Subdivision 1. Establishment; purpose. A district or a group of districts may establish a school readiness program for children age three to kindergarten entrance. The purpose of a school readiness program is to prepare children to enter kindergarten.
Subd. 2. [Repealed, 1Sp2005 c 5 art 7 s 21]
Subd. 3. Program requirements. A school readiness program provider must:
(1) assess each child's cognitive and language skills with a comprehensive child assessment instrument when the child enters and again before the child leaves the program to improve program planning and implementation, communicate with parents, and promote kindergarten readiness;
(2) provide comprehensive program content and intentional instructional practice aligned with the state early childhood learning guidelines and kindergarten standards and based on early childhood research and professional practice that is focused on children's cognitive, social, emotional, and physical skills and development and prepares children for the transition to kindergarten, including early literacy and language skills;
(3) coordinate appropriate kindergarten transition with parents and kindergarten teachers;
(4) involve parents in program planning and decision making;
(5) coordinate with relevant community-based services;
(6) cooperate with adult basic education programs and other adult literacy programs;
(7) ensure staff-child ratios of one-to-ten and maximum group size of 20 children with the first staff required to be a teacher; and
(8) have teachers knowledgeable in early childhood curriculum content, assessment, native and English language development programs, and instruction.
Subd. 3a. Application and reporting requirements. (a) A school readiness program provider must include a biennial plan in the district's world's best workforce plan under section 120B.11, describing how the school readiness program meets the program requirements under subdivision 3.
(b) Programs receiving school readiness funds annually must submit a report to the department.
Subd. 4. [Repealed, 1Sp2005 c 5 art 7 s 21]
Subd. 5. Services with new or existing providers. A district may contract with a charter school or community-based organization to provide eligible children developmentally appropriate services that meet the program requirements in subdivision 3. In the alternative, a district may pay tuition or fees to place an eligible child in an existing program. A district may establish a new program where no existing, reasonably accessible program meets the program requirements in subdivision 3. Services may be provided in a site-based program or in the home of the child or a combination of both. The district may not restrict participation to district residents.
Subd. 6. [Repealed, 1Sp2005 c 5 art 7 s 21]
Subd. 7. [Repealed, 1Sp2005 c 5 art 7 s 21]
Subd. 8. [Repealed, 1Sp2005 c 5 art 7 s 21]
Subd. 9. [Repealed, 1Sp2005 c 5 art 7 s 21]
Subd. 10. Supervision. A program provided by a board must be supervised by a licensed early childhood teacher, a certified early childhood educator, or a licensed parent educator.
Subd. 11. [Repealed, 1Sp2005 c 5 art 7 s 21]
Subd. 12. Program fees. A district must adopt a sliding fee schedule based on a family's income but must waive a fee for a participant unable to pay. School districts must use school readiness aid for eligible children. Children who do not meet the eligibility requirements in subdivision 15 may participate on a fee-for-service basis.
Subd. 13. [Repealed, 1Sp2005 c 5 art 7 s 21]
Subd. 14. Assistance. The department must assist districts, upon request, with programs under this section.
Subd. 15. Eligibility. A child is eligible to participate in a school readiness program if the child:
(1) is at least three years old on September 1;
(2) has completed health and developmental screening within 90 days of program enrollment under sections 121A.16 to 121A.19; and
(3) has one or more of the following risk factors:
(i) qualifies for free or reduced-price lunch;
(ii) is an English learner;
(iii) is homeless;
(iv) has an individualized education program (IEP) or standardized written plan;
(v) is identified, through health and developmental screenings under sections 121A.16 to 121A.19, with a potential risk factor that may influence learning; or
(vi) is defined as at risk by the school district.
