|
Overview
Minnesota has three state-funded initiatives that support prekindergarten
programs for its children. The state invests the greatest share of its early
education funding—$20.1 million a year—on its Head Start state supplement
program that provides funding to enhance services and expand slots in Head
Start programs.
According to the National Institute for Early Education Research (NIEER), this
state supplement supported Head Start slots for 1,839 three- and four-year
olds in 2005-2006. The funding for FY 2008 and FY 2009 is only $1 million
a year more than the annual funding for the prior two years.
In 1991, Minnesota established its School Readiness Program for all three-
to five-year-olds to prepare them for kindergarten. The program supports a
wide variety of services for preschoolers and their families, addressing their
health, nutrition, education, and social services needs. In the 2005-2006 school
year, 99.7% of school districts had a School Readiness program. About 83%
of those districts provided half-day preschool programs. The Minnesota Department
of
Education reports that 19,247 children attended a half-day School Readiness
preschool program for one to five days a week in FY 2005. About 66% of these
children were in a two-day program.
Funding for the First Grade Preparedness initiative, established in 1999,
is available to school districts with high numbers of students living in poverty.
Although focused on developing full-day kindergarten programs, the initiative
was projected to fund prekindergarten programs for 630 four-year-olds in FY
2006.
For FY 2008, Minnesota initiated a two-year pilot program to establish "Prekindergarten
Exploratory Projects" in the city of St. Paul and in Hennepin and Blue
Earth Counties to serve low-income three- and four-year-olds in high quality
settings. Appropriations are $2 million for FY 2008 and $4 million for FY 2009.
State Policy
In order to "achieve the goal for increased school readiness of all
Minnesota children," the legislature is requiring the commissioners
of education, human services, and health to identify ways to coordinate activities
and resources
related to early care and education. The commissioners will issue a progress
report in 2006.
The School Readiness Program in Minnesota is intended "to prepare children
to enter kindergarten," and the legislature established the First Grade
Preparedness program "to ensure that every child has the opportunity before
first grade to develop the skills and abilities necessary to read and succeed
in school [.] "
Eligibility Criteria
The School Readiness Program is open to all children between three and
five years old who have not entered kindergarten, although most district
programs begin at age 3½. Children are prioritized for services
based on a uniform health and development screening. They do not have to
reside
in the district that offers the program.
A preschool program is available to any four-year-old residing in
the attendance area of a qualifying school that offers a preschool component
as part of its First
Grade Preparedness program. School sites qualify by being ranked according
to each site’s free and reduced lunch count percentage for kindergarteners
(or for the whole school, if greater). One-quarter of the available state funding
for the program is allocated to each of four geographic areas of the state:
Minneapolis, St. Paul, suburban Minneapolis/St. Paul, and the rest of the state.
Separate eligibility rankings are maintained for each geographic area, and
revenue is distributed to eligible schools within each area, beginning at the
top of the list, until available revenue has been depleted.
Head Start programs receiving supplemental state funding serve three- and
four-year-olds who are eligible
based on a family income below the federal poverty level. Ten percent of
enrollees may have a family income exceeding the poverty level if they meet
other criteria.
Program Length/Duration
Although there is no statutory or regulatory program length requirement for
the School Readiness Program, 83% of school districts participating in the
program during FY 2004 and FY 2005 provided half-day preschool programs.
These programs ran from one to five days a week, with most children attending
two- or three-day programs.
The First Grade Preparedness program has no statutory or regulatory program
length requirement for sites offering a four-year-old preschool component.
Participating programs are required to establish a plan to provide extended
day services to serve as
many children as possible. Under Head Start guidelines, programs are required
to operate at least four days a week for a minimum
of three and one-half hours a day. Head Start programs can provide full-day
services themselves or in collaboration with other licensed child care providers,
and by FY 2013, at least 50% of children enrolled in the state-funded Head
Start program must be in full-day programs.
Funding
The state appropriates aid for the School Readiness Program from
the state’s general funds to the Department of Education for
allocation to schools participating in the program. The state
appropriations are
$10 million for FY 2008 and $10.2 million for FY 2009. Half of the available
school readiness
aid is allocated among the participating districts in proportion to the number
of four-year-old students participating in the program the previous year. The
other half of the aid is allocated among the participating districts in proportion
to the number of district students who were eligible for the free or reduced
lunch program the previous year. Participating districts are required to charge
fees based on a sliding fee schedule, but must waive the fee for any participant
unable to pay.
