Bill Text: MN HF3131 | 2013-2014 | 88th Legislature | Introduced
Bill Title: Early learning scholarship availability expanded, home health visit program funded, child care providers assisted with participation in the quality rating system, early childhood scholarship pilot program created, and money appropriated.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 24-1)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2014-03-20 - Author added Freiberg [HF3131 Detail]
Download: Minnesota-2013-HF3131-Introduced.html
1.2relating to early learning; expanding the availability of early learning
1.3scholarships; funding home health visit programs; providing assistance to child
1.4care providers to participate in the quality rating system; creating an early
1.5childhood scholarship pilot program; appropriating money;amending Minnesota
1.6Statutes 2013 Supplement, section 124D.165, subdivision 3, by adding a
1.7subdivision; Laws 2013, chapter 116, article 8, section 5, subdivision 8.
1.8BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:
1.9 Section 1. Minnesota Statutes 2013 Supplement, section 124D.165, subdivision 3,
1.10is amended to read:
1.11 Subd. 3. Administration. (a) The commissioner shall establish application
1.12timelines and determine the schedule for awarding scholarships that meets operational
1.13needs of eligible families and programs. The commissioner may prioritize applications on
1.14factors including family income, geographic location, and whether the child's family is on a
1.15waiting list for a publicly funded program providing early education or child care services.
1.16(b) Scholarships may be awardedup to $5,000 for each eligible child per year. The
1.17commissioner shall establish a target for the average annual scholarship amount per child
1.18based on the results of the rate survey conducted under section 119B.02.
1.19(c) A four-star rated program that has children eligible for a scholarship enrolled
1.20in or on a waiting list for a program beginning in July, August, or September may notify
1.21the commissioner, in the form and manner prescribed by the commissioner, each year
1.22of the program's desire to enhance program services or to serve more children than
1.23current funding provides. The commissioner may designate a predetermined number of
1.24scholarship slots for that program and notify the program of that number.
2.1(d) A scholarship is awarded for a 12-month period. If the scholarship recipient has
2.2not been accepted and subsequently enrolled in a rated program within ten months of the
2.3awarding of the scholarship, the scholarship cancels and the recipient must reapply in
2.4order to be eligible for another scholarship. A child may not be awarded more than one
2.5scholarship in a 12-month period.
2.6(e) A child who receives a scholarship who has not completed development
2.7screening under sections121A.16 to
121A.19 must complete that screening within 90
2.8days of first attending an eligible program.
2.9EFFECTIVE DATE.This section is effective the day following final enactment.
2.10 Sec. 2. Minnesota Statutes 2013 Supplement, section 124D.165, is amended by adding
2.11a subdivision to read:
2.12 Subd. 6. Program funding. (a) Beginning in fiscal year 2016, the annual baseline
2.13appropriation for this program equals the lesser of:
2.14(1) twice the appropriation for the previous year; or
2.15(2) the actual amount necessary to fund all eligible scholarship requests.
2.16(b) The amount necessary is annually appropriated from the general fund to the
2.17commissioner of education for early education scholarships according to paragraph (a).
2.18This amount must be reduced by the amount of any money specifically appropriated for
2.19the same purpose in any year from any state fund.
2.20EFFECTIVE DATE.This section is effective the day following final enactment.
2.21 Sec. 3. Laws 2013, chapter 116, article 8, section 5, subdivision 8, is amended to read:
2.22 Subd. 8. Early childhood education scholarships. For transfer to the Office of
2.23Early Learning for early learning scholarships under Minnesota Statutes, section124D.165 :
2.27Up to $950,000 each year is for administration of this program.
2.28Any balance in the first year does not cancel but is available in the second year.
2.29EFFECTIVE DATE.This section is effective July 1, 2014.
2.30 Sec. 4. APPROPRIATIONS.
3.1 Subdivision 1. High-quality targeted home visiting. $500,000 in fiscal year 2015
3.2is appropriated from the general fund to the commissioner of health to consult with local
3.3public health boards and other stakeholders to:
3.4(1) establish standards of best practice and measurable quality indicators for targeted
3.5home visiting programs in Minnesota;
3.6(2) develop a comprehensive training and competency building program for home
3.7visitors around the state; and
3.8(3) support the establishment of a coordinated system of home visiting intake and
3.9service delivery at the local level.
3.10This is a onetime appropriation.
