MN HF5278

Appropriates $1,500,000 from the workforce development fund in fiscal year 2025 to the Commissioner of Human Services to purchase and operate an online early childhood development professional educator program at no cost to participants.

Selected program must include all coursework in English or Spanish to earn a Child Development Associate Certificate, provide Continuing Education Units accredited by the International Accreditors for Continuing Education and Training, and meet federal health and safety training requirements under child care development block grants.

Program must serve early childhood educators and Minnesota residents interested in working in licensed early education facilities including prekindergarten programs, child care, Head Start Centers, resource and referral agencies, and family child care homes, with enrollment distributed on a first-come, first-served basis.

Selected provider's platform must include research-based courses covering birth to age three development, interactive learning components, bilingual offerings, accessibility across devices, professional learning communities, and a learning management system capable of reliable simultaneous access for multiple users.

Program responsibilities, authorities, and appropriation will transfer to the Department of Children, Youth, and Families once relevant transfers under Laws 2023, chapter 70, article 12, section 30 are completed.