MN SF2909

Establishes a grant program to support children's healthy development and school readiness by creating community partnerships that coordinate early care and education services, health services, and family support services from before birth to kindergarten.

Eligible applicants include school districts, tribal schools, counties, nonprofits, and community-based organizations; only one grant will be awarded per geographic area, and applicants must submit implementation plans to the commissioners of education, human services, and health.

Grant recipients must develop collaborative partnerships including school-based programs, Head Start, child care providers, health care providers, and early intervention committees to assess local needs, provide high-quality early care settings, connect families to services, and implement evaluation plans measuring kindergarten readiness.

Grants are awarded for two-year periods with two types available: planning grants for partnership formation and implementation grants for direct services; recipients achieving set outcomes receive a 15 percent increase in year two, and must provide local matching funds that cannot supplant existing initiatives.

Appropriates unspecified funding from the general fund to the commissioner of education in fiscal year 2012, with the departments of Education, Human Services, and Health required to report evaluation results to the legislature by January 15, 2012; effective July 1, 2011.