SAINT PAUL, Minn. - The Minnesota House today passed the Early Learning Budget Conference Committee Report. HF 2292 invests a historic $300 million over the next four years in Great Start scholarships. These early learning scholarships increase access to high-quality early care and learning programs for lower-income and vulnerable children (those with the highest needs) to improve school readiness and allow parents to access employment and education opportunities.
Rep. María Isa Pérez-Vega (DFL- Saint Paul) voted for the legislation.
“Childcare and early learning are essential to our economy and society, allowing parents to work, employers to expand, and children to thrive,” said Rep. María Isa Pérez-Vega, who served alongside Rep. Dave Pinto (DFL-Saint Paul), chair of the House Children and Families Finance and Policy Committee, on the Early Education conference committee. “Investments in the early years have a substantial impact on our economy. I am proud we are investing $500,000 in my Learning with Music legislation. There has long been a correlation between musical training and academic success in addition to self-expression, creativity, and social/emotional development.
I also want to thank our Early Education conference committee and House Research staff for their dedication throughout the legislative session.”
Learning with Music is an innovative, evidence-based music integration program developed to promote school readiness and self-regulation skills for young children. In 2022, MacPhail published the results of its research showing that music in the classroom was uniquely effective at helping children growing up in poverty learn, despite the challenges that often undermine skill development. Learning with Music trains early childhood educators to integrate music throughout their classes’ daily activities.
Video of the floor session will be available on the House Public Information Services YouTube channel.