1.1    Peterson moves to amend H. F. No. 2983, the first engrossment, as follows:
1.2Delete everything after the enacting clause and insert:

1.3    "Section 1. [4.046] OFFICE OF EARLY LEARNING.
1.4    (a) An Office of Early Learning is established to coordinate a high quality early
1.5childhood system in Minnesota to make such programs more effective, and to improve
1.6the educational outcomes of all children. The governor must appoint, and the senate
1.7must confirm, a director who is a recognized expert in the field of early childhood care
1.8and education who will facilitate communication and coordinate prekindergarten and
1.9child care programs under the administration of the Departments of Education, Health,
1.10and Human Services.
1.11    (b) The director of the Office of Early Learning must coordinate Departments of
1.12Education, Health, and Human Services staff efforts to:
1.13    (1) consolidate and coordinate resources and public funding streams for early
1.14education and child care, and ensure the accountability and coordinated development of
1.15all early education and child care services to children from birth to age five;
1.16    (2) work with the Departments of Education, Health, and Human Services and
1.17Minnesota Early Learning Foundation (MELF) to create common standards for quality
1.18early childhood programming and rules for teacher training and certification;
1.19    (3) create a seamless transition from early childhood programs to kindergarten;
1.20    (4) encourage family choice by ensuring a mixed system of high quality public and
1.21private programs, with local points of entry, staffed by well-qualified professionals;
1.22    (5) ensure parents a decisive role in the planning, operation, and evaluation of
1.23programs that aid families in the care of children;
1.24    (6) provide consumer education and accessibility to early education and child care
1.25resources;
1.26    (7) advance the quality of early education and child care programs in order to
1.27support the healthy development of children and preparation for their success in school;
2.1    (8) develop a seamless service delivery system of early education and child care
2.2programs administered by local, state, and federal agencies, with local points of entry;
2.3    (9) develop and manage an effective data collection system to support the necessary
2.4functions of a coordinated system of early education and child care in order to enable
2.5accurate evaluation of its impact;
2.6    (10) respect and be sensitive to family values and cultural heritage; and
2.7    (11) establish the administrative framework for and promote the development of
2.8early education and child care services in order to provide that such services, staffed
2.9by well-qualified professionals, are available in every community for all families that
2.10express a need for them.
2.11    (c) The director of the Office of Early Learning must report to the legislative
2.12committees with jurisdiction over the early childhood education and child care programs
2.13by February 1 of each year on the status of the work required under paragraph (b) and
2.14any statutory changes necessary to improve quality and increase access. The director
2.15also must present to these same legislative committees by February 1, 2009, a detailed
2.16plan, with an implementation timeline, to colocate state early childhood education and
2.17child care assistance programs and services.
2.18EFFECTIVE DATE.This section is effective the day following final enactment.

2.19    Sec. 2. [124D.141] STATE ADVISORY BOARD ON SCHOOL READINESS.
2.20    Subdivision 1. Establishment. A 12-member State Advisory Board on School
2.21Readiness is established. The director of the Office of Early Learning shall staff the
2.22advisory board and assist in developing a coordinated, efficient, and cost-effective system
2.23for delivering throughout Minnesota early childhood programs that focus on early care
2.24and education, health care, and family support.
2.25    Subd. 2. Board members; terms. (a) The advisory board includes the following
2.2612 members:
2.27    (1) the commissioner of employment and economic development or the
2.28commissioner's designee;
2.29    (2) the commissioner of health or the commissioner's designee;
2.30    (3) the commissioner of education or the commissioner's designee;
2.31    (4) the commissioner of human services or the commissioner's designee;
2.32    (5) four public members appointed jointly by the majority and minority leaders in
2.33the house and senate who are recognized experts in early care and education;
2.34    (6) two public members appointed jointly by the majority and minority leaders in the
2.35house and senate who are community or business leaders; and
3.1    (7) two parents who have a child under age six.
3.2    The public members must be representative of communities of color.
3.3    (b) Members appointed by the majority and minority leaders in the house and senate
3.4serve staggered three-year terms. Board members must nominate and elect a chair and
3.5other officers from among the public members. Members initially appointed to the board
3.6shall assign themselves by lot to terms of one, two, or three years. The chair must notify
3.7the governor on the assignment of these terms. The board shall meet regularly at the times
3.8and places the board determines. Meetings shall be called by the chair or at the written
3.9request of any three members. Members' terms, compensation, removal, and vacancies
3.10are governed by section 15.0575.
3.11    Subd. 3. Duties. (a) The board shall recommend to the governor and the legislature:
3.12    (1) the most effective method to improve the coordination and delivery of early care
3.13and education services that integrates child care, preschools, and family support services
3.14and programs;
3.15    (2) a multiyear plan for effectively and efficiently coordinating and integrating
3.16state services for early care and education, improving service delivery and standards
3.17of care, avoiding duplication and fragmentation of service, and enhancing public and
3.18private investment;
3.19    (3) methods for measuring the quality, quantity, and effectiveness of early care and
3.20education programs throughout the state;
3.21    (4) how to identify and measure school readiness indicators on a regular basis;
3.22    (5) how to track, enhance, integrate, and coordinate federal, state, and local funds
3.23allocated for early care and education and related family support services;
3.24    (6) policy changes to improve children's ability to start school ready to learn;
3.25    (7) how to provide technical assistance to community efforts that promote school
3.26readiness and encourage community organizations to collaborate in promoting school
3.27readiness.
3.28    (b) The board shall convene separate policy work groups to make recommendations
3.29to the governor and the legislature on:
3.30    (1) financing early childhood programs;
3.31    (2) building a coordinated service delivery system based on an assessment of early
3.32childhood systems and available state and federal funding;
3.33    (3) integrating a coordinated, collaborative health care component, including
3.34medical homes, parent education, family support, behavioral health and early education,
3.35into early childhood programs and avoiding duplication of services;
4.1    (4) enhancing the quality and measuring the cost of child care and preschool
4.2programs; and
4.3    (5) improving the wages, benefits, and supply of early childhood professionals.
4.4    Subd. 4. Board expenses. Notwithstanding Minnesota Statutes, section 15.059,
4.5board members must not be paid a per diem or reimbursed for any expense associated
4.6with their membership on the advisory board.
4.7    Subd. 5. Board expiration. The State Advisory Board on School Readiness
4.8expires January 1, 2013.
4.9EFFECTIVE DATE.This section is effective the day following final enactment."
4.10Amend the title accordingly