MN HF3471

Amends Minnesota Statutes 2008, section 124D.141, subdivision 2, to add five new duties to the State Advisory Council on Early Childhood Education and Care.

Council must make recommendations on leveraging state and federal funding streams for early childhood and child care programs, and on coordinating or colocating these programs in one Office of Early Learning.

Council must review program evaluations regarding high-quality early childhood programs and make recommendations to the governor and legislature on creating a high-quality early childhood system to ensure all children are school-ready by 2020.

Council must recommend by March 1, 2011, the creation and implementation of a statewide school readiness report card to monitor progress toward having all children ready for kindergarten by 2020, including indicators, benchmarks, and publication frequency.

Any costs incurred by the council in making these recommendations must be paid from private funds; the council will not proceed if no private funds are received.