15lunch program, National School Lunch Act, United States Code, title 42, section 1751,
2.16part 210; Head Start under federal Improving Head Start for School Readiness Act
2.17of 2007; Minnesota Family Investment Program under chapter 256J; and child care
2.18assistance programs under chapter 119B.
2.19 Subd. 5. Scholarship amount. The director annually shall determine the maximum
2.20scholarship amounts based on the annual child care market rate survey results adjusted for
2.21inflation as determined by the director, and may establish a range of scholarship amounts
2.22taking into account the child's level of need and geographic location. The scholarship
2.23amounts may be designed to be layered around other assistance programs available to that
2.24child. The director shall not consider local funds allocated to support an early learning
2.25program when layering scholarships around other assistance programs.
2.26 Subd. 6. Award of scholarships. (a) The director may establish application
2.27timelines and determine the schedule for awarding scholarships. The director may
2.28prioritize applications on factors including family income, geographic location, and
2.29needs of the child. To the extent practicable and taking into account family mobility, the
2.30scholarships must be awarded to eligible recipients by April 1 of each year for a child's
2.31participation in a program starting in August or September of that year. Any siblings
2.32of a child who has been awarded a scholarship under this section must be awarded a
2.33scholarship upon request provided the sibling attends the same program. A child who has
2.34received a scholarship under this section must continue to receive a scholarship until that
2.35child enrolls in kindergarten or turns six years of age.
3.1(b) A three- or four-star rated program that has a waiting list of children eligible for
3.2scholarships may notify the director of the program's desire to serve additional children in
3.3order to accommodate scholarship recipients. The director may designate a predetermined
3.4number of scholarship slots for that program and notify the program of that number.
3.5(c) A scholarship recipient may choose any available program and is not required to
3.6enroll in a program with a predetermined number of slots.
3.7(d) A child who receives a scholarship must complete development screening under
3.8sections 121A.16 to 121A.19 within 45 days of first attending an eligible program.
3.9 Subd. 7. Scholarship recipient choice of programs. A scholarship recipient may
3.10choose to apply to any rated program or prospective program for acceptance. If the
3.11scholarship recipient has not been accepted and subsequently enrolled in a rated program
3.12within ten months of receipt of the scholarship, the scholarship cancels and the recipient
3.13must reapply in order to be eligible for another scholarship.
3.14 Subd. 8. Building quality. For fiscal years 2014 and 2015 only, the director must
3.15develop a streamlined process to encourage eligible programs to enter the rating program.
3.16As a part of building quality in the system of providers, the director may grant a parent
3.17authority to use a scholarship at a prospective program.
3.18 Subd. 9. Provider reimbursement. The director may determine the form and
3.19method of payment to the fiscal agent for each program serving a scholarship recipient.
3.20The director may make quarterly payments on behalf of the scholarship recipient in
3.21advance of the services provided to the child, or arrange other payment methods for
3.22providers. The director may request information as necessary from providers to verify
3.23scholarship payments.
3.24 Subd. 10. Earned income calculation. Scholarships paid to providers on behalf
3.25of eligible parents must not be counted as earned income for the purposes of medical
3.26assistance, MinnesotaCare, Minnesota Family Investment Program, diversionary work
3.27program, child care assistance, or Head Start programs. Scholarships paid to providers on
3.28behalf of eligible parents must not be considered child care funds for the purposes of the
3.29child care assistance program under chapter 119B.
3.30 Subd. 11. Student identification number. The director may collect from
3.31participating programs data including, but not limited to, demographic, socioeconomic,
3.32participation, and assessment information related to scholarship program participants.
3.33Data collected under this subdivision are private, as defined by section 13.02, subdivision
3.3412. Participating program providers must treat the student identification numbers in a
3.35confidential manner and must not disclose those numbers except as authorized under this
4.1subdivision. A participating provider is liable for damages resulting from an improper
4.2release of a student identification number under this subdivision.
4.3 Subd. 12. Report required. The director, in consultation with the children's
4.4cabinet, shall develop and implement a plan to publicize and increase parent awareness of
4.5early learning scholarships. The director must report the results of the outreach efforts to
4.6the legislature by January 15 of each year.
4.7 Sec. 2. EARLY CHILDHOOD SCHOLARSHIPS.
4.8$78,000,000 in fiscal year 2014 and $105,000,000 in fiscal year 2015 are
4.9appropriated from the general fund to the commissioner of education for transfer to the
4.10Office of Early Learning for early education scholarship awards under section 1. The base
4.11appropriation for this program for fiscal year 2016 is $150,000,000.
1.3expanding access to quality early learning and care; appropriating money;
1.4proposing coding for new law in Minnesota Statutes, chapter 124D.
1.5BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:
1.6 Section 1. [124D.143] EARLY LEARNING SCHOLARSHIPS.
1.7 Subdivision 1. Early learning scholarships established. The Office of Early
1.8Learning must oversee the early learning scholarship program in consultation with the
1.9Minnesota Departments of Education, Human Services, and Health.
1.10 Subd. 2. Duties. The Office of Early Learning shall administer the early learning
1.11scholarship program, establish participation standards for children and their families,
1.12develop criteria for qualifying providers based on section 124D.142, and contract for
1.13administrative services as necessary with a resource and referral organization under
1.14section 119B.19, or other nonprofit or public entity.
1.15 Subd. 3. Definitions. (a) The terms defined in the subdivision apply to this section.
1.16(b) "Director" means the director of the Office of Early Learning.
1.17(c) "Eligible program" means a Head Start program under section 119A.50, school
1.18readiness program under section 124D.15, or other school district child-based program
1.19designed to provide early education services to children not yet in kindergarten, licensed
1.20center-based child care program under chapter 245A, or licensed family child care
1.21program under chapter 245A or other program providing early learning opportunities.
