124D.151 VOLUNTARY PREKINDERGARTEN PROGRAMnew text begin FOR ELIGIBLE
FOUR-YEAR-OLD CHILDRENnew text end .

Subdivision 1.

Establishment; purpose.

A district, a charter school, a group of districts,
a group of charter schools, or a group of districts and charter schools may establish a
voluntary prekindergarten programnew text begin for eligible four-year-old childrennew text end . The purpose of a
voluntary prekindergarten program is to deleted text begin preparedeleted text end new text begin supportnew text end children new text begin and their families and
prepare them new text end for success deleted text begin as they enterdeleted text end new text begin innew text end kindergarten deleted text begin in the following yeardeleted text end new text begin and beyondnew text end .

Subd. 2.

Program requirements.

(a) A voluntary prekindergarten program provider
must:

(1) provide instruction through play-based learning to foster children's social and
emotional development, cognitive development, physical and motor development, and
language and literacy skills, including the native language and literacy skills of English
learners, to the extent practicable;

(2) deleted text begin measuredeleted text end new text begin assessnew text end each child's deleted text begin cognitive and social skills using a formative measure
aligned todeleted text end new text begin progress towardnew text end the state's early learning standards when the child enters and
again before the child leaves the programdeleted text begin , screening and progress monitoring measures,
and other age-appropriate versions from the state-approved menu of kindergarten entry
profile measuresdeleted text end new text begin using a commissioner-approved formative, developmentally appropriate
assessment and report results and demographic data to the department in a form and manner
prescribed by the commissionernew text end ;

(3) provide comprehensive program content new text begin aligned with the state early learning
standards, new text end including the implementation of curriculum, assessment, and new text begin intentional
new text end instructional strategies deleted text begin aligned with the state early learning standards, and kindergarten
through grade 3 academic standardsdeleted text end ;

(4) provide instructional content and activities that are of sufficient length and intensity
to address learning needs including offering a program with at least 350 hours of instruction
per school year for a prekindergarten student;

deleted text begin (5) provide voluntary prekindergarten instructional staff salaries comparable to the
salaries of local kindergarten through grade 12 instructional staff;
deleted text end

deleted text begin (6)deleted text end new text begin (5)new text end coordinate appropriate kindergarten transition with families, deleted text begin community-baseddeleted text end
prekindergarten programsdeleted text begin ,deleted text end new text begin offered by Head Start, licensed center and licensed family child
care, community-based organizations, new text end and school district kindergarten programs;

deleted text begin (7)deleted text end new text begin (6)new text end involve parents in program deleted text begin planningdeleted text end new text begin decision-makingnew text end and transition planning by
implementing parent engagement strategies that include culturally and linguistically
responsive activities in prekindergarten through third grade that are aligned with early
childhood family education under section 124D.13;

deleted text begin (8)deleted text end new text begin (7)new text end coordinate with relevant community-based services, including health and social
service agencies, to ensure children have access to comprehensive services;

deleted text begin (9)deleted text end new text begin (8)new text end coordinate with all relevant school district programs and services including early
childhood special education, homeless students, and English learners;

deleted text begin (10)deleted text end new text begin (9)new text end ensure staff-to-child ratios of one-to-ten and a maximum group size of 20
children;

deleted text begin (11)deleted text end new text begin (10)new text end provide high-quality coordinated professional development, training, and
coaching for deleted text begin bothdeleted text end new text begin staff innew text end school deleted text begin district and community-based early learningdeleted text end new text begin districts and
in prekindergarten programs offered by Head Start, licensed center and licensed family
child carenew text end providersnew text begin , and community-based organizationsnew text end that is informed by a measure of
adult-child interactions and enables teachers to be highly knowledgeable in early childhood
curriculum content, assessment, native and English language development programs, and
instruction; and

deleted text begin (12)deleted text end new text begin (11)new text end implement strategies that support the alignment of professional development,
instruction, assessments, and prekindergarten through grade 3 curricula.

(b) A voluntary prekindergarten program must have teachers knowledgeable in early
childhood curriculum content, assessment, native and English language programs, and
instructionnew text begin , and licensed according to section 122A.261new text end .

deleted text begin (c) Districts and charter schools must include their strategy for implementing and
measuring the impact of their voluntary prekindergarten program under section 120B.11
and provide results in their world's best workforce annual summary to the commissioner of
education.
deleted text end

Subd. 3.

Mixed delivery deleted text begin of servicesdeleted text end new text begin program plannew text end .

A district or charter school may
contract with a charter school, Head Start deleted text begin or child care centers, family child care programs
licensed under section 245A.03deleted text end new text begin program, licensed center and licensed family child carenew text end , or
a community-based organization to provide eligible children with developmentally
appropriate servi