1.1    .................... 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 high quality
1.5prekindergarten and child care programs to make such programs more effective, and to
1.6improve the educational outcomes of all children. The governor must appoint a director
1.7who is a recognized expert in the field of early childhood care and education who will
1.8facilitate communication and coordinate prekindergarten and child care programs under
1.9the administration of the Departments of Education and Human Services. Notwithstanding
1.10other law to the contrary, the director shall provide for the receipt, allocation, and
1.11disbursement of federal money received for early childhood education and child care
1.12assistance, consistent with federal laws and regulations.
1.13    (b) The executive director of the Office of Early Learning must coordinate
1.14Departments of Education and Human Services staff efforts to:
1.15    (1) consolidate and coordinate resources and public funding streams for early
1.16education and child care, and ensure the accountability and coordinated development of
1.17all early education and child care services to children from birth to age five;
1.18    (2) work with the Departments of Education and Human Services and Minnesota
1.19Early Learning Foundation (MELF) to create common standards for quality early
1.20childhood programming and rules for teacher training and certification;
1.21    (3) create a seamless transition from early childhood programs to kindergarten;
1.22    (4) encourage family choice by ensuring a mixed system of high quality public and
1.23private programs, with local points of entry, staffed by well-qualified professionals;
1.24    (5) ensure parents a decisive role in the planning, operation, and evaluation of
1.25programs that aid families in the care of children;
1.26    (6) provide consumer education and accessibility to early education and child care
1.27resources;
2.1    (7) advance the quality of early education and child care programs in order to
2.2support the healthy development of children and preparation for their success in school;
2.3    (8) develop a seamless service delivery system of early education and child care
2.4programs administered by local, state, and federal agencies, with local points of entry;
2.5    (9) develop and manage an effective data collection system to support the necessary
2.6functions of a coordinated system of early education and child care in order to enable
2.7accurate evaluation of its impact;
2.8    (10) respect and be sensitive to family values and cultural heritage; and
2.9    (11) establish the administrative framework for and promote the development of
2.10early education and child care services in order to provide that such services, staffed
2.11by well-qualified professionals, are available in every community for all families that
2.12express a need for them.
2.13    (c) The director of Office of Early Learning must report to the legislative committees
2.14with jurisdiction over the early childhood education and child care programs by February
2.151 of each year on the status of the work required under paragraph (b) and any statutory
2.16changes necessary to improve quality and increase access. The director also must
2.17present to these same legislative committees by February 1, 2009, a detailed plan, with
2.18an implementation timeline, to colocate state early childhood education and child care
2.19assistance programs and services.
2.20EFFECTIVE DATE.This section is effective the day following final enactment.

2.21    Sec. 2. [124D.141] STATE ADVISORY BOARD ON SCHOOL READINESS.
2.22    Subdivision 1. Establishment. A 12-member State Advisory Board on School
2.23Readiness is established in the Office of the Governor to advise the governor and the
2.24legislature on developing a coordinated, efficient, and cost-effective system for delivering
2.25throughout Minnesota early childhood programs that focus on early care and education,
2.26health care, and family support.
2.27    Subd. 2. Board members; terms. (a) The advisory board includes the following
2.2812 members:
2.29    (1) the commissioner of employment and economic development or the
2.30commissioner's designee;
2.31    (2) the commissioner of health or the commissioner's designee;
2.32    (3) the commissioner of education or the commissioner's designee;
2.33    (4) the commissioner of human services or the commissioner's designee;
2.34    (5) five public members appointed jointly by the majority and minority leaders in the
2.35house and senate who are recognized experts in early care and education; and
3.1    (6) three public members appointed jointly by the majority and minority leaders in
3.2the house and senate who are community or business leaders.
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 expiration. The State Advisory Board on School Readiness
4.5expires January 1, 2013.
4.6EFFECTIVE DATE.This section is effective the day following final enactment."
4.7Amend the title accordingly