3.11 Subd. 2. Home visiting pilot project for highest risk families. $1,600,000 in
3.12fiscal year 2015 is appropriated from the general fund to the commissioner of health for
3.13a pilot project to expand high-quality home visiting, focusing on the youngest children
3.14living in the highest risk families receiving assistance through the Minnesota family
3.15investment program under Minnesota Statutes, chapter 256J, in two counties, one county
3.16in the seven-county metropolitan area and one nonmetropolitan county. The commissioner
3.17of health shall consult with the commissioner of human services on the administration of
3.18the pilot program. The commissioner of health shall report the results of the pilot project
3.19to the chairs and ranking minority members of the legislative committees with jurisdiction
3.20over health and human services policy and finance by January 1, 2016.
3.21 Subd. 3. Licensed family child care voluntary quality improvement pilot project.
3.22$2,750,000 in fiscal year 2015 is appropriated from the general fund to the commissioner of
3.23human services for creating a pilot project to provide support to licensed family child care
3.24providers seeking to participate in the state quality rating and improvement system. Grants
3.25of up to $8,000 may be made available to child care providers to apply to child care provider
3.26training, coaching, consultation, and supports to prepare for the voluntary Minnesota
3.27quality rating system rating tool. These grants must help child care providers build
3.28quality child care programs, including, but not limited to, relationship-based professional
3.29development through mentoring and coaching and ensuring that training is offered to
3.30providers in the provider's native language and available to providers of all income levels.
3.31A report on the progress of this pilot project must be provided to the chairs and ranking
3.32minority members of the legislative committees with jurisdiction over health and human
3.33services policy and finance by January 15, 2015. This is a onetime appropriation.
4.1 Subd. 4. Transformation zone early childhood scholarships; pilot program. (a)
4.2$15,030,000 in fiscal year 2015 is appropriated from the general fund to the commissioner
4.3of education for transformation zone early childhood scholarships under paragraph (b).
4.4This is a onetime appropriation.
4.5(b) An early childhood scholarship pilot program is created to extend opportunities
4.6to families residing in any of Minnesota's four transformation zones. A family living in a
4.7transformation zone that has a child under the age of three may apply for a transformation
4.8zone early learning scholarship under Minnesota Statutes, section 124D.165. The
4.9commissioner, in consultation with administrators for the transformation zones, will
4.10determine scholarship criteria and maximum rates consistent with the needs of each zone.
4.11The commissioner may otherwise administer the transformation zone early childhood
4.12scholarships under Minnesota Statutes, section 124D.165. The duration of the pilot
4.13program may be for up to four years.
4.14(c) The commissioner must issue a preliminary report to the legislature by February
4.1515, 2015, on the program's progress and must issue a midpilot report on February 15,
4.162017, and a final report at the conclusion of the pilot program, which must describe the
4.17outcomes of the program and include recommendations to the legislature about the
4.18continuation of the program.
1.3scholarships; funding home health visit programs; providing assistance to child
1.4care providers to participate in the quality rating system; creating an early
1.5childhood scholarship pilot program; appropriating money;amending Minnesota
1.6Statutes 2013 Supplement, section 124D.165, subdivision 3, by adding a
1.7subdivision; Laws 2013, chapter 116, article 8, section 5, subdivision 8.
1.8BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:
1.9 Section 1. Minnesota Statutes 2013 Supplement, section 124D.165, subdivision 3,
1.10is amended to read:
1.11 Subd. 3. Administration. (a) The commissioner shall establish application
1.12timelines and determine the schedule for awarding scholarships that meets operational
1.13needs of eligible families and programs. The commissioner may prioritize applications on
1.14factors including family income, geographic location, and whether the child's family is on a
1.15waiting list for a publicly funded program providing early education or child care services.
1.16(b) Scholarships may be awarded
1.17commissioner shall establish a target for the average annual scholarship amount per child
1.18based on the results of the rate survey conducted under section 119B.02.
1.19(c) A four-star rated program that has children eligible for a scholarship enrolled
1.20in or on a waiting list for a program beginning in July, August, or September may notify
1.21the commissioner, in the form and manner prescribed by the commissioner, each year
1.22of the program's desire to enhance program services or to serve more children than
1.23current funding provides. The commissioner may designate a predetermined number of
1.24scholarship slots for that program and notify the program of that number.
2.1(d) A scholarship is awarded for a 12-month period. If the scholarship recipient has
2.2not been accepted and subsequently enrolled in a rated program within ten months of the
2.3awarding of the scholarship, the scholarship cancels and the recipient must reapply in
2.4order to be eligible for another scholarship. A child may not be awarded more than one
2.5scholarship in a 12-month period.
2.6(e) A child who receives a scholarship who has not completed development
2.7screening under sections
2.8days of first attending an eligible program.
2.9EFFECTIVE DATE.This section is effective the day following final enactment.