1991 c 265 art 7 s 6; 1993 c 224 art 4 s 8; 1994 c 647 art 4 s 11; 1997 c 162 art 1 s 3,4; 1998 c 397 art 3 s 20-27,103; art 11 s 3; 1999 c 205 art 1 s 70; 1Sp2003 c 9 art 7 s 8; 1Sp2005 c 5 art 7 s 6-12; 2007 c 146 art 9 s 13; 2009 c 96 art 6 s 5; 2010 c 346 art 1 s 6-8; 2012 c 239 art 1 s 33; 2014 c 272 art 1 s 32; 1Sp2015 c 3 art 9 s 4; 2016 c 189 art 25 s 33; art 29 s 3
Structure Minnesota Statutes
Chapters 120 - 129C — Education Code: Prekindergarten - Grade 12
Chapter 124D — Education Programs
Section 124D.01 — Definitions.
Section 124D.02 — School Board Powers; Enrollment.
Section 124D.03 — Enrollment Options Program.
Section 124D.04 — Options For Enrolling In Adjoining States.
Section 124D.041 — Reciprocity With Adjoining States.
Section 124D.05 — Attending School In Another State; Severance Pay.
Section 124D.08 — School Boards' Approval To Enroll In Nonresident District; Exceptions.
Section 124D.085 — Experiential And Applied Learning Opportunities For Students.
Section 124D.09 — Postsecondary Enrollment Options Act.
Section 124D.091 — Concurrent Enrollment Program Aid.
Section 124D.093 — P-tech Schools.
Section 124D.095 — Online Learning Option.
Section 124D.096 — Online Learning Aid.
Section 124D.111 — School Meals Policies; Lunch Aid; Food Service Accounting.
Section 124D.1115 — Free And Reduced-price School Lunch Program Data Sharing.
Section 124D.114 — Lactose Reduced Milk.
Section 124D.1158 — School Breakfast Program.
Section 124D.117 — Districts To Offer School Breakfast Program.
Section 124D.118 — School Milk Program.
Section 124D.119 — Summer Food Service Replacement Aid.
Section 124D.1191 — Donations To Food Shelf Programs.
Section 124D.1195 — Commodity Donated Food Revolving Fund.
Section 124D.12 — Purpose Of Flexible Learning Year Programs.
Section 124D.121 — Definition Of Flexible Learning Year Program.
Section 124D.122 — Establishment Of Flexible Learning Year Program.
Section 124D.123 — Division Of Children Into Groups.
Section 124D.124 — Public Hearing Before Implementation.
Section 124D.125 — Assignment Of Teachers.
Section 124D.126 — Powers And Duties Of Commissioner; Flexible Learning Year Programs.
Section 124D.127 — Termination Of Flexible Learning Year Program.
Section 124D.128 — Learning Year Program To Provide Instruction Throughout Year.
Section 124D.129 — Educate Parents Partnership.
Section 124D.13 — Early Childhood Family Education (ecfe) Programs.
Section 124D.135 — Early Childhood Family Education (ecfe) Revenue.
Section 124D.141 — State Advisory Council On Early Childhood Education And Care.
Section 124D.142 — Quality Rating And Improvement System.
Section 124D.15 — School Readiness Programs.
Section 124D.151 — Voluntary Prekindergarten Program.
Section 124D.16 — School Readiness Aid.
Section 124D.162 — Kindergarten Readiness Assessment.
Section 124D.165 — Early Learning Scholarships.
Section 124D.166 — Limit On Screen Time For Children In Preschool And Kindergarten.
Section 124D.18 — Purpose Of Community Education Programs.
Section 124D.19 — Community Education Programs; Advisory Council.
Section 124D.20 — Community Education Revenue.
Section 124D.22 — School-age Care Revenue.
Section 124D.2211 — After-school Community Learning Programs.
Section 124D.23 — Family Services And Community-based Collaboratives.
Section 124D.231 — Full-service Community Schools.
Section 124D.34 — Minnesota Foundation For Student Organizations.
Section 124D.35 — Youth Entrepreneurship Education Program.
Section 124D.355 — Vocational Education Student Organizations.
Section 124D.36 — Citation; Serveminnesota Innovation Act.