The First Grade Preparedness program is a grant program administered from
state general funds appropriated to the Department of Education. Although not
a "competitive" program, schools must qualify
for funding based
on geography and relative poverty. School sites qualify by being ranked according
to each
site’s free and reduced lunch count percentage for kindergarteners (or for
the whole school, if greater). One-quarter of the available state funding for
the program is allocated to each of four geographic areas of the state: Minneapolis,
St. Paul, suburban Minneapolis/St. Paul, and the rest of the state. Separate
eligibility rankings are maintained for each geographic area, and revenue is
distributed to eligible schools within each area, beginning at the top of the
list, until available revenue has been depleted. The amount
of the grant per
school is determined by a formula, multiplying the school’s kindergarten enrollment
for the previous year times 0.53 times the basic formula allowance. The formula
allowance for
FY 2006 is $4,783, and for FY 2007 and subsequent years it is $4,974. The state
appropriations for
the First Grade Preparedness program are $7.25 million a year for FY 2008 and
FY 2009.
The state appropriations for
the Head Start supplement are $20.1 million a year for FY 2008 and FY 2009,
a $1 million per year increase over the prior two years.
Quality Standards
In a national
survey of quality standards,
the National Institute for Early Education Research (NIEER) gave Minnesota’s
state-supplemented Head Start program a rating of eight out of ten. Head Start
programs receiving supplemental state funds must comply with the federal Head
Start Program Performance Standards. These standards require health services
and screening, family support services, and provision of meals for all children
participating in the program.
The maximum class size in Head Start centers is 20, with a staff/child ratio
of 1:10. Head Start teacher guidelines require teachers
to possess a minimum of a child development associate credential (CDA), which
does not meet the NIEER goal of requiring a bachelor’s degree
for all teachers. The teacher in-service requirement for Head Start also does
not meet NIEER’s benchmark of 15 hours or more per year. Site visits are required,
meeting the NIEER benchmark for program monitoring.
NIEER did not rate Minnesota’s School Readiness or First Grade Preparedness
programs.
School Readiness programs must "provide comprehensive program content based
on early childhood research and professional practice that is focused on children's
cognitive skills and
development…" Such programs "must be supervised by a licensed early
childhood teacher, a certified early childhood educator, or a licensed parent
educator." According to NIEER, all prekindergarten programs funded by
the state must have class sizes no greater than 20 and staff/child ratios of
1:10 or better. Minnesota requires all school districts to implement a comprehensive health
and development screening and referral program for all three- and four-year-olds.
Minnesota has adopted comprehensive Early Learning Standards "as
a guide for planning curriculum content and teaching strategies for children
in the preschool period of ages three to five." These standards meet NIEER’s
benchmark for comprehensive early learning standards.
Delivery of Preschool Services
School districts with school readiness programs must coordinate with relevant
community-based services and cooperate
with adult basic education programs and other adult literacy programs. Districts
may also provide school readiness services by contracting with charter schools
or community-based organizations, or by paying tuition or fees to place an
eligible child in an existing program. A district may also provide relevant
services in a child’s home.
Schools with First Grade Preparedness programs must collaborate with other
providers of school readiness and child development services.
Requirements for Student Assessment
and Program Evaluation
School readiness programs are required to conduct an assessment of
each child's cognitive skills when the child enters the program and before
the child leaves the program. Each program
must also submit an annual report to the Department of Education. There are
no separate assessment or evaluation requirements for the First Grade Preparedness
program.
Education Clause in State Constitution
In Minnesota, the legislature has a duty under the state constitution "to
establish a general and uniform system of public schools." The school
system established by the legislature must also be "thorough and efficient."
Summary of Case Law on School Finance System
The Minnesota Supreme Court has determined that education is a fundamental
right, insofar as students
are guaranteed a basic funding level that provides a "general and uniform
system of education." Whether the financing of that system is "thorough
and efficient" does not rise to the level of a fundamental right, and
only needs to meet the rational basis test.
In Skeen v. State, the plaintiffs—who
represented "property poor" suburban and rural school districts—challenged
the constitutionality of three provisions of the school funding formula that
provided supplemental revenue to districts above the basic state aid formula
revenue. The Minnesota Supreme Court found that the school finance system did
not violate either the education clause or the equal protection clause of the
state constitution. The parties had acknowledged that the plaintiffs’ were
meeting or exceeding all state educational standards, and any funding disparities
were rationally related to the state goal of encouraging local districts to
supplement basic revenue.
Summary of Case Law on Preschool
None of the cases have addressed preschool.
Minn. Const., Art. XIII, § 1
The stability of a republican form of government depending mainly upon the
intelligence of the people, it is the duty of the legislature to establish
a general and uniform system of public schools. The legislature shall
make such provisions by taxation or otherwise as will secure a thorough and
efficient system of public schools throughout the state.
Minn. Const., Art. XIII, § 2
In no case shall any public money or property be appropriated or used for
the support of schools wherein the distinctive doctrines, creeds or tenets
of any particular Christian or other religious sect are promulgated or taught.