2.10 Sec. 2. Minnesota Statutes 2013 Supplement, section 124D.165, is amended by adding
2.11a subdivision to read:
2.12 Subd. 6. Program funding. (a) Beginning in fiscal year 2016, the annual baseline
2.13appropriation for this program equals the lesser of:
2.14(1) twice the appropriation for the previous year; or
2.15(2) the actual amount necessary to fund all eligible scholarship requests.
2.16(b) The amount necessary is annually appropriated from the general fund to the
2.17commissioner of education for early education scholarships according to paragraph (a).
2.18This amount must be reduced by the amount of any money specifically appropriated for
2.19the same purpose in any year from any state fund.
2.20EFFECTIVE DATE.This section is effective the day following final enactment.
2.21 Sec. 3. Laws 2013, chapter 116, article 8, section 5, subdivision 8, is amended to read:
2.22 Subd. 8. Early childhood education scholarships. For transfer to the Office of
2.23Early Learning for early learning scholarships under Minnesota Statutes, section
| 2.24 |
$ |
23,000,000 |
..... |
2014 |
|
| 2.25 2.26 |
$ |
43,000,000 |
..... |
2015 |
2.28Any balance in the first year does not cancel but is available in the second year.
2.29EFFECTIVE DATE.This section is effective July 1, 2014.
2.30 Sec. 4. APPROPRIATIONS.
3.1 Subdivision 1. High-quality targeted home visiting. $500,000 in fiscal year 2015
3.2is appropriated from the general fund to the commissioner of health to consult with local
3.3public health boards and other stakeholders to:
3.4(1) establish standards of best practice and measurable quality indicators for targeted
3.5home visiting programs in Minnesota;
3.6(2) develop a comprehensive training and competency building program for home
3.7visitors around the state; and
3.8(3) support the establishment of a coordinated system of home visiting intake and
3.9service delivery at the local level.
3.10This is a onetime appropriation.
3.11 Subd. 2. Home visiting pilot project for highest risk families. $1,600,000 in
3.12fiscal year 2015 is appropriated from the general fund to the commissioner of health for
3.13a pilot project to expand high-quality home visiting, focusing on the youngest children
3.14living in the highest risk families receiving assistance through the Minnesota family
3.15investment program under Minnesota Statutes, chapter 256J, in two counties, one county
3.16in the seven-county metropolitan area and one nonmetropolitan county. The commissioner
3.17of health shall consult with the commissioner of human services on the administration of
3.18the pilot program. The commissioner of health shall report the results of the pilot project
3.19to the chairs and ranking minority members of the legislative committees with jurisdiction
3.20over health and human services policy and finance by January 1, 2016.
3.21 Subd. 3. Licensed family child care voluntary quality improvement pilot project.
3.22$2,750,000 in fiscal year 2015 is appropriated from the general fund to the commissioner of
3.23human services for creating a pilot project to provide support to licensed family child care
3.24providers seeking to participate in the state quality rating and improvement system. Grants
3.25of up to $8,000 may be made available to child care providers to apply to child care provider
3.26training, coaching, consultation, and supports to prepare for the voluntary Minnesota
3.27quality rating system rating tool. These grants must help child care providers build
3.28quality child care programs, including, but not limited to, relationship-based professional
3.29development through mentoring and coaching and ensuring that training is offered to
3.30providers in the provider's native language and available to providers of all income levels.
3.31A report on the progress of this pilot project must be provided to the chairs and ranking
3.32minority members of the legislative committees with jurisdiction over health and human
3.33services policy and finance by January 15, 2015. This is a onetime appropriation.
4.1 Subd. 4. Transformation zone early childhood scholarships; pilot program. (a)
4.2$15,030,000 in fiscal year 2015 is appropriated from the general fund to the commissioner
4.3of education for transformation zone early childhood scholarships under paragraph (b).
4.4This is a onetime appropriation.
4.5(b) An early childhood scholarship pilot program is created to extend opportunities
4.6to families residing in any of Minnesota's four transformation zones. A family living in a
4.7transformation zone that has a child under the age of three may apply for a transformation
4.8zone early learning scholarship under Minnesota Statutes, section 124D.165. The
4.9commissioner, in consultation with administrators for the transformation zones, will
4.10determine scholarship criteria and maximum rates consistent with the needs of each zone.
4.11The commissioner may otherwise administer the transformation zone early childhood
4.12scholarships under Minnesota Statutes, section 124D.165. The duration of the pilot
4.13program may be for up to four years.
4.14(c) The commissioner must issue a preliminary report to the legislature by February
4.1515, 2015, on the program's progress and must issue a midpilot report on February 15,
4.162017, and a final report at the conclusion of the pilot program, which must describe the
4.17outcomes of the program and include recommendations to the legislature about the
4.18continuation of the program.