Section 124D.37 — Purpose Of Serveminnesota Innovation Act.
Section 124D.38 — Definitions.
Section 124D.385 — Minnesota Commission On National And Community Service.
Section 124D.39 — Serveminnesota Innovation Program.
Section 124D.40 — Serveminnesota Innovation Grants.
Section 124D.42 — Reading And Math Corps.
Section 124D.44 — Match Requirements.
Section 124D.45 — Evaluation And Reporting Requirements.
Section 124D.452 — District Report; Career And Technical Education.
Section 124D.4531 — Career And Technical Revenue.
Section 124D.454 — Access To Minnesota's Transition System For Children With A Disability.
Section 124D.46 — Education And Employment Transitions System.
Section 124D.47 — Comprehensive Youth Apprenticeship Program.
Section 124D.49 — Education And Employment Transitions Partnerships.
Section 124D.50 — Service-learning And Work-based Learning Curriculum And Programs.
Section 124D.505 — Minnesota Career Information System.
Section 124D.51 — Evening Schools; Adult And Continuing Education.
Section 124D.518 — Adult Basic Education Aid Definitions.
Section 124D.52 — Adult Basic Education.
Section 124D.521 — Consortium Requirements.
Section 124D.522 — Adult Basic Education Supplemental Service Grants.
Section 124D.531 — Adult Basic Education Aid.
Section 124D.549 — Commissioner-selected High School Equivalency Test.
Section 124D.55 — Commissioner-selected High School Equivalency Test Fees.
Section 124D.56 — Community Education Program Revenue; Adults With Disabilities.
Section 124D.57 — Educational Support Services For People Who Are Deaf, Deafblind, Hard-of-hearing.
Section 124D.58 — Citation; Education For English Learners Act.
Section 124D.59 — Definitions.
Section 124D.60 — Rights Of Parents.
Section 124D.61 — General Requirements For Programs.
Section 124D.63 — Technical Assistance.
Section 124D.64 — Discrimination Prohibited.
Section 124D.645 — Multiracial Diversity.
Section 124D.65 — English Learner (el) Programs Aid.
Section 124D.66 — Assurance Of Mastery Programs.
Section 124D.68 — Graduation Incentives Program.
Section 124D.69 — Aid For Alternative Programs Provided Under Contract.
Section 124D.695 — Approved Recovery Program Funding.
Section 124D.71 — Citation; American Indian Education Act.
Section 124D.73 — Definitions.
Section 124D.74 — American Indian Education Programs.
Section 124D.75 — Licenses For American Indian Language And Culture Education Teachers; Exemptions.
Section 124D.76 — Community Coordinators, Indian Home/school Liaisons, Paraprofessionals.
Section 124D.77 — Recruiting And Retaining Indian Teachers.
Section 124D.78 — Parent And Community Participation.
Section 124D.79 — Community And Commissioner Participation In American Indian Education.
Section 124D.791 — Indian Education Director.
Section 124D.81 — American Indian Education Aid.
Section 124D.82 — Discrimination Prohibited.
Section 124D.83 — State Revenue For American Indian Tribal Contract Or Grant Schools.
Section 124D.855 — School Segregation Prohibited.
Section 124D.861 — Achievement And Integration For Minnesota.
Section 124D.862 — Achievement And Integration Revenue.
Section 124D.87 — Achievement And Integration Transportation Aid.
Section 124D.892 — Office Of Desegregation/integration.
Section 124D.895 — Parental Involvement Programs.
Section 124D.8955 — Parent And Family Involvement Policy.
Section 124D.8957 — Prekindergarten Through Grade 12 Parental Rights Coded Elsewhere.
Section 124D.896 — Desegregation/integration And Inclusive Education Rules.
Section 124D.90 — School Enrichment Partnership Program.
Section 124D.955 — Healthy Kids Awards Program.
Section 124D.957 — Minnesota Youth Council Committee.
Section 124D.96 — Welfare And Correctional Institutions' Policies For Educational Programs.