Is Education a Fundamental
Right under the State Constitution?
Skeen v. State, 505 N.W.2d 299 (Minn. 1993)
In Skeen v. State, 505 N.W.2d 299, 313 (Minn. 1993), the Supreme Court
of Minnesota held that "education is a fundamental right under
the state constitution, not only because of its overall importance to the state
but also because of the explicit language used to describe this constitutional
mandate." However, in applying equal protection analysis under the state
constitution to the school financing system, the court held that, as long as
the statutory scheme provided students an adequate level of education meeting
all state standards, the question of whether funding was "thorough and
efficient" merely had to satisfy a "rational basis" test. "The
structure and history of the Minnesota Constitution indicates that while there
is a fundamental right to a ‘general and uniform system of education,’ that
fundamental right does not extend to the funding of the education system,
beyond providing a basic funding level to assure that a general and uniform
system is maintained."
School Finance Cases in Favor
of Plaintiffs:
None.
Standard for a Constitutionally
Adequate Education:
None.
School Finance Cases against
Plaintiffs:
Skeen v. State, 505 N.W.2d 299 (Minn. 1993)
Fifty-two suburban and rural school districts sued
the Minnesota Board of Education and Commissioner of Education, alleging
that the school finance system
created relative funding disparities in educational opportunity related to
property wealth. Twenty-four wealthier school districts intervened and joined
the case as defendants. The trial court held that the referendum levy, debt
service levy, and supplemental revenue components of the funding system violated
the constitutional guarantees of Minnesota’s education and equal protection
clauses.
The Minnesota Supreme Court rejected plaintiffs’ claims and reversed. Although
it found that there is a fundamental right to a general and uniform system
of education in Minnesota, the right did not extend to the funding of the system,
as long as a basic funding level was assured. Under the equalized foundation
formula in Minnesota, 93% of state funding under the basic revenue formula
was found to be fully equalized, and "the parties conceded that all plaintiff
districts met or exceeded the educational requirements of the state." Skeen
v. State, 505 N.W.2d at 302-303. The three revenue components at issue
accounted for the remaining 7% of state funding, and were also fully or partially
equalized. The Supreme Court thus held that "while the present system
may not be perfect…it clearly satisfies the state's constitutional duty to
provide a ‘general and uniform system of education’ to all students in the
state…."
In its equal protection analysis, the Court applied
the rational basis test and found that the three components at issue were
rationally related to the
state’s "legitimate interest in encouraging local districts to supplement
the basic revenue component [.] " Id. at 316.
Decisions Ruling School Finance
Issues Were Non-Justiciable:
None.
Cases Related to State-Funded
Preschool:
None.
Pending School Finance Cases:
None.
Minnesota Statutes (Minn. Stat.) § 119A.50 et
seq., Head Start Program
Minnesota Statutes (Minn. Stat.) § 120A.20, Admission to public school.
Minnesota Statutes (Minn. Stat.) § 124D.081, First-Grade Preparedness
Program
Minnesota Statutes (Minn. Stat.) § 124D.15, School Readiness Programs
Minnesota Statutes (Minn. Stat.) § 124D.16, School Readiness Aid
Minnesota Session Laws 2005, 1st Special Session - Chapter 5
Early Childhood Indicators
of Progress: Minnesota’s Early Learning Standards
(2005)
Minnesota Department of Education School Readiness FY 2004 Participant
Data
Minnesota Department of Education School
Readiness FY 2006 Participant Data
Minnesota Department of Education, More About School Readiness
Head Start Act, 42 U.S.C. § 9801 et seq.
Head Start Regulations, 45 CFR Parts 1304-1306
Provisions Expressing State Policy on Preschool:
Minn. Stat. § 124D.15 Subd. 1. 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.
Minn. Stat. § 124D.081 Subd. 1. Purpose. The purposes of the first-grade
preparedness program are to ensure that every child has the opportunity
before first grade to develop the skills and abilities necessary to read and
succeed in school and to reduce the underlying causes that create a need
for compensatory revenue.
Minnesota Session Laws 2005, 1st Special Session - Chapter 5, Art. 7, Sec.
18.