1.22(d) "Income" has the meaning given in section 119B.011, subdivision 15.
1.23(e) "Parent" means the parent or legal guardian of a child.
2.1(f) "Prospective program" means an eligible program that makes a commitment to
2.2enhance its quality of education and care and demonstrates to the director's satisfaction that
2.3the program is pursuing a program rating. For fiscal years 2016 and later, a prospective
2.4program must cite a hardship or demonstrate a special circumstance as to why the program
2.5is not yet ready to enter the rating process, before the director may grant it eligibility.
2.6(g) "Rated program" means an eligible program that receives one, two, three, or four
2.7stars under the quality rating and improvement system established in section 124D.142.
2.8 Subd. 4. Participant eligibility. The parent of a child who will be at least three
2.9years of age as of September 1 of the year of application, is eligible to apply for an early
2.10learning scholarship if the parent's income is at or below 185 percent of the federal poverty
2.11level. The director of the Office of Early Learning may specify the form and manner of
2.12the application for a scholarship. The director may establish a method to determine family
2.13income but a parent may meet this requirement by documenting their child's identification
2.14through another public funding eligibility process, including the free and reduced-price
2.15lunch program, National School Lunch Act, United States Code, title 42, section 1751,
2.16part 210; Head Start under federal Improving Head Start for School Readiness Act
2.17of 2007; Minnesota Family Investment Program under chapter 256J; and child care
2.18assistance programs under chapter 119B.
2.19 Subd. 5. Scholarship amount. The director annually shall determine the maximum
2.20scholarship amounts based on the annual child care market rate survey results adjusted for
2.21inflation as determined by the director, and may establish a range of scholarship amounts
2.22taking into account the child's level of need and geographic location. The scholarship
2.23amounts may be designed to be layered around other assistance programs available to that
2.24child. The director shall not consider local funds allocated to support an early learning
2.25program when layering scholarships around other assistance programs.
2.26 Subd. 6. Award of scholarships. (a) The director may establish application
2.27timelines and determine the schedule for awarding scholarships. The director may
2.28prioritize applications on factors including family income, geographic location, and
2.29needs of the child. To the extent practicable and taking into account family mobility, the
2.30scholarships must be awarded to eligible recipients by April 1 of each year for a child's
2.31participation in a program starting in August or September of that year. Any siblings
2.32of a child who has been awarded a scholarship under this section must be awarded a
2.33scholarship upon request provided the sibling attends the same program. A child who has
2.34received a scholarship under this section must continue to receive a scholarship until that
2.35child enrolls in kindergarten or turns six years of age.
3.1(b) A three- or four-star rated program that has a waiting list of children eligible for
3.2scholarships may notify the director of the program's desire to serve additional children in
3.3order to accommodate scholarship recipients. The director may designate a predetermined
3.4number of scholarship slots for that program and notify the program of that number.
3.5(c) A scholarship recipient may choose any available program and is not required to
3.6enroll in a program with a predetermined number of slots.
3.7(d) A child who receives a scholarship must complete development screening under
3.8sections 121A.16 to 121A.19 within 45 days of first attending an eligible program.
3.9 Subd. 7. Scholarship recipient choice of programs. A scholarship recipient may
3.10choose to apply to any rated program or prospective program for acceptance. If the
3.11scholarship recipient has not been accepted and subsequently enrolled in a rated program
3.12within ten months of receipt of the scholarship, the scholarship cancels and the recipient
3.13must reapply in order to be eligible for another scholarship.
3.14 Subd. 8. Building quality. For fiscal years 2014 and 2015 only, the director must
3.15develop a streamlined process to encourage eligible programs to enter the rating program.
3.16As a part of building quality in the system of providers, the director may grant a parent
3.17authority to use a scholarship at a prospective program.
3.18 Subd. 9. Provider reimbursement. The director may determine the form and
3.19method of payment to the fiscal agent for each program serving a scholarship recipient.
3.20The director may make quarterly payments on behalf of the scholarship recipient in
3.21advance of the services provided to the child, or arrange other payment methods for
3.22providers. The director may request information as necessary from providers to verify
3.23scholarship payments.
3.24 Subd. 10. Earned income calculation. Scholarships paid to providers on behalf
3.25of eligible parents must not be counted as earned income for the purposes of medical
3.26assistance, MinnesotaCare, Minnesota Family Investment Program, diversionary work
3.27program, child care assistance, or Head Start programs. Scholarships paid to providers on
3.28behalf of eligible parents must not be considered child care funds for the purposes of the
3.29child care assistance program under chapter 119B.
3.30 Subd. 11. Student identification number. The director may collect from
3.31participating programs data including, but not limited to, demographic, socioeconomic,
3.32participation, and assessment information related to scholarship program participants.
3.33Data collected under this subdivision are private, as defined by section 13.02, subdivision
3.3412. Participating program providers must treat the student identification numbers in a
3.35confidential manner and must not disclose those numbers except as authorized under this
4.1subdivision. A participating provider is liable for damages resulting from an improper
4.2release of a student identification number under this subdivision.
4.3 Subd. 12. Report required. The director, in consultation with the children's
4.4cabinet, shall develop and implement a plan to publicize and increase parent awareness of
4.5early learning scholarships. The director must report the results of the outreach efforts to
4.6the legislature by January 15 of each year.
4.7 Sec. 2. EARLY CHILDHOOD SCHOLARSHIPS.
4.8$78,000,000 in fiscal year 2014 and $105,000,000 in fiscal year 2015 are
4.9appropriated from the general fund to the commissioner of education for transfer to the
4.10Office of Early Learning for early education scholarship awards under section 1. The base
4.11appropriation for this program for fiscal year 2016 is $150,000,000.
