MN SF2812

Establishes five regional groups for voluntary prekindergarten program allocation: Minneapolis school district, St. Paul school district, metropolitan equity region, rural equity region, and charter schools, effective for fiscal year 2019 and later.

Authorizes the commissioner of education to determine the total amount of Pathway II scholarships rather than having a fixed funding cap, with highest priority given to children with young parents pursuing high school diplomas, children in foster care, and children experiencing homelessness.

Makes the school readiness plus program permanent by removing temporary language and extending application deadlines to January 30 of the previous fiscal year for fiscal year 2020 and later.

Modifies school readiness plus program requirements to specify that "the first staff required to be a teacher" rather than "at least one licensed" staff member must be a teacher in programs with one-to-ten staff-to-child ratios.

Appropriates $21,429,000 for fiscal year 2018 and $28,571,000 for fiscal year 2019 for mixed delivery prekindergarten and school readiness plus programs, with a base of $29,100,000 for fiscal year 2020 and later.