(a) The commissioners of education, human services, and health shall identify
how they will coordinate activities and resources, with input from local communities
and tribal governments, including setting priorities, aligning policies, and
leveraging existing resources to achieve the goal for increased school readiness
of all Minnesota children. The commissioners shall report on the progress made,
which must include information on:
(1) coordinating and disseminating resources and information on school readiness
and early care and education, health and nutrition, including child mental
health and family support to:
(i) parents and families with children birth to age five through key entry
points, such as women, infants, and children (WIC), family home visiting, child
welfare, public and private health care providers, and other public programs;
and
(ii) early care and education providers, public and private health care providers,
foster care providers, temporary care providers, shelters, crisis nurseries,
and other facilities providing long-term or temporary care for young children,
birth to age five;
(2) supporting families, schools, and communities in facilitating the transition
of young children into the kindergarten environment;
(3) identifying, coordinating, and sharing resources and strategies between
state departments that address the cultural and linguistic needs of families
served;
(4) amending the state Medicaid plan to expand the use of the child and teen
checkup funding for allowable child development services, such as outreach
for early childhood screening, and streamlining the process for voluntary certification
of school districts as child and teen checkup providers; and
(5) referring children ages three to five in the child welfare system to the
Interagency Early Intervention System for a developmental screening and referral
to services if problems are identified.
(b) The commissioners shall report to the senate and house of representatives
committees having jurisdiction over early care and education by March 1, 2006.
Eligibility Criteria for State Preschool Program:
School Readiness
Minn. Stat. § 124D.15
Subd. 1. 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. 5. … The district may not restrict
participation to district residents.
Minn. Stat. § 120A.20 Subd. 1(b). …A person
shall not be admitted to a public school (1) as a kindergarten pupil, unless
the pupil is at least five
years of age on September 1 of the calendar year in which the school year for
which the pupil seeks admission commences; … except that any school board may
establish a policy for admission of selected pupils at an earlier age.
Minnesota Department of Education, More About School Readiness
Children who are 3½ years old and not yet in kindergarten are eligible
for School Readiness. Some districts may serve children younger than 3½ old.
Participation is voluntary and services are offered free or for a nominal fee.
Fees are waived for families unable to pay. …
First-Grade Preparedness
Minn. Stat. § 124D.081
…Subd. 2. Qualifying district. A school district may receive first-grade
preparedness revenue for qualifying school sites if, consistent with subdivision
5, the school board approves a resolution requiring the district to provide
services to all children located in a qualifying school site attendance area.
Subd. 3. Qualifying school site. (a)
The commissioner shall rank all school sites with kindergarten programs that
do not exclusively serve [special
education, deaf, or visually impaired] students…. The ranking must be from
highest to lowest based on the site's free and reduced lunch count as a percent
of the fall enrollment using the preceding October 1 enrollment data. Once
a school site is calculated to be eligible, it remains eligible for the duration
of the pilot program, unless the site's ranking falls below the state average
for elementary schools. For each school site, the percentage used to calculate
the ranking must be the greater of (1) the percent of the fall kindergarten
enrollment receiving free and reduced lunch, or (2) the percent of the total
fall enrollment receiving free and reduced lunch. The list of ranked sites
must be separated into the following geographic areas: Minneapolis district,
St. Paul district, suburban Twin Cities districts in the seven-county metropolitan
area, and school districts in greater Minnesota.
(b) The commissioner shall establish a process and timelines to qualify school
sites for the next school year. School sites must be qualified in each geographic
area from the list of ranked sites until the estimated revenue available for
this program has been allocated. The total estimated revenue must be distributed
to qualified school sites in each geographic area as follows: 25 percent for
Minneapolis sites, 25 percent for St. Paul sites, 25 percent for suburban Twin
Cities sites, and 25 percent for greater Minnesota.
Subd. 4. … A school site must offer
a full-day kindergarten program to participating children who are five years
of age or older for the full school
day every day, a program for participating children who are four years old,
or a combination of both. …
Head Start Supplement
45 CFR § 1305.4. Age of children and family
income eligibility
…(b)(1) At least 90 percent of the children
who are enrolled in each Head Start program must be from low-income families.
(2) Except as provided in paragraph (b)(3) of this section, up to ten percent
of the children who are enrolled may be children from families that exceed
the low-income guidelines but who meet the criteria that the program has established
for selecting such children and who would benefit from Head Start services.
Program Length/Duration:
School Readiness
Note: There are no statutory or regulatory provisions for preschool
program characteristics. The Minnesota Department of Education reported to
Starting At 3 that in FY 2005, 83% of districts providing School Readiness
services had half-day preschool programs running from one to five days a week.
Of the 19,247 children participating, 12,645 were in two-day programs, and
3,252 were in three-day programs.
Minnesota Department of Education School Readiness FY 2004 Participant
Data
During the 2003-2004 school year …Most school
districts [participating in the School Readiness Program] (83%) provide[d]
half day preschool programs.
First-Grade Preparedness
Minn. Stat. § 124D.081
…Subd. 4. … A school site must offer
a full-day kindergarten program to participating children who are five years
of age or older for the full school
day every day, a program for participating children who are four years old,
or a combination of both. …
Subd. 5. Extended day requirements.
The board of a qualifying school district must develop and approve a plan
to provide extended day services to
serve as many children as possible. …
Head Start Supplement
Minn. Stat. § 119A.535.
Eligible Head Start organizations must submit a plan to the department for
approval on a form and in the manner prescribed by the commissioner. The plan
must include:
… (4) a plan for providing Head Start services in conjunction with full-day
child care programs to minimize child transitions, increase program intensity
and duration, and improve child and family outcomes as required in section
119A.5411; and
(5) identification of regular Head Start, early Head Start, full-day services
identified in section 119A.5411, and innovative services based upon demonstrated
needs to be provided.
Minn. Stat. § 119A.5411.
The following phase-in of full-day services in Head Start programs or licensed
child care as defined in chapter 245A is required:
(1) by fiscal year 2009, a minimum of 25 percent of the total state-funded
enrollment throughout the state must be provided in full-day services;
(2) by fiscal year 2011, a minimum of 40 percent of the total state-funded
enrollment throughout the state must be provided in full-day services; and
(3) by fiscal year 2013, a minimum of 50 percent of the total state-funded
enrollment throughout the state must be provided in full-day services.
Head Start programs may provide full-day services as part of their own program
model or through agreements with licensed full-day child care programs. If
licensed child care providers do not exist in a geographic area, choose not
to participate, cannot meet the federal Head Start performance standards after
sufficient opportunity, or a Head Start program is unable to establish the
full-day services as a part of their own program model, the Head Start program
may request exemption from the commissioner.
45 CFR § 1306.32(b) Center-based program
option requirements.
(1) Classes must operate for four or five days per week or some combination
of four and five days per week.
(2) Classes must operate for a minimum of three and one-half to a maximum
of six hours per day with four hours being optimal.
(3) The annual number
of required days of planned class operations (days when children are scheduled
to attend)
is determined by
the number of days per week
each program operates. Programs that operate for four days per week must provide
at least 128 days per year of planned class operations. Programs that operate
for five days per week must provide at least 160 days per year of planned class
operations. …
Scope of State’s Responsibility to Provide Preschool:
School Readiness
Minn. Stat. § 124D.15 Subd. 1. A district or a group of districts may
establish a school readiness program for eligible children. …
First-Grade Preparedness
Minn. Stat. § 124D.081
…Subd. 2. Qualifying district. A school district may receive first-grade
preparedness revenue for qualifying school sites if, consistent with subdivision
5, the school board approves a resolution requiring the district to provide
services to all children located in a qualifying school site attendance area.
Subd. 3. Qualifying school site. (a) The
commissioner shall rank all school sites with kindergarten programs that
do not exclusively serve [special
education, deaf, or visually impaired] students…. The ranking must be from
highest to lowest based on the site's free and reduced lunch count as a percent
of the fall enrollment using the preceding October 1 enrollment data. Once
a school site is calculated to be eligible, it remains eligible for the duration
of the pilot program, unless the site's ranking falls below the state average
for elementary schools. For each school site, the percentage used to calculate
the ranking must be the greater of (1) the percent of the fall kindergarten
enrollment receiving free and reduced lunch, or (2) the percent of the total
fall enrollment receiving free and reduced lunch. The list of ranked sites
must be separated into the following geographic areas: Minneapolis district,
St. Paul district, suburban Twin Cities districts in the seven-county metropolitan
area, and school districts in greater Minnesota.
(b) The commissioner shall establish a process and timelines to qualify school
sites for the next school year. School sites must be qualified in each geographic
area from the list of ranked sites until the estimated revenue available for
this program has been allocated. The total estimated revenue must be distributed
to qualified school sites in each geographic area as follows: 25 percent for
Minneapolis sites, 25 percent for St. Paul sites, 25 percent for suburban Twin
Cities sites, and 25 percent for greater Minnesota.
Scope of State's Responsibility to Fund Preschool:
School Readiness
Minn. Stat. § 124D.15
Subd. 1. A district or a group of districts
may establish a school readiness program for children age three to kindergarten
entrance. …
…Subd. 5. 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. …
…Subd. 12. 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.
Minn. Stat. § 124D.16
…Subd. 2(b). For fiscal year 2002 and thereafter, a district must receive
school readiness aid equal to:
(1) the number of four-year-old children in the district on October 1 for
the previous school year times the ratio of 50 percent of the total school
readiness aid for that year to the total number of four-year-old children reported
to the commissioner for the previous school year; plus
(2) the number of pupils enrolled in the school district from families eligible
for the free or reduced school lunch program for the previous school year times
the ratio of 50 percent of the total school readiness aid for that year to
the total number of pupils in the state from families eligible for the free
or reduced school lunch program for the previous school year.
Subd. 3. School readiness aid shall be used only to provide a school
readiness program and may be used to provide transportation. Not more than
five percent of program revenue, as defined in subdivision 5, may be used for
the cost of administering the program. Aid must be used to supplement and not
supplant local, state, and federal funding. Aid may not be used for [special
education, deaf, or visually impaired] instruction and services …. Aid may
not be used to purchase land or construct buildings, but may be used to lease
or renovate existing buildings. …
First-Grade Preparedness
Minn. Stat. § 124D.081
…Subd. 2. Qualifying district. A school district may receive first-grade
preparedness revenue for qualifying school sites if, consistent with subdivision
5, the school board approves a resolution requiring the district to provide
services to all children located in a qualifying school site attendance area.
Subd. 3. Qualifying school site. (a) The commissioner shall rank all
school sites with kindergarten programs that do not exclusively serve students
under sections 125A.03 to 125A.24, and 125A.65. The ranking must be from highest
to lowest based on the site's free and reduced lunch count as a percent of
the fall enrollment using the preceding October 1 enrollment data. Once a school
site is calculated to be eligible, it remains eligible for the duration of
the pilot program, unless the site's ranking falls below the state average
for elementary schools. For each school site, the percentage used to calculate
the ranking must be the greater of (1) the percent of the fall kindergarten
enrollment receiving free and reduced lunch, or (2) the percent of the total
fall enrollment receiving free and reduced lunch. The list of ranked sites
must be separated into the following geographic areas: Minneapolis district,
St. Paul district, suburban Twin Cities districts in the seven-county metropolitan
area, and school districts in greater Minnesota.
(b) The commissioner shall establish a process
and timelines to qualify school sites for the next school year. School sites
must be qualified in each geographic
area from the list of ranked sites until the estimated revenue available for
this program has been allocated. The total estimated revenue must be distributed
to qualified school sites in each geographic area as follows: 25 percent for
Minneapolis sites, 25 percent for St. Paul sites, 25 percent for suburban Twin
Cities sites, and 25 percent for greater Minnesota. …
…Subd. 6. Preparedness revenue. (a) A qualifying school district is
eligible for first-grade preparedness revenue equal to the basic formula allowance
for that year times the number of children five years of age or older enrolled
in a kindergarten program at the site on October 1 of the previous year times
.53.
(b) This revenue must supplement and not replace
compensatory revenue that the district uses for the same or similar purposes
under chapters 120B, 123A,
123B, 124D, 126C, and 127A. …
…Subd. 9. Reserve account. First grade preparedness revenue must be
placed in a reserve account within the general fund and may only be used for
first grade preparedness programs at qualifying school sites.
Minn. Stat. § 126C.10 Subd. 2.
The basic revenue for each district equals the formula allowance times the
adjusted marginal cost pupil units for the school year. The formula allowance
for fiscal year 2005 is $4,601. The formula allowance for fiscal year 2006
is $4,783. The formula allowance for fiscal year 2007 and subsequent years
is $4,974.
Head Start Supplement
Minn. Stat. § 119A.50.
Subd. 1. Department of Education. The Department of Education is the state
agency responsible for administering the Head Start program. The commissioner
of education shall allocate funds according to the formula in section 119A.52
to public or private nonprofit agencies for the purpose of providing supplemental
funds for the federal Head Start program.
Minn. Stat. § 119A.52(a).
The commissioner of education must distribute money appropriated
for that purpose to federally designated Head Start programs to expand
services and to serve additional
low-income children. Migrant and Indian
reservation programs must be initially allocated money based on the programs'
share of federal funds. The remaining money must be initially allocated to
the remaining local agencies based equally on the agencies' share of federal
funds and on the proportion of eligible children in the agencies' service area
who are not currently being served. A Head Start program must be funded at
a per child rate equal to its contracted, federally funded base level at the
start of the fiscal year. In allocating funds under this paragraph, the commissioner
of education must assure that each Head
Start program in existence in 1993 is allocated no less funding in any fiscal
year than was allocated to that program in fiscal year 1993. Before paying
money to the programs, the commissioner must notify each program of its initial
allocation, how the money must be used,
and the number of low-income children to be served with the allocation based
upon the federally funded per child rate. Each program must present a
plan under section 119A.535. For any program that cannot utilize its full allocation
at the beginning of the fiscal year, the commissioner must reduce the allocation
proportionately. Money available after the initial allocations are reduced
must be redistributed
to
eligible
programs.
Source of Funding for Preschool Program:
School Readiness
Minnesota Session Laws 2007, Chapter 146, Art. 9, Sec.
17.
Subd. 1. The sums indicated in this section
are appropriated from the general fund to the Department of Education for
the fiscal years designated …
Subd. 3. For revenue for school readiness programs
under Minnesota Statutes, sections 124D.15 and 124D.16:
$9,995,000 … 2008
$10,095,000 … 2009
First-Grade Preparedness
Minnesota Session Laws 2007, Chapter 146, Art. 2, Sec.
46.
Subd. 1. The sums indicated in this section
are appropriated from the general fund to the Department of Education for
the fiscal years designated …
…Subd. 24. For first grade preparedness grants
under Minnesota Statutes, section 124D.081:
$7,250,000 … 2008
$7,250,000 … 2009
Head Start Supplement
Minnesota Session Laws 2007, Chapter 146, Art. 2, Sec.
46.
Subd. 5. For Head Start programs under Minnesota Statutes, section
119A.52:
$20,100,000 … 2008
$20,100,000 … 2009
Scope of Child's Right to
Attend Preschool:
No statutory or regulatory provisions.
Curriculum Content Standards for Preschool Program:
Early Childhood Indicators of
Progress: Minnesota’s
Early Learning Standards (2005)
…The Early Childhood Indicators of Progress provide
a common framework for developmentally appropriate expectations for children
who are approximately
four years of age. It is expected that most children will accomplish the majority
of the indicators by the end of the pre-kindergarten year. In order to meet
this expectation, the indicators can be used as a guide for planning curriculum
content and teaching strategies for children in the preschool period of ages
three to five. …
[Note: The "Indicators of Progress" cover
six domains:
- Social and Emotional Development
- Approaches to Learning
- Language and Literacy Development
- Creativity and the Arts
- Cognitive Development
- Physical and Motor Development]
Sample:
Language and Literacy Development
Emergent Reading
1. Initiate stories and respond to stories told or read aloud
2. Represent stories told or read aloud through various media or during play
3. Guess what will happen next in a story using pictures as a guide
4. Retell information from a story
5. Show beginning understanding of concepts about print
6. Recognize and name some letters of the alphabet, especially those in own
name
7. Begin to associate sounds with words or letters
School Readiness
Minn. Stat. § 124D.15 Subd. 3. Program requirements. A school
readiness program provider must: …
…(2) provide comprehensive program content based on early
childhood research and professional practice that is focused on children's
cognitive skills and
development and prepares children for the transition to kindergarten, including
early literacy skills …
Teacher Certification/Qualification Standards for Preschool Program:
School Readiness
Minn. Stat. § 124D.15 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. …
Head Start Supplement
42 U.S.C. § 9843a
(a) CLASSROOM TEACHERS.--
(2) DEGREE REQUIREMENTS.--
(A) IN GENERAL.--The Secretary shall ensure that not later than September
30, 2003, at least 50 percent of all Head Start teachers nationwide in center-based
programs have--
(i) an associate, baccalaureate, or advanced degree in early childhood education;
or
(ii) an associate, baccalaureate, or advanced degree in a field related to
early childhood education, with experience in teaching preschool children.
3) ALTERNATIVE CREDENTIALLING REQUIREMENTS.---The Secretary shall ensure that,
for center-based programs, each Head Start classroom that does not have a teacher
that meets the requirements of clause (i) or (ii) of paragraph (2)(A) is assigned
one teacher who has--
(A) a child development associate (CDA) credential that is appropriate
to the age of the children being served in center-based programs;
(B) a State-awarded certificate for preschool teachers that meets or exceeds
the requirements for a child development associate credential;
or
(C) a degree in a field related to early childhood education
with experience in teaching preschool children and a State-awarded
certificate to teach
in a preschool program.
Other Quality Standards for Preschool Program:
Minn. Stat. § 121A.17. [Early childhood developmental screening]
Subd. 1. Every school board must provide
for a mandatory program of early childhood developmental screening for children
at least once before school
entrance, targeting children who are between three and four years old…
…Subd. 3(a) A screening program must include
at least the following components: developmental assessments, hearing and
vision screening or referral,
immunization review and referral, the child's height and weight, identification
of risk factors that may influence learning, an interview with the parent about
the child, and referral for assessment, diagnosis, and treatment when potential
needs are identified. …
Subd. 4. If any child's screening indicates
a condition which requires diagnosis or treatment, the child's parents shall
be notified of the condition
and the board shall ensure that an appropriate follow-up and referral process
is available. …
School Readiness
Minn. Stat. § 124D.15
…Subd. 3. A school readiness program provider must:
(1) assess each child's cognitive skills when the child enters and again before
the child leaves the program to inform program planning and promote kindergarten
readiness;
(2) provide comprehensive program content based on early childhood research
and professional practice that is focused on children's cognitive skills and
development and prepares children for the transition to kindergarten;
(3) arrange for early childhood screening and appropriate referral;
(4) involve parents in program planning and decision making;
(5) coordinate with relevant community-based services; and
(6) cooperate with adult basic education programs and
other adult literacy programs. …
…Subd. 5. 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. Districts
must submit a copy of each contract to the commissioner with the biennial plan.
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. 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. 14. Assistance. The department must assist districts, upon request,
with programs under this section.
First-Grade Preparedness
Minn. Stat. § 124D.081
…Subd. 4. A qualifying school site must develop its first-grade preparedness
program in collaboration with other providers of school readiness and child
development services. A school site must offer a full-day kindergarten program
to participating children who are five years of age or older for the full school
day every day, a program for participating children who are four years old,
or a combination of both. The program may offer as an option to families home
visits and other practices as appropriate, and may provide such services with
the consent of the parent or guardian. Program providers must ensure that the
program supplements existing school readiness and child development programs
and complements the services provided with compensatory revenue. Where possible,
individuals receiving assistance under a family assistance plan can meet the
work activity requirement of the plan by participating in a first-grade preparedness
program as a volunteer.
Subd. 5. The board of a qualifying school
district must develop and approve a plan to provide extended day services
to serve as many children as
possible. …
Head Start Supplement
Minn. Stat. § 119A.53 Federal Requirements.
Programs and the commissioner shall comply with federal regulations governing
the federal Head Start program, except for funding for innovative initiatives
under section 119A.535 as approved by the commissioner, which may be used to
operate differently than federal Head Start regulations. If a state statute
or rule conflicts with a federal statute or regulation, the state statute or
rule prevails.
45 CFR § 1304. Head Start Performance Standards
Includes standards with regard to:
1304.20 - Child health and developmental services
1304.21 - Education and early childhood development
1304.22 - Child health and safety
1304.23 - Child nutrition
1304.24 - Child mental health
1304.40 - Family partnerships
1304.41 - Community partnerships
1304.50 - Program governance
1304.51 - Management systems and procedures
1304.52 - Human resources management
1304.53 - Facilities, materials, and equipment
1304.60 - Deficiencies and quality improvement plans
1304.61 - Noncompliance
45 CFR § 1306.32
(a)(1) Head Start classes must be staffed by a teacher and an aide or two
teachers and, whenever possible, a volunteer.
... (3) For classes serving predominantly four or five-year-old children,
the average class size of that group of classes must be between 17 and 20 children,
with no more than 20 children enrolled in any one class.
Delivery of Preschool
Services:
School Readiness
Minn. Stat. § 124D.15
…Subd. 3. A school readiness program provider must:
… (5) coordinate with relevant community-based services;
and
(6) cooperate with adult basic education programs and
other adult literacy programs. …
...Subd. 5. 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. Districts
must submit a copy of each contract to the commissioner with the biennial plan.
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.
First-Grade Preparedness
Minn. Stat. § 124D.081 Subd. 4. A qualifying school site must develop
its first-grade preparedness program in collaboration with other providers
of school readiness and child development services. … Program providers must
ensure that the program supplements existing school readiness and child development
programs and complements the services provided with compensatory revenue. …
Head Start Supplement
Minn. Stat. § 119A.535.
Eligible Head Start organizations must submit a plan to the department for
approval on a form and in the manner prescribed by the commissioner. The plan
must include:
… (4) a plan for providing Head Start services in conjunction
with full-day child care programs to minimize child transitions, increase
program intensity
and duration, and improve child and family outcomes as required in section
119A.5411; and
(5) identification of regular Head Start, early Head Start, full-day services
identified in section 119A.5411, and innovative services based upon demonstrated
needs to be provided.
Minn. Stat. § 119A.5411.
The following phase-in of full-day services in Head Start programs or licensed
child care as defined in chapter 245A is required:
(1) by fiscal year 2009, a minimum of 25 percent of the total state-funded
enrollment throughout the state must be provided in full-day services;
(2) by fiscal year 2011, a minimum of 40 percent of the total state-funded
enrollment throughout the state must be provided in full-day services; and
(3) by fiscal year 2013, a minimum of 50 percent of the total state-funded
enrollment throughout the state must be provided in full-day services.
Head Start programs may provide full-day services as part of their own program
model or through agreements with licensed full-day child care programs. If
licensed child care providers do not exist in a geographic area, choose not
to participate, cannot meet the federal Head Start performance standards after
sufficient opportunity, or a Head Start program is unable to establish the
full-day services as a part of their own program model, the Head Start program
may request exemption from the commissioner.
…
Requirements for Student
Assessment and Program Evaluation:
School Readiness
Minn. Stat. § 124D.15.
…Subd. 3. A school readiness program provider
must:
(1) assess each child's cognitive skills when
the child enters and again before the child leaves
the program to inform program planning and promote
kindergarten readiness…
Subd. 3a. …(b) Programs receiving school
readiness funds annually must submit a report to
the department.
First-Grade Preparedness
No assessment or evaluation requirements.